Four years ago, scarred by the pandemic experience of trying to care for two toddlers in isolation, my husband and I decided we wanted a built-in community. We were tired of being the ones solely in charge of organizing, feeding, disciplining and playing with our kids. On a whim, we moved halfway across the world … Read more
Just one day into a 225-mile hike across the width of Scotland last August, Dan Warren was feeling the burn, his old trail shoes wearing painfully thin. But neither sore feet nor swarms of midges would stop the librarian and his scientist wife, Dee Johnson, from reaching their goal: the promise of pastries at the … Read more
Jolted awake at 4.30am, Pedro “Peter” Niada was certain a meteorite had fallen near his seaside home, lifting it from its foundations and sending it flying through the air. He took two steps down the stairs, felt water splash his feet and realised the house was sinking. Nothing made sense. Why was the house tilting? … Read more
Name: The zero-argument marriage. Age: Potentially ancient. Appearance: A picture of eternal marital bliss. You can be married to someone without arguing? Yes. Cobblers. It’s true. Just because some marriages are unceasingly stressful and combative, it doesn’t mean that everyone else’s are. Name me one person – just one person – who doesn’t argue with … Read more
Coming as I do from a family with a colourful array of dietary requirements, I can verify that these veg-forward dishes seriously perform on both the texture and flavour fronts, as well as being achievable crowdpleasers. British asparagus swoops in around now, offering bright green relief from winter’s hardier vegetables, while the jarred and frozen … Read more
I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the right underwear can mean the difference between a good and bad day. Get it wrong and your day will involve retrieving fallen bra straps, pulling up socks or retrieving knickers sliding towards an uncomfortable spot. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission … Read more
One Friday night 24 years ago, Peter Hahn was sitting in the back of a cab to Heathrow, sleepless after yet another 48-hour work bender. “My computer’s on my lap,” the American-born organic winegrower from France recalls, the spring sun lighting up the deep pink walls of his study in his ancient manor house in … Read more
I’m a thirtysomething woman who has been with the same man since I was 21. I’ve always known I was queer but was monogamous with him until, during a brief separation, I had my first intimate experiences with cis and trans women. They were ecstatic and affirming in the parts of me that they unlocked, … Read more
Nicknames are dying out, according to the Wall Street Journal. Giving someone a catchy or amusing moniker often used to be “a sign of affection” – but nicknames are thought to be becoming less common, thanks to a fear of causing offence or sounding unprofessional. If you’ve ever had – or still have – a … Read more
Dogs are not simply “fur babies” or best friend but a blend of both, researchers have found in a study they say highlights the special status of pets. The study suggests owners rate their relationship with their dogs as being as satisfying or more satisfying than their closest human relationships. However, the researchers did not … Read more