I discovered the Manchester Guardian in 1964 on my first visit to the north of England when I went to meet my fiance’s parents in Warrington. As a culture-shocked Londoner I soon discovered that most people read and swore by the Manchester Guardian, shopped at the Co-op and ate jam/chip butties. I was told to my amazement that I was a “soft southerner” who “doesn’t know a hard day’s work”.
It was with relief that I set forth in 1965, as an oil executive’s wife, to live in Iraq, Brunei, Indonesia, Australia, the US and Dubai.
Years later, in 2008, living in Sydney, Australia, with a new husband from the south of England (who first read the Manchester Guardian in 1947) I once again linked up with what is now The Guardian Weekly. I can’t imagine a week without it!
My favourite column is What I’m Really Thinking and I have been a recent contributor to this. I love Nature watch and always do the Quick crossword. I hopefully check the Cryptic crossword and am pleased if I can get a few answers.
I buy the Guardian Weekly on Thursday when it comes to our newsagent, as I still love hard copy. However, at a New Year’s Eve party in 2014-15 overlooking Sydney harbour bridge and the fireworks, an English person kindly installed an app on my mobile phone so I can now check the Guardian news whenever I feel like it!
If you would like to appear in this space, send a brief note to guardian.weekly@theguardian.com
