Category Archives: Uncategorized

Attitudes to debt have changed over the years. My parent’s generation would only borrow money for a mortgage. Everything else you only bought if you could afford it. In my lifetime things have changed. Because we want more stuff we got ‘hire-purchase agreements’ when buying a car, television, new furniture… Now debt is a wayContinue reading “I.O.U.”

Six months ago, faced with the challenges of Covid-19, we hoped that things would soon get back to normal. Now we are being told that it will be part of our lives for a long time; it will be a ‘long struggle’. How do we cope with anxiety, loneliness and disappointments in ourselves and thoseContinue reading “Covid-19 – The Long Struggle”

Yesterday I mused: ‘Everybody has something to teach me’. Also musing on the line from the Gary Barlow/ Robbie Williams song: ‘There’s three sides to each story: yours, mine and the truth.’ I learnt when dealing with playground disputes: when you hear the first version of a story, you may not have the whole truth.Continue reading “Everybody has Something to Teach Me”

Yesterday I was musing on: There’s a place for usA time and a place for usPeace and quiet and open air….Somewhere Apart from the Covid news… Yesterday a friend was sitting with Aunt Michelle who is very sick with cancer; I was speaking to another friend about Ben whose wife has just died; and IContinue reading “Nowhere…. Now-here”

There’s a place for usSomewhere a place for usPeace and quiet and open airWait for us somewhere. The song ‘Somewhere’ comes from ‘West Side Story’, the 1957 stage show and 1961 film. Written as a modern take on ‘Romero and Juliet, it tells the story of Tony and Maria who come from opposing New YorkContinue reading “Somewhere”

Musing that last night’s television was about winners… There were talent shows with people trying to demonstrate that they were the best. There were game shows where people wanted to win the most. And then there was football…. There is great emphasis on being a winner. Abba sung: ‘The winner takes it all, The loser’sContinue reading “Who’s the Winner?”

This week we’ve been on holiday in North Norfolk. Apologies if you don’t know that beautiful part of England…. Last Saturday we were home in Lowestoft. The sea was grey and grumpy. It was just like many friends – grey and grumpy. Sunday we were in Brancaster. There were strong winds and angry waves. SomeContinue reading “The Friend – Sea Watching Game”

My nephew Benjamin is about to open a health dispensary in Ouolo, in The Ivory Coast. It’s an exciting project, in an rural area of significant need, which has been planned for many months…. I have never been to Africa, let alone The Ivory Coast…. From my earliest years I can remember missionaries who broughtContinue reading “Benjamin, The Ivory Coast and Me”

We have extended our ornithological knowledge, joining proper bird-watchers at Titchwell and Pensthorpe. Our two brains together identified avocet, dunlin, sanderling, oyster catcher, redshank…    A lady advised us, ‘If you want to learn more, ask the person with the most expensive looking equipment.’ We did. We then managed bar-tailed godwit, purple sandpiper, ringed plover…Continue reading “Things I don’t know…”