» Will you go out with me?

Arranged marriage?
I had just gone back to live at Mum's for a while whilst I started a new job. The first night I came home, there was a handsome curly haired gorgeous sitting on Mum's sofa. He was a work clleague of Dad's and we got onto the subject of buying somewhere to live. Having known this man for all of two hours I said "Shall we buy a house together?" he said yes. We did. The end. Or the beginning.
/length - 20 years this November
(Fri 29th Aug 2008, 7:28, More)

» My most treasured possession

Dad's chess set
Back in the mists of the 1960s when Mum and Dad were newly married they had no money and no telly and I was a baby, Dad started to carve a wooden chess set. He made models in plasticine and slowly carved the pieces in some mahogany that was given to him. The kings and pawns look just like him and the queens look like my Mum. It took him seven years to make, carving away in the evenings. When my son started to show an interest in chess, Dad showed him how to play, and was a gracious (and mendacious) loser, encouraging Henry and helping him to learn the gambits. When Henry finally beat Dad for real, Dad gave him the chess set. It is the most precious thing I have or can ever imagine owning.

My sister was really cross that he gave the chess set to us - but as she is far richer, far prettier and by far his favourite, it is almost a consolation.
(Sat 10th May 2008, 12:02, More)

» Waste of money

It's a clothes story, boys look away now; girls, gather round
I ordered a dress to be made for me for my sister's wedding. made for you means it can't go back. It arrived and Ihated it, I tried it on and I hated it. I put it in the wardrobe and brought it out every week or so and I hated it. I bought a bag, shoes and jewellery to go with it in the hope that they would magically make it look gorgeous. Nope. I hate it. £160 of posh frock for wedding and it makes me look like a brace of hippos in a duvet. I hope ebay have a category for 'seriously unflattering dresses that I hate'. Meanwhile, I will be attending the wedding in a pair of spanx and some lovely silver shoes because I am NOT going to wear that dress.
(Wed 6th Oct 2010, 17:39, More)

» Phobias

feet
Even clean feet are ugly and horny and flaky and crusty and disgusting. And all the icky things that can go wrong with feet, bunions, athletes foot, veruccas, pong. And toenails - eugh. I never understand how people can CHOOSE to be chiropodists or pedicurist-ist-ists.
Dog feet are LOVELY though. I like to sniff my pooch's paws, especially when she has been running on the grass.
(Thu 10th Apr 2008, 15:01, More)

» Thrown away: The stuff you loved and lost.

Sparky Comics
My mum will keep old lumps of cheese with blue mould on them, half a lettuce with brown slime or half a spoonful of honey. She collects plastic bags, carboard boxes, old newspapers, jam jars and rubber bands. She wears the same dressing gown she has had since I was born, has never knowingly thrown away a book or even given one to the charity shop, keeps every card and photo I ever send her. But the minute I left home, she slung all of my beloved Sparky comics into the bin. I still sometimes wander forlornly around her loft looking for them. And she has moved three times since then.
I really loved The Sparky People
(Thu 14th Aug 2008, 18:18, More)