Author Archives: Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

About Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

Bouncing into middle age armed with courage, ambition and a pair of tweezers (chin hairs for anyone over the age of 45 reading this) I am a writer with a mission: to redefine this midway point in my life when the last thing I want to do is hang up my high heels and become invisible. This is the end of the beginning, not the beginning of the end. A single mum to 3 fabulous girls, an author, and a fundraising consultant, both ends of my candle are on fire. As I enter this new stage of my life, I want to explore what it means for 'mid-aged' women today, who were promised they could have it all, ended up doing it all, and just do not identify with the traditional image of middle age.

Time to Smarten Up

Posted on January 8, 2009 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

The time has arrived. My abilities to Deceive to Achieve (see February 2008 blog …) are increasingly limited – those little white lies are not suffice to fuddle muddled minds anymore, and full-blown lies are necessary. Now, I know mothers … Continue reading →

Posted in motherhood, smart, technology | 1 Comment

Jingle Bells

Posted on December 24, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

“Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells” and so sings my three year old morning, noon and night. The fact that she’s not blessed with dulcet tones makes it even funnier. An off-key screech greets us in the morning, and a hushed hum … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, parenting | 1 Comment

Born Again

Posted on December 17, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

So my husband has finally persuaded me to have another baby. That sounds like I don’t want one – I do. I really do – when I look into the future and see a tea table full of chatter and … Continue reading →

Posted in motherhood, pregnancy, writing | 3 Comments

Is writing compatible with motherhood?

Posted on November 16, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

Virginia Wolf didn’t think so. She sacrificed being a mother for being a writer. And didn’t one of those early women writers actually give up her children so she could write? And can we even put down the proliferation of … Continue reading →

Posted in motherhood, writing | 3 Comments

From the mouths of babes

Posted on November 5, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

Will my children ever know what today meant? They will grow up never knowing it wasn’t possible for a black man to be President of the world’s superpower. Another thing they’ll take for granted – along with their mother being … Continue reading →

Posted in dummies, motherhood, President Barak Obama | Leave a comment

changing goalposts

Posted on October 29, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

The books and the magazines and the mid-wives tell you how to prepare for motherhood in lots of different and useful ways – what cots to buy, how to structure feeds, how to keep your precious babies safe, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in challenges, change, motherhood | 1 Comment

News Flash! Mums are superheroes!

Posted on October 15, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

At last, scientific research has proved that baby-bearing makes us brainy. Tell us something we don’t know! So as we wash up endless dishes at the sink and wipe up after another messy meal, we know we can do complex … Continue reading →

Posted in motherhood, research, skills | 1 Comment

Getting by with a little help from my friends

Posted on October 6, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

Picture the scene. You had a demented night with your crying, teething baby. Your reluctant toilet-training toddler has thrown the potty across the room and used the carpet instead. There is poo on the walls, Weetabix on your new shirt … Continue reading →

Posted in friends, help, motherhood | Leave a comment

Working Girl

Posted on September 25, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

Life is all about phases. Once I was the burning-the-candle-at-both-ends-highly-motivated-successful-career-girl, and then I became the sleep-deprived-slobber-covered-breeding-feeding-weary-worn-stay-at-home-mum. And now, lo and behold, I’m a part-time writer… and TV book reviewer (RTE1, Seoige Show). Ok, actually the real title is Full-time-mum-and-maker-of-my-husband’s-sandwhiches-and-housekeeper-and-part-time-writer-and-TV-book-reviewer, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Back to school for us all

Posted on September 10, 2008 by Grin & Tonic by Alana Kirk

My husband and I are scared. Very very scared. There is a dark and dirty cloud hanging over our heads and in moments of anxious insecurity we whisper surreptitiously to each other – “Do you know the laws of physics?” … Continue reading →

Posted in children, learning, school | 1 Comment