Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

My Headmaster at school was Mr Soderberg (known to us as ‘Sod’). Always immaculately dressed, he taught me Latin. I wasn’t inspired. Each morning we sung a hymn and he read prayers… One started: ‘Into your hands, O Lord, we commit ourselves this day. Give each of us a watchful, humble and diligent spirit…’ Watchful…Continue reading “Watchful, Humble and Diligent…”

As a young child I learnt: ‘Julius Caesar – That old Geezer – Squashed his nose in a lemon squeezer.’ I hadn’t a clue who ‘that old geezer’ was, but I liked the rhyme. At school I ‘did the Romans’ and learnt about Julius Caesar invading Britain; as a teacher we ‘did the Romans’… theirContinue reading “Julius Caesar”

I’m reading Jeremiah and his ‘Lamentations’. Jeremiah certainly wasn’t a bundle of laughs. He wouldn’t have got on ‘Jerusalem’s Got Talent’ as a comedian… or entertainer of any sort. ‘I am the man who has seen affliction,’ Jeremiah says, lamenting national and personal tragedies… I watch the news – war, refugees, national disasters… Recently I’veContinue reading “Man Of Constant Sorrow”

I thought I knew about Canute… the 11th century king who sat on the seashore on his throne, crown on his head, commanding the tide to stop. Canute got wet and looked foolish… …Apparently the actual legend is that Canute’s seashore exercise was to persuade his flattering courtiers that he wasn’t omnipotent. He knew theContinue reading “Canute, and the Woodbridge Hands”

Dear Dave, I chatted to you yesterday about why I go to church – and you should too… Gardener Rachel De Thame writes: ‘For us, the practical, hands-on, dirt-beneath-the-fingernails horticulture beats everything. Few other activities compare for keeping you physically fit as well as feeding the soul and benefitting our mental health and overall wellbeing.Continue reading “Answering Dave…”

The label of this Australian wine reads: ‘19 Crimes is inspired by those who, beginning in 1788 were transported to Australia, for a life of hard labour…’ Each wine bottle’s cork states one of these ’19 crimes’ for which ‘criminals’ could be deported. Recent corks have revealed three of these crimes: 1. GRAND LARCENY, THEFTContinue reading “Deportation Principle or Marriage Principle?”

He’s turned my mourningInto dancing againHe’s lifted my sorrowsI can’t stay silentI must sing for His joy has come There’s so much bad stuff going on in the world. I turn on the news and see wars, famines, refugees, suffering… In my own world I see people living with pain and disappointments. In times ofContinue reading “Mourning Into Dancing”

Since we moved to East Anglia we’ve heard stories of land that’s fallen into the North Sea… there’s frequent news about erosion, sea defences, homes being lost…  ‘Elephant’ is an exciting new play that’s set in a house that’s balanced on an eroding cliff in North Norfolk. Four interesting characters assemble; the rising tide eatsContinue reading “Falling off the Cliff”

A petrol station in Hunstanton announces: ‘Please use both sides’. I smiled. You can’t use both sides! You have to choose one side or the other… Son-Andrew sent us pictures of blue skies and sunshine from his holiday in the Lake District… Yesterday Hunstanton certainly wasn’t ‘Sunny Hunny’. It was cold and grey. We hadContinue reading “Please Use Both Sides”

Yesterday we visited Pensthorpe – a 700 acre nature reserve of woodland, gardens… and  lakes, that are home to a diverse range of ducks and geese. Their publicity says: ‘Pensthorpe is the ultimate destination for discovery and an action-packed day out for the whole family. Here you can explore magical gardens, take a trail throughContinue reading “Flamingos Talk… Chickens under the Bed…”