All posts filed under: Writing

Reflections (from a five year old)

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Emma loves music, dancing and arts. In consequence, “The sound of Music” gets viewed quite often in our household, many times for days, on repeat :-). Tonight, she came in the kitchen after she finished watching it and she was full of questions. She wanted to know why the Von Trapps didn’t stay to pick up their prize in the music competition. When you are five, competitions are exciting, winning is compulsory and refusing a prize is incomprehensible. How do you explain the Holocaust to a five year old? I proceeded to tell her about Austria and its honest and decent people. About Hitler and his bad deeds. About some people in Austria refusing what a bad man was trying to make them do and become. Emma pondered. To my precocious and perspicacious little girl, discriminating against people because of their origin, colour of skin or affiliation seemed aberrant. The questions became deep. Very deep. Mummy, who gave this man the power? Who made him a “king”? I tried to avoid the obvious. I couldn’t, …

I support Ashers…AND gay “rights”

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If you follow us on Instagram, you’d have noticed that for the past couple of Saturdays the   little girl and I have enjoyed beautiful breakfasts at Ashers, a local bakeshop. And just in case you missed our pictures, here is what I am talking about 🙂 : The pancakes are freshly made, the bacon is beautifully flavoursome and the coffee is generously provided. AND everything is reasonably priced as well. If you live in Northern Ireland, you’d know that Ashers have been in the news lately over what the press has come to call “the gay marriage cake row.“ Did I start supporting Ashers because of the row? Yes and no. Yes, I went in to try their products last week and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and the friendly service. Do I continue to go because I want to make a political or human right statement? NO. I go because I love their food and I think they should stay in business on account of the quality of their services. I also …

The day I visited with my son

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Today I had my first complimentary therapeutic session with Action Cancer. The charity offers wonderful support to cancer sufferers and carers throughout and, very important, after a traumatic cancer diagnosis and treatment. I chose reflexology from the array of complementary therapies the charity offers because I had enjoyed it immensely during an initial session in Daisy Lodge in December. As a stay at home mum I hardly ever give myself permission to rest and relax. So an hour of pampering, of soothing music and of time with myself and my thoughts, in a relaxed and safe environment, is priceless. This is the second time I visualise visiting with Georgie during reflexology. In December, I was emotionally exhausted and feeling extremely frazzled during my reflexology session so my tears were carried into my visiting times with him. But today….Today was beautiful. I saw my baby boy inundated in sunshine, in a green and lush field. It was spring time and there were daffodils everywhere. Every time I imagine my boy I imagine him running happily and …

Today, I remember

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Today, as every single day since last July, I remember. A bump and the promise of the fulfilled dream of a complete family: A little baby boy, so cuddly and new and loved and wanted, A dream of a boy, so sweet and so happy to just be: A cough and sleepless nights and This ominous, nightmarish feeling, lurking closer and closer. A sick little boy, so helpless and fragile, A fight so big ahead someone so very small. A precious baby boy who taught us how to smile, in spite of all pain and sorrow A little boy who never ceased to amaze his nurses, his doctors and his parents Who sparkled bright on that horrid cancer ward Who grinned in the face of death, Proving it wrong: A little boy who left us waaaaay too soon, with hearts too empty to ever fill again A baby boy who will forever live in our hearts Who will forever be loved Never forgotten Always cherished and treasured and ALIVE With hearts full of sorrow, we …

Where’s the party at?

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If you follow Mama’s Haven on Instagram, you know by now that as a family, we have spent the last three days travelling in the South of Ireland. Our love for adventure, Dublin and everything Irish is nothing new but this time, we have been asked by Hotel Direct to give them a mention in relation to their New Year’s Eve campaign. The campaign aims to look at and debunk certain myths regarding eight of the biggest cities in the UK. Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Manchester all get a mention and all get featured (and compared), but not maybe for the reasons we would expect them to! Looking at a number of criteria, including the average cost of a hotel room, the average cost of a pint and club entry and number of pubs per square mile, the low-cost accommodation specialist tries to determine the best place to party this New Year’s Eve. So, for example, if you are a foodie, like me, your natural choice would be, according to the …