Mums with guns
Why I packed me some heat and went to a shooting range
A bit of a cheat this week, people. I’m working through edits for the novel and it’s half-term holidays over here, so in lieu of a proper post, am sharing this article I wrote for today’s Times: Why I learnt how to use a gun when I moved to France. Fear not - despite the red lip (at the paper’s request), I haven’t gone Kristi Noem on you, but I did go to a shooting range with my friend, Kate, the fish killer, and I found it both unsettling and oddly thrilling. Read for yourself and let me know what you think or you can catch me talking to Hugo Rifkind on Times Radio at 11:10am GMT.
PHOTO CREDIT: ULRICH LEBEUF/MYOP FOR THE TIMES
This is hilarious and one line in particular made me lose my shit (I've restacked that part) 🤣
As I was reading, I was wondering when Belfast would make its inevitable appearance.
My old man is a staunch Republican and likes his guns and he's often tried to get me interested, at least go to shooting ranges. I'm terrified of them, guess I'm a dyed-in-the-wool peacenik.
This reminds me of what happened in Feb 2022, as the Russians inched closer to Kyiv. So many girls and women started learning how to use guns and, in the years since, a lot of them have kept it up, to be as prepared as possible.
Sobering and chilling on one hand.
Hysterical on the other.
Loved the story! Really impressed how a dinner party conversation could turn into a trip to a shooting range. 🤣 Don't think I'll be doing the same anytime soon, but your reasoning did give me a "well, maybe..." moment.