I spent all my birthday gift cards yesterday. It was such delirious fun for a woman looking down the barrel of a $12,000 bill for her child's nasal surgery and braces. Free money that can only be spent at Westfield! The cards were sacrificed at the altar of Witchery. I'm now a Silver Member, which... Continue Reading →

I cried when DD told me Bob Hawke had died. We're on different sides of the political fence, but DD agreed Bob was an amazing man. Bob predicted in December that Labor would win the next election, but didn’t think he would be around to see it. “I’ve had my time,” the former prime minister said.... Continue Reading →

I am very disappointed with certain American middle-aged men right now. Twenty-five of them in Alabama’s state senate - which only has three women - have just passed a bill that outlaws abortion, making it a crime to perform the procedure at any stage of pregnancy. The measure contains no exception for rape and incest... Continue Reading →

You yearn for a few moments of peace each night when your kids are little. When you have teenagers the nights feel a little too quiet. You kinda miss being pestered. I've been having a "Cat's in the Cradle" moment about it. And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon Little boy blue... Continue Reading →

Broken marriages are bloody awful things. Telling your kids that mum and dad are separating is a terrible grenade to throw into their lives. And then there's the toll it takes on you. It's a shocker all round. But you know what helps? Damage control. And moving on. Damage control means not slagging off your... Continue Reading →

I was terrified when I discovered I was pregnant 16 years ago. I'd given myself until I turned 35 to decide whether I wanted children. I still wasn't sure, but thought I'd better give it a go before my fertility packed it in. When I was about six weeks pregnant, my boss announced - over... Continue Reading →

I took the youngest to the ear, nose and throat specialist yesterday. I felt like crying as his assistant ran me through how much it was going to cost to fix her breathing problems. She has a deviated septum and horribly swollen adenoids. Her tonsils are also pretty bad, but the surgeon is going to... Continue Reading →

I’m suffering from a massive case of FOMO while DD attends a conference in North Carolina this week. I went along for the ride last time he business tripped his way to Raleigh in 2016. Now he’s there without me. Sad face. We had the most awesome holiday after his official duties were completed. And... Continue Reading →

A wonderful thing has happened: my friend Jodie finally got to hug her son after a four-year separation. Jodie has been living in Jordan for the past 18 months, fighting a custody battle with her ex-husband in the Islamic law courts. "Court in Australia is intimidating, well, multiply that by a hundred," she told Nine... Continue Reading →

Next time you're tempted to think travelling for work is a glamorous perk ... don't. DD left my place at 6.15am on Sunday morning to travel to the US. He arrived at his hotel around 2pm on Monday. It took three flights to get him there, via Tokyo and Chicago, as that was the most... Continue Reading →