Supermarket chit-chat can cure lonely Britain – just stop moving the eggs
When the Conservative Party finally gets round to holding a leadership contest, and I am duly elected the 56th prime minister of this country, I shall make…
‘I couldn’t imagine what it was like to be normal’: Justin Webb and Justin Welby on their chaotic childhoods
At the end of the ’70s, Justin Welby left Cambridge to begin his career in Paris: ‘All the senior people said, “I can understand why you’ve come….
Six easy ways to stay sharp and young in midlife and beyond
From the keto diet to the Mediterranean diet, we are constantly being bombarded with new ways of eating which promise to make us fitter, healthier, smarter or…
I may have bought my home alone, but unexpected kindness means I’m not at all lonely
It is a new year, a new house and a new beginning. In some ways, I feel like a new person too, because although my house still…
Why I’m determined to keep calm and carry on kissing this Christmas
That meant dinner dates on Zoom, and FaceTiming men I matched with on apps, replacing the more friendly bottle of red and candlelit meal for two. Grinning…
I found myself wondering if my neighbour’s 60-year-old dad should be taking me out on a date?
The shock of separation and leaving the “family home” last September, a home we built together over a decade ago and were never meant to leave, has…
‘No-one suspects how desperately lonely I am – not even my ‘friends’ or colleagues’
Last Christmas Day, the only people I spoke to were a couple I approached, when out walking, to ask if I could stroke their dog. The rest…
How to tell if you’ve been hit by HOGO – the Hassle of Going Out
Working from home has killed the after-work drink, while our uniform of elasticated sweatpants and slippers means that we’re no longer sure how to dress. Anna is…