My mother died in February. At the time, the virus that now traps us in our homes was little more than a rumble. Second or third story on the news, rendered insignificant by reports of heavy rain or Boris Johnson’s latest infidelity. We were lucky in many ways. We had the funeral she planned, she […]
Grief: A visit to the museum Read More »
How’s your lockdown going? I’m borderline depressed. So I don’t plan on ending my lockdown life … or doing anything with it. I haven’t learned another language or finished work on my next book. Each day, the government issues press briefings; shit sandwiches where the bread is also made of shit. If you go on
How’s your lockdown going? Read More »
These are my five reasons not to be cheerful. I share them hoping that by getting them off my chest, depression will lift. And if you recognise how yourself in these words, you’ll feel better too.
Five lockdown whinges Read More »
Without human contact, we’ll retreat to darkened rooms only to emerge blinking into the light one week later, holding up an arthritic claw and declaring we’ve completed Pornhub.
COVID-19: The end of gay life as we know it Read More »
Age before beauty makes no sense. If our society valued growing old over looking young, magazines like Best would carry adverts for wrinkle cream not anti-wrinkle cream. Grey pride would be a thing. Paris Fashion Week would major on fleece fabric and loose-fitting slacks with elasticated ankle cuffs. The other day on a bus, a
Have you ever stumbled upon a magazine called ‘Best’? You’ll find it in every low-grade supermarket next to the crossword puzzle books. They’re designed to sharpen the mind. ‘Best’ sets out to ruin it. Reading ‘Best’ is like having your nasty aunty Pat round for tea. It’s sixty pages of fat-shaming, miracle diets and Meghan
Weight loss – simply the BEST Read More »
My mother has passed away. At 1.30 this morning, I woke. My husband, too. He trailed downstairs to her temporary bedroom, and I listened for the rattle of laboured breathing. Seconds later, he appeared and asked me to stay calm. Storm Dennis is due in her part of the country any time now, already raindrops ricochet
I’m sorry you’ve lost your mother: they make it sound like I’ve left her in another room Read More »
My mother has been dying for 47 days and yet everyone who visits insists she looks better. They hover by her bedside and make impossible promises about things they’ll do together when she’s back on her feet. Sometimes she manages a smile. Sometimes I do too. We both know we’re lying. In the early years
Death: Don’t try this at home Read More »
Last year, around 2,300 British men were told they had testicular cancer. That’s more than six every day. The number of cases diagnosed has doubled since the mid-1970s with 70 men dying each year from the disease. 1 in 250 men will get testicular cancer. With those numbers, it’s only a matter of time before
First up, forgive the gloom and somewhat downbeat nature of my news this month. I’ve not been well. If you need better news, skip to the end. I’m going to do the misery first. The idea being my three ghosts of Christmas are all Christmas present and at the end I’ll skip through the front
Gloom: hope died, but it’s Christmas … Read More »
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