I shared this link on the post below by Melanie Tonia Evans. have done a lot of boundary work in the past but now having a disability sometimes they have been exploited.  My boundaries are:  Honesty and respecting my property, intellectual property, work, experience, property, my own or my daughter's needs and possessions. As I respect others. Not attempting to manipulate or bully me and supporting my goals. As I do not manipulate, only bully ineffective politicians who imp

11 mins ·Tatler.com · Article in Tatler today re bust of Alexander the Great that was dug up at Sutton Place in the 1980s I understand this was the home of part of my family on my Paternal Grandma's side before it was sold to Getty. As the family were one of the oldest Catholic families in England And Catholics were persecuted in the time of Henry VIII, indeed one relative was executed for allegedly shagging Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth 1 tried to burn it down at one point, I

I sometimes have wild and very detailed dreams, it is a fact that for example, some dying relatives have sometimes visited me in dreams since childhood. Today I had a very beautiful dream that I wanted to remember and I wish I could share visually. I dreamed today during a siesta that I woke and looking at a window, I saw that it had been marked by the side of a man's face, who marked it while watching at me sleep. It was marked with heat, as if etched in steam or the way t

During the last couple of weeks I have received a series of emailed letters from my (younger) brother Michael-James Quin-Harkin requesting my permission to sell the property in France which I inherited a share from on my Father's death in 2004 but have not yet been able to visit. My brother has, along with my mother and sister made my visiting and accurately obtaining the valuation necessary to sign a succession document reading the property impossible. Quite apart from t

My hot toddy recipe. I put this up on Vine ages ago. It is my own recipe adapted from a traditional family recipe while living with my part Scottish Grandma who was also the widow of a Stephen and a Cameroonian Highlander in my teens. I used to make it for regular customers who were feeling unwell while working at The Village Pub in Barnsley (Gloucestershire). Also it is what I drink when I get home for the night whenever I get a cold. I post it here so you can see the origin

This ran in The Daily Express Millennium Special edition. My (cropped) picture and article also. The letter arrived with the condolence cards during the days immediately following the death of my Grandmother M.I.L.Stephen from cancer whom I had been caring for 24/7 with help from my then husband Wanje (who was also working full-time at the time in a very physical job to cover our costs).There are other posts about our relationship here and our experiences living together in C

In my early career I was a security guard for Woolworths Distribution Centre where I worked with trucks and drivers. I have written in the past about the need for seals on lorry cargos given the potential security concerns. Maybe in light of the Berlin attack (where it looks likely that the truck may have been hijacked) it is time for enhanced security for drivers at truck stops. Be that monitored CCTV in truck waiting areas, alarm protocols and better locks in cabs, or simpl

The diary - Now you won't have an excuse to miss another of your daughter's solo musical performances. The parenting course - The step up from unsolicited criticism, special points if they are a lone parent and doing fine actually. The gym membership (when not requested, for obvious reasons) The Easy Way to stop smoking / drinking - Why let Christmas prevent you from nagging and making people feel uncomfortable? Dating agency membership or self help books of any kind Copy of

We are very sad to have lost another dear old friend yesterday, this picture was taken on a blustery day. My daughter and I had visited Tony at his request at his daughter's home, where was living at the time, to assist him with a very stressful internet vendetta issue. I recall it getting late and being especially cold so we had ended up eating vast portions of Tony's truly terrible lasagne and then camping out together on the living room floor. As I have asthma and don't d

My daughter has been visiting Father Christmas at Harrods for years. Her first being the Wizard of Oz theme. I think this year was our best ever in terms of presents, how well thought through the whole thing was and how kind the staff on the day. I shared some images on my instagram and twitter accounts of the inside the actual grotto at the time. But here is Sheba opening her grotto gifts on Christmas Day last year. They were presented in a very practical green drawstring

It is Roald Dahl dress up day at my daughter's school on Friday and so it is time to look out the Golden ticket that I cajoled her Papa into making the last time. Despite a youth filled with Drama classes and Theatre Studies (all of which I did fantastically well in the actual practical acting elements of) I somehow never watched Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands or any of his early movies that I can recall. Which is pretty incredible when you look up how many movies he has

Picture in article is not Hugh! #HughVyvyan #VictoriaQuinHarkin #VictoriaLuckie #Rugby #Saracens #AlexCabrini

I am not a huge fan of cake (I can't recall my last Birthday cake and did without one at my wedding in 2004). Kenyan friends who have tasted the orange and polenta (ugali) cake I used to bake frequently in Nairobi, or who know my former husband (who is quite well-known for his first question at any wedding being "Wapi keki"*) may not believe this, but it is true. It is rare these days that I get excited by cake. It is also an unfortunate truth that in the UK, and particularly

Well Gran Gran, Happy Birthday old trout, wish you were here or we were still there while you were well enough to enjoy life. Wish I could throw you another party. Thank you for your confidence and all the times you nagged me to eat well and to give up smoking. You (and the Doctor in Malindi) will be pleased to hear that I took his advice and it is now thirteen years since I quit. My dedication to quitting has, as it turns out, outlasted my marriage. But we do have a wond

Pic used with kind permission of the MS Society. It was taken just after the MS Awards this summer (which is why I am the other side of the camera for a change and our hair looks half way smart!). Update: This picture is now part of a billboard ad for the MS Society which is in Edgware Road, and yesterday we went to see it. Thanks Francis for taking the time to meet us. #SimonRawles #MSSociety #VictoriaLuckie #VictoriaQuinHarkin #ShebaLuckie #AlexCabrini #MSSociety

Last daughter came rushing in to the living room last night with and tales of a secret hidden drawer and a long lost diary I did not previously know existed. See above pictures. Katie refers to The Reverand Katie McClure (then a curate at Cirencester Parish Church). The salver she refers to is her late husband's silver ceremoial salver which she gave to my cousin Alex along with some antiques she had given them earlier. The drawer is a bit like a time capsule for me and allow

​Originally posted 5th November 2015 image gallery of additional images added 22/01/16 but taken earlier (at the same time as those on this post using my camera phone. I have updated a little following a return trip. Being a huge fan of certain floral flavours since childhood days of pocket money Parma Violets, rose and lemon Turkish delight, rose and violet creams and the more intensely scented flower flavours in general.I had been intrigued by the idea of violet tea from th

Amended (on January 31st) version of original post (of Jan 9th) to fix some typos due to having been exhausted while initially writing it (after a 9 hour plus drive), apologies and let me know if you spot any more! I have been rushing between appointments for myself and my daughter who had a small accident on Monday and then a bad case of tonsillitis. We have also had intermittent power but on-going water issues at home so I have not been online much this week. However, in

Image copyright either myself, my mother or my Grandma. Screenshot from my Facebook page that I first posted in 2011, thanks for the reminder George. My father died on January 4th 2004. Amended as I thought it was the 4th today until my daughter pointed out it is in fact the 3rd and the 4th is tomorrow. #VictoriaQuinHarkin #VictoriaLuckie #MBQuinHarkin #MikeQuinHarkin #QuinHarkin #AlexCabrini #MyFather #DaddyLessons

image and content copyright Victoria Alexandra Cabrini Luckie It was on the 22nd December that I first noticed it had gone.For as long as I can remember this advert has been one of the landmarks that tell me I am in London. Over the years London has sprawled westwards but this advert remained, it's lights a blinking, twinkling, effervescent reminder of a bygone era and that you were now entering the bright lights of a big city. and that was why I often photographed it from in