Apologies for the long time since my last email. I could cite not enough time, or other obstacles, but it might just be that I haven't been encouraging myself enough! A few weekends ago I was in Foyles, at a reading by Carol Ann Duffy, the current Poet Laureate. Short, stocky and not-to-be-messed with, she read from 'The World's Wife', a hilarious collection of poems about the wives of famous men - meet Mrs Midas, Mrs Faust, Mrs Aesop. (Imagine the alarm of Mrs Midas, wh

Yesterday afternoon I sent a text to my cousin in Canada. 'It's amazing,' said my daughter who was sitting next to me, 'how we can do this'. As someone who remembers when the concept of mobile phones was first mooted, it amazes me even more! But only when I take the time to think about it. The sad thing is that we are rarely amazed in our day to day lives. Habituation kicks in so very quickly. So, however appalled you may feel by the events of 2016, be thankful at least for f