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  • Everyone’s a poet

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    It might seem churlish to complain about other people doing the same thing as me, but there’s an awful lot of bad writing around. Fiction is cluttered with writers trotting out hundreds of pages of dross. During the pandemic creativity is the balm to cabin fever and keyboards are on…

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  • Open Systems

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    Trade shows are great places for picking up jargon. Interoperability was a case in point. The ambition of many in IT was to make all devices work together seamlessly. This was before Android and was at the dawn of Linux, an operating system where the code was available to all…

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    Moving statues

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    The dumping of Edward Colston’s statue in the river Avon in Bristol may be seen by some as the fitting end to a slave trader’s image, and by others as the criminal act of hooligans and vandals. Do statues represent the values of the person cast in metal and stone,…

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  • Gardening

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    We are spending much more time than usual pottering about in our backyard. Our son, the firefighter, and lifeline to grocery supplies, has brought us pots of flowers to brighten up our lives. Shielding is a pain, but sensible given the risks. Tootling about on bikes is now acceptable. The…

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  • Memories

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    Looking through photos on my phone I came across this glimpse at happier times. The hosts were attentive, the food fabulous, the wine flowed and then the music started. Such talented and charming people are rare. We are so lucky to call them our friends. So here’s to you, Cristina…

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    The eye of the reader

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    I just dipped into a MOOC called Start Writing Fiction by the Open University. Working from home doesn’t give me enough time to engage with online learning fully. I noticed that time was running out. You only get a set amount of time to access the course material. That’s why…

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    Black Lives Matter

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    I just had to listen to a load of old tosh on local radio from some pillock who doesn’t get it. He took issue with the words “Black Lives Matter” claiming that it marginalised the black community and that we should be saying that all lives matter. Not only did…

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  • Hairy moments

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    It looks as if this homeless person has just walked into the barbershop. Unfortunately, this was one of the consequences of lockdown. My hair erupted onto my face and stayed there for several weeks. Eventually the itching became too much for me and the shaggy beard is no more. No…

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    Darts 2

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    What was I thinking? Darts outdoors in our climate? Luckily, our kitchen is just big enough to accommodate the walking up and down space. The corkboard is useful for stray darts. The postcards are from our trip to Oslo. When stirring the soup, waiting for the kettle to boil or…

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    Podcasting

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    Those who read this drivel on a regular basis might wonder at my audacity to subject a different audience to the spoken version of my blogging. Well, I haven’t come up with any bright ideas yet for the first podcast, Maybe you could suggest something via  Comments. As an Anglo…

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