Blog

Happy New Year 2022!

On New Year’s Day my resolution was to write more blogs starting with one on New Year’s Day. The calendrically aware amongst you may have noticed that it’s now a week on so I’m failing in my promise to myself and to offer greetings to my readers. Colchester I’ve been...

William Blake – book review

By the Tate Gallery This is not so much a review of this book, good though it is, rather it’s a review of William Blake himself. Before you think that sounds a bit presumptuous I’ll explain. This isn’t actually a book, it’s the catalogue for the William Blake...

Someone did the decent thing this morning

Since the end of the lockdown, or perhaps I should say Lockdown 1 as it seems it’s likely it’s no longer a singular, I’ve been preparing to move house to be closer to my muse. As a result I cleared out my shed. At the back of my shed I came across a large set of step...

C3PO has moved out

R2D2 is sad now. After lockdown came to its end I decided that I'm going to move to Colchester to be nearer my muse. Not seeing each other for three months will do that for you and it seemed to encourage my romantic side. Of course announcing that I'm selling up,...

R2D2 isn’t coming to New Year’s Eve

Well, we’ve got as far as New Year’s Eve and R2D2 has been behaving himself. He had a good Christmas, although he did try to sneak away with my prawn cocktail before I took him off the table and put him on the windowsill where he couldn’t be tempted to interfere with...

R2D2 is glad I have new brake pads

My muse and I have come away for our annual family Christmas break and, naturally, R2D2 had to come with us. C3PO has gone away for the duration of the holiday, who knows where. When I asked when he would be back, he shrugged in that way that only droids can. I got...

Who will look after the NHS?

I just went for my flu jab. As I left the nurse the following conversation ensued: 'Don't forget to vote tomorrow,' said I. 'Is it tomorrow?' said she. 'It is,' said I. 'Don't forget to vote for looking after the NHS.' She paused before asking the next question. 'So...

Mitch Benn – Ten Songs to Save The World – review

Listeners to Radio 4 might know Mitch Benn as the guy who used to do the topical music spot on The Now Show on Friday nights. If you don’t know The Now Show it’s a satirical comedy show looking at the week’s politics in much the same way as Have I Got News For You,...

Memories in raindrops

Since the announcement of Rutger Hauer's death last week there's been a lot of comment about his part in Blade Runner. I've not heard much said about his very surreal Guinness adverts though. I'm sure, at the time, I remember hearing that they conceived the campaign...

Ask an Astronaut – book review

By Tim Peake People outside the UK might not have heard of Tim Peake but here in the UK he’s a bit of a celeb. Tim is the second astronaut to come from Britain after Helen Sharman who went into space in 1991 but most people have forgotten about her, which, somehow,...

What’s in a name?

They've built a new block of flats near where I live, you might know them as apartments. As blocks of flats go it’s much like any other, it has plenty of parking, it’s within walking distance to some shops and an Indian restaurant. These are all the sort of things...

Dungeness

Dungeness is strange and fascinating. I’d lived in Kent for a year or so before I went to Dungeness and at the time I’d expressed an interest in visiting after work one long summer evening. However, I’d been discouraged when I was told that there’s ‘nothing there.’...

Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims – book review

By Toby Clements This is a historical adventure story set at the beginning of the Wars of the Roses. Starting in the Priory of St Mary, in Lincolnshire in 1460, it charts the lives of two members of the priory, Brother Thomas and Sister Katherine as they leave the...

Transporter Bridge

“Poking over the rooftops I could see a bright blue structure. At first I thought it was a shipyard crane, then the penny dropped. Kathy had brought me to Middlesbrough & I was looking at the famous Transporter Bridge. I resolved to get a closer look. Having...

Relationship bonds

“Interactions with people, strangers or otherwise, are important. Maslow’s next level of need is emotional fulfilment. He talks about love & belonging. You can’t really make space for that in life unless you have food & shelter sorted & safety from danger....

Whitby

“Graham has always been a bit of a trickster and claiming he lived in Bram Stoker’s old house is just the sort of thing he’d be likely to make up, especially for a callow youth as I was at the time. So, I went looking for a house that looked like Bram Stoker’s...