Author Archive
Perk up your January! Mum’s the word!
Jan 10 2023- Madeleine
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Perk up your January! Mum’s the word!
It’s easy to feel low, we’re in the scrag-end of winter. Halloween, tick; Christmas, tick; skiing, tick. It’s Dry January, Veganuary, cold turkey more like.
So Ladies and Gents, whaddawegonnadoabaatit? Get some balance back is what. Balance – that most elusive of states. What does it even look like? It’ll surely feel different for each one of us in the details, but the framework could look like this…
Mums and Community: Building an ‘Urban Village’
Jan 07 2023- Madeleine
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Maybe it’s a 70s childhood kibbutz thing, but I have often dreamed of forming a commune. When I first arrived in our street 7 years ago, I blithely suggested to a neighbour that a street party would be fun, it being a cul-de-sac. The response I got was, ‘What would you want to do that for? You’d have to meet everybody!’ Despite this rather unpromising first encounter, the ice is thawing and a community feel is growing.
Mums Going Grey – Don’t call me Granny!
Jan 06 2023- Madeleine
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We tweezer them out as long as we can, don’t we, till it becomes a losing battle. Then the vast majority of us colour. No question. I used to, till the beauticians at hospital recommended no more toxic chemicals be used on our hair, after the second block of chemo left it lank and lifeless. I’ve been natural ever since and 8 years on, I’m 75% white, according to my hairdresser. She has gently suggested some colour, and my friends have been dropping hints about how ‘it’s sulphur-free now’ and it ‘takes 10 years off’. So I would become a convincing 40 year old.
Harry Potter for 4-6 year olds: The Philosopher’s Stone, Chapter 2
Jan 05 2023- Madeleine
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I’m back introducing Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone to 4-6 year old children with home-made illustrations.
Harry is now 10 years old. He still lives with his family, the Dursleys. His aunt is Aunt Pechooneeya and his uncle is Uncle Vernin. Their son is Dudderly. The family is never kind to Harry.
Mums with breast cancer – a personal experience
Jan 04 2023- Madeleine
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It was a nasty old time, being pregnant with breast cancer.
The lump was missed on my first visit to the GP. She had just checked me in to a hospital for the birth and my 10 minutes was up. After a hasty feel, she thought it was milk ducts. But over some months the lump got bigger.
