I’m Michelle. For 34 years I was half of “Michelle and Ian.” Since April 2026, I’ve been working out how to be just Michelle again.
Ian lived with prostate cancer for six years, and I was by his side as his support and carer the whole way. When he died, I lost my husband, my best mate and the comfort of my everyday life all at once. At 57, I’ve found myself standing at the start of a whole new chapter that I never asked for or wanted.
This blog is my notebook for that chapter. I’ll write about grief as it really is, the messy, surprising, sometimes funny parts included (mostly the stupid things people say). I’ll also write about learning to fly solo. I’m booking trips for one, asking for a table for one, and discovering that I can enjoy my own company.
And of course there’ll be food. I’ve been cooking real food for as long as I can remember, and it has carried me through the hardest years of my life. You’ll find my recipes at Real Food Cook.
I’m not here to pretend I’ve got it all figured out. Ha – far from it! I’m here to keep going, one step at a time, and to bring you along if you’d like the company.