It’s all in the name.  Growing up, I thought ‘Patricia’ was such an old-fashioned name and one only used in reprimand – by mother or teacher.  (I did quite enjoy learning about the ‘Patricians’ and the ‘Plebs’ in Latin, though!)  Suffice to say, it was always abbreviated and, to many, I was ‘Trish-Trash’ – affectionate rather than derogatory, I assumed.  Anyway …

Those familiar with my posts may already know my story and the reason I started writing; I think it deserves the use of one of my favourite words, ‘organic’.  An avid reader from the age of six, words were the key to another world; I loved books and wrote a diary through most of my formative years always aware of the importance of the past and memories – who doesn’t want to know if I made it to breakfast or skipped all my lectures on 16th March, 1978?!

Time stands still for no man and, before I knew it, the children were grown up, our beloved Wilbur was no longer with us and … my husband of 28 years was exposed as a liar and a cheat.  Just another day in paradise.  Ironically, my late father, Pop, suggested that we have ‘Fight The Good Fight” as one of the hymns at our wedding!  Hindsight is a great thing.  So, too, is the fact that one is oblivious to what lies ahead …

‘Strength lies in disaster’.  Isn’t that a well-known saying?  I always thought it was.  Regardless, it actually does apply to me.  ‘A woman in her fifties with no skills’ (my advocate’s description – for legal reasons, of course), seven long years on, I have discovered my strengths, lots of old friends – and new ones – and my passion for writing.  Encouraged by my children to impart my wisdom in a blog (still no idea), a facebook account was opened with a select group of friends and so began ‘Trish-Trash.com’.  A platform for anything and everything, my childhood nickname was, and is perfect.  Posting infrequently, at first, I quickly learnt how therapeutic it was venting my opinion on life and everyday issues, touching on my incessant legal wranglings; the highs and lows – and the realisation of what is truly important.

I was so excited to discover that anybody was reading my posts let alone liked them but from little acorns, large oak trees grow and my readership is now, regularly, in the realms of a thousand a week.  I think I have even developed a style: well, I scribble notes on topics which delight – or enrage me daily (mostly the latter) and then sit down at the keyboard, each week, and start talking.  Seriously therapeutic for me – and perhaps, too, for the reader who is reminded that there is humour to be found in all things.  My pièce de résistance?  I always end with a quote and, whether thought-provoking or funny, sometimes I feel the only thing missing is a pulpit!

In the early days, I used to end each post with the words ‘Nobody forced you to read it!’.  True but, for those new to ‘Trish-Trash.com’, please do.  In the words of my friend, Tom (that’s Cruise not Odell in this case) – in one of my favourite films, Jerry Maguire – ‘We live in a cynical world.  A cynical world.’ and a little escapism goes such a long way …