I’ve been on a career break. I am not sure if there is ever a right time to do it or a time not to do it, but as it turned out for us, circumstances conspired to make the decision a little easi... Read More
View All Blog Posts
It’s been 5 weeks since I have been sat at a desk and logged onto my work laptop. I am impressed I can even remember the password and avoid the ignominy of explaining why I forgot it without bl... Read More
There is a song my Father-in-Law likes to sing and the opening lines are as follows; “This is my homeland, the place I was born in, no matter where I go it’s in my soul……
... Read More
A few weeks ago, a friend bought me a book to help me navigate the challenge that having a three-legged dog has brought to our family. And rather than just provide practical advice to support the dog... Read More
Our middle child, a daughter aged 10, went away this week on the longest school residential trip any of our children have undertaken (Covid got in the way of our eldest’s anticipated Year 5 and... Read More
Over recent weeks our 9 year old daughter’s excitement has grown as she prepared for her first sleepover at a friend's house. There was much talk about what they were going to do... Read More
I had a health scare recently, and when I say scare, lets imagine absolutely petrified. It started with a squeezing pain in the right of my chest, it would last for one second and go away. Ever... Read More
“But Mummy, I don’t want you to go into London, I want you to stay here with me!”
My eldest is aged 4. I have been on maternity leave, and then working from home full-time, sin... Read More
There has been recent discussion in the press about the increasing pension gap between men and women at traditional retirement age and at the younger end of the career ladder. Some of these articles ... Read More
So, I’m writing this after my husband has just completed the Marathon des Sables, dubbed the toughest foot race on Earth - 250km over 6 days, self-sufficient (carrying own food and gear) throug... Read More
In my last blog, I mentioned that I was wrapping up at my current law firm for pastures new. However, and before I could start the new job I ended up in hospital and – long story short &n... Read More
Commander-in-chief Senior won the prize for best dressed in her year group as the magnificent Mary Poppins for World Book Day. Yes, I admit it: I projected my desire unto her to solve one of the grea... Read More
I’m wondering if the biggest challenge of working parenting is feeling like everyone one else is better at it than you are. We could all do with cheering up right now, so I have assembled some ... Read More
For the last couple of weeks I have been lingering as I’ve leant over my sleeping children and given them a kiss goodnight before I go to bed myself. I press my cheek against theirs ... Read More
Since last autumn, my husband and I have been travelling to the office on a semi-regular basis after almost 2 years of working from home. In order to make this fit our current childcare situati... Read More
Hands up who has bought a shiny new thing, only for the whole unwrapping experience to be tainted by the unnecessarily sticky label that reaffirms to you that you got a great deal, but simultaneously... Read More
Some weeks back, my six year old daughter said ‘When I finish Year 6, will I be a Grown Up like you?’
It was a bittersweet moment mixed with the realisation that she actually believe... Read More
A week ago, my daughter Francesca went for her first college interview. It was a momentous occasion, marking the transition to being an adult in forming, one with a razor-sharp focus on fulfilling he... Read More
As I write this, news has broken of the lifting of the most recent Covid restrictions. Gleeful WhatsApp messages from fellow parents - “No more masks at school!” - and clients - &ld... Read More
"I feel like a limp lettuce" I said to my friend. We were sharing our worries about our parents and the realisation that we are now firmly in the sandwich generation, taking on increa... Read More
Happy New Year to everyone. In November I started a new job. I had been at my previous company for nearly eleven years and to be truly honest, I had gotten comfortable. I liked the job, I... Read More
I turned 40 last year during Lockdown 2.0 (or maybe 3.0, I’ve lost count). Lockdown scuppered any lavish birthday party or mini break plans. Instead, it made me reflect on my life so far and co... Read More
I lived in London for 20 years, since I was 18 (the last 12 years in Balham/Streatham Hill) and moved back to my childhood town in East Herts 2 years ago.
The process of deciding to sell up and ... Read More
My parents grew up on the other side of the world in abject poverty, where domestic animals earned their keep. Hens lay eggs which were carefully shared between numerous household members. Pigs were ... Read More
So, it’s my first day back in the actual office in over 18 months. I have seen most of my team’s faces on Zooms throughout this time, met up with some in person outside of office an... Read More
Trigger warning: racism
My darling son,
Today you asked me to play cops and robbers. You wanted to be the criminal.
I could not do it.
It hurt too much because I saw George Floy... Read More
Like the gusts that are blowing away the autumn leaves, the winds of change are blowing for me. As I write I'm finishing up with my current law firm, and by the time you read this I'll ... Read More
My son started school in September 2020, and I have continued to work part time. I had considered using my new ‘spare time’ when he was at school to either do a course in gardening ... Read More
My mother-in-law was a stay at home mum for much of my husband’s childhood – a fact that we tried to explain to our six year old over the summer. He listened to our explanation, frowned a... Read More