Jeni Barnett

Check

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I’m sorry about my absence but I can’t be the only one who is confused, dazed, horrified, upset, appalled, angry and exhausted, by the chaos that is surrounding us. We all have our opinions, we all think we know what should be done, we all know who we want in and out and out and … Read more

Wet Rain

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Rain is pitter pattering on the sky light. Emmy, in disgrace, is sitting on the armchair, having crunched her way through something. I got out of the bean bag and saw a dead, bloody corpse. Took my glasses off, put on yellow rubber gloves. Scraped the remains into a very big plastic bin bag and … Read more

Up up and Away.

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My birthday included one meeting. A box of Macaroons, a bottle of champagne, candles, soap and a tiny pink pistachio cake with coffee. A walk down Tottenham Court Road, open mouthed at the newness of the tube and the loss of my youth. Lunch in China town, with dumplings and garlic shoots. Another meet in … Read more

Black and blues…..

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So I pruned the ivy on the studio wall. I pulled the stems, I cut the dead wood, I filled the purple plastic holdall and emptied the contents into the incinerator. It’s a silver dustbin with holes in it. I pruned and pruned and pruned. I tiptoed through the pretty lemon primroses which are everywhere. … Read more

Chartwell

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I turned the box on, and for no apparent reason I watched the advert for The National Trust. It’s been on loads of times but this time it registered. I sat down at the lap top and brought up a form from the Trust that would enable me to volunteer. Nearest place to me, a … Read more

The Scream.

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I drove to Ashdown Forest. Just me, in my little red car. A smattering of East Sussex drivers,driving slowly in well maintained old cars. My irritation started to bubble. ‘MOOOOOOVE’ I shouted. I felt a stirring. I was driving to the middle of a forest, which is populated by walkers and dogs. I thought I … Read more

Marching against the windbag.

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Roman Road, in the Ashdown Forest, was hard soiled. My Nordic Poles couldn’t smash through the ice. The leaves crinkled and the sun so low I couldn’t really see the view, which was tweedy brown and gorse yellow. My wooly gloves were of no use, but my four layers of fleeces, sweaters and armless puffiness … Read more

nine days in

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There are days and then there are days. The rain tap-danced on my hood, I was zipped up, only my face peering out at the bare trees. The mud stuck to my Wellington boots, my glasses foggy with the drizzle. I could have knocked into the new neighbours, or even the old neighbours, but decided … Read more

Tarra 2016

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Ill health gone. Black dog chased off. May we all have Unexpected Good. Unexpected Money Unexpected Love Unexpected Kindness Unexpected Generosity Unexpected Offers Unexpected Prosperity That’s courtesy of Michael Beckwith. I wish you all health wealth, love and perfect self expression. May Trump be eradicated, may Farage be erased, may Katie Hopkins be silenced, may … Read more