Being the mother of teens isn't getting any easier. Relations with my daughter, although generally good, are increasingly fraught as we battle for supremacy over all aspects of her life. May thinks I'm an old bat who is over protective. I think she's a stroppy little madam who wants to do too much too soon. The latest clash is about a trip to Lloyd Park (about 3 miles from home) that she wants to make with her friends. I agreed, but then became a little concerned when she said they would then go on to a sleepover at one of... Continue reading

May's got her favourite jeans on (Gap), which she insists on wearing without a belt. So now her jeans are riding down her backside and I'm not feeling the builders' cleavage look. "You need a belt with that...I can see your backside". May gives me that surly look only 14 year old girls can project and claims she can't find a belt, although I know her bedroom floor is strewn with them. As I'm attempting to write copy for work I can't spare the time to win this battle and she escapes through the door to meet her friend. Now... Continue reading

I've just dipped my toe into the blogosphere ... and it's lovely and warm! I'm 51, divorced, was born in London of Jamaican parents. Just lately I've been yearning to run away from all the stress and strain of feeling washed up and middle-aged, but have decided to fight a rearguard battle against self indulgence, so am still here in South London. My working career has been chequered, to say the least. Started as a secretary, trained to be a journalist, then retrained to be a college lecturer. Haven't been really enamoured with any of my jobs and am still... Continue reading