Jackie Kay

After various bits of form filling and phone calls, I took myself to Belsay Hall and Gardens. Both Belsay and Wallington are about 25 minutes drive from home and I can happily alternate visits.

I was there on April 2nd with my friend Anne from Salt Lake City. She loved seeing the gardens. Today there were many new flowers and it was a delight.

Tonight I went to hear Jackie Kay in the Hexham Book Festival. I bought her book “Adoption Papers” when it was published and found my copy for her to sign tonight.

Her adoptive parents have both died and her new collection of poems, “May Day”, contains a lot of memories from thei family life.

She is an entertaining speaker but there is depth to the reality of her experiences as she describes them. I told her that until last month, I would have gone home from the event to tell Mum all about it. I felt I could say that to her and her response was perfect.

May Day was published yesterday and you can read more on the Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/apr/13/poet-jackie-kay-i-could-have-been-brought-up-by-tories?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other