25th December 2021, approximately 08:30 “It doesn’t matter; at least we’ve learned something,” Jordan consoles me, smiling, unwavered. “All we’ve learned is that we can’t make hollandaise sauce,” I mutter, feeling helpless at the sight of two empty gold foil wrappers and countless egg shells that have amounted to absolutely nothing; one jug, one bowl […]
I’ve never been as proud of my country as I was today. I saw our capital city host the Olympics back in 2012, I saw our boys get to the World Cup semi finals in 2018 and I was watching Strictly Come Dancing live when Ed Balls took on Gangnam Style. But as the heavens […]
As instructed, the time has come to ease into ‘the new normal’ we were promised. Three foreign words we once said with a cringe or a roll of the eyes, not confident we were using them right, around about a year ago. The new normal we were told would come in time, if we were […]
Yesterday, I used the word ‘bougie’ for the first time. It turns out I don’t really know what ‘bougie’ means. In the last month, as another lockdown has continued in the UK, I have: Mastered the piña colada (and decided I’m not into yoga) Invested in a new, semi-professional frisbee Learnt all the words to […]
Yes, I miss catching up with a coffee and a friend; the background soundtrack consisting of the clatter of trays and the gaggles of girls giggling, playing grown ups, asking for a takeaway hot chocolate, just like we used to. And we still do. I miss trying to get away with my friends believing I […]
It’s half one and so cold I can see my breath, and so I say this out loud. “Look, Aaron, I can see my breath,” I repeat my thought and blow out in front of me like a dragon. I get myself ready to sit back at my workstation for the afternoon, wrapping a fluffy […]
At the weekend, I was running a route I’ve recently become fond of; the one where I turn right instead of left. It’s no coincidence that I have a soft spot for this route; it is entirely flat, whereas the alternative includes a couple of inclines that make me want to sprint home and retreat […]
Sour cream and onion Pringles get a really bad rap, I think to myself, following my third ‘Pringles sitting’ of the day, as I polish off a tube, shaking the sorry pile of crumbs at the bottom into the palm of my hand. You know what that final Pringles sitting of the day is like? As […]
Good morning! Hello! Hey Esther, Hi Esther, I’m so sorry to spring this on you, I type, my fingers speaking before my brain can catch up and rein in my instinct to apologise. Apologies for the tight turnaround, I opt for instead, even though it’s not my fault and I’m only sorry I’m the one who has to […]
It’s November 30th and I’m sat, cross-legged on the sofa, admiring my Santa-red Christmas-pudding print pyjama bottoms, happily acknowledging the smudgy glow of yellowy fairy lights in my peripheral vision. Yes, it’s November and for the first time in my life, the Christmas tree is up, not just before December, but before December 12th. If […]