BOOM! Somebody knocked on the door.
Uncle Vernin came downstairs holding a gun. ‘Who’s there? To come my house, we haven’t invited anyone.’ he shouted. SMASH!! The door fell on the floor. A big man was standing there.
‘Hello Harry, can you make me a cuppa tea?’ Harry just stared and froze.
Vernon said ‘Get OUT!’
Hagrid said, ‘Shut up, Vernin! Harry, Happy…
At breakfast one day the post came. Harry picked up the letters and he saw a letter with his name on.
‘Mr H Potter, The Cupboard Under the Stairs’
He was very supprised. Nobody ever sent him a letters. Dudderly saw his letter and told Uncle Vernin. Vernin snatched it away and Harry got angry. ‘It’s mine, give it back.’ said Harry. ‘Go to your cupboard.’ Uncle Vernin said, and…
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…
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…
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.
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.
On Dudderly’s 11th birthday, he starts going all whiney-whiney coz he…
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.
Moral
Get a second opinion with breast cancer. GPs are notoriously bad at recognising cancer symptoms. And bad at…
There is no word for this, a grieving mother or father, in our English language, the wordiest language in the world. We could create one to give a name to child grief. It is worthy of a name. Instead of hiding it in the shadows of anonymity.
Right here, right now. Let’s think. What about… ‘childow’ (said ‘chill-doe’) for a grieving mother and…
Introducing Harry Potter for the very young. When the film and book are over their heads, but they desperately want to know the story…
Book 1: The Philofososs Stone
Chapter 1
Harry was a baby. His parents dieded because the baddy wizard Voldimor deddid them with a baddy spell. Harry was ok because he had lots of special love magic from his mummy and daddy to keep him safe. But he got an…
We are all familiar with Secret Santa at work: it’s fun, surprising, saucy at times, and economical. Well we can adapt this game to our family gathering this Christmas, since, let’s be frank, we none of us have got the time or money or energy to be buying a present for each of our family.
Rules of the game:
Each guest brings one present and walks away with one present.
Charity, recycled…