Category Archives: Uncategorized

Untenable: indefensible, incapable of being held against attack. The French verb ‘tenir’, meaning ‘to hold’… tenable is something you can hold on to; untenable is something you can’t… It’s alleged that Boris Johnson attended a drinks event in the No 10 garden in May 2020 when lockdown rules in England banned large outdoor gatherings. MembersContinue reading “From Untenable to Tenable”

I just looked back. A year ago today I wrote about this old ‘Two Ronnies’ sketch. Ronnie Corbett arrives at Ronnie Barker’s house with a bird in a cage. The man down the pub had sold him an ‘Argentinian racing-pigeon.’ The gullible Corbett believed him. Barker can see that this bird is no racing-pigeon –Continue reading “It’s Still A Duck”

It’s funny how conversations repeat themselves. In the last week I’ve spoken to three different people who explained how recently they’ve taken up painting. After my ‘Is it all magnolia?’ and ‘Did you have a B&Q colour chart?’ I realised they were serious… Bruce showed me the water colour trees he has been practicing, EricContinue reading “Lifelong Learning”

Make me a channel of your peaceWhere there is hatred let me bring your loveWhere there is injury, your pardon LordAnd where there’s doubt, true faith in you This song, usually called ‘The Prayer of St Francis’, is so simple that it can speak to children, yet so profound that it challenges all. It speaksContinue reading “Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace”

A year ago protesters stormed the US Capitol building. Commentator Ryan Diaz speaks of: ‘…men and women who believed God was on their side, waving flags that proclaimed: “Jesus is my saviour, Trump is my president.” Many of the rioters who stormed the Capitol saw themselves as agents of divine justice, taking America back fromContinue reading “God’s on My Side”

Yesterday, January 6th, was Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, Twelfth Night. It’s the end to the festive season; Christmas decorations come down… It’s the day when traditionally the church remembers the wise men visiting Jesus and presenting their gifts… Nadia Bolz-Weber describes the story: ‘A story of 2 men – Herod, who is aContinue reading “Epiphany”

I get emotionally involved in ‘The Repair Shop’. Last night it was Mike, a professional 1970s speedway rider who had recently died of cancer. Wife Wendy and daughter Hayley wanted to restore his racing boots… it was on his bucket list, they wanted to honour his request and memory. They missed him… A tear cameContinue reading “As Tears Go By”

In church we’re told: ‘The church is not the building; it’s the people.’ In school I’d say: ‘This school is not the building; it’s the people.’ I don’t know what my medical friends would say about ‘hospital’… Church and school don’t having separate words for ‘building’ and ‘people’; this can cause confusion or ambiguity. However…Continue reading “From Houses to Homes”

Last night I put my phone on charge. The trouble was the socket wasn’t switched on. My phone wasn’t charged this morning. Plugged in but not switched on. Yesterday I was with a friend. ‘I’m getting a bit old,’ he said. I laughed. I had the picture of a grandad in a rocking chair. PhysicallyContinue reading “Plugged In, Switched On And Working”

We watched ‘The Masked Singer’ yesterday. One of the most surreal, weird and apparently bonkers TV programmes … where there’s a sing-off between ‘Panda’ and ‘Bagpipes’… ‘Traffic Cone’ and ‘Doughnuts’ are commended… and ‘Chandelier’ and ‘Snow Leopard’ are eliminated. But then there’s something, somewhere deep inside us that sees John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson… (insert yourContinue reading “Apparently Bonkers”