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Glasgow and Edinburgh: A Tale of Two Loaves

Glasgow South Side, 1893: The Glasgow Boys “Japan?” 29-year old Edward Hornel blinks in disbelief. He looks at his friend and fellow artist George Henry. Tea from a china cup in the grand drawing room of shipping magnet William Burrell? What a heck of a journey their paintings had brought them on. George grins atContinue reading “Glasgow and Edinburgh: A Tale of Two Loaves”

‘The Glasgow Effect’ and why it REALLY MATTERS

I LOVE GLASGOW. The people, the art, the culture, the buzz. Quite simply, Glasgow is like nowhere else in the world. Born an Edinburger (Portobello, to be precise – once a beach-o-phile, always a beach-o-phile), I have come home. I love this beautiful, vibrant, friendly city. There is nowhere I would rather live and work.Continue reading “‘The Glasgow Effect’ and why it REALLY MATTERS”

Why I Want To Be…… Harley Quinn

Blessed with three sons, I have an impressive knowledge of superheroes. DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, IDW. Yaaay. Kick-ass mum. I know them all. After seventeen years of trying hard to stay awake… my conclusion? That superhero movies have a formula. There’s: A good guy; A supportive but hard-to-get girlfriend; Some evil villain he needsContinue reading “Why I Want To Be…… Harley Quinn”

War of the Bucket

Monteveglio, Northern Italy. Spring 1325. The imposing Abbazia overlooks the valley of Samoggia and the Bolognese Apennines. The women of the abbey scurry about their business dutifully. They know their fortunes depend on servitude, no matter how distasteful. “Our Pope has the leadership and the appendage of a maggot on heat.” Pagolo spits his malevolenceContinue reading “War of the Bucket”

Let’s Talk About….. Writing Books

“Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone is a writer, some are written in the books and some are confined to hearts.”Savi Sharma THE END…. THE PERFECT ENDING. With a final late-night, all-consuming, impassioned push my literary baby is born. A culmination of love, perfection, emotional fragility, she lies swaddled in my arms as everyContinue reading “Let’s Talk About….. Writing Books”

Middle-Aged Hoopin’ – WEEK ONE

“Look, I’m sorry.” The dog stares me out with his guilt-inducing ‘hang dog’ expression (it’s hard to take him seriously when he has a hot pink ball-on-a-string hanging out his mouth). “It’s not like I deliberately whapped you in the face, is it? You got in the way. Anyway, it’s my hoopin’ ball, not yours.”Continue reading “Middle-Aged Hoopin’ – WEEK ONE”

Let’s Talk About…. Mindfulness

“Slowly… take the raisin to your mouth. Notice your arm knows where your mouth is. Place the raisin on your tongue. Don’t bite.” Shit, too late. I bit the raisin. Damn it. “Explore the sensation. Perhaps the raisin goes to one side or the other. Notice your saliva.” I’m noticing, I’m noticing. I’m so boredContinue reading “Let’s Talk About…. Mindfulness”

Let’s talk…….. DOGS

Just over a year ago, I took delivery of the most gorgeous, fluffball of fox-red Labrador cuteness. An inimitable, loveable tiny bundle of chaos and teeth called ‘Fly’. Fly eats socks….. and barfs them up again. Fly ate a pair of my big knickers…… and barfed them up. Aww…. Cute. The dog who was ‘alwaysContinue reading “Let’s talk…….. DOGS”

Let’s Talk… Gender-Based Violence

On the evening of 3rd March, Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, disappeared as she walked home from her friend’s house. On the 12th March, Wayne Couzens, a Metropolitan Police officer was charged with her kidnap and murder. Since then, social media has wound itself into an angry, grief-ridden tsunami. An evolving narrative of lifeContinue reading “Let’s Talk… Gender-Based Violence”

Let’s Talk About……. Fat Shaming

Let’s Talk About……. Fat Shaming There I am, tucking into my Lockdown-Saturday sausage butty and flicking onto Facebook to look at happy pictures of my world…… And there HE is…. Uninvited…… Leering unpleasantly….. And shouting. I’m in denial about my weight and I’m a disgusting human being. Excuse me, did I invite you onto myContinue reading “Let’s Talk About……. Fat Shaming”