I trained as a veterinary surgeon. A passion for ponies sent me that way and I have since bred foals, had a wonderful Quarter Horse in Texas, done some jumping, trained a couple of point-to-pointers, and been secretary of a drag hunt, but dressage was where my interest in veterinary biomechanics and love of riding best came together.
Jung for Kittens
I’m a proper Geordie: not just a North-Easterner, but from a family of Durham miners who used the Geordie Lamp. In our kitchen we have my grandfather’s framed certificate recognising his fifty years’ service to the mining industry. He did many more years than that, starting in the mines at nine years old and retiring as a knocker (waking the miners) in his seventies.
I love Texas. I was fortunate to live for three years in a historic house in old San Antonio, not that far from the Alamo. Other Americans mock them but Texans have an inspiring sense of their own identity. There is amazing positivity and ambition there, as well as friendliness. And Hill Country rodeos are fantastic!
I believe in the insights of Carl Jung. I wrote Jung for Kittens as an entertaining story about a young man trying to find his way in the world but it is no accident that he was guided by the works of Jung. Human nature is endlessly fascinating and perplexing and Jung is a good guide to understanding it, including the importance of the dark side, which we all have - and need.
I’m a gardener. I love being outside in nature and the process of creation. The exercise is good for the body and the design process stimulates the mind, especially with the garden being open and our visitors expecting there to be new planting combinations each year. And gardeners are lovely people, which may be why I put one in The Music of the Cosmos, my second book.
Ceremonial occasions make me emotional, especially the wonderful black horses of the Household Cavalry and band music like Aida and Black Bear. The few years I spent closely involved with it all made me appreciate how much work and professionalism goes into it and how lucky we are to have it.
I have twins. Twin babies are hard work, especially if you have them when you’ve just bought a ruined house and your husband works long hours. I stopped at two! And how do two people immersed in animals and science spawn two boys obsessed by music and spirituality?
I like unfashionable writers. Many modern books are issue or plot driven, and the writing style takes second place. I find myself drawn back to Saki, Dickens, Austen or Wodehouse, even if the themes are old-fashioned and the attitudes outdated - although I admit that some old books are just too dense, and modern authors like McMurtry and Rushdie write beautiful prose.
I love the sound of a V8 engine. I have no idea why. I have no interest in cars or machines. I don’t think it’s just the sound because it’s an emotional reaction. It predates the Winchester’s Impala in Supernatural and I can’t relate it to any particular old movies.
I prefer age to comfort - in houses, that is. I’ve lived in comfortable, warm modern houses and in houses from the sixteenth century onwards. Despite the discomfort, the cold and the irritation of constant problems, I feel happier in an old house - perhaps because they’re imbued with memories of past people and events.
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My college friends and I have gotten together for a reunion weekend every year since 1997. (Until 2020 sidelined us!) The seven of us first met while living together at the University of Michigan, and we now live in five different states across the U.S. Despite the distance separating us, our careers, kids, spouses, etc., we’ve managed to make the get-togethers work. We usually take turns hosting at one of our houses...
