Beer & Frocks – an unlikely connection

I’ve long known that there are two major (albeit apparently disconnected) differences between the town I used to live in and and the one where I’ve been for the last 3 months. Firstly, my former town was good for pubs, lots of them, but lousy for clothing stores. I was known for spending 3-4 afternoons each week in a bar, […]

2 short years

I’ve tried to look forward but every now and again a photo from the past piques my interest. Here’s one taken on this day, 7th April, in 2023. That makes it a month after my legal transition. I hadn’t let my hair run free at this point (and the roots needed sorting!) I may also have used a little too […]

A new GP & a new experience

Edited on 23rd March 2025 I registered with a new GP practice about 6 weeks ago and soon after that I decided it was time to get my gender marker changed on my passport. Given that I don’t yet have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) or any appointments at the Gender Identity Clinic, I did not yet have the medical […]

Walking on eggshells?

I’ve been in my current town for almost ten weeks and I can’t say that I’ve been mightily surprised at the reception I get from complete strangers. I have known from the outset that I won’t ever be a fashion model, at least not a stereotypical one. Nor will I be able to appear 100% female 100% of the time […]

Now & Then In Vogue

Like many T* folk I took full advantage of the various lockdowns during the pandemic to experiment with clothing, hair and make-up, as well as building my confidence to actually move my transition forward. But, what was happening in my life just before lockdown #1 announcement on 9th March 2020? I took this photo that morning, shortly before lunch and […]

A Change of GP

I really should entitle this post as a change of town, but that’s a longer story. I relocated 7 weeks ago at the time of writing this and hadn’t been here long when my pharmacy, in my old town, told me that my prescription was ready to be collected. Unfortunately I didn’t feel that I could rely on anyone to […]

Changes

Lots of changes recently. My daughter left home after 15 years with me as sole carer, but it took a month before I was certain she wasn’t coming back. By the time I did know, Christmas was just a couple of weeks away and the housing market dries up. In January I left town, although I’m not far away, to […]

Autumn Blues

Autumn (aka Fall in some places) is always a time of change and mostly small changes. My biggest event of the autumn is the Harwich International Shanty festival, where I am photographer, webmistress and part-time social media manager. The weather held for our mid-October festival weekend and many thousands enjoyed the local hospitality. I am very active during the festival […]