It is mid-afternoon – post-lunch but safely before the schools let out – and I am walking the dog in the direction of what my wife and I now call the Triangle parks. The Triangle parks are the result of a long road cutting diagonally across the regular grid of suburban streets, leaving two small, … Read more
‘I want to tell you something. I have a stage 4 brain tumour, and I don’t know how long I have left.” When fellow walker Peter utters these words to me at the Minack theatre in Porthcurno on Cornwall’s south coast, I half think he might be reading lines for a new play. Behind him, the … Read more
The prosecution: Bill I know Rita struggles with anxiety, but she only gave us an hour’s notice that she wasn’t coming My youngest daughter, Rita, is late for everything and known as the unreliable one in our family. Recently, she was inconsiderate, and I feel she needs to learn that actions have consequences. I had booked dinner for … Read more
Getting a puppy was my husband Justin’s idea. But the second I saw this beautiful Boston terrier, who had flown from his breeder in Arkansas to our home in Miami in March 2017, I fell in love. Clever, loving and stubborn, Lucas was so much more than a dog. He became my soulmate, and I couldn’t bear for … Read more
They are 450-year-old words of wisdom but they will ring true with anyone rooting around the fridge for late night comfort: “A surfyte of cheese doth bringe payne.” The warning for people to curb their enthusiasm is contained in the earliest-known book on cheese in English, a publication that academics say is both fascinating and … Read more
I often mention my veg patch’s clay soil in this column, and that’s because soil type affects what we grow and how. Getting to know your soil is an essential part of becoming a great grower of edible plants. Soil type is determined by the size of the soil’s particles which, in turn, determine its characteristics. … Read more
This outfit looks so classy, doesn’t it? Understated, but with an indefinable air of poshness. Effortless, but elevated. But did you spot the best part? It’s in the small print. The clothes are from Uniqlo and the shoes are from Zara. The look is expensive, but the clothes aren’t. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will … Read more
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/picture/2025/apr/18/high-streets-shops-the-stephen-collins-cartoon
I never thought I’d write so uncritically about a mineral sunscreen, but what follows is an unequivocal rave. Sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (rather than synthetic chemical filters) can be useful, even essential, for those with highly sensitive and reactive skin. They tend not to cause the stinging or streaming eyes common with … Read more
I’m sure many of us are guilty of relying on our phones to decompress, even when taking some downtime. But if your social media feeds are anything like mine – an endless stream of fad workouts, meal plans and extravagant skincare routines – it’s more likely to whip you into an anxious frenzy than leave … Read more