Sticks and stones (1)
23/Jan/12 •
Forget the adage about sticks and stones, words can certainly hurt and they did just that, one evening before Christmas. Add in the effect of actions, with their capacity to speak louder than words, and the occasion had many of the features of a nightmare. A young couple, with their small child, had come to stay from France. Neither spoke much English so chatting was [...]
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Great expectations (1)
16/Jan/12 •
Living up to people’s expectations can be a challenge. We were out to dinner and after updating one another on families, touching on the financial crisis and on the forthcoming presidential election, conversation suddenly took a downward turn. Out of the blue, Pierre asked, “Tell me, as an Englishman, what do the English think of the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays?” But before I could reply, [...]
Selective deafness (0)
10/Jan/12 •
Whenever a radio or television announcer says we are about to hear an interview with Tony Blair, I turn off my ears. This may be an excessive response but many years ago our former prime minister lost my trust. For me, what was an exciting political prospect became a betrayal, and a warmongering one at that. He was, as it turns out, a serial trickster, [...]
A sense of belonging (4)
02/Jan/12 •
Although I have lived in my current house for over eight years, it is only now that I feel as though I belong. More precisely, when it comes to my house, my street, and my neighbourhood, I now feel we belong to each other. At work, which dominated my life for 40 odd years, I knew where I was, and lived a career that offered [...]
Strictly Heaven (0)
26/Dec/11 •
Once tea was poured and pleasantries were over, talking began. I was round at Martha’s and on that particular morning our discussion naturally turned to the previous night’s final of Strictly Come Dancing and to its winner, the drummer Harry Judd. ‘Strictly’ is not everyone’s favourite programme but Martha and I are devotees and in Martha’s case it is spellbinding as it transports her, as [...]
The Great Pears Soap Disaster (98)
18/Dec/09 •
It is one of those small comforts the morning bath routine. The merest sniff has the power to transport me back to my childhood. A gentle, vaguely biscuity smell like the soft, warm aroma of the linen cupboard; the comforting concave oval shape with indents into which you can fit the old worn bar (waste not, want not!). Yes, I am talking about Pears Transparent Soap. This [...]
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Getting on with it»
04/Dec/11 •
Talk to the animals30/Oct/11 •
Shell shocked25/Sep/11 •
Harvest home10/Sep/11 •
Last words28/Aug/11 •
A difficult teenager30/Jul/11 •
Never too old19/Jul/11 •
The parable of the humble shoe lace11/Jul/11 •
Careless talk
The way it is»
02/Jan/12 •
A sense of belonging26/Dec/11 •
Strictly Heaven27/Nov/11 •
Reverting to type23/Aug/11 •
A late addition to Dad’s collection08/Aug/11 •
Noises off05/Jul/11 •
I saw my psychotherapist again today29/Jun/11 •
The bear necessities20/Jun/11 •
Shocks and sandals on the road to Damascus
The way it was»
26/Dec/11 •
Strictly Heaven27/Nov/11 •
Reverting to type21/Nov/11 •
Marching on02/Oct/11 •
Aladdin’s cave08/May/11 •
Trials and tribulations20/Feb/11 •
Just pretending29/Nov/10 •
Short back and torture09/Aug/10 •
Labour of love
