I met my husband at York university. Phil was a Mathematics undergraduate; I was studying Psychology. He loved real ale in ye olde pubs; my nights out involved Taboo & lemonade, and dancing to ‘Steps’ in York’s clubs. He was quiet and shy; whilst I would always spot friends to chat to as I walked … More Twenty Years Later
It was just before seven. The morning after my birthday. Cosy and warm, I lay in bed for a while with my eyes closed. Until Kepler heard a noise, and jumped out of bed to investigate. It was a dog walker, out on the trails. As I opened my eyes to exchange hellos, I realised … More A Birthday Under The Stars
It was a trip three years in the waiting. We booked the family holiday back in 2019. When Covid hadn’t yet started its deadly rampage, when ‘social distancing’ was unheard of, and when you could cough in public without causing alarm. With homes miles apart, my Mum and siblings and I were looking forward to … More Third Time Lucky
It wasn’t the trip we expected 🙂 The last time Phil saw his Father was March 2020. He flew to the Isle of Man days before shielding began, and days before the island closed their borders to visitors. For over a year. Living with advanced dementia, and in a residential home, we couldn’t even ring … More Covid Russian Roulette
I was taught how to read maps as a teenager. Well, I learnt the theory. 😉 I knew churches were represented by black crosses, red triangles were youth hostels, and toilets were politely labelled as PC. I could calculate distance by counting the squares, could work out height gain by the contour lines, and knew … More Our First Real Adventure
I met my tribe at university. I arrived at York on a cold October day, with a lava lamp, yellow dinner plates… and an enormous desire to do something different, exciting, adventurous. To make the most of my uni life. So I joined the canoe club. Over the next -amazing- three years, those black-and-yellow clad … More Rekindling Friendships
Six months ago, I was lost in the storms of depression. My happiness had upped and left, my enthusiasm was missing, and I couldn’t find joy in usual loves. With rain pummeling the windows and my heart, with coronavirus restrictions still creating uncertainty and loneliness, and with the rampant virus still causing fear; summer seemed … More The Sunshine After The Storm
When the Coronavirus entered British shores, back in Spring 2020, the Isle of Man closed their borders. Residents couldn’t leave, and visitors were prohibited from entering. For seventeen months, Phil couldn’t return to his homeland. For seventeen months, we could only seen his family through a screen. And it was odd being kept apart. Our … More Sharing A Holiday Home
Over the last eighteen months of staying home, I’ve grown to love where I live. Forced to keep local, instead of day trips in neighbouring counties, we’ve enjoyed picnics and adventures straight from our front door. Instead of driving for miles to find our fun, we’ve had fun scootering for miles. Instead of exploring the … More A Change Of Scenery
This time last year, my brother linked me to a couple of newspaper articles. One was hailing the latest vaccine breakthrough, and the other suggested we’d soon be able to buy coronavirus tests online. Although, we were only a few months into the pandemic, it felt like we’d been living under lockdown forever. Washing food … More The Road Back To Normality
We Can Adjust The Sails 