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Wisdom for a bend in the road
Sometimes the path of life stretches in front of me straight and smooth. I know where I’m going and how to get there. Far more often, though, that path twists and turns. It has stones, even boulders, which seem insurmountable. I stop, worry and wonder. Then I take a...
‘Alice down the rabbit hole’ days
Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, was one of my late dad’s favourite books. As a result, many ‘Alice’ expressions became part of our family’s life. I've thought of my dear dad even more than usual recently, as the past two weeks have had a decidedly 'Alice down...
Happy Birthday…to my blog!
A child’s first birthday is a special milestone. A whole year of 'firsts' culminates in one special day for family and friends to celebrate. I have that birthday feeling because 28 March is this blog's first birthday. Every two weeks since March 2014, I've reflected...
Thanking mothers everywhere
Sunday, 15th March, is Mothering Sunday in the UK. For Christians, it falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Historically, it was when people attended their "mother" church, and domestic servants were given the day off to visit family. Since I grew up in Canada where...
In praise of comfort reads
Like all writers, I’m a reader too. When I need to recharge, or am low in spirit, books are a great comfort. Over the years I’ve recognized there are books I always turn to. They’re the ones on my keeper shelf, which follow me from place to place, and whose characters...
The vanishing art of letter writing
When did you last write a letter? Or, a word I learned from Dictionary.com, when did you last epistolize? I’m not talking about sending an email, tapping out a text or posting on Facebook. When did you last put pen to paper and write a letter to a friend or family...
Books for planes and trains…but not automobiles
When this post goes live, I'll be on my way from the UK to Grand Cayman in the Caribbean, via a layover in Toronto. Then it's back to Canada, before returning to England a week later. Travel is a constant in my life, mostly for my day job. With long days, faceless...
Words to live by
Words are my business. Finding the right words to express emotion, and to show conflict and character development, are fundamental to my work as a writer. I also delight in learning new words through reading, and the word of the day from Dictionary.com In 2014,...
Out with the old, ringing in the new
As I've mentioned on Twitter, the start of a new year compels me to clean house. So, post-Christmas, I've sorted through drawers and wardrobes, dusted hidden corners, and polished tarnished silver. I also have four bags packed and ready to take to the local charity...
Photo by Robin Spencer, Spencer Studio