The youngest is sick AGAIN. Her dad dropped her off to me yesterday morning. Fotunately I can work from home when required, as most of my job simply involves my brain, touch typing skills and a computer. Despite being crook as Rookwood, the youngest still tottered into the family room and made appreciative noises about... Continue Reading →

The cocooning bug has bitten me hard over the past few days. We were supposed to go out on Saturday night to celebrate the birthday of one of DD's mates. But I felt deeply reluctant to leave the house, so I issued a last-minute invitation to dine at my place instead. I have no idea... Continue Reading →

Three years ago this month my lady plumbing was scheduled for removal. I'd actually booked in to have the muffler-removed-through-tailpipe surgery and everything. But I couldn't go through with it. And - knock on wood - I've saved my womb from demolition. The thing that has surprised me most about the journey is the ire... Continue Reading →

Last night I was invited to my kind of party. There were endless glasses of Moet and lots of party pies and chicken skewers and battered fish bites to nibble on. Moet and party pies ... mmmmmm ... It was the drinks industry farewell for my boss, who is retiring after 10 years at the... Continue Reading →

It's only seven months until my Big 5-0 and I'm panicking. Not about turning 50 ... I'm blanking out the horror of that ... but about the party details - they're doing my head in. Yep, yep, yep. I know what you're thinking. I ran into my friend Mel at the eldest's art school last... Continue Reading →

I was metres from the doorstep of the Renault service centre yesterday when I realised I'd left my mobile phone at home. Did you hear me cursing from your place? (In case you missed the news, my car has required three oil top-ups in six months and the driver's side window won't open. It is... Continue Reading →

play catch-up PHRASE informal  Fall behind continually with work or financial matters. ‘I'm always playing catch-up with my homework’ Whoever coined the phrase "playing catch-up" had a sick sense of humour - there's nothing playful about it. I've been doing it all week ... make that all year ... ok, all decade ... and it's... Continue Reading →

Are there more terrifying words your child can utter  ... when you finally slump on the sofa at 8.30pm ... after being away for two days at a conference ...  than "I need to dress up for Book Week tomorrow"? Mummy freaked out ... but the youngest calmly explained it was all sorted - she... Continue Reading →

I'm just back from a lightning two-day visit to Canberra. I wasn't expecting to have much to say about spending two days - mostly at the Grand Hyatt Hotel - in Canberra ... but you know how I roll ... I was in the federal capital for the Alcohol Beverages Australia Inaugural 'Celebration of Industry'... Continue Reading →

Warning: this blog post may offend the prudish.  When I removed my emotional hurricane shutters after the marriage-break-up-career-debarcle tornado swept through my life, it had an unexpectedly X-rated effect on my social life. People started telling me their sex confessions. I was innocently sipping chardy in a bar and someone announced she'd been in a... Continue Reading →