Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

I just received a text-message from a friend. His nineteen-year-old son has lost his passport and needs a new one to go on holiday in a couple of weeks’ time. He’d  filled in the form online. Could I please confirm his identity… Sometimes when things go wrong we need to take action to sort themContinue reading “When Things Go Wrong…”

Two unusual stories got my attention yesterday: 78-year-old Tony Kennington lives near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. 25 years ago he was given a 45cm (18in) ‘agave americana’ – a century plant – so called because it takes a hundred years to flower. He kept it indoors. It grew. He planted it outside in a greenhouse. He didn’tContinue reading “Patience, Persistence and Planning”

On Sunday we enjoyed the Lowestoft Carnival. Over the last couple of days the organisers have been receiving feedback and reviewing the event. Yesterday I was reading ‘Nina Simone’s Gum’. Musician Warren Ellis describes the creative process when recording an album. He made reflect on the whole creative process…. Initially there the light-bulb moment, theContinue reading “The Creative Process”

Last night I was enjoying a conversation with Steve and Wendy… the usual stuff – politics, families, pets, gardening. Then Wendy said, ‘Have you heard of Roland the Farter?’ I confessed that I hadn’t. In my experience there are three responses to flatulence: You address the matter with serious embarrassment, you mustn’t speak about itContinue reading “The Joy of Multi-tasking”

The last Lowestoft Carnival was thirteen years ago. Last year Des said, ‘We should bring back the carnival.’ Others from The Seagull Theatre shared his vision. Initial ideas took shape. Plans became public. ‘It’s the wrong time… the wrong place… it will never work…’ They persisted. Plans came together. Yesterday it all happened. Many volunteersContinue reading “Unlocking Potential”

Last night we enjoyed a Rob Houchen concert. Rob’s a local boy who went to drama school and then played Marius in Les Misérables in the West End when he was just 22. He’s played in many productions since… but occasionally he returns to his friends and family in Lowestoft, and The Seagull Theatre whereContinue reading “Because you Loved Me (Again)”

A couple of months ago puddles appeared in the cupboard under our kitchen sink. Cloths were put around pipes and under pipes to soak up dirty smelly water. We phoned Julian who fitted the sink. He came and inspected. ‘Your sink’s leaking,’ he said. We knew that. ‘I’ll send someone to fix it.’ Dave theContinue reading “Sinks, Vaccines and Grandchildren”

On Thursday we saw ‘Fiddler on the Roof’. Set in a poor Jewish community in rural Russia in 1905, the central character, Tevye, explains: ‘…here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking hisContinue reading “Fiddlers, Ambassadors and Ugly Dogs”

Yesterday… …Chatting to a friend. I’ll call him Tom. Tom’s Mum’s in her nineties, blind, had a stroke, confused, in hospital. Together with other family members he goes to the hospital, talks to her, feeds her, tries to reassure her. Things have changed for the whole family – especially Tom’s Mum. …Chatting to another friend.Continue reading “Change and Decay…”

Yesterday, a conversation made me reflect on past hurts – what had caused them, how I’d dealt with them, how they affect me now. It was uncomfortable and painful. Personal scars were re-opened, and I was reminded of others who had been hurt and damaged… …This morning I’m reflecting on dealing with past hurts. I’mContinue reading “Dealing with Past Hurts”