Taking Wing(s)

 Thursday morning Mr F and I are off to Venice to attend the customary pre-pantomime bonding weekend. Only eleven weeks till curtain up. Erk. Where did that year go? I’m a bit concerned about our luggage. Not its weight but its bizarre mix of contents that would take some explaining. There are two pairs of fairy wings, for a start.…

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Inner Warmth

The only heat in this igloo till Friday when the boilerman cometh is that provided by a rather sulky peat fire so I’m keeping warm by a) spending as much time as possible outdoors and b) cooking up a storm. Option b meshes very well with some upcoming catering requirements: a houseful of guests at the weekend, preceded by a…

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The Missing G

I love stories like this. At the World Scrabble Championships in Warsaw this week a Thai contestant accused his British opponent of stealing a G and hiding it about his person. He demanded that he be taken to the (G)ents and strip-searched. But the jud(g)es said, ‘Naah. (G)et a life, why don’t ya.’ There was a £20,000 prize at stake but…

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Men are from Mars and Women Bake Cookies

Mr F telephoned me at about 5.30 last evening. ‘Where are you?’ he asked, in the tremulous tone of a man who fears he’s been abandoned. I said, ‘I’m in Malibu. I’ve run off with Clint Eastwood.’ Just kidding. Actually I was two rooms away making Cheezy Feet cookies. This picture, by the way, is not of…

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Dog Bites

     Well, the British public may have slumbered through the Archbishop of Canterbury’s recent insults but they’re wide awake now and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall must take the credit. How did he succeed where others have failed? He suggested that there’s no logical reason for not eating dogs. The reaction has been predictably rabid. Dogs hold incredible sway over…

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Run That By Me One More Time

Rowan Williams preached a sermon yesterday in Harare and in it he said something I thought was extraordinary. The British press has been unanimous today in praising the Archbishop for socking it to Mugabe and so far I haven’t seen anyone comment on his remark that, ‘the current regime is no better than the colonial misrule it…

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Apps of the Apostles

We didn’t make it to church this morning  – too slow off the mark. If I’m honest I had a rather weaselly motive for allowing Mr F to sleep late: our new priest insists on Confession before Communion and like all cradle Anglicans I find Confession very tough. Everyone knows about Catholic confessionals. The Orthodox do it…

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At Sea

My last novel, AT SEA, has been selected by the Daily Mail as their YOU Reading Group book of the month. Check out their review and their special offers at http://www.youreadinggroup.co.uk  And yes, thank you for asking, I’ve delivered my latest manuscript and as everyone in publishing is in Frankfurt till October 16th I’m free to relax and fantasise…

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Shock Announcement

 I am here today to tell you that after long and careful consideration I have decided I will not be running for President. Of anywhere. Instead I intend to spend more time with my family, my squeedgee floor mop and my accountant. But I would like to take this opportunity to thank my husband, my blog…

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The End Times

Ten days without blogging. Tsk, tsk. Where have I been? Well I’ll tell you. First  I was in Wiltshire for our annual dose of rural English charm. The village of Ramsbury never fails us and this year will be especially memorable as our hosts carried off first prize in the inaugural Best Scarecrow competition. I’d have loved…

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