Melanie Charles
Bio
Children's book author. Often gets the apostrophe placing wrong.
Often ponders, 'How did I get so old?' Writes stories about her life so far, things that interest her and often things that make her rage at the world. Pretty much whatever.
Stories (15)
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193 days
“I may only see you two more times in my lifetime.” I stood across from my friend as she whipped the creamy scrambled eggs that we were about to eat. Tomorrow was her birthday, and we were having brunch in her kitchen. It was the first time since the beginning of COVID that I had been inside her house (except for the occasional feeding of her two cats, Pablo and Lulu when they were away).
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Wander
195 days
On Sunday, masked up I boarded the train and travelled out of London into the countryside to attend a BBQ for 4th July. It isn’t the first BBQ that I have been to this year, but it is the first where it didn’t rain (a lot). Earlier this year in late May I organised a BBQ in our backyard. May harks towards the end of spring here in the UK and I know you can’t always guarantee the weather, but this determined girl wants to spend as much time with friends as possible. So, with thrashing wind I lit the coals and tilted the lid on the side of the BBQ so I wouldn’t start a fire.
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Wander
207 days to go
It’s turned into a magical summer day, albeit it’s only 21 degrees Celsius (that’s about 70 Fahrenheit), but who can complain. Summer in Britain so far has been the pits. Only yesterday I turned the heater on. It was only for a short thirty minutes, but that was thirty minutes too long!
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Wander
My last days in London
211 Days to go It’s my first night out since Lockdown started in March last year and probably the last time I step through the doors of The Paradise Bar. Admittedly the last time I was here was two years ago at Halloween and before that someone’s birthday. Maybe Sarah’s? Another drunken night dancing body to body thrumming to music with the scent of sweat and tequila. The tequila was me. I hope the body odour wasn’t!
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Wander
I had my first COVID vaccination
As I lay in bed watching something on Netflix, you know that faithful friend that some of you may have also met. She certainly isn’t a fair weather friend, but I really only enjoy spending time with her when it’s cold and rainy outside. Or when I am in London in Lockdown due to COVID, which I still am at the time of writing this. My phone flashed with a message. I would have usually ignored it, but it was past 10pm and it was a text message. I only have one friend who still insists on texting and she is usually in bed by at the very latest of nine o’clock. Opening it my heart started to beat and my stomach churn.
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Longevity
My Mix Tape From The 80s
My first job was at McDonalds when I was 14 and 9 months. That was the age that you could get a job in Australia in the 80s. My parents were divorced, probably the first amongst the parents at my school, but no-one seemed to care. A nurse, a full-time working mother, she couldn’t afford to give us much pocket money so we made do with what we had and since I loved a good bargain and a mooch around second hand clothes stores it didn’t really phase me. The only thing I missed was having my own tape player.
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Beat
‘Let me know when you’re home.’
How many times have you said this or messaged this to your female friends? Or waited with them for their taxi to arrive? How many times have you walked home from somewhere and held you keys in your hand? Taken your earphones out, or pretended to be on the phone to a friend? Walked faster when you’ve heard footsteps behind you? Had the number of emergency services ready for you to dial quickly?
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Viva
1987: The Year I went to Second Base
I grew up in the 80s. A time of big hair, curling irons and Kylie Minogue’s Locomotion. It was 1987. The year of Whitney Houston’s, ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’. We were all screaming at the top of our voices when Bon Jovi’s, ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ came on the radio. The Top 40 was something that I picked up from the music store every week. It was printed on a sickly yellow A5 paper. Aretha Franklin became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sadly only 8% of women make up the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Do better.
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Viva
Marie Kondo I am not!
Whether you’re a fan of Marie Kondo or watch the Home Edit there are tips for everyone everywhere about organising your life. While I admire the zeal of these organisational kings and queens, prince and princesses, that’s not me. I’m an artist and a writer swimming my way through life on a tide of let’s see what happens. That doesn’t mean I don’t plan my life or have goals, but I prefer not to be too structured and take opportunities as they come.
By Melanie Charles5 years ago in Journal
