American life

Nearly 18 years ago The Husband and I gave away our dog, sold our rusty car, stored our few bits of furniture under friends' houses and took two toddlers across the planet to live in America. He wanted to do some advanced training with world experts in his field. So he called on his connections and wrote…

I went to a funeral today where everyone wore pink; pink dresses, pink ribbons, pink ties. At the end of the service a woman in black gently lifted a cream-coloured coffin by herself, cradling it in her arms as she carried it to the back of the chapel. Then the pastor pushed a button on his lectern…

It's been eight weeks since The-Father-in-Law died with a parting instruction to "love each other". He uttered this entreaty within moments of learning about his imminent death. He'd been preaching this all his life and now, with time running out, there was an increased urgency for him to be heard. He may have been addressing his immediate family. But I doubt it. I…

Imagine stopping for a coffee on the way to work and returning to find your car hooked up to a tow truck, its removal imminent. How would you handle the situation? Do you know your rights? This story unfolded in front of me in a Brisbane commercial area recently. The middle child and I had just finished our post-yoga…

It's more than the plastic we can see that clogs the oceans. Microplastics in cosmetics and synthetic clothing are also a major threat to our environment.

Easter had come and gone but a searing afternoon sun refused to concede to autumn at the Mt Alford farm. It was hot. My listless family abandoned any thoughts of tree planting and instead made a picnic lunch, turning leftovers into sandwiches and fishing floating soft drinks from eskies, before climbing into an air-conditioned car to explore the…