Life

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The Red Lights

December 18, 2024
I complained about last year’s Christmas tree: “It hasn’t got enough colour!” So, I ordered a string of red lights to brighten up this year’s tree. When they arrived in the mail,
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Sticky Fingertips

October 21, 2024
As I exit the car, the tree attacks me. It grips and twists my hair with its sticky fingertips. It pokes me sharply in my ribs. “Could you have parked any closer
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The Short Cup

May 11, 2024
We give our daughters our Aldi pod coffee machine when they leave home. “We’ll treat ourselves to a new one,” we say, not realising there isn’t a single Aldi coffee machine for
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Delightfully Slow

December 31, 2023
The other day, my husband, Andy, and I offered to pick up my mother, who’d been away on holiday, from the train station and take her and her heavy luggage home. Arriving
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Smoke

September 12, 2023
This morning, I inhaled the scent of summer, even though we’re barely into spring and our recent temperatures have been rib-shivering winter-cold. As I left our house, and turned towards the bush
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Love Unchanging

May 29, 2023
At 7:20 am every Sunday, we file through our front door, open and slam car doors, buckle seat belts and ignite cold engines that have been idle overnight. We drive, two cars
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Love Blooms

May 25, 2023
Early on Mother’s Day morning, when I turned on the living room light, a magnificent bouquet of flowers appeared out of the dark. I wondered who had arranged the flowers and left
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The Dawn Tree

December 29, 2020
My daughter Imogen pushes the large cardboard box marked Christmas decorations, across the carpet towards the naked tree. Charlotte and Gemma-Rose appear, and the three girls take turns dipping into the box.
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Impossible Hope

August 31, 2020
When I was a child, my grandmother – the maternal one – arrived from England for a visit. And when she left, inside her suitcase, sandwiched between her dresses and nighties was
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The Final Word

July 17, 2020
As Kerri fastens a voluptuous black cape around my neck, she tells me that I’m her first client since she returned from maternity leave. I feel fortunate. I like my hairdresser, and
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Coffee Hands

July 16, 2020
When Sophie returns to the car after going to her physiotherapy appointment, she suggests we have lunch together, instead of driving straight home. A few minutes later, we’re sanitising our hands at
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