Middle-aged, Free and Single

Dry January – Claire’s Story

This is a Guest Blog from my friend Claire, who invited me to join her online support group for Dry January, even though I didn’t know any of them apart from her and even though I didn’t do Dry January myself. I’ve been tracking their progress – you can read about the ups and downs,…

Dry January – Nearly There

Only three more days to go, for the people who decided that what they wanted to do most of all, in the middle of a global pandemic (in the middle of winter, and just as Brexit started to hit home), was to stop drinking. Four weeks of abstaining from intoxicating liquor. Four weeks of finding…

Up Helly Aa

Back in 1983, my husband was offered a new job. He’d been in the Merchant Navy – but we wanted to come ashore, so he applied for a job with HM Coastguard. He was successful, and his first posting was to Lerwick. We had no real idea where Lerwick was. I think I vaguely thought…

Old Dog. New Tricks.

Isn’t technology wonderful! A pain in the arse sometimes, but basically wonderful. The trouble is, it changes so rapidly. No sooner have we got our heads around one way of doing something than bang – another bit of tech comes along and we’re all having to re-learn. My first computer (an Amstrad 1640) was state…

No More Sugar

I have osteoarthritis in the top joints of my fingers. The worst affected are my little fingers, but I get a bit of pain in most of them, apart from my thumbs. My hands look like I remember my Grandma’s hands looking. The joints of my little fingers are quite swollen. I don’t have much…

Dry January – Have You Wobbled?

My friend invited me to join a group of people online who are doing Dry January – even though I didn’t know anyone else in the group and even though I’m not doing Dry January myself… A few days ago, I asked if anyone had wobbled – and what they’d done to fight it. Here’s…

Spa Delay

Today I should have been having a Spa Day with my sister-in-law. Or more accurately, I should have been having a Spa Day with my ex sister-in-law. We get on well, and after my husband left we decided we wanted to continue to get on well – thus proving that you can, in fact, choose…

Walking in the Snow

I love the snow. I have happy memories of sledging on Beverley Westwood as a child. One year we were having such a good time that when the light started to fade we walked into the town for something to eat – then went back out and sledged in the moonlight. Magical. I’ve had adventures…

Dry January – Why?

Why are you doing Dry January? A friend invited me to join a group of people who are doing Dry January. I’m not doing it myself – but I have total admiration for everyone who is. So – I asked these lovely people why they are doing it. Here are their very, very honest answers…

How are you?

Do you feel that your mental health is suffering during Lockdown? Are you feeling anxious, sad, lonely, frustrated, angry, and the rest? We know that depression is low mood that’s not related to any particular event. So someone feeling low following a bereavement isn’t suffering from depression – they are simply and naturally feeling an…

Clap Trap

I won’t be clapping for the heroes. Firstly – although I’m beyond grateful for the work our health care workers are doing – I won’t be clapping. Clapping does nothing to help them. I will be adding my name to calls for a pay rise for them. I will be continuing to wear my mask…