modern life

Christmas: How to cope when it isn’t your turn to have the kids

December 30, 2017 By Ellen 1 Comment

I wrote this a couple of Christmases ago and I was reminded of it when I saw another mum chum going through similar this year. Every other year Boys One and Two spend Christmas with their dad. We’ve been doing it this way for 15 years now. So that’s around seven December 25ths I’ve spent […]

Five problems we didn’t have 10 years ago

June 25, 2014 By Ellen Leave a Comment

Progress is good, isn’t it? You know, clever people coming up with more ingenious things – like being able to print 3D sweeties or ways to send photos to people that they can only see for a few seconds. Before you know it, you’ll wonder how you lived without these magical innovations. However, with every step […]

Oh appy days – what’s your favourite app?

January 30, 2013 By Ellen 6 Comments

This could go one way or the other. There is a possibility I end up sounding like a wizened old woman shuffling round going: “What did we do before all this technology? How did we manage?” And then the only way to silence me will be to give me a boiled sweetie (Werther’s preferably) and turn […]

Questions about modern life?

July 25, 2012 By Ellen 6 Comments

If they can make planes that break the sound barrier, why can’t they make roads that don’t have potholes in them?If they can create fake tan that doesn’t smell of biscuits, why can’t they invent a painless way of putting sunblock on children?If they can eliminate smallpox, why do we still have athlete’s foot and […]

Is too much choice ruining our lives?

July 9, 2012 By Ellen 2 Comments

I’m all for freedom of choice, dancing to your own rhythm and individuality. However, I wonder if we now have so many options that we are too busy making our minds up to actually live our lives. Let me explain. Here we are on holiday with a small suitcase of clothes apiece, just a few well-chosen […]