The blog about reading, writing, singing, familying and verbing.
Today marks 25 years since my dad died. 25 years. As recently as four years ago, I wouldn't have expected this day to hit me this hard. I knew it would hurt, and that I'd miss him. But, growing up, the big milestones and celebratory days were no more full of memories and pain as every other ...
Every Father's Day, my kids get their dad a book about how awesome he is. Sometimes it's an interactive book, one to which they've added photos or drawings. Sometimes it's a song. Sometimes it's just a beautiful story, with beautiful illustrations to ...
I read The Librarian of Auschwitz in January. Review spoiler alert: it's incredible. It floored me. I immediately wrote this review, then immediately thought that it didn't do justice to the book. So it (immediately) sat here in my drafts folder ...
Hello! And welcome to a new book review. One I was planning to publish last week, allowing you plenty of time to adjust your Christmas shopping and wish lists accordingly. Oops. Life is a tricky little thing sometimes, isn't it? Oh well. I'm ...
So, guess what? I'm currently doing a writing course! It's long overdue; I wish I'd done it a long time ago. But I'm doing it now, and I love it, and it's great, and I love it, and I wish it would never end, and I love it. I have always worked ...
Hi! I'm back. With another book review. And this time, I have THREE copies to give away! So let's fast-forward the intro and get right into it, shall we? --- The Cook and the King / Julia Donaldson and David Roberts (Macmillan Children's ...
It's been more than a year between book reviews. How did that even happen? I've been reading. I've been enjoying reading. I just haven't gotten around to sharing that enjoyment with you all. Well, this time I am. AND I have a copy to give away! ...
Almost nine years ago, I started my day much like any other. I woke to a screeching alarm. I showered, got dressed, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth and walked out the front door. I headed to the train station. I squeezed my way onto a packed, ...
It's angry and frightened And bitter and sad It's numbness Wrapped in every feeling you've had It's constantly watching And checking around you Hoping your enemy Doesn't surround you It's planting a grin On your public 'brave face' It's ...
You expect Trust And respect But return none We reject Your brand of 'fun' You use You abuse You lie Our kids cry We ask why You deny We all lose We're done Ashes to ashes Dust to dust A memory flashes Gathers rust And ...
I've interviewed my children for this blog three times now. That makes it an official tradition, right? Time to do it again. Here is the 2017 edition of Interview with my children. --- What is the best thing about having me as your ...
My kids love books. (No idea where they got that from. Ahem.) So when Wonderbly contacted me to review the two books new to its range (having reviewed the first two books last year), I said, "YES YES PLEASE YES! I mean, ahem, sure. If you like, no ...
It's back! My daughter has been put in charge of my wardrobe again, and at the request of my mate Hugzilla, I'm sharing the results again. The week my seven-year-old was my stylist differs slightly from The week my six-year-old was my stylist, The ...