Most of my Friday phrases are relatively cheery; silly, even. A little light relief is no bad thing, at the end of a long week. Now and again, other phrases carve their way into my brain. They are not as light in impact, though they are crafted in a light-handed way. The Selfish Giant is …
Continue reading “Friday phrases: all covered with white blossoms”
School fair, second-hand book shops. We know where to get the hard stuff. And just occasionally we strike really lucky: not just kids’ books, not just good kids’ books – but the ones we have loved, had to give back to the library, and then finally got our hands on our own copy. These are …
Another birthday, another set of reads to enter the house. Some were chosen (yes, guilty as charged) and intimated to family; others were chosen by Junior Reader (who initially believed that the book token had been sent by Bramble the dog). All good so far. When the book: other present ratio reaches something like 50:50, …
Back in the dim and distant past of my own primary school days, there was a certain amount of learning poems by heart. Not as much as in my parents’ generation, or before that, I’m sure, but certainly some. A certain category of poetry learning found in Scottish primary schools, learning Scots poems in order …
Continue reading “Friday phrases: don’t take your wife to arctic tundra”
I feel like I should be stirring a cauldron at this point. Or meeting with others in some dark building with one naked bulb overhead. Two different forces are at work just now. One is following the words, a bit like the children following the Pied Piper. (I’m hoping for one of the friendly versions …