Single Parent

Another weekend with a culture vulture…

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Friday 31 July 2026 to Sunday 2 August 2026

Another year passes and, lo, my arty friend from London comes to visit again and what a weekend we have in the two majestic Northern cities of Manchester and Liverpool!

Manchester is busy! It’s sunny! It’s the weekend! It’s ever energetic. The GMEx is hosting a ‘Megacon’ event and the trams and the streets teem with young people in colourful costumes. We meander through the crowds and the turn into the calmer St John’s area, to find  the Aviva Studios. The venue the Ai Weiwei’s Button Up! Exhibition. And, for me, this exhibition is jawdroppingly good!

The critics describe it as ‘monumental’ and ‘colossal’ and the sheer size of exhibits inside the vast warehouse space gives me an instant wow factor! Which, if you are, like me, not an art afficionado, is most welcome! But then, as I begin to explore more deeply, I recognise the perfect nature of the setting. The room itself is so huge that the exhibition feels spacious and there is room to take a thoughtful 360 tour of each work and to study and learn about it in more detail. I read many reviews, some good, some less so, of this event but I chime most with the critic from ‘The Reviews Hub’ who describes it thus:

Button Up! is both awe-inspiring and intimate. The sheer size of the installations demands leisurely contemplation and Aviva Studios offers also the rare opportunity to get close enough to study the craftsmanship involved in their construction and appreciate the meticulous work.

But we voyage on. Onto the M62 to be precise for a day on ‘The Beatles Trail’ in Liverpool. This is far more of a regional tour of the areas such as Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields, that shapes the real lives of the ‘Fab Four’ and inspired some of their catalogue. There is more walking and outdoor trekking and it is a lot of fun!

So time to end this brief snapshot of the wonderful culture of two cities: one I call ‘home’ and the other now my place of work! But this was a fabulous weekend in which to slow down and take the time to see them both in a bit more detail.

Holidays, holidays, holidays…

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Friday 24 July 2026

In this sunniest of Summers, I am just back from a week on the Northumberland Coast with my girls! Holidays people – there’s really nothing like them…

I hail from a ‘holiday-ing family’! Throughout my childhood, every year we’d pack up the car and heads to our Welsh caravan for the entire Summer holiday. Six weeks of beautiful beaches, icy cold seas, steam trains, mountain climbs, fish and chips and hours of board games, laughter and family time. Kind of an ‘in a bubble’ experience, which had little to do with the life we led ‘back home’ but somehow made that life better and family bonds stronger.

And the same is true now that I’m a mum. Whether abroad or in the UK, our holidays have been great times and those shared experiences have made us a closer-knit unit. I don’t think the location actually matters, but spending time together does. It is a unique quality time, without the distractions of home and the sometimes stifling familiarity of the everyday. And I am not the only one who thinks so; here is the blurb you’ll find on most of the holiday sites!

According to an article published in TES by Elizabeth Buie, a staggering two thirds of conversations between parents and children revolve around their daily routine. A holiday away provides the perfect opportunity to break this conversation cycle and have more engaging exchanges with your children, plus gives you more time to get to know their individual personalities and notice how they’re growing, changing and developing as people.

Equally, I ponder, is it also a time in an adult relationship, those not eternally bonded by the unconditional love you feel for your kids, when you realise you are, or are not, on the same page. I recall a trip about 10 years ago to Rome with a guy I was seeing. As I explored the evocative forum, in my head imagining togas, great orators and the jaw dropping sophistication of that early culture, he had his eyes glued to a Google search for ‘Real Ale bars of Rome’. I’m not saying one is better than the other, and I’m sure many would opt for the beer, just that, as I found myself thinking

“I’d actually rather be here with my son or ex-hub; at least they’d have something interesting to say!’

… it was a sign that we were not as well suited as I’d previously thought.

So, back to those happy family trips and  I’ll finish tonight with a photographic trip down Memory Lane. So glad we took the time to holiday together in the past and let’s hope we will carry on doing so even though my kids are now all grown-up! Holidays are magical times, and you’re never too old for a bit of magic!

Where did that girl go…?

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Saturday 18 July 2026

Gosh it’s been busy and I have much to catch up on so let’s start with milestone birthdays … and coming face to face with your younger self!

Several University friends of mine are now hitting milestone birthdays and the Summer has been dotted with parties to mark the momentous occasions. It has been great; chances to meet up and catch-up, enjoy good food and drink … and even indulge in dancing!

Although we first met 30 years ago, I have been good pals with most for many years. We’ve holidayed together, toasted in New Years together and watched our children play together. So we are very much used to the older versions of each other. But when I am taken to see the photo gallery at tonight’s gathering, I realise that I have also become over-accustomed to the more-aged myself; the mum, the bill payer, the problem solver, the grafter.

One of the party rooms is full of lots of pics of us all from our teens and 20s. I am literally transfixed by my own photos. Yes younger! Yes thinner! But it is more than that…I actually don’t recognise myself.

Who is that girl? Where has she gone? …Is she ever coming back?

She looks happy, calm and at peace. She looks free! By contrast life has made me tough and resilient but also… often worried and sad. The walls of responsibility have closed around me and I know that this girl is never coming back.

For this night only, particularly as music from our college bar steals through the night air into the party gathering, I can close my eyes and picture myself stepping right back to this time. But it really hits me now that this is only a passing moment of nostalgia. My youth is gone. I hope I made the most of it and just in case I didn’t I resolve to make sure that I encourage my three offspring to relish these precious years, they are such a special time…

Shisha –  is that even legal?!

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Sunday 26 April 2026

It’s a works night out with a difference for me …

I work quite a lot this year. I have a regular weekday job but also, left over from a roller coaster year of free-lancing, a few ‘side hustles too’. And at one of these, my absolute fave, my boss decides that for our annual staff outing we all need ‘something chill’ , which in her world means one thing; a Shisha -Bar

“What even is that?” I pipe up like an innocent abroad “And…is it legal”

Well readers, worry not, it is all very much above board! Though not necessarily the healthiest of pastimes, as shisha is a flavored tobacco mixture smoked through a waterpipe. But I decide, as a one off…it should be okay? And. although my kids think it is ‘absolutely hilarious’, I sign myself up!

And so it is, that one sunny Sunday afternoon, we set off to Manchester’s Curry Mile for some (savoury)  food and thence to a Shisha Bar were we order, tea, waffles and … one large Hookah with several mouthpieces. Everyone has a few puffs, but eventually, we mostly leave it to the more seasoned smokers and just lean into the social atmosphere of the venue. In the absence of alcohol, the vibe is more relaxed than many pubs and very convivial. The buzz is all about the chat, conversations over teas and coffees, leisurely debates between swirls of smoke or laughter and gossip as the cake is shared out.

We have a great time. It has always been a lovely team but, as we drive back to our corner of the Northwest, having had the time and space to talk properly to everyone, we are even more united … and committed to the cause.

‘But what of the shisha?’ I hear your cry.

Am I a convert? No! I wont say ‘never again‘ but it definitely wont be for at least a year or two, until the annual outing decides to head that way once more …

Malham Cove

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Easter Monday 6 April 2026

Well there’s a walk to get your step count up!

The spectacular 230 foot limestone cliff of Malham Cove is our destination for a ‘nice Bank Holiday’ walk!

Golly – that looks steep!

Up to this point I am having the loveliest of days. A leisurely lie-in. Chauffered through the Yorkshire Dales by my favourite person. A tasty lunch of soup and sourdough at a trendy Skipton cafe. Blue skies and a rare bit of Spring sunshine and then… one very sheer cliff to scale!

Happily, in an apt analogy of life, climbing it isn’t actually as bad as thinking about it the trek ahead. Yes; there are dusty tracks and around 400 stone steps and yes; I do stop, at least once, feigning interest in ‘the view’ to catch my breath, but before too long we have reached the summit and the famed ‘Limestone Pavement”, resplendent in the April sunshine and a far cry from atmosphere of eerie desolation when it featured in the Harry Potter ‘ Deathly Hallows’ movie. Today by contrast, this maze of eroded limestone blocks is a lively scene of walkers gathering sit and chat, eat and drink and enjoy the view.

As readers of my blog will know, I love a Bank Holiday. Something about the communal day off, just fills the air with shared happiness and joy. Family time, friend time and a seemingly endless length of time. We wend our way back down, find a pub garden for a cheeky beer, before finally heading home.

Good times, good company … what more does anyone want from a day?

I got on the plane!

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Friday 31 October 2025

In recent years, I’ve become a regular at the local airport; dropping off, picking up, loitering at the arrivals gate, paying astronomical parking fees (even once being fined for forgetting to pay them!). I swear that some of the staff now greet me by name! But the one thing I’ve not done… since 2019… is fly anywhere. No, I have been strictly a chauffeur…until this weekend!

Yes, readers, I actually get on the plane!

With my two salaried daughters, who now pay for themselves, I jet off to Brussels for a long weekend. I am beyond excited. I refuse to have ‘carry on luggage only’ and fork out for a 20kg case. Overpack to ridiculous proportions, fill my purse with Euros, doubtless drive the girls insane …. and what fun I have!

Brussels could just possibly be the perfect weekend destination. Not too big, effortlessly elegant and a delight to while away the hours in.

We shop, we stop regularly to sample the famous beer, we eat … lots of frites, plenty of waffles and, of course the reknowned ‘Moules’

and we just enjoy wandering around the pretty streets and squares.

Some parts of the city so French, other, such as the Grand Place with its heavy Gothic architecture very … I was going to say Germanic, but Flemish is probably more accurate. We certainly take a lot of pics!

All too soon I am being dragged reluctantly back to the ‘Flixbus’ stop to start the return leg to Blighty. I would love to have stretched this out for another 24 hours. Back on home soil, I do manage to briefly extend our break when I espy and report an ‘unattended bag’ on the shuttle back to the car park and we, along with all the other passengers, are evacuated …. for 15 minutes until the next shuttle arrives!

But it’s only a short delay until I am back home… and already dreaming of my next trip. The financial barrier of paying for everyone and everything seems to be gone (for now), and my travel bug is definitely back!

Even better than Stevie Wonder?

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Tuesday 8 July 2025

Did I even mention that Stevie is at the very top of my ‘top three artists I’d love to see live’ list?

I know, probably only about fifty times! Anyway, when a friend hears that my idol is coming a Manchester venue, they express-message the news in bold BLOCK CAPITALS

“STEVIE WONDER 5th July !!! How many tickets?”

And I can’t believe it, because in my heart I think I had never expected to actually make this dream come true.

So why do I  pause? It is that  date…that date rings a bell. I glance at the calendar. And I instantly know that I’ll be giving Stevie, ‘Superstition’ and those sweet harmonica tunes a serve. Because we have an even better event to attend. Between the 4th and 7th of July, we have not one, but two graduations!

So pushing thoughts of funky soul music aside, we drive North for said July weekend, and what a time we have!

It is four days of unbridled joy. My baby girls, all grown up and graduated! Looking so happy and making me feel so unbelievably proud. The ceremonies and speeches are wonderful, the family meals fun and the fizzy wine freely flowing – looking at some of the pics, a little too freely!

Of course I shed the occasional tear. Hearing the newly qualified doctors all reciting ‘The Oath’ is quite a moment. And in Edinburgh, from high up in the iconic McEwan Hall, seeing Prom Dress daughter, the quiet little soul who didn’t speak for her first 6 months at school, turning to smile confidently to the audience as she receives her scroll, gives me goosebumps.

And of course there are some moments. Small boy and I stay in some very basic University accommodation in Edinburgh and both have to get suited and booted for the fanciful events in small public toilets! At some point, the memory of how is now a little hazy, we also acquire a tartan flat cap!

But perhaps the most  unbelievable moment comes as Ex-Hub and I are watching a procession of new graduates leave the hall in the Scottishcapital.

Ex-Hub takes me aside to say,

I feel so proud but you; you must feel incredible. For all you’ve done I wanted to say. ‘Thank you’

I am dumbfounded. If I’d never believed I would ever see Stevie Wonder in person, then this pales against this. These are simply words I never even dared to dream of hearing! Nothing short of miraculous.

But let me not digress; this weekend and this post belong to my beautiful daughters and to both of themI say,

I got faith in you girl

Stevie Wonder single 2016 from the Soundtrack to Sing

You go out, shape this world for the better and live your best lives now.

As for Stevie, now that I have been convinced that miracles can happen,  … maybe next time?

The February Birthdays

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8 February 2025

Oh February, for decades the month of the ‘double birthday’ with two of my children celebrating their births on consecutive days! Until this year, the first one where neither of them is at home ….

One is is Nepal, one is is a University lab and both happy and well. Gifts and cards are sent and calls are made … nonetheless …

My social media feed lights up with ‘memories’ of parties past. Crowded tables of little children munching party food, smiling faces at local soft-play centres, and plenty of cakes and candles. Then to more recent times and the teenage years;  thumping music, beer pong, disco balls, loud singing and that very same table groaning with alcohol.

And in the echoing silence of a house now empty of my three offspring, I feel a little forlorn …

How to impress your children…

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Friday 17 January 2025

Well it’s with a traffic cone as it turns out!

Oh the humble traffic cone, so often the unlikely hero of late night pranks. Something about the combination of our endless town-centre roadworks and a good helping of alcohol has made it quite commonplace to see those bold orange and white striped mounds of plastic adorning historic statues, topping iconic buildings and appearing in student kitchens on hung-over morning-afters.

But my cone is not in this ilk at all. Oh no, it is far more respectful. Let me reveal all…

I am driving through the gates of a large institution for a morning meeting when I stop to ask where to park. After a quick verification of my ID I am waved towards … my very own parking spot. Yes a traffic cone, with my name, (my actual name!) on it, stands proud guard over a reserved space just outside the reception.

As chance would have it, I am on a call with my eldest child at this very moment and so impressed is she with the news that, as I am hopping out of the driver’s seat to move the cone, her amplified voice bellows out on speaker phone

“Your name is on it! That is so cool, take a picture mum!”

Passersby look a little startled and all I can do is shrug, point at the cone and say

“Not every day you get your name on a cone!”

What I don’t add, but it could, is that it is even less every-day is doing anything that impresses your children. It is a great start to Friday…

Christmas 2024

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Monday 30 December 2024

Sitting with a coffee and one, of many, left over mini-mince pies, it seems the perfect moment to look back at the festive break…

Once all my kids are safely home, despite load upon load of dirty washing and a speeding ticket, courtesy of the variable-speed-lottery of the M5, it ffeels as if Christmas has begun. It means help with the food shop, extra hands for decorations, time-honoured  cheesy festive films and a house full of laughter and companionship again.

And so to the ‘big day’ itself. Much is familiar: guests, food, crackers, games and fizz.

But there are a few new twists. The hot water packs in on Christmas Eve, so it is cold showers for the hard-core (and a bit of festive grime for the rest) throughout the social season.

Most significant of all, there is  an extra pair of hands in the kitchen… the ill-fated Smallboy. Buoyed by the success of some roast potatoes he’d served up for pals at Uni, he begged to join the Christmas cooking crew. But scarcely had we added his name to the spreadsheet … oh yes, you heard me right, I never do the Xmas dinner without microsoft excel … than calamity starts to dog his every culinary move. Half of our usual crispy spuds became an impromptu mash… and the first tray of turkey had to be hurriedly scooped from the floor, whilst we distracted guests with crackers and paper hats.

I also branch out with my desserts, introducing after -dinner-coffee with  a mini mince pie – Ta da!  In my head,  ‘ultra-chic’. In reality, it goes down about as well as last year’s ‘signature cocktails’ … not a single blinkin’ taker! And hence why, with January on the horizon, I am still munching my way through several boxes of the darned festive pastries!

With the cooking done and the board games exhausted we sink happily down to watch the ‘Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special‘ and my oh my it does no disappoint. I mean. if you were not misty eyed as Mick stands up at the wedding ceremony and up on your feet cheering as the entire cast race to Portsmouth,,, quite frankly, what is wrong with you?

And so the sun sets on another spell of festive cheer. Smith and Ness are married, me and my kids have been re-united. For now, at least, all is well with the world…