Anya Harris (47). |
Here I write, mainly as a mother, not necessarily as a single one - our issues are probably similar(!) - and with a wry outlook on life that a certain age can bring, i.e. the wrong side of forty. Or is it the right side, really?
Anyway, I have been collecting stories from other (older) single mums in a wish to dispel the myth we're all teenagers, scroungers and immoral. This series has been ground-breaking enough - without judgement for youngsters that end up in free Council Accommodation (because I can include someone very close to home who had no other option temporarily herself) - that Netmums have decided to run their own themed week dedicated to all single parents.
My blog is still young and finding its way. It's self-deprecating look at having children later on, together with more ordinary occurrences and, more recently, the odd review (relevant to it) make it up. Plus, there is the added joy of a gorgeous new boyfriend to write about, if we're not too old to actually use that expression, challenging the notion that I am a single mum at all!
However, the wonderful ladies who have told us why they are/were single, and the approaches they take/took towards the unexpected turns in their lives, add weight and homage to what we're about: Check out Sarah (St Bloggie de Riviere) Hague, no longer single, living in France and many of us know the famous Annie (Mammasaurus) Spratt, who writes a shocker of a tale. We can take comfort that she is happily married to Papasaurus now and, in addition to her eight children, has given birth to the amazing and incredible Love All Blogs, which grows every day in every conceivable direction - a true reflection of this inspiring woman.
We have Mel (HerMelness Speaks) Fargo and my Anonymous friend, both of whom were widowed and write surprisingly differently about their views and their individual circumstances.
Kairen (Confessions of a Single Mum) Varker is an old hand at this blogging malarchy and a leading light, plus the outrageous Katy (All Sweetness and Life) Horwood takes time off from her serial dating stories to tell us why she consciously became a Single Mum.
Ellen (In a Bun Dance ) Arnison gives us her tips, ever the consummate professional, as is Rosie Scribble who gives us an incredible insight into how narrow minded some people can be - even those with 'influence!'
My story - the shortened version is the one published on Netmums now. However it's quite a different one telling itself here, evolving and moving on as I manage to.
There's a bit about my shitty Ex-Husband, followed by the first few diaries / columns I wrote in those early days [- if you have the stamina? - 1) It's Terrifying! 2) Eating Standing Up!] then the most exciting stuff starts with my lodger and whether this Landlady is a Tramp.
There's a bit about Romance, an addiction to Radio 2, plus plenty else, including a link to the Gingerbread Organization, an extremely longstanding, much respected Charity that helps Single Parents with advice, practical support and public campaigns.
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