Our blog
Marking New Beginnings
It’s February and if we narrow our eyes and look into the still-quite-far distance, there’s a possibility we can see the first signs of spring. Fair enough, this month has potential to take us back into the dark gloomy days of winter with an often late-rush of snow bringing travel to a standstill and keeping…
The Kindness of Strangers
January: a month of new beginnings, new hopes, new resolutions. All things are possible as we look ahead to the promise of a new year. Or so it seems. Most of us start the year with a list of pledges to ourselves (and sometimes others) about what we are going to do differently. Top of…
When Hunger Fails to Satisfy
It’s lunchtime, and I chose a sandwich which is quick and easy, but then spy a chocolate chip muffin on the next shelf and can feel my tastebuds tingle. I know I shouldn’t really have it, but I have a busy afternoon ahead and I may need that extra bit of energy, especially at the…
To Quit or Not to Quit
There are times when giving up seems to be the most sensible option. Smoking is known to be bad for your health, so it’s a good idea to stop. There’s no argument there. Even so, deciding to quit may just be the start of a difficult time and all of us who have embarked on…
How To Say Goodbye
I recently attended a memorial service for a near neighbour who died at the age of 89. I discovered she had a fascinating life full of unusual twists and turns which she’d lived it very much on her own terms, neither bowing to convention nor to the will of others. I was privileged to know…
Decision-Making Outside The Box
It’s been an interesting summer. The occasionally boiling hot and oppressive heat of June, followed by a surprising level of rain in July and an August that felt more like April than the closing days of summer. We had warmth, tropical showers and gloomy clouds reminding us of the approaching change of season. And that…
Be smart, leave the phone at home
I was late to the mobile phone game. I first bought one when a relative went on a gap year which included a three-month skiing trip to New Zealand. The idea was that I would carry this phone around everywhere in case he was caught in an avalanche and needed to make an emergency call….
Crossing Boundary Lines
It’s summer and we are in the middle of the cricket season. The game represents past and present glories for so many people. It’s part of Britain’s culture of and one that the British can still be proud to have exported. It brings national teams together and that can only be of benefit. If there’s…
