Friendship matters immensely. It comes in many forms and circumstances create all sorts. At its most fleeting it might be a momentary connection - such as a friendly opinion given by a stranger in a changing room that helps you decide on an outfit. Then there are the friendships of circumstance born of being thrown … Continue reading Anchor Friendships
Does living simply mean simply being mean?
"They can't just eat sawdust!" wailed one family member. "But it's Christmas, - they like getting lots of presents!" protested another when I baulked at the volume under the tree. It's one thing to change your own consumption habits. I can now look at reduced packets of the specialist cakes and biscuits I am restricted … Continue reading Does living simply mean simply being mean?
The richness in the rhythm of the year…
There is a saying that Christmas comes but once a year. But it doesn't. On the 21st October I walked past a busker playing Christmas carols, and saw shelves starting to fill with yuletide fare. If we all lived by that reckoning, Christmas and its associated paraphernalia would occupy one sixth of the whole year. … Continue reading The richness in the rhythm of the year…
A very good place
Sometimes you go somewhere and everything just fits. I mentioned Ktima Kokotou in my post about what I will miss about Greece. This is what I wrote for my friends who live there and run it. There is a vineyard, set between three hills. And every way you look, it is good. The … Continue reading A very good place
Farewell Greece!
The term has ended, the parties are over, the packing is upon us and the move has begun in earnest. What will I miss and what am I looking forward to? First, the mountains; Mount Parnitha and Mount Pendeli are in my sights pretty constantly. They frame the journey to and from school. I can … Continue reading Farewell Greece!
One place at a time..
We are moving back to the UK in the Summer. It is a bizarre process in some ways, particularly with small children, because your head is full of big life questions but their daily needs are still so dominant. I was told once that people either experience life as 'in timers' where they are distracted … Continue reading One place at a time..
Why I am not a fan of your Fan Club
My 7 year old is passionate about a particular make of toy animal families. She adores everything that goes with them and can spend hours absorbed in play. Last year she joined their Fan Club; a decision I was happy to support. However, six months in, I wrote this letter to the company expressing disappointment … Continue reading Why I am not a fan of your Fan Club
The meaning of Easter- in fuzzyfelt
The Christmas story has an easy sell - angels, a donkey, a baby, lambs and kings all make up an accessible story for children. (Never mind that the reality was family rejection, birth amidst squalor and social ostracism!) The challenge is making it more than a story. But the Easter story struggles to get past … Continue reading The meaning of Easter- in fuzzyfelt
“Chasing after the wind”
Another post that came from a bedtime story. It is probably also on the line between profound truth and trite cliche. The image is in no way original - it appeared centuries ago in Psalm 1. "A little tree grew on the edge of a copse on a hillside. From where it stood it could … Continue reading “Chasing after the wind”
“I saw a bargain today”
As a child I thought shops made the things they sold. The idea that toys were made the other side of the world seemed outlandish. With online shopping it seems almost like magic. But, as Fairtrade Fortnight highlights, everything we buy is made and put together by real people, living real lives, every step of … Continue reading “I saw a bargain today”
Grain of Sand 