I think I’ve found nits (lice) in Riley’s hair. I’ve just doused us all in the hair treatment and they’ve screamed like hell. I’m about to toss our linens and things in the wash on a hot cycle. Oh, the pure humiliation of it all. What else do I do?!
I’ve had a few people ask me how I feel when I get rejection slips in the mail for my writing. Honestly, it doesn’t bother me much. Well, sometimes it can. This one was the first: a good ‘stock rejection’, non-personalised (well, I suppose it counts as personal if the title is tacked on in biro). At…
Gratitude – to all of you who’ve contacted me privately to express your sympathy, respects and, sadly, your own similar experiences. You’ve said it was brave of me to write what I did; I think it’s equally so to then make your confessions to me. Each has been taken into my bosom, and you can be…
The other night as I was serving our vegetables up for dinner, my chest went wet and I thought, “How could I have spilled water over myself?” As I peeled back my bathrobe it was soon plainly obvious that I had not spilled water. My breasts were leaking. And considering I gave up breastfeeding some…
“I’m tired.” “My bowels aren’t happy tonight.” “My back hurts.” “No, really, I’m very gassy.” “I’m sick of siting down for so long. Who sits at a dinner table for two hours?” “My tummy isn’t happy either.” “You said that already.” “No – I am actually describing another anatomical part of my body.” “People are…
This morning I sat in front of the television and had the children next to me. “Why are we watching this?” Keira asked, bored. “Because this is a very important day. You see, we have white skin and in the past people with white skin weren’t very nice to the people with dark skin who live here. But today,…
The other weekend we set up Riley’s ‘big bed’. His cot is a convertible kind that (supposedly) was straight forward to convert. I had my suspicions it mightn’t be so easy. So we set ourselves up and got comfortable… …and dad got frustrated when there were set-backs and mistakes: No shots! Go away! But we…
I’m currently suffering the “2-day post-shopping syndrome”. Perhaps you know of it? Symptoms: You stand in front of the open refrigerator, elbow crooked up on the door for extra comfort, and stare at the contents within. You only did the groceries two days ago, but already there are holes. All the ‘extras’, those ‘goodies’ you…
Yesterday I was in the city for a friend’s book launch. It took place at the ‘Paris’ end of Collins Street; a street, many of us will know, known for its high-end fashion stores. I admit, I was looking alright. As I walked out the door Adam said, “Damn – you look all arty!” [Please,…
