Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

Yesterday ‘The Greatest Gathering’ was well publicised. This weekend 40,000 enthusiasts will see 140+ rail vehicles at Britain’s biggest and oldest remaining train factory in Derby. They claim that it’s the world’s largest-ever gathering of historic and modern trains. It’s part of Railway 200, a year-long celebration, remembering the opening of the Stockton and DarlingtonContinue reading “Celebrate and Remember”

The Rhyme: ‘Pinch, punch, first of the month.’ We said it as children; our children said it. This morning grandson-Luca messaged me with the greeting. I asked Mr Google about its origin. Some think that it came from the fear of witches in medieval times. On the first of each month a ritual pinch ofContinue reading “Pinch, Punch, First of the Month.”

Yesterday I was reminded of ‘Wonky Donkey’… With only three legs he’s a wonky donkey… with just one eye he’s a winky wonky donkey… liking country music, he’s a honky tonky winky wonky donkey… The list of the donkey’s odd characteristics grows… by the end he’s a ‘spunky hanky panky cranky stinky dinky lanky honkyContinue reading “Wonky Donkey”

The Lord is my shepherd… Familiar… Danny preached about it on Sunday… eight of us reflected on it last night… they’re words we know well… we like the old words ‘maketh, leadeth, restoreth…’ It’s the much-loved teddy; we take it everywhere with us. It’s the comfortable well-worn jumper; we put it on. It’s the elderlyContinue reading “The Lord is My Shepherd”

The squirrels have been playing in the garden this morning, chasing each other, looking quizzically in the open back door. We’re entertained. The squirrels are our friends. Keith, our neighbour, sees squirrels as vermin. He has shot squirrels on local farms. He would shoot those in our garden if he could. The squirrels are Keith’sContinue reading “Friends, Opponents and Enemies”

In a great weekend of sport there were, for me, two standout team performances. In Saturday’s rugby the British and Irish Lions took on the Australian Wallabies. A 90,000-strong Melbourne crowd saw Australia take a 23-5 lead. The Lions fought their way back into the game to 26-24. Then, in the closing minutes, Hugo KeenanContinue reading “Teamwork and Togetherness”

Yesterday I was chatting to my friend Dave. Dave’s an expert at telling you what’s wrong – what’s wrong with schools, teenagers today, the health service, the government, electric cars, the BBC, employment law, immigration, the European Union, the Middle East… Wanting light relief I found myself singing, ‘The fruit of the Spirit’s not aContinue reading “Fruit of the Spirit”

In yesterday’s Eastern Daily Press: Gas workers uncovered an object. They suspected it was a Second World War bomb… needed to discover what it was – shine light into their uncertainty. Police officers set up a 100-metre cordon; residents were evacuated, the bomb squad was called. They discovered that the suspected bomb was not explosive;Continue reading “Zarach: Shining Light Into Dark Places”

Last week I was reading ‘Silver Darlings’. ‘In 1895, A Northumbrian island welcomes two new residents. Clara and Jimmy are born on the same night to families poles apart…’ Jimmy’s born into a fishing family, joins a Scottish herring crew and sails to Lowestoft… It’s a story of love, war and misunderstanding, describing poverty, danger,Continue reading “The Fisherman, The Actress and The Teacher”

Yesterday, music stars and fans paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of heavy metal band Black Sabbath, who died on Tuesday. Osbourne became famous for his controversial live shows, unconventional family, and uncompromising opinions. Tony Iommi knew Ozzy at school and together they formed Black Sabbath. Tony spoke warmly about Ozzy’s love for music,Continue reading “There’s Only One You, And That’s It”