Category Archives: Uncategorized

On Sunday’s ‘Songs of Praise’ we were told the story of Mina Smallman. In 2020 her two daughters, Bibaa and Nicole, were murdered by a stranger at Fryent country park in Wembley, north London. Mina’s initial grief and anger are still present, but she has been able to use her personal tragedy to highlight issuesContinue reading “Moving On…”

As a boy I went to ‘cubs’ – the 6th Caterham pack. I promised: ‘I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God and the Queen, to keep the law of the wolf cub pack, and to do a good turn to somebody every day.’ Each session started with ‘The Grand Howl’:Continue reading “DYB, DYB, DYB”

No more talk of darkness,Forget these wide-eyed fearsI’m here, nothing can harm youmy words will warm and calm youLet me be your freedom,let daylight dry your tears.I’m here with you, beside you,to guard you and to guide you… This song from Phantom of the Opera has been in my head this last couple of daysContinue reading “All I Ask of You”

Several conversations recently, have started, ‘Young people today…’ I’ve then heard how lazy, disrespectful, rude, uncommunicative, selfish… young people are. Socrates once said, ‘The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age.’ He also said, ‘When I was young, we were taught to be discreetContinue reading “Young People Today…”

Yesterday’s news was dominated by the world AI summit conference, attended by politicians and scientists from around the world. US Vice-President Kamala Harris made a speech. Rishi Sunak was filmed in discussion with Elon Musk… The conference was held at Bletchley Park, the principal centre of Allied code-breaking during the Second World War. Alan TuringContinue reading “Artificial Intelligence – AI”

As a schoolboy I was confused by, ‘King Charles walked and talked half an hour after his head was chopped off.’ I knew a bit about the Oliver Cromwell and the Civil War, that Charles 1st was beheaded in 1649, but this gruesome picture stirred my young imagination. Then it was explained to me. TheContinue reading “Punctuation: Confusion & Clarification”

Many months ago, we had our new kitchen. Our old cooker was taken out to the garage where she has stood alone, covered, inactive. We had lots of ideas as to what could happen to her… Yesterday we took her up to the dump. She joined other cookers, washing machines and fridges with whom sheContinue reading “Ideas and Actions”

I’ve been reading ‘Do They Hear You When You Cry’. Fauziya Kassindja was born in Togo. ‘At the age of seventeen she was forced to marry a man she barely knew who already had three wives, and prepare for the tribal ritual of female genital mutilation…’ Fauziya escaped to the United States seeking safety andContinue reading “Seeing the Face, Understanding the Individual”

Yesterday 38-year-old journalist Kate Wills wrote about getting old: ‘Viewing care homes for my dad made me realise how badly we treat our elderly… (one) study found that ageism is rife in the UK, with older people seen as incompetent, hostile and a burden… ageism is not discriminating against people who are different from us,Continue reading “Elderly Mr Men…”

You bared your wrists to the nailsYour brow to the thornsSurrendered, gave it allTook the cup to your lipsAnd drank to the dregsThe judgement meant for me Oh the deep, deep loveOh the cleansing bloodMercy measureless and freeO be still and know, that all is wellThe cross has spoken. As a child I was taughtContinue reading “The Cross Has Spoken”