Author Archives: fortewinks
My mother makes me: a child’s letter to her working mother.
I publish this blog on the day I am due to speak with Sistr, The Professional Woman’s Network about my career trajectory; I woke up thinking about the day that FirstBorn and I reminisced about her childhood and my role … Continue reading
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Costa del Wick: meadows, marshes and meanders.
A hen party nailed it. Enforced listening to fifteen twenty-something women singing Bohemian Rhapsody at un-rhapsodic volume just fifty yards from our bedroom was not making us happy; the fifth rendition at 5am broke our will to live … there. … Continue reading
Posted in AirB&B, architecture, Buildings, Design and architecture, Health, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, property, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged Bicycle, birds, bridges, bushes, canals, countryside, East London, fish, grass, greenery, Hackney, Hackney wick, heron, holiday, lockdown, magpie, parkland, riding, skies, wetland
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In praise of A Certain Age
“Not too bad for an Old Bird?” my question to BB was rhetorical: I felt fabulous. Older, better? Not quite better, but different – fabulous is allowed. The necessary mindshift for women of a certain age has to be in … Continue reading
Posted in Family, Feminism, Friends, Health, Life and romance, Uncategorized
Tagged 50, aging, beauty, Body, face, Feminism, Fun, happy, humour, life, middle age, midlife, mrs robinson, Women
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Mind the Vulture! Cautionary fundraising tales.
Writing about business on Fortewinks is unusual … but SMEs are the lifeblood of British economy and COVID is not their friend. Many of mine run their own businesses and this is important right now. As Forte Medical approaches reopening … Continue reading
Posted in Business, design, Economy, Health, Uncategorized
Tagged Angels, business, enterprise, Entrepreneur, finance, fundraise, investment, sme, VC
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Frames, facades, finials and flourishes: how buildings tell stories.
I have a window fetish. There, I’ve said it. Mullions or muntins* of different widths make my hair stand on end; they let the building down, its facade a jumble. Simply put, both God and the Devil are in the detail … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, Buildings, Craft, design, Design and architecture, Life and romance, London, property, Uncategorized
Tagged architecture, Art, balconies, brick, building design, Buildings, cities, Craft, design, finials, glass, history, life, modernism, sculpture, sculture, steel, streetscape, towns, urban design
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Female health and routine jiggery-pokery
I feel a caption competition coming on. Framed by my open thighs, the two women’s faces looked up and laughed. This check-up Down There was another reminder that internal female furniture requires all manner of routine maintenance to keeps things … Continue reading
Landlords, tenants and an uneven playing field.
“Remember, tenants should be aware that at any time, in the periodical phase of their tenancy, they can be evicted by landlords – tenants should bear this in mind when standing up for their rights.” This telling phrase appears in … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Consumer rights, Design and architecture, Family, Home, Landlords, Life and romance, London, property, Property agents, Property rental, Tenant rights, Uncategorized
Tagged banks, building society, business, councils, Family, Home, housing, Innovation, Landlords, legal, life, Local Authority, London, maintenance, mortgage, private tenancy, property, property law, Property rental, rent, repairs, rights, tenants
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Moving house, Spandangled, Spain … and the joy of magic pants.
Fortewinks’ May post was delivered with little insight as to the Very Difficult Time that was unfolding. Because every now and then the outcome of precipitous events does not become clear until later: this was such an episode. Shortly after … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Design and architecture, Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged Art, boyfriend, business, Dance, design, East London, france, girlfriend, holidays, Home, humour, investment, lettings, life, love, spain, Texas
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Hello to half a century (and then some).
Fifty-five is not an insubstantial age but not as old as I hope to be one day – assuming I will remain in fine fettle of course. This year’s birthday celebrations extended to before and beyond the day itself and … Continue reading
Posted in Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Health, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, Motherhood, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged 55, Arcadia Spectacular, Art, Entertainment, Family, Food, Fun, GranCanaria, happy, holiday, humour, Idyll Suites, Innovation, life, Maserati, middle age, Party, sun, Sunday Times, wine, work
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