Neil Neil Orange Peel

Lots of the thoughts and dreams I had as a child, remain with me. Like wishing I could fly and wanting to know absolutely everything there is to know in the whole wide world. And looking forward to living in a little cul de sac with each of my siblings in a neighbouring house.

At junior school it wasn't a cul de sac, it was the school. I used to dream of owning the school and having a classroom each as a bedroom. In my dream we all rode our bikes in our playground. (I had a bike in my dream. Actually only the three boys had bikes. I had a second hand singer sewing machine though.) And I kept the school cooks. School dinners were so much nicer than my mum's watery stew eugh.

As you get older, practicalities such as cost, get in the way of your dreams. So it became my lottery dream. All five of us, neighbours again. My best friends. My babies.

The reality is that we are spreading further and further apart. One brother has been in Israel for the past 15 years and one is now moving to Wales. He goes on Friday. It's a good move for his family but I'll miss them so much. My sister is still a 5 min walk away for now.

If I knew everything there is to know in the whole wide world, I'd learn to fly.