A young relative of mine has just completed a somewhat complicated house move – from her perfectly formed little terraced house on a modern estate, called a starter, to use peroperty parlance. She’s moved with her partner into a beautiful stone built property out in the countryside. It hadn’t been occupied for several months but [...]
Ah the winter is making a right mess as it moves towards spring. We’ve had it all this time. The end of summer was wet and stormy. Early autumn was windy, force 8 gales. Full winter came with a louder bang than usual, snow, ice, slushy muck. There has been mess everywhere and it makes [...]
My word this has been a truly awful start to winter. We had a lovely summer, a very hot first week of wimbledon tennis, then rain. More rain in August, but then really hot September and the driest October on record. But inbeween all this were storms of great momentum, fuelled by Hurricane Harvey lashing [...]
I have recently returned from a very different kind of break away and spent 4 days on a narrowboat on a canal in the heart of England. After the initial strange sensation once the craft had got going, . . . . it was back to sitting around, reading, eating, talking or dare I suggest [...]
I belong to the womens’ institute – that august body of worthy usefulness. Some federations are over 100 years old – each major town has its own federation which includes and incorporates surrounding villages. It’s amazing to see how many are still functioning, in fact quite a few have reached their centenial milestone! I mention [...]
There is a time and place for obsessive cleaning routines. Possibly on board a tiny submarine or other cramped shared places. I remember when a colleague was desperately depressed because of marital troubles – he became unkempt and uncaring about personal hygiene. The latter was never too hot to begin with and it soon lapsed [...]
I have recently been in contact with a family who’s son has just come out of the navy. It doesn’t seem five minutes since he passed all the entrance requirements, the hefty medical stuff and after a couple more months delay in civvy street, off he went. 8 years later he has decided the politics [...]
I am currently listening to the mens’ singles final at the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. That funny little part of south west London that is the byeword in absolute sporting and behavoural perfection. It is wonderful to note that all the contestants have to abide by strictly applied dress rules. All playing [...]
Some of the things that come to mind regarding the very unexpected heatwave of late is how much I do not envy those folk who still have to attend an office block or warehouse to earn their crust! Having done that for great periods of my working life over the years, I know full well [...]
I used to share a bedroom with a sister who was always much tidier than me. It would be a battle ground and after a while, her irritation with my less tidy ways would boil over and a clear demarkation line would appear, beyond which I dare not let anything of mine stray – particularly [...]