You don’t have to be mad… Trying to avoid your duties, hmm? It won’t work! Here we have a stowaway in a cupboard in the galley on board the yacht – prior to storm force winds and violent seasickness. Prune fingers? Aching arms from hauling rope? Freezing cold feet and a dicky tummy? Give me [...]

I must go down to the sea again by Spike Milligan 1918-2002 I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky; I left my shoes and socks there – I wonder if they’re dry? No, Mummy, you don’t understand – I have to sail – I can’t stop now. [...]

Not happy. It is one thing joking about your daughter on the ocean waves and quite another when gale force winds and snow are forecast. I am such a lover of all things hot I cannot imagine in a million years how it must feel to be perishing cold and wet without a hope of [...]

I can only imagine minimus’s first sight of her ocean home. Thrilled. Terrified. Excited beyond belief. And the cosy shelf that will be her bed for almost a month when she sails the Atlantic? Hmm, perhaps not quite so thrilled. For now she will be sailing in heavy seas and freezing rain to Alderney in [...]

Bringing first pics tomorrow of minimus’s sleeping quarters on board the ‘stripped down racing yacht’ You can find more details of stripped down racing yachts in Also a picture of the actual boat the 10 strong crew will be sailing for France on tuesday on this first training run. I have also begged for a [...]

One daughter wanted to be a cowboy – rocked up in Canada asking for a job as a trail guide only to be told she was too small to lift a saddle. Ha! She turned up religiously each morning at dawn to muck out and saddle up – until they took her on. Result! I [...]

Loving this new cover – This anthology features my first (and one of my favourites) book for the then new Heat line, Dirty Weekend. This was a book I wrote when I was still getting used to living up on the moors when I began to realise what a townie I am. I had such [...]

Well. What can I say? It’s raining. Oh, how my soaring spirit swoops to bury itself in a mound of chocolate. But, let’s look on the bright side – here’s just a suggestion of what we’ve got coming our way for Easter… You never know what you’re going to find on the piste Sxxx

The earth is warming up and so am I It remains to be seen what the result will be of racing into my next book without a thought in my head other than to get my thoughts down on paper – if that makes sense! Energy levels are soaring – there isn’t a drawer that [...]

See how well camouflaged this nest is… Spot the nest! What a wonderful sight to come home to! Still not sure what type of tiny bird has risked all on the side of our garage, but am thrilled to play host to such an enterprising visitor. Wishing you all the type of happy and successful [...]