Blog, Poetry

The Madiba Shirt

The Madiba Shirt She gently folds the shirt, checking inch by inch stitch and seam, to see that it is perfect, then swaddling it in tissue paper, and tenderly lifts her baby, into its cardboard cot. An air kiss. Lid on. Ribbon tied. She will deliver it. Like a midwife, she will present her baby to… Read More The Madiba Shirt

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A pat on the back

This blog  is my pat on my back. Why not? And if there are trumpets to blow, then I’ll take  a deep breath now… I may not have been shortlisted for the flash fiction story competition, which I mentioned in an  earlier blog, but I have been awarded second place in the Society of Women Writers… Read More A pat on the back

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Beyond grey skies

5 things to cheer you up Entering a short story competition and being longlisted. The Oxford Flash Fiction Prize. Better still being shortlisted. I’ll have to wait for the short list in a week or two, to find out whether I’m in the running. Discovering WORDIPLY- the Guardian’s answer to WORDLE. An excellent word game,… Read More Beyond grey skies

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10 favourite blogs

Looking back on my 12 years of blogging, I have selected some of my favourite ones – in no particular order, having blown off some of the dust and polished up any fading  photos.  Like box sets, you can binge or just browse. Original Heidelberg Press in action As Dolly Parton once sang Ah, go… Read More 10 favourite blogs

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The last Tudor rose

The red roses in my garden are still blooming – a second round of their summer brilliance. The burnt, curling edges of the petals, herald the sombre shades of autumn. 22 September 2022  the death of Dame Hilary Mary Mantel DBE FRSL Guardian Obituary New York Times Where were you, what were you doing, when… Read More The last Tudor rose