Earth is crammed with heaven

Last night I went to my first ever amateur music and dance show. As Mum to 3 boys I'm more accustomed to standing in the cold and wet of a muddy football pich, but my nieces aged 5 and 8 had asked us to go. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure I'd enjoy it. I was worried it would be stage school at it's worst with cheesy fixed grins and singing in American accents. But Nathan and I went along to support the girls who were very excited. It was incredible! Entitled 'Showtime!' it included songs and dances from many of the West End musicals I loved. Beth was great as Oliver, while The Artful Dodger sang 'Consider yourself'. Abbie was really cute in her ballerina outfit and dressed as a little pig while they sang 'I'm a believer' (Shrek), and they were both lovely in school uniform as they sang, "When I grow up." from Matilda. My favourite line from that show was  "We're told we have to do what we're told, but surely someti...

I should be a great gardener. My Grandad was a gardener all his life, and kept a beautiful garden into his 90's. My Mum, my Aunty, and my sister are all good in the garden. Friends give me plants, and cuttings to plant. But no. Nothing much happens. The truth is that I like the idea of a nice garden and growing my own vegetables, but once the seeds or plants are in the ground I forget about them. Until a few weeks or months later when I notice they've shrivelled up. Today I decided it was high time I did something with the plants a friend brought round about a month ago. I needed to clear some pots of weeds first, and while I was there decided to clear last years potato plants that were sat in proper potato sacks near the patio. As I pulled them up I spotted a potato. So I dug a bit deeper. It was like digging for treasure as I brought out about a dozen good sized new potatoes. Guess what we're having over the weekend? Life has been tough lately. There seems to...

I have three boys, and when they were little I used to love reading them the story Owl Babies. For those who don't know it I've posted it here. If you know it, skip down to Owl Mothers (An alternative ending). It's my response to someone who asked what depression feels like. Once there were three baby owls Sarah and Percy and Bill They lived in a hole in the trunk of the tree with their owl mother. The hole had leaves and sticks and bits of feathers in it. It was their home. One day they woke up and their owl mother was gone Where’s Mummy? Said Sarah Oh my goodness said Percy I want my Mummy said Bill The baby owls thought (All owls think a lot) I expect she’s gone hunting said Sarah To get us our food said Percy I want my Mummy said Bill Suppose she got lost? said Sarah Or the fox got her? said Percy I want my Mummy said Bill The baby owls sat on their branches A big branch for Sarah A small branch for Percy And a bit of Ivy for Bill The ba...