There’s a phrase I love about pointless arguments: “Never play chess with a pigeon: the pigeon just knocks all the pieces over, then shits all over the board, then struts around like it won.” Looking back on some of my recent communication with E, it seems strangely appropriate. These days communication between E and me […]
Tag: acca
Missing
I’ve spent a lot of time in this blog (and in general) celebrating how much better off I am without E. When we first split up, I was amazed by the number of people who thought that I might take him back. I think this was probably because so few people knew that E had […]
Holiday
We’re now nearly two weeks into the school summer holidays and I’m already losing track of what day it is School summer holidays always assume a comforting, steady rhythm. I’ve never filled the days with endless activities, for us the school holidays have always about being lazy, not getting up on time, and just enjoying […]
Grown Up
When we were children, I think we all had some idea in our heads of what being a Grown Up would be like. For me, aged about three, being a Grown Up involved lipstick and shoes with heels. Our expectations tend to change as we grow older and by the time I was five or […]
End of Term Report
Last Friday marked the end of the first whole school year that the kids and I have done on our own. Looking back, I’m incredibly proud of my little gang. This time last year we were still struggling in the wake of E’s leaving and trying to get used to being a family of five […]
Fictions
Back in April, there was an interesting moment on twitter. A female user challenged women to describe themselves in the way they thought a male writer would portray them. There were some brilliant tweets. Here are a couple of my favourites: “Her breasts entered the room before her far less interesting face, decidedly maternal […]
Bad Romance
From the abduction of Helen of Troy to the betrayal of Dr Foster, the tales told by our culture – in our literature, television, theatre and film industries – have thrived on affairs since the day we started telling each other stories about ourselves. Of course, not all of these stories suggest that affairs are […]
The Secret Diary of E, aged 37 3/4 (according to J). The Early Years: Part Two
It’s been a while since we heard from E. Let’s go back to 2008 and see what he’s up to… January 2008 Meetings where I was v important: 20 (v v v good) Students who fancy me – lost count (am Love God after all) 3rd Back to work. Back to K. Have missed being […]
Work
Working full time, after 18 years out of the workplace, has been a brilliant but, at times, slightly strange experience. I know lots of women can find being at home with their children very stressful, whilst others can find it very boring and not challenging enough – but I absolutely loved it. I loved being […]
Picture Perfect
Last Friday provided two pictures that contrasted sharply, and beautifully summed up how my and E’s lives, and perspectives, have changed over the last 18 months. Friday was Youngest Daughter’s Year 11 Prom. Like Oldest Daughter’s moving into University for the first time, this was another moment that I had just assumed E and I would […]
He-total: Life without Ex 