Blog
Oops! Wrong wedding and funeral
Hearing how a woman unbelievably went to a cremation she thought was for her son - only for him to turn up alive and well the following day, reminded me how I once inadvertently gate crashed the wrong wedding party. However, while I had not met met the bride,...
The missing – Madeleine McCann
Yet another story is published today about a reported sighting of Madeleine McCann in Morocco. A woman told detectives she even recognised the distinctive fleck in Madeleine's eye, where her pupil runs into her iris. Naoual Malhi, who alerted police about the sighting...
Lessons for fitness
It sounds very impressive to say let's make our new eco towns "fit towns" to tackle obesity, but many of these proposed facilities are already available. While it makes sense to provide more cycle lanes and safer walking routes to and from school, at the end...
Geoff’s winter retreat
I'm tempted to book a ski holiday at Geoff's winter retreat at Les Gets. Let's hope there will be more snow this winter, it was pretty dire last year. I had three ski holidays before I married and found them exhilarating, especially navigating my way around the moguls...
Are you superstitious?
Do you touch wood and cross your fingers for luck? Why are so many of us still superstitious? Especially today with our vast knowledge and proof to distinguish between fact and fiction. According to one would-be expert, it's because people feel increasingly vulnerable...
The missing – Daniel Morcombe (2)
Today has been chosen to mark the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe, one of the first tragic cases I highlighted in this series of missing people, and one of the most unforgettable because of the normal circumstances surrounding it. It is feared Daniel was abducted and...
Why dancing should be made compulsory
I would like to propose that dancing should made compulsory, that there is a dance suitable for everyone to enjoy, whatever their age and fitness level. That was the theme of my latest Toastmasters speech at Cambridge Speakers' Club last night. I...
Adoptions and paternity leave
Congratulations to David Miliband and his wife on the adoption of their second son Jacob. The Foreign Secretary's flying visit to the States clashed with an important Saudi state visit - but he has put family first and still taken his paternity leave. I wonder what...
Argentina and Oman’s contrasting results for women
Two very contrasting results have been announced for female political candidates. While Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner swept to victory as Argentina's first elected female president, there were no women elected in Oman. It's particularly disappointing because a record...