birthday

Things I learned today – Birthdays, basics and bosoms

September 30, 2020 By Ellen Leave a Comment

Covid, house moves, sons hitting landmark birthdays, the loss of my Booths card… times that are unforgettable to the point of interesting. 2020. As another surprise, you can go to a wine school that teaches via virtual classes. There have been surprises at every level, not least my own capacity to be jolted off the […]

Happy Birthday Boy Two

April 15, 2020 By Ellen 2 Comments

Hurrah for me – today I got my second child to technical adulthood. Boy Two turned 18. I’m a tremendous mother, only one more to go. This will undoubtedly be a memorable birthday because instead of the usual, ahem, first drink in a pub, he’s having a zoom party in his room. He did, however, […]

On 20 years of keeping the kids alive…

September 30, 2019 By Ellen 2 Comments

It’s 20 years – yep, 20 – since this young man arrived in my life. That’s more or less a generation, and probably a reason to celebrate. I am a fantastic mother – I’ve been keeping children alive for two decades. Admittedly, when this chap first fixed me with his fierce gaze, I had such […]

On a journey south and a delightful deceit… things I’ve learned lately

February 17, 2019 By Ellen 1 Comment

Write a post every day, she said (to herself, cos no one else cares). Let’s see how that goes then! And here we are a week later, but it’s been a good – and educational week. Here are the things I learned. The long way round still gets you there… (Also known as, confusingly, only […]

More things I learned: birthday edition

June 14, 2018 By Ellen Leave a Comment

Writer’s blockage would be nearer the mark. It’s what I feel when there’s so much going on in my head that I don’t know where to begin, where the loose end is to start the unravelling. More in common with road-trip constipation (you know what I mean) than a wistful gaze at a pristine page. […]