So, who is this Smudgie person? As if I’d tell you, random person that you might well be.

I am the single mum of two smashing boys whom (if you can’t tell) I love to bits. One lives at home with me, the other is currently on remand awaiting a lengthy sentence.

I am the teacher of a large gaggle of kids, many of whom have some difficulty in learning – either a struggle with it or an aversion to it or a combination of the two. My job is to motivate, cajole, and break everything down into manageable chunks. I love the work and hate the politics and the stress, and having recently been made subject leader I have plenty of the two latter parts of the job!

I love music, reading, living in the most beautiful place on earth, spending time with animals and (in small doses) kids, my friends and my family, and simply being a part of God’s family.

My faith and my life are totally intertwined and God is my mainstay in all that life throws at me. I am training (off and on) as a Methodist Local Preacher, having given in petulantly to God’s perpetual nagging.

In addition to eldest son (formerly Tiddles) and the Smudgelet, my home is occupied by a rather enormous and ferocious tiger called Charlie and five small and incredibly ridiculous Roborovski hamsters called Pavlova.

In real life I am far more quiet, shy, boring, and totally disorganised.