I made a resolution this year that I would start swimming again. Before Christmas, a friend was staying and I […]
Formidable Firminy
New towns don’t exactly have a great image and are often used as symbols of soullessness, like Cumbernauld in the […]
The wheels on the roof go round and round
These days so much architecture is about appearance, making a big statement and attracting the eye (and the Instagram account). […]
The windmills of my mind
French composer Michel Legrand died yesterday at the age of 86 and I’ve found myself playing a lot of his […]
Bowing beautifully in Japan
It fascinates me how one can immediately like a place, whether it’s a city or a whole country. I suppose […]
Learning from La Tourette
The sign at the entrance warns me that this is an espace de silence, a place of silence. I’m thinking […]
A Meanjin moment
I’m itching to write about my recent visit to Le Corbusier’s Couvent de la Tourette but in the meantime, click […]
Waste not, want not
Many a mickle makes a muckle is an old Scottish saying which means that a lot of little things can […]
The Fussy Librarian: an interview
I was delighted to be invited to speak to The Fussy Librarian this week about writing (and my messy desk). […]
Going for a song
Sixteen years ago, my partner and I decided we had enough equity in our house to buy an investment property. […]
