Do you like to swim? Do you really like it, or do you just do it because you know it is good for you? I am in the latter category. I find it a kind of work. I know there are many avid swimmers. They’re in the pool or the sea every morning…

I have been interested in death for a long time. I am not a morbid person or even a pessimistic one, but I like preparing myself for what is to come. My interest started 30 years ago when I became close friends with a very reflective young man dying from AIDS. We ended up…

When my son, now in his late 30s, was about five years old, he made a remark that has stayed with me ever since. He had gone through a stage, thankfully brief, when he would pee unexpectedly, leaving a small visible stain on his trousers…

In recent years, we have all become conscious of the hidden army of people known as ‘carers’ (‘caregivers’ in the US). These are the people who look after a frail (or confused) family member or friend…

So, you have become a grandmother! Congratulations! How are you feeling about it? Excited? Apprehensive? Not ready to see yourself as a grandma? Join the club. Many of us feel that way at first. Just after my second grandson was born, I decided to write…

Over recent months, I have been finding that I get decidedly out of breath when I climb the stairs or, indeed, any incline. We have an old town house on three levels, so I am frequently going up the stairs. Moreover, I live in a hilly part of London, so it is hard to avoid walking up (or down) a slope…

My very friendly next-door neighbours moved back to the US. In many ways, it was not a surprise, as they were always going to be visitors in London – here because of the husband’s job. Yet it came as both a shock and a loss…

Are you one of the many people who are looking after someone who is very ill? Perhaps a spouse, sibling, parent or friend? As you well know, it is a highly tiring and difficult task, however much it is undertaken with love. You may be overloaded with advice…

Variety is the spice of life, so they say. I’ve heard that saying so many times, I can’t even remember when I first heard it. More importantly, I’m not sure I’ve given it much thought. But it is worth thinking about. As we settle into our later years, we can easily get into a routine […]

Do you ever stop and think what make a good marriage good? I don’t think about it often, especially as I have been married for what seems like forever. (I got married when I was 21, with little enthusiasm from my parents – who could blame them? – and yet here we are 62 years […]