Stormy Weather

Here in the East Neuk, we've had a stormy start to the year - high winds and flurries of snow, but not the traffic-stopping winter weather suffered by other parts of the UK. I've not felt like venturing out but have been feeding the birds - starlings, robins, sparrows and blackbirds - in our courtyard, enjoying watching them vying for places at the bird table and hangers. I did rehydrate some worms which I hoped the robins would enjoy. I half-expected the worms to wriggle, released from their freeze-dried state, but they looked just the same, only wet.

I'm trying to shake off the urge to hibernate, get myself out and about after a period of relative sloth. Working from home makes it all too easy to shut myself away from the world. However, I have just made a trip to London for a consultation day on therapy for student dramatherapists.

I signed up for this because it is something I've been involved with. All trainees have to complete 72 hours of personal therapy, group and individual, alongside their training. This can be difficult to manage, especially for students living in Scotland, and other areas where there are not many practising dramatherapists. It was good to have the chance to discuss some of the issues with fellow practitioners, although the situation in London is so different. It's hard to believe that it's almost a year since I last spent a day with my peers, when we met as supervisors.

I made this a bit of a holiday as well. My daughter in Swindon took some time off on the Friday - we went shopping - and I got to sit in on the dress rehearsal of the pantomime she's involved with on the Sunday. Quite fun to be there and have no responsibilities, watching her unflappable efficiency as she dealt with temperamental actors, excited children and last minute repairs. I ended up making a ghost costume out of an ancient velvet curtain as well as sewing on lots of buttons.

I was shocked today to receive an email from France, with photos of the destruction wreaked by a cyclone two days ago of the place we stayed in last summer - the pottery, the flat upstairs where we stayed and the beautiful garden and swimming pool all ruined. How quickly people's lives can be changed. We're lucky so far not to be hit by natural disasters, redundancy or serious ill-health, but it's all so fragile......

The two lovely ladies who own the atelier have lost so much - and yet are already offering to help us find somewhere else to stay this summer.
That seems so unimportant at the moment. Appreciating the things we take for granted - a roof over our heads, food on the table, a walk in the sunshine - will be my priority this week.

Contact me by email at
theatreandtherapy@gmail.com