A ginger cat made from orange segments. Bunny made from strawberries. Crab made from oranges. Hot dog dancing girls. Strawberry teddy bear. Spaghetti dog. | Continue reading
A fun record from 1989 that was showcased by a great feel-good video. I never bought it, nor anything else the band recorded. But I loved to listen to it on the car radio, and still can’t help smiling whenever I hear it now. Some really good lyrics too, including “I got me a car … | Continue reading
This is the nineteenth part of a fiction serial, in 752 words. Alfred’s return from India cast a feeling of gloom over the family. He had been demoted, and was to be transferred to coastal artillery positions on the east coast, where he would help to train part-time Territorial s … | Continue reading
Age-related funnies. I can identify with most of them. | Continue reading
Go West is an English pop duo, formed in 1982 by lead vocalist Peter Cox and rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Richard Drummie. At the Brit Awards 1986, they received the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act. The duo enjoyed popularity between the mid-1980s and the early 1 … | Continue reading
This one is for Carolyn, and all you other cat lovers out there. | Continue reading
As you might imagine, people are high on the list. | Continue reading
Heaven 17 are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1980. The band were a trio for most of their career, composed of former Human League members Martyn Ware (keyboards, drum machine, vocals) and Ian Craig Marsh (keyboards) with vocalist Glenn Gregory. Although most of … | Continue reading
This is the eighteenth part of a fiction serial, in 781 words. Edward was delighted with the news. “Well done, Het love. That’s a great job to get. I’m going to get us fish and chips for dinner and a bottle of port to celebrate”. Her first day was taken up with paperwork, and bei … | Continue reading
Anyone else having trouble with mouse-clicks today? Ever since I started blogging this morning, I have had to double-click everything, even to get the cursor to move spaces. Knowing next to nothing about computers, I wondered if it was some kind of Internet slowdown, but my speed … | Continue reading
Today is a Public Holiday in England. They are known as ‘Bank Holidays’ because banks used to close on those days in Victorian times. | Continue reading
No, not lying around on a sofa. I ran out of ‘my’ bread today. I like bread I can cut myself, not the sliced loaves. Of course, it is Easter Sunday, so none of the shops that sell such bread are open. Undaunted, Julie decided to make me a loaf, (by hand) so that I … Continue read … | Continue reading
Our sunny start to Sunday has now clouded over to gloom! Here are some smiles to break through the clouds. | Continue reading
The last day of March, the beginning of Spring, and the clocks going forward for lighter evenings. All in all, a good start to the new month. ————————————————————————————— I have managed to keep up with my walking all week, as the weather has been okay. A few sunny mornings, an o … | Continue reading
Visit the post for more. | Continue reading
This is the seventeenth part of a fiction serial, in 813 words. The next Monday, Hettie gave a week’s notice that she was leaving the Royal Arsenal. Her manager was surprised, but understood her worries about the future of the work there, and gave her a very nice testimonial to u … | Continue reading
Not being religious we don’t really celebrate Easter, though Julie is currently making some Hot Cross Buns. These might make you smile. | Continue reading
Visit the post for more. | Continue reading
Julie sent me a photo from her phone, taken at a family wedding last September. I am sitting next to my younger cousin Paul, and you will see the family resemblance. The others besides Julie are cousins, and the lady far left is Paul’s wife. A nice reminder of a happy day. (The p … | Continue reading
For those of you who still think of Wednesday as ‘Hump Day’, here is something to lighten the mood. | Continue reading
I experienced a new blogging frustration this morning. As I was leaving a comment on a blog post, I got a notification from WordPress asking me to prove that I was me by having to log in and add my password. When I did this, they said they were sending a 2-step authorisation code … | Continue reading
This is the sixteenth part of a fiction serial, in 753 words. In later life, Hettie would look back on that decade with great fondness. Despite the loss of young Henry in the war, the family stayed together, and prospered in different ways. Her and Edward became resigned to the f … | Continue reading
Sunny and bright in Beetley today. Surely that can’t last? Just in case, here are some cartoons. | Continue reading
Luigi Colani (1928-2019), the German industrial designer with an Italian name, created some really eye-catching objects, including cars, trucks, furniture, and pianos. Most of his unusual ideas originated in the 1960s, when they seemed incredible to people at the time. The secret … | Continue reading
This is a general question that is aimed solely at my foreign friends. It just popped into my head for some reason. “Have you ever visited any part the UK? If so, what did you think of it? And would you come again?” | Continue reading
This is a short story in 778 words. My thanks for the photo to American blogger, chuq. You can find him at https://lobotero.com/author/lobotero/ Living in the apartment was hell. Stiflingly hot in the summer, freezing cold in the winter. Noise from the neighbours, the smell of tr … | Continue reading
The sun is shining in Beetley this morning, so here is something to smile about. | Continue reading
This is the fifteenth part of a fiction serial, in 775 words. The summer of nineteen twenty-two was a memorable one for Hettie. Edward had saved enough money to consider opening another shop. Young Billy would be employed to run the shoe-menders, something he was more than capabl … | Continue reading
We tried our best to make the most of my post-birthday week, but plans were stalled somewhat by some wet weather and cold winds. However, we did get out on a few days, one of which I have already posted about, the trip to Great Massingham. Another day was taken up with having to … | Continue reading
Thanks to fellow blogger https://lobotero.com/ for the link to this map. I am not American of course, but still found it fascinating. Just click on the map to enlarge toe image to read it clearly. | Continue reading
This is the fourteenth part of a fiction serial, in 804 words. Their wedding in the parish church was a quiet affair, and not long after Hettie’s eighteenth birthday. So many people had died because of the Spanish Flu, it seemed like it was the war all over again. The young woman … | Continue reading
Fellow blogger Stevie Turner recently wrote that she is going to be stepping back from regular postings on her blog. Since retiring from work, she is finding better things to do out in the real world, away from screens and keyboards. Networking I believe this is a growing trend, … | Continue reading
Wednesday the 20th marked a calendar month since we lost Ollie. Never a day goes by when I don’t still think he will be there when I get up in the morning, or be greeting me with tail-wagging joy when I return to the house after being out. Sitting quietly or watching TV the eveni … | Continue reading
This is the thirteenth part of a fiction serial, in 744 words. Nineten-Eighteen was the last year of the war, but as she reached the age of seventeen Hettie was unaware of that, as was everyone else. Edward had taken the lease of a lock up shop in a street close to the market, an … | Continue reading
You have to be old enough to get this one. | Continue reading
This is the twelfth part of a fiction serial, in 784 words. As Hettie’s sixteenth birthday passed by uncelebrated in nineteen-seventeen, the war seemed like it would never end. They were getting so used to the sight of one-legged or disfigured men in the streets, they had stopped … | Continue reading
Humans have long been inventive and ingenious, but sadly not always practical. A stair-walker for disabled people. (Not very comfortable on flat surfaces) Luxurious propellor-driven transport for travelling across vast deserts. The bus with a single driving wheel. A ‘Turbo-wheel’ … | Continue reading
On Tuesday, we drove the 14 miles to the village of Great Massingham to have lunch in the pub/hotel/restaurant there, The Dabbling Duck. (Photo above) Here is a link to their website, were you can see photos of the interiors and sample menus. https://www.thedabblingduck.co.uk/ Th … | Continue reading
I’m sticking with film soundtrack songs at the moment. Once I get something in my head, it tends to stay there. My wife’s favourite film (so far) is ‘The Greatest Showman’. This is the fictionalised biopic of the life of the circus entrepreneur, P.T. Barnum. I have seen the film, … | Continue reading
This is the eleventh part of a fiction serial, in 756 words. Dad was holding the telegram, and staring at the cold fireplace. Mum screamed as she saw him. “Who is it? Give it to Hettie!” It had young Henry’s name and rank and his service number on the form, with the words ‘Regret … | Continue reading
After a mixed reaction to the song from Beyonce yesterday, I have decided to feature ANOTHER song from the film ‘Dreamgirls’. Undoubtedly the song of the film for me, from the powerful voice of Jennifer Hudson. As with Beyonce yesterday, I do not own any records by Jennifer, and … | Continue reading
We are heading out for lunch soon, a 30-minute drive to a nice village restaurant. Unfortunately, is is chilly and drizzling. Oh well. | Continue reading
This is the tenth part of a fiction serial, in 743 words. The huge increase in the numbers of workers soon after the war started made working at The Arsenal feel very different. Most of the new women were trained to work in the munitions room, where they filled the shells with ex … | Continue reading
There is no denying that Beyonce Knowles can sing. She has had an amazing career, and seems unstoppable. Although I have never bought any of her records, I appreciate her talent. One of her songs has stayed with me since I first heard it, and I really like it. Perhaps because it … | Continue reading
They do say that everything eventually comes back in fashion… | Continue reading
Yesterday, my good friend Antony sent me an e-card for my birthday. I have known him for a long time, and worked with him in two different careers. As you can tell, he knows me well. (I don’t have a beard, but no doubt his options were limited) | Continue reading
Because I wasn’t blogging yesterday, it has taken me all my free time this Sunday to answer comments and leave comments on other blogs. As a result, I scrapped posting a Sunday Musings, and didn’t get around to completing and editing today’s serial episode. I am going to cook our … | Continue reading