How we stifle our children to keep them safe
Before I had children, I often thought about what it would be like to be a parent, and how much I would teach them. I never really stopped to think about how much they would teach me. The first surprise was discovering they were their own people, not miniature versions of us. We could never … Continue reading
Mother’s Day in the post-apocalyptic post-Mum era
I know I won’t be the only person missing their mum (or indeed my mum) this Mother’s Day. In fact, I remember telling her how lucky I was to have two parents… only for her to die five days later. Well, they do say pride comes before a fall. Mum never was one to make … Continue reading
Cancer Part 2
Just over a year ago, I decided to do the Race for Life. I can’t remember exactly why I decided to do it then, 25 years after I’d last run competitively, but I do know it wasn’t to do with grief – I distinctly remember my mum telling me, “Oh you don’t want to run, … Continue reading
Karren Brady and Sexism in the Workplace
Karren Brady was said to be furious about the comments made by two Sky Sports presenters about linesman Sian Massey and her own views on sexism, whilst Katie Hopkins waded in, saying, “People like Karren Brady, who has appointed herself patron saint of all things equal, does not speak on behalf of all of the sisterhood.” I would … Continue reading
Can the Royal Engagement Strike a Blow for Equality?
Rumour has it that helicopter pilots are more likely to father girls, a theory with which the Duke of York may well concur. If so, that means that there is a more than 50:50 chance that Kate and Wills will produce a girl, quite possibly in little over 12 months. And if, like the Yorks, that … Continue reading
You Know You’re a Mum When…
Thanks to Christine Mosler for posing this meme on her blog. [tweetmeme source= “catherineosborn” only_single=false] You know you’re a mum when: The attic is full of reminders of your former life – ornaments, skinny tops and books. The 10 o’clock news is on too late to watch. A night out with the one you love … Continue reading
Deerton Natural Burial Ground
Last week, I took a day-trip to Kent to sort out Mum’s probate and, after a lovely lunch in Hernhill, paid a visit to Deerton Natural Burial Ground with my dad and brother. It was a really pleasant surprise to see how much it has changed in the few weeks since we were last there … Continue reading
Why We Need a Cure for Cancer
I’m lucky to come from a family where longevity is the norm but every so often, once in a generation in fact, something happens to shock us out of our complacency. In 1941, great uncle Jim was killed, probably executed, in the Siege of Crete at the tender age of 23. Just over 40 years … Continue reading
How to Make a Tipperty (Nativity)
1. Take a battered sideboard and blackmail your 3-year-old to clean it (there’ll be no nativity otherwise). If you can, get them to clean the rest of the house as well.
Facebook campaign to save 
Catherine M. Osborn 