I lost my twin brother Paul to sudden infant death when we were four and a half months old. Our family had nicknamed us Bear and Lamb; a reflection both of the noises we made and of our characters. I was Bear; growly and gregarious, while Paul was gentle and placid. We didn't share a … Continue reading My Brother Paul
Life
How to look an albatross in the eye (Part 1)
5 minutes before my first proper job interview (by which I mean post-university) I found myself in a waiting room in Kensington, staring at a picture on the wall. The picture showed black-browed albatrosses in flight. I thought them to be the most beautiful birds I had ever seen, and promised myself that one day … Continue reading How to look an albatross in the eye (Part 1)
A Centenarian, A Tractor And The Wonders Of Skype
This is a post-dated post. Let me explain. I started the following post on my Nan's 100th birthday but didn't get to finish it. I promptly forgot all about it until I found this draft. It's a precious memory and so I thought it was worth finishing, even though it's well over a year late! … Continue reading A Centenarian, A Tractor And The Wonders Of Skype
Lunch Boxes, Bath & Bed.
Today is the last day of the school holidays and Oli, Rosie & Jack have finally slotted into the chilled holiday mood. Typical because tomorrow morning it will be back to school and we will be hurrying them out of bed, forcing breakfast down their gullets and ushering them out the door before they know … Continue reading Lunch Boxes, Bath & Bed.
Thing One and Thing Two
Last week I spent an afternoon wading through the still and clear waters of a nearby inlet searching for clams. There was not a breath of wind, the water was a perfect mirror, it was a good time to reflect. As I watched crabs scurry behind reflected clouds and ducks slice open the sky, two … Continue reading Thing One and Thing Two
A Surreal Start to 2013
At 5 am on New Years Day we were woken up by a noise. Zoe, heard footsteps downstairs and the cupboard doors being opened and closed. At first she thought the kids had got up early and were ransacking the kitchen cupboard for cereals, but then it dawned on her that the footsteps weren't the … Continue reading A Surreal Start to 2013
"Today I am the youngest I will ever be, and the oldest I have ever been."
Bearing South 