Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

Avoidance: Some say, ‘You should try everything once.’ Some say, ‘Everything in moderation.’ There are many things I’ve never tried that I don’t want to try – even in moderation. I don’t want to try taking heroin, joining a terrorist organisation or walking across a busy motorway. Age, preference, and common sense says I don’tContinue reading “This Is It”

When we were children, if we asked Mum ‘What’s for tea?’ ‘What’s for pudding?’ ‘Are you making chocolate cake or coffee cake?’ the answer was always ‘W&S’.   When Mum ‘W&S’ it meant ‘Wait and See’. Although Mum wouldn’t give us the answer that we wanted, eventually we’d find out. Waiting came first – thenContinue reading “W&S – Wait and See”

Some good friends of ours recently had a lovely holiday in the Yorkshire Dales. The obligatory pictures on Facebook showed hills, rivers, waterfalls… stone walls, rocky crags, village churches… Returning home they discovered that two hundred ducks had moved into their house. There were ducks in many interesting and unexpected places downstairs – apparently ducksContinue reading “Two Hundred Ducks and a Dead Crow”

An old fable… Donkey says to Tiger: ‘Grass is blue’. Tiger replies: ‘Grass is green.’ There’s a heated argument. They go to the King, Lion, to settle the argument. Donkey asks: ‘Is grass blue?’ Lion replies: ‘Yes. Grass is blue.’ Donkey continues: ‘Tiger keeps annoying me by saying grass is green. Punish him.’ Lion replies:Continue reading “Arguing With Donkeys”

In last night’s football a few men, representing England and Spain, playing in Germany, were watched by millions. Studio experts explained, analysed, criticised; at home, enthusiasts who watch every match, occasional fans taking an interest; all armchair experts. In the recent general election, we heard about immigration, the national economy, law and order, healthcare provision,Continue reading “Armchair Experts”

As I went down in the river to prayStudying about that good ol’ wayAnd who shall wear the starry crown?Good Lord show me the way I first remember listening to this song in the film ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’. The Alison Kraus version is wonderful; I enjoy this version from our own local concertContinue reading “Down to the River to Pray”

The Southwold Maize Maze, cut from a large field of maize, has been an annual tourist attraction for many years. Yesterday’s Lowestoft Journal revealed that this year’s, due to open next Saturday, features a lifeboat in the centre surrounded by swirling stormy seas, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Apparently ‘Maze’Continue reading “Responding to the Amazing!”

Musing on words from Ecclesiastes: The race is not to the swift    or the battle to the strong,nor does food come to the wise    or wealth to the brilliant    or favour to the learned;but time and chance happen to them all. …Life’s not just about the quickest, strongest, richest, cleverest or most powerful… Many sporting headlines this weekContinue reading “Making the Headlines”

Last night ‘Fabba’, a theatre company for adults with learning disabilities, presented their summer variety show. This wonderful evening of singing, dancing, laughter and fun included ‘My Way’… As a young man I heard ‘My Way’ in the late 60s. A strong Frank Sinatra looks back over a good life and takes responsibility for theContinue reading “My Way”

Yesterday morning: Remember Well: …Chatting with Jack about good people, good memories. Sometimes my memories just focus on the bad stuff… the need to remember well. Let Go Well: We talked about restrictions brought by age and infirmity. Things we used to do but can’t do now… I can live with regret, focus on myContinue reading “Go Well”