Friday phrases: and it was still hot

Beginnings. Always tricky. Want to make a big entrance, grab your attention. But what of endings? Also important. The time to make the big ‘boom’ at the end of the story, bow, and retreat, performance over. Even though I seem to say more about In the Night Kitchen, I still love Where the Wild Things …

Friday phrases: whiffling through the tulgey wood

Back to some silliness. This time, it’s Lewis Carroll’s turn. There is plenty of silliness in Carroll – much to choose from. But what I want to include today is The Jabberwocky, his strange and wonderful poem that has even merited its own Monty Python tribute. It is one thing to learn a poem. But …

That was the week that was: early April ’14

My mother has been rereading my old letters to her. Letters and cards and what-not, from times I lived abroad. Ones from me. Ones from Dan too. There are all kinds of funny details in there that you forget, and suddenly you remember in the rereading. Like setting my beginners English class to write letters …

Friday phrases: all covered with white blossoms

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 …