Writer. Food, places, people, stories. www.havepaprika.wordpress.com
In my time as mother to four secondary school students, I’ve written and received emails with such high frequency (my children being the subjects of these in various heart-sinking ways), that I’ve had to be creative in order to avoid boring both myself and the kids’ schools. When emails have led to meetings, I’ve tried … More Blooming late on exam day
When I was a young child, my parents used to take us kids with them when they went to friends for dinner. This was a win-win. They didn’t have to pay for a babysitter, and my brothers and I got to stay up late listening to the grown-ups downstairs getting louder and louder until there was a sudden stop – … More Headlights in the Treetops
The least Italian-like Italian city I have ever been to. A run along the sea to the Lanterna Bagno Marino ‘La Lanterna‘ lido, also known as ‘El Pedocìn’ (meaning little louse or mussels), but not for a swim. Spring has only just arrived, and this segregated swimming place can wait for the summer. Still, I … More Notes from Trieste
There’s a mother and son I’ve not seen in a while. They’re regulars in the local park, like me. Except that they walk their dogs while I walk by myself. I’m not too fond of their dogs. They’re small and yappy, and the mother and her adult son don’t call them away when they pester … More A mother and her son
The woman who works in the co-op walks up to me with a laugh on her lips and a light in her eyes as if she’s about to tell me a joke. She’s always there helping customers smooth wrinkly bar codes at the self-scan checkouts, speaking loud and clear for those who can’t hear, and … More Seeing double
Yesterday, I did something I’ve never done before. I went to the cinema in the afternoon, on my own. At least I can’t remember having done this before, but now a vague memory is whispering that this is not true and that many years ago, when I lived in Mainz in Germany, I fled a … More Alcarràs
I wrote the end of my story in a bit of a rush, delighted to have got the job done. One of my readers, who hasn’t yet got to that part, recently commented that the penultimate segment is a bit “traumatic“, and he queried: “does the story just drift to a heartbreaking close or is … More A great reveal
I looked out of the window at Saturday morning. It was cloudy, but not raining. I opened the front door to feel the air. It was cold, but not freezing. The day was growing light, a busy week was behind me and the next hour would be my own. As I crept out of the … More Saturday morning secret
On Aide-Mémoires: Shopping Lists – An Exhibition Lists – for bread and beer, red and green apples, dark soy sauce and cajun spice. Word associations with ‘Martha is crackers‘ and ‘Mummy is nuts‘. A child’s script. A spidery hand. (Mis-)spellings. On paper shaped as a dress or jotted with music. On the back of an … More Does Alan want cheese?
The grave of three men: Jobo, Cabo, Baco. They all look alike. Two could be brothers, the third could be the son of one, or a nephew, or a much younger brother. This youngest man (Cabo) died in 1943 at the age of 23. The 23-year-old man of a different family looks thoughtful and resolute. … More Montenegro Lives
Have Paprika, Will Travel 