My divorce came to me as a complete surprise. That's what happens when you haven't been home in eighteen years.
I read the Odyssey because it was the story of a man who returned home after being absent for more than twenty years and was recognized only by his dog.
About 15 years ago I went though a period of a year or so when I just couldn't find anything good. My wife noticed I was having trouble reading menus. I bought some cheap reading glasses in a drug store. I got home and suddenly all these books that weren't good were good.
But inspiration? - That's when you come home from abroad and are asked: Well have you found inspiration? - and fortunately you haven't. But the impressions sink in of course and may emerge later: None of us has invented the house that was done many thousands of years ago.
Most of us in the baby-boom generation were raised by full-time mothers. Even as recently as 14 years ago 6 out of 10 mothers with babies were staying at home. Today that is totally reversed. Does that mean we love our children less than our mothers loved us? No but it certainly causes a lot of guilt trips.
The thing about being at home versus being out in the world working is it's a whole different vibe. When I'm home with my kids and partner I will cook - even though she's a very good cook. She's learned over the years. We started with basics you know how to saute onions how to saute mushrooms.
I really see myself as a homegirl. Wales is my first home. London is my second home - I've been there 14 years now.
I've now been in this country for thirteen years since I was seventeen. So this is my second home.
Believe me you can get into a lot of trouble being sixteen years old in a foreign country with no adult telling you when to come home.
I think it can be hard for any man to sometimes be upstaged by his wife. So when I'm home I work very hard to be Todd's wife and Jade's mother. I have no problem going back to those traditional roles. I try to be Giada the young girl that he met 20 years ago and fell in love with.