I think about Mary every day. It's a fleeting thought. It's a - "I wish she was here to talk to, I wish she was here to tell ab...

Toys and books put away. All that remains are the yoghurt cartons. (Is the yoghurt cartons?)  I'll tackle  those tomorrow.

Fresh lemon juice and honey with Lemsip Steaming head over menthol crystals Warm bed Olive Kitteridge Gilmore Girls o...

It is 12.35 p.m. I am sitting in bed in a silent house, reading the Guardian Review. I have a sore throat and a cold and I am short of sle...

We celebrated Thanksgiving with our American family - the Colorado Hepworths - and with the family member who declines to be named, p...

My American family arrived on Saturday, and yesterday everyone else came for tea (supper to you southerners). I worried in the morning about...

OK, I've written to my MP AGAIN about honouring the DUBS amendment and bringing all vulnerable refugee children over to the UK from the ...

I act as if stunned every morning. Dave has been up for hours and walks in the bedroom and asks how I am and I say "I feel awful, but I...

You know that sketch I showed you recently in which a writer and three script editors walk into a bar? ( Here's a link to remind you.) ...

Twenty years ago, we had a bad year at Hepworth Towers. We were renting, trying to find somewhere to buy, and we had to move from our (love...

Wendy has put it on Twitter, so I feel able to share it with you. Wendy, beloved daughter-in-law, dear friend, loved like a dau...

Why does a mother need a daughter? Heart's needle, hostage to fortune, freedom's end. Yet nothing's more perfect than that b...

When you've been brought to tears by the plight of 1000 vulnerable refugee children that two "civilised" countries are washing...

There are still hundreds of vulnerable child refugees in Calais. Please, please, will you email your MP immediately to urge them to speak...

I have been very busy this last week and was so tired yesterday, that I planned to do only two things: to go for a tiny bike ride, and to pl...

I did it. I went to see I, Daniel Blake .  I went with Mary 's younger daughter. I was armed with two handkerchiefs, but as it turned o...

My good friend, Chrissie Poulson , crime writer extraordinaire, has a new novel out today: Deep Water . It's like all her books - intel...

I used to go to the pictures (aka the cinema) with my friend Mary . And actually, only with Mary. That was what we did together. That and t...

As a postscript to yesterday's blog post, try watching this. https://vimeo.com/179713937?ref=em-share  It creases me up.

I've not told you anything about my writing life lately, have I? Last autumn I was intensively pitching my TV comedy drama based on m...

On this doorstep I stand year after year to watch you going and think: May you not skin your knees. May you not catch your fingers ...

You know what? I think I'm getting old. I was about to write and tell you how hectic it's been around here, and then lead into the p...