Coddiwomple is believed to be an old English slang verb meaning
“to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination”
Hello, thank you for stopping by. My name is Wendy Jennings and I’m an author & artist from Kent, UK and I believe everybody goes on a coddiwomple in one way or another.
I invite you to take a look around my site where you’ll find examples of my Art which is inspired by nature and my surroundings. Plus you’ll also find my Blog where I share tales of UK travels and life as a midlife, mystical, childfree, oneling woman following my sunshine. It is my sincere hope that you will feel inspired to follow your own sunshine too!
About me
I live with my partner, Tim and we enjoy travelling around the UK in our campervan or 2-seater car (when the weather lets us!) I love chocolate, cake and a nice cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc (although not all at the same time!) and I’m also a qualified Reiki Practitioner and Life Coach.
I guess I chose to travel purposefully towards a vague destination, go on a coddiwomple, after my parents died from cancer in 2012, as I had no idea what purpose my life would be.
I was 43 years old and if I wasn’t a daughter anymore, then who was I? I have no siblings, I’m not a Mum and at that time I wasn’t in a relationship either, but I knew I was embarking on a new journey and forward was the only way to go.
However, through something that was so devastating to me and my family, eventually, magic started to happen – I discovered I could write!
Our story spilled out into my first book “From Cancer To Coddiwomple – A Story of Love, Loss and Daring to Dream”, published in 2019. In the book I share our journey and how travelling to Bali and Australia in 2015-2016 helped me rebuild my life. The profits from this enable me to support St Barnabas House hospice in Sussex and to raise awareness of Ovarian Cancer. You can find out more information about it in the Shop.
These days, my writing consists of my musings as a childfree (by choice), mid-life, oneling woman and my trips and adventures with Tim. Writing and journaling continues to help me unscramble my mind and gain some perspective of this crazy world we live in.
Since I was a child, I’ve loved painting and drawing and I’m constantly inspired by our natural surroundings and our wildlife. Dad was a terrific artist and I feel his influence and encouragement every time I pick up a pencil or paintbrush. I use pens as well as pencils, and watercolours or acrylics and I never stop learning because I find the whole process a great joy.
I have and always will believe there is always a positive and you have just proved that 100%
Hi Wendy, I have just finished your book here in Mauritius, I only started it yesterday morning and was totally hooked. It made me cry, laugh, and able to go on the travel adventure with you. It brought back so many memories of when my Mum had Cancer and what we all went through and like your my family has a warped sense of humour and that’s how we coped. I could also relate to your Australian trips as we obviously visited some of the same places when we went there… I have and always will believe there is always a positive and you have just proved that 100%.
It is so thoroughly uplifting
If you haven’t read “From Cancer To Coddiwomple” by Wendy Jennings, I would thoroughly recommend it💛 Wendy is a beautiful soul and her book brings such love and hope, plus her sense of humour, that she also shared with her parents, it is so thoroughly uplifting💚
Thank you for writing a fantastic book
Dear Wendy,
Thank you for writing such a fantastic book.
It is written with such clear and honest detail which makes it easy to follow your journey of discovery. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Obviously it was sad, also inspiring and very amusing in parts. I think I would have followed a similar path;. Travel is good for the soul.
Well written, what a lovely true story with laughter love and heartbreak.
Well written, what a lovely true story with laughter love and heartbreak. Excellent read grips you from the start and holds you all the way.
Five Stars! A+
Wendy absolutely loved the book. you write so honestly with humour and passion…..it filled me with all kinds of emotions from start to finish. I have passed it on to my Mum who is currently reading it. I’m hoping it will help and inspire her almost ten years on from losing my Dad. I will also be recommending it to patients in my carer support groups…..it shines with positivity and hope for the future. Congratulations on your success….it is so well deserved. You have helped me so much over the years to feel more positive about life, love and loss of loved ones, and I have rediscovered a wanderlust that was deeply buried. A must read indeed! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A*
Loved your book!
Loved your book! The first half had me sniffling but the second half was a great laugh. So glad to know a bit more about you and your wonderful journey.
…made me feel so relaxed.
I have just finished your beautiful book, haven’t been able to put it down! It made me laugh and cry at different points but it was a lovely read, it made me feel so relaxed.
Amazing journal…
A amazing journal filled with life changing experiences of losing parents within a short time. Wendy has a warmth that comes through as well as a fun side which in grief we suppress. It is a beautiful story and it is just sad it is a true story. This book also gives some insight into signs of cancer which can easily be ignored.
An amazing book…
It is an amazing book I could not put it down, although it is also very sad but to me it shows happiness can also come out of darkness and live every day to the full and take time to enjoy what is around you.