The first time I saw an effigy burned  I was five, and my family was living for a year living in England. I didn't quite understand the meaning of Guy Fawkes Night. We stood away from the crowd, in the dark at the local oval.  At some point in the proceedings, which seemed to involve a lot of fireworks and "catherine wheels", we watched the crowd throw a life-sized doll onto the bonfire, and everyone cheered. I was confused. It all seemed barbaric and wild to me, especially at that...

 Today before it got dark, we strode over the sodden field, down the hill towards the mist over the big pond. The field and the forest and the road and the sky were all muted grey and brown. Usually at this time, at the very least there is a bit of snowfall on the ground, and the temperature freezes your fingers and nose. This year it’s all drizzle and grey, melting into darkness in the mid-afternoon. I don’t actually mind it at all – there is a quiet beauty to it, if you are brave and...

Way, way back a couple of years a go we spent a few weeks in Mexico, where we had the perfect beach holiday. Our days consisted of going down to the beach, ordering Coronas and sitting in the shallow waves drinking beer while the kids played in the water. We would then go home for midday naps, and in the afternoon, go back to the beach and order a couple more beers. We've had similar beach holidays in Oz, and for me, these are the ultimate holidays.  Slightly sunburned, salty skin and...

 OK I'm going to try and return from my extended summer frolic and ease slowly back into responsible blogging with short posts about summer. One of the reasons I've been offline is because I have been reading the Harry Potter series to my dudes over the 3-month long holidays.  We started with the third book (not well thought-out, I know, but when I randomly picked a book off the shelf that night before bedtime I didn't think it represented hours of reading the whole series!).  I...

The shortest night of the year has passed.  Even the fact that it rained most of the night didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves.  This year I relaxed, and though we were the hosts, we didn't stress about too much.  When, after it had grown dark, we realized the rain was not going to stop, we pushed aside the furniture,  musicians pulled out their violins and accordions and drums and we danced indoors. Jāņi came and went so fast - a huge bustle of song and friends and...

So obviously, this is why I haven't been around.  Things have reached their regular summer intensity around here. The snow melted in mid April, and within a couple of weeks we were thrust into full-blown riotous greenery and summer frivolity.  The weather has been  stupidly fabulous since then - everyone, even the winter-hardened local are feeling bowled over by the full-on summer that has just descended on us.  I know they say bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world,...

How is it that velour tracksuits were all the rage a couple of years ago, and I missed out?  I looked at them fleetingly in the shops but somehow never quite pulled out my wallet.  They seemed kinda (VERY) daggy but also a bit tempting.  But tonight - oh, in the last few months actually - I have decided I totally need one of those soft cuddly tracksuits. Perhaps not quite as trendy as my brother's ex-girlfriend, who wore a leopard print head-to-toe velour number first time...