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
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?
Happy New Year.
The first thing anyone said to me one morning recently was: “He never listens to a word I say.”
‘He’ was the speaker’s dog. The speaker was a young woman, instructing her dog to cross the road, but he was too busy sitting on the pavement watching the world go by. The young woman had headphones on, and I wondered if the dog was trying to make a point. … More Extreme listening
A year ago, I wrote that the curators of the Mass Observation Archive were making their annual appeal for our 12th May diaries. Here we are again, twelve long yet quick months later, and the Project is keen to know how we have fared. Its aim remains to collect glimpses of our lives on one … More 12th May
I began a Christmas post earlier this month. I decided to abandon it when my daughter was arguing with me at 11 o’clock at night. At that time the kids were still at school, midwinter was creeping close, and Kent was (only) Tier 3. A general feeling of ‘Bah! Humbug!‘ has been sidling up to … More Merry Christmas from an Island
A friend in Malawi sent through this short film today. My immediate thoughts were: Strong legs! How many children? (I count ten). Do they do that every day? Where are the masks, and aren’t they very close? What about safety? My friend tells me there is no access to any PPE in the remote trading … More An African Ride to School
They don’t exactly make a gripping read (my waking thoughts on Tuesday, 12th May): Rubbish out. Washing on. What shall we eat today? Should I shop? With a face mask? I check my phone for the news. Face masks are not yet mandatory, but are “advisable in some enclosed spaces.” I want to shop local … More Love Letters and Marmalade
“Hello … hello? Is that you?” My elderly neighbour is on the line. Her voice carries a chord of concern. “I just don’t know how everyone will cope,” she says, “How long is this going to last, do you think?” Mary is worried about the coronavirus crisis that is gripping the world. She also needs … More Pilchards
Have Paprika, Will Travel 