My Righting Career

 photo - Gordon Terris.

I have forgotten how to blog. Bless me Father, it has been four months since my last blog post. (For the 'non-catholics' this is a lapsed-catholic joke). 

I don't so much have a writing career, as a Right-ing career, trying to make things 'right.' Things like the escalating Climate Emergency and the soaring rates of infection in the Covid pandemic; just wee things like that. 

The photo above was taken by a photographer from The National where I did an interview as a 'concerned' parent, urging better school safety mitigations and saying I'd be keen to get my kids 'Pfizered'. 

Hugh (who didn't wish to be photographed) is now 12. He would be eligible for the jab, if they will finally allow it. Tess (above) is 11 and has been on daily asthma medications since she was 5 years old. 

I'm aware I have a couple of friends who would disagree with vaxing kids, but parental choice would be good, and I think it could help lessen the risk of Long Covid (estimated at 1 in 7 child cases, according to the Office of National Statistics).  

But summer. Ah, summer. I love it. It's a balm! It reactivates all the memories of happy summers gone by. Oops, here's a sneaky wee link to Don Henley singing The Boys of Summer.  

We had a short break in bonnie St Andrews. We took our scaredy-cat, rescue dog. She got excited about rabbits. (She ain't never caught a rabbit, so she's still a friend of mine). Tess and I swam in the open sea. Baltic then exhilarating. I would do it again. 

I have been reading my Dad's new book of stories. Even if I wasn't biased, I'd have to say they were quite brilliant. They seem as effortless and natural as afternoon sunlight in a familiar room you want to sit down in.  Out August 5th, online or at your local bookshop. Perfect for the beach.  

Now, get in that sea. It'll do you good.