Well haven’t we been lucky with some crisp Autumn days I’m loving them and today after last week’s letter to you I’m going out to buy Gourds and play around arranging them.

All excited sitting down to write because I’ve just returned from the intoxicating atmosphere of Chelsea Flower Show. Over the last few weeks, I’ve watched The Royal Hospital Garden transformed from a park garden to an uplifting stunning Autumnal Showground. Covid has tested our British spirit to the core but handed some opportunities to test out new ideas.

Well, I’ve spent this week finishing off my book titled ‘How To Age Well’ which will be out at next month and already fretting over things I just didn’t have room, I knew this would happen so scribbling them down to drip feed to you over the weeks

Hope you’re enjoying the weather now it’s finally arrived, I certainly am. Question, what’s the first page you go to when picking up your copy of My Weekly? Some people make a cup of tea, maybe slip in a few biscuits, start on page one and methodically make their way through the magazine, savoring the experience all in one go.

Well Summer is finally here; I say this with conviction only because that beautiful ball of heat that hangs in the sky managed to sustain its warm rays over our land for more than four days on the trot!

You probably read the lovely story we had by Sheila Blackburn called The Picnic with the conclusion that whoever you are, wherever you’ve traveled, there is nothing more comforting on a sunny day than tucking into a good old-fashioned picnic.

It’s a joy this week to see My Weekly focus so much attention on plants and flowers. The winter, due to our situation, felt like the longest I have ever known and as I look across at bare trees from my window, I’m dreaming of the day they burst into colour.

I’m passionate about improving our dexterity and in my opinion, the best way of doing this is – walking.

Do you remember back in the day before eBay we used to do swaps at school? I swapped a Donny Osmond poster for a pair of Osmond socks, and a blue Mary Quant eyeshadow for an equally vibrant purple – because as all Osmond fans know, purple is Donny’s favourite colour! As I’d entered a competition in Radio Luxemburg’s FAB208 magazine to meet him, I needed to get my look together for when it was announced I was the lucky winner.

MY WEEKLY

Books Books Books!

March 2, 2021

Hello

Oh, joy of joys, one of our My Weekly topics this week is books! I absolutely love reading, and being the child of a time before 24-hour TV and smartphones I always had my nose in a book.

How’s life? I hear on the QT that some readers had told the My Weekly team that lockdown lethargy had been taking hold and they are struggling to summon their usual enthusiasm and motivation when it comes to home life, domestic tasks, keeping in touch with the outside world, bothering with their appearance – the light at the end of the tunnel is flickering.

Well let’s get the elephant in the room dealt with straight away. I’m struggling with lockdown 3 far more than I ever did during 1 and 2. The word I’m using to describe it for all of us is Attrition – dictionary definition, The process of reducing something’s strength or effectiveness through sustained attack or pressure.

Well, in light of a few articles in the magazine this week, I thought we should talk about lists.

Sitting at my computer with Soho the Frenchie balancing on my knee, I’m thinking, with the help of a fine red wine, what shall we talk about this week?

Well, have you taken them all down and had a massive clear up yet?

It’s years since I’ve said this and meant it. I’m enjoying and looking forward to Christmas this year – and the reason? Because for the first time it doesn’t feel like a greed fest.

Hope you’ve had a good week, I’ve been beavering away but, like all of us, crossing the days off until we’re allowed “Out Out” – a phrase my 90-year-old mum used the other day to prove she’s up to date with street talk!

I can’t believe how many people – including myself – have said, “lets get those decorations up a little earlier than usual” – partly because some of us have a little extra time on our hands, but also because there’s nothing like a few baubles to put that childlike smile on our little faces and lift our spirits.

During our weekly chit-chat, Editor Stuart asked me to give you a few Christmas tips. Well, I’m your girl for that task, as under my writing belt I have my book The Perfect Christmas which is awash with tips on how to survive and relish the festive season. So this week, next, and all the others until the big day, you’ll get a little nugget from me.