Blog: Mel's Muse - Archive for July 2008

Is The F-word Foul?

Posted: Monday, 21st July 2008

Whatever happened to the old saying, 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me'? They can, of course. But only if we let them. Have we become a nation of wimps that we have to talk of legislation to prevent the use of certain words? Words like Chav, for instance.

I say they can hurt, but is that entirely accurate? I once had a debate with a friend, a well-known author, about the use of the F-word. It’s not a word I would use: it would shock my friends and family if I were to do so.

Articles on related themes: Current Affairs; Books, Reading & Words; Life, Faith & Other Stuff

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Journeys & Destinations

Posted: Thursday, 17th July 2008

A visit to a friend in the Malverns, en route to my daughter, brought home, vividly, how fortunate we are. Forget the increase in car tax, food, fuel and heating. Put out of mind the drop in house-prices, the pesky politics, the miserable summer. Blake’s green and pleasant land is stunning; Elgar’s inspiration lush and beautiful. And all despite – or rather because of – the cool, wet weather. 'Have you been to this area before,' my husband asked, forgetfully.

Instantly, I was transported back to an occasion when three of us – all young women – had driven up for some event or other in Birmingham.

Articles on related themes: Life, Faith & Other Stuff

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An Inrush of Hissing Air

Posted: Thursday, 10th July 2008

It must be the most expensive single purchase I’ve ever made on my own. Oh, no! There was the house, of course. I bought that at auction, whilst heavily pregnant, and exceeded my husband’s upper limit by several thousand. I could only plead temporary insanity and excessive competitiveness due to hormones. My other half and the beginnings of his beer belly nearly went into labour for me. But I digress. The purchase to which I alluded was made in Tenerife.

Articles on related themes: Books, Reading & Words; Life, Faith & Other Stuff

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Parent Power = Kids' Confidence

Posted: Sunday, 6th July 2008

It was the doll’s clothes that reminded me. My daughter had decided that, at nearly four years of age, the twins were old enough to play with some of her most precious toys. So they’d arrived at my house armed with a doll’s buggy each, Katy, Lillibet, and the latter’s entire wardrobe. My heart did a little skip of pleasure. I recognised the tiny Liberty-print dresses, with their puffed sleeves and patch pockets, the lace-trimmed matching knickers, coats and headscarves, from long ago. I had made them for Lillibet decades earlier, from scraps of materials left after dressmaking for my daughters and myself.

Articles on related themes: Family & Parenting

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Cumcaritas with love

Posted: Wednesday, 2nd July 2008

WRITING RIGHTS & WRONGS

Are you as fed up with the negative concept of society as I am? Every day we’re bombarded with news about failing governments, education, health and housing services, marriages, families and kids – and that’s without all the heartbreak of home-grown drug and alcohol abuse, 20 million children starving to death worldwide and babies being born HIV+. Do you feel it’s enough to make you despair? Then read on . . .

It does make you feel helpless, doesn’t it? I know that’s what I experienced when my marriage fell apart for the umpteenth time and ended in divorce.

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