Irene | Anita Mathias: Dreaming Beneath the Spires

On Juggling

Anita Mathias — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 15:00:55 +0000

Irene, my 15 year old, has decided to become a master juggler. (I blame Baroness Susan Greenfield who told her class that juggling makes you clever). And now the air is full of the swish-swish-swish of juggling balls. And as for me, words and ideas which might have been sublime (one can always dream!) slip […]

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Happy Birthday, Irene: 14 Photographs for 14 Years

Anita Mathias — Wed, 08 May 2013 06:50:28 +0000

As the family’s resident expert baker, Irene insisted on making her own cake It tastes even better than it looks–the butter cream and the juice from the sliced strawberries soak into the cake to produce a luscious result. She gives detailed instructions of how she did it on her blog. To celebrate we also found […]

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Irene and Anne of Green Gables

Anita Mathias — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:35:00 +0000

Irene and I were swimming together at David Lloyd’s, her chattering animatedly as usual. Finally, I said, facetiously, “Irene, let’s be quiet for a bit. Let me meditate on my sorrows.” “Oh, don’t,” she said, “You’ll become morbid!” What? “Where did you learn that from, Irene?” “Anne of Green Gables.” She has listened to all […]

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My heavenly daughter, Irene

Anita Mathias — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:34:00 +0000

I generally sort out logistical challenges, like how to provide lunch for 15 people in the context of prayer. I was puzzling this out, while Irene kept coming up with every more time-intensive and impractical menu suggestions. “Hush, Irene,” I said, “I am trying to discuss this problem with my Heavenly Father.” I said. “Well,” […]

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In Which Irene Analysed British Political Speech

Anita Mathias — Sat, 08 May 2010 10:06:00 +0000

I no longer repent that I bought Irene her Ipod touch on impulse. She listened to all three leader’s debates on her Ipod this morning, and was hugely amused at the Oxford Union style of debating. Nick Clegg interrupting to ask, “Yes or no, yes or no?” Come on, Nick, life isn’t that simple. Her […]

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In which Zoe gives Irene a shirt declaring “I am always right,” and Irene almost believes it

Anita Mathias — Fri, 07 May 2010 06:56:00 +0000

Irene uses her beloved Ipod touch to email people, listen to countless books on tape, play scrabble and boggle, and get a word a day sent to her, which she memorizes. She announced today that she is now officially cleverer than me because I didn’t know 5 of these obscure words! And because her birthday […]

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In which Family Life Makes us Laugh

Anita Mathias — Wed, 05 May 2010 10:50:00 +0000

Whenever the girls did anything amazing, I would observe proudly, “Isn’t she good? See how well I have brought her up?” The other day, Roy was very noble, and I observed proudly, “Isn’t he nice? See how well I brought…” Irene said, “YOU brought him up?” Roars of laughter!

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Irene: The Laughing Philosopher

Anita Mathias — Wed, 05 May 2010 08:16:00 +0000

Irene floating on her back in the ocean declares happily, “I am the laughing philosopher. I have discovered that most things don’t really matter.” A huge wave burst over her, getting into her hair, eyes and nose. The laughing philosopher now says wryly, “Waves matter!”

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The Wisdom of Irene

Anita Mathias — Sat, 01 May 2010 10:48:00 +0000

Irene, crooning to me, “Mummy, you’re a mummy, and you’ll always be a mummy, but I am an Irene, and one day I will be a mummy.” Me, “Well, I’m not just a mummy.” She, soothingly, “I know. You are a writer, a Mummy, and a chatterbox.”

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In Which Teenager’s Rooms are Like Rooms of Requirement

Anita Mathias — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:45:00 +0000

Zoe says Irene’s room is like the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter. Whatever we needed and missed is to be found there–under her bed!! It can be like the Chamber of Horrors in Harry Potter, I say. And since we have a three day Bank Holiday weekend, guess what we are going to do!

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