Be careful what you wish for…

The summer of 2016 has been my first full summer in Canada in almost sixteen years. When I lived in England, I often thought about Canadian summers with wistfulness. As gusts of cold wind buffeted my umbrella, and I sloshed through puddles on my way to my day job, I...

Canadian repatriation: One year

On 18 July 2015 English Rose and I landed in Toronto on an Aer Lingus flight from London via Dublin. I was on my way home, but English Rose had left the only home she’d ever known.Missing EnglandOne year later, I still miss the gentle English mist, fish and...

Clothes make the woman (and her heroines)

I’ve never owned a pair of Jimmy Choo sneakers. At prices topping US$500.00 I’m not likely to either. I’m also not likely to own an exquisite Chanel handbag of the kind I saw a white-gloved sales assistant sell in bulk to a trio of Chinese...

Canadian repatriation: Month 6

It’s now six months since I left England to start a new life in Canada. As much as I love my new home and have put down roots here, I also find myself reflecting on what I miss about the place I left behind.Living in an old countryI live in rural eastern...

The more things change…

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that my family and I have experienced some big changes recently. From a new country to a new house, from a new brand of washing powder to new shoe and clothing sizes, in the past two months almost every aspect of daily...