This true-life memoir written by an American former naval officer is tremendous value on Kindle at only 78p. For anyone interested in military history, and admirers of a relaxed writing style, it is highly recommended. | Continue reading
This is the twentieth part of a fiction serial, in 790 words. As June arrived, the weather got much hotter. Colin had packed his suitcase for Thailand, and was leaving in a few days. A piece of paper came through his letterbox, and he snorted as he read what was on it, before scr … | Continue reading
I thought of this song last week, and was amazed to discover that it is almost 40 years ago since it was released in 1984, and I bought the single. Sometimes, I genuinely forget just how old I am. The Kane Gang was a 3-piece band from the north-east of England. Their first album … | Continue reading
This is the nineteenth part of a fiction serial, in 770 words. According to the weather reports on the news, that May was one of the warmest on record. By the end of the month it was becoming almost impossible to buy a fan anywhere, and people were walking through the Close to go … | Continue reading
You may remember that I enjoy finding photos illustrating the changes in places over time. I found some more today. Lower Weston, part of the city of Bath in the west of England. Bristol, England. Paris, France. Dresden, Germany. Cologne, Germany. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Rec … | Continue reading
I have been clean-shaven since the day I needed to shave in my teens. I have never understood why men grow facial hair, even though many of my friends have had beards in the past. But of course, if they think it looks good, each to their own. | Continue reading
This is the eighteenth part of a fiction serial, in 736 words. It was a few days before the police came to see Grace. She had omitted to tell them where she was staying, but they found her by knocking on doors in the Close and asking around. Dennis told them, it had to be … Conti … | Continue reading
Regular readers will know that I love Art Deco architecture. In fact, I love everything about Art Deco, including the wonderful vehicles. And trains. Motorcycles too. Even kids’ trikes were cool. And prams for babies were so stylish! As the saying goes, “They don’t make them like … | Continue reading
This is the seventeenth part of a fiction serial, in 776 words. While they were eating the fish and chips, it occurred to Grace that this was the first time for years that she had managed to have a conversation during dinner, and also the first time during that period that she ha … | Continue reading
This week I had good reason to be glad that I decided to buy a pair of prescription sunglasses when I had to get new glasses recently. Very cold days came with blue skies and piercing winter sun, hanging low in the sky. Attempting to drive into town, I couldn’t see a thing as I … … | Continue reading
This selection of photos from around the world made me feel happy. Despite the way that humans have abandoned everything from whole trains to one solitary shoe, Nature only needs time to reclaim anything. | Continue reading
This is the sixteenth part of a fiction serial, in 759 words. When they got back from the hospital, Jenny stopped Grace going to look at her ruined house. “Come in our house with me, you can put your fridge stuff in our fridge. I will make us all something to eat, Alan will be … … | Continue reading
I have never been to America, but I always had an idea that Texas was a very big state. So I looked it up online. Bigger than the UK and Ireland combined. As big as a huge chunk of Europe. Not that big compared to Australia, but still impressively large. | Continue reading
For almost 60 years, The Louis Tussaud House Of Wax was a feature of the Norfolk seaside resort of Great Yarmouth. Once social media was used to mock the poor quality of the exhibits, the failing museum achieved cult status for a while, with people travelling from all over the co … | Continue reading
This is the fifteenth part of a fiction serial, in 790 words. Jenny Hillson beat Grace home by a few minutes. Shocked to see what was going on, she was still talking to the policeman on the corner when Grace arrived. Jenny went straight over to the car and spoke to Grace before s … | Continue reading
Walking Ollie earlier, someone asked me if I was ‘looking forward to the weekend’. I was surprised, as for some reason I thought today was Wednesday. That made her laugh, and I explained to her that since I retired, I almost never knew what day it was, except for birthdays or spe … | Continue reading
I saw a small ‘human interest’ story on the BBC News that made me feel sad. A lonely Swan travels to a nearby school every day to sit and stare at its own reflection in a window. The most likely reason being that it has lost its life partner and is comforted by thinking it … Cont … | Continue reading
This is the fourteenth part of a fiction serial, in 788 words. Stanley was watching TV when he smelled the smoke. It was a world war two documentary series, and he had lost count of how many times he had seen it before. But he couldn’t be doing with quiz shows and programmes abou … | Continue reading
Excuse the weak pun, but I really do think this is a good idea. With libraries facing funding cuts, and rural communities having to travel to towns or cities to use libraries, this retired schoolteacher in Italy decided to create his own mobile library to serve the area he lives … | Continue reading
This is the thirteenth part of a fiction serial, in 837 words. Grace Verney was checking the kitchen cupboards, trying to ignore her husband’s pointless yelling from the living room There was a pain in the back of her eyes, and her neck ached from having to fight with him earlier … | Continue reading
Portrait of Robert Earl Hughes (1926 – 1958), who was the world’s heaviest man, as he pets the family dog, in Fishhook, IL, 1949. The residents of Venzone, Italy, hang out with the mummified remains of their dead relatives. They live with the corpses in their homes, seat them at … | Continue reading
This is the official portrait of King Charles III. At a time when most people are struggling to pay heating bills in the winter, and many are using charity food banks to supplement their weekly food shopping, the government has spent £8,000,000 on producing framed photos of this … | Continue reading
This is the twelfth part of a fiction serial, in 776 words. Colin was having a re-think about the dating website. The divorcees and widows he had matched with were all good as far as profiles and photos were concerned, but the reality of meeting them was something different altog … | Continue reading
I sometimes feel that I need to look in a mirror to see if I have a target printed on my back. This morning when I was looking at the posts of blogs I follow, I typed a comment into a box on one of those sites and then a notification box popped up. “To … Continue reading WordPres … | Continue reading
When Alexa A.I. becomes self-aware… I can relate… | Continue reading
On some posts yesterday I remarked that we were concerned about Ollie. He had a couple of not so good days last week, and then on Sunday he refused to eat. That really worried us, especially as we were going out that night for Julie’s birthday dinner. However, when we got home an … | Continue reading
This is the eleventh part of a fiction serial, in 796 words. The close was dark and quiet as Luke reversed his car onto the driveway. The only house showing a light was next door, Veronica’s place. She was always a night-owl, but then that was necessary in her profession. Opening … | Continue reading
Over the last decade, the UK has been losing its traditional pubs by the thousands. High running costs, increased rents, and numerous other reasons mean that many much-loved pubs and ancient inns are having to close down for good. Some are redeveloped into different uses, while o … | Continue reading
It is Julie’s birthday today, so there will be no episode of my current serial, ‘Acacia Close’. Back to normal tomorrow, all being well. | Continue reading
Today is Julie’s birthday. She has never been fond of having a birthday so soon after Christmas, and at a time of year when the weather is usually bad. So yesterday her twin daughters prepared a Birthday Tea for her at one of their houses. Home made food and cakes, cards and gift … | Continue reading
Before the modern advances in medicine, social care, and sympathy for the disabled and unfortunate, people born with deformities had no way to make a living other than to display themselves in the various freak shows, circuses, and carnivals that were popular all over the world. … | Continue reading
This is the tenth part of a fiction serial, in 830 words. In the bungalow next door to Sam and Grace, Stanley Pomeroy was staring at the television. He hadn’t changed the channel for years, as he never actually watched the programme. He just left it on for the noise, because he f … | Continue reading
A selection of genuine old advertisements that would be considered either offensive or inappropriate in the modern age. Men wrestling in specialist underwear? I bet there’s a website for that now. I’m guessing nobody ever took one to an actual party. She is hiding her ball and ch … | Continue reading
Stevie Turner has a special offer on one of her books until the 31st of this month. Please follow the link for more details | Continue reading
This is the ninth part of a fiction serial, in 800 words. The first neighbourly social occasion for Alan and Jenny was unplanned. A knock on the door late on Saturday afternoon revealed two smiling people standing there, looking like thay had both just stepped out of a spray tan … | Continue reading
I received an email from WordPress yesterday about my blog’s stats for December 2023. This was a first for me, I don’t recall them ever doing this before. WordPress.com Dec 1 – Dec 31, 2023 Monthly report. Here’s how beetleypete.com performed last month. Visitors 2,086 Views 6,78 … | Continue reading
This is the eighth part of a fiction serial, in 798 words. Grace Verney was standing in the small front garden of her bungalow watching the new man fixing something to Veronica’s front door. She plucked at a few weeds to make it look as if she had a reason to be there, but anythi … | Continue reading
An unusual collection I found online. A holiday photo from Oregon, 1914. We all know a small child like that. She is advertising her soft shoulders. Well, she said it… A very early version of website dating. An ambiguous service announcement. They could at least have looked happy … | Continue reading
Gavin lives in New Zealand and acts as a Justice of the Peace there. He has some thoughts about the current generation. Generation Z = those now at high school till early 20s. I saw an article on Stuff, which I have quoted from, and it answered a few questions for me. Over the la … | Continue reading
This is the seventh part of a fiction serial, in 764 words. The estimates had been worth going out to. Two confirmed the job, including one large house that needed complete re-wiring and would take a good few weeks. That would be a good earner, so Alan was very pleased. The secon … | Continue reading
This tiny residence is perched on Lower Gate State which overlooks a stunning harbour called Conwy Quay. Traditionally, the houses in the area were occupied by local fishermen who would live and work on the water. You will find it nestled in amongst a pretty row of terraced cotta … | Continue reading
Rumour has it that they are still sitting near The Forth Bridge in Scotland, waiting to be discovered. How long did it take to do her hair? Gustav might be spinning in his grave if he knew about this travesty. Just too creepy! Scary ventriloquist dummy also chasing women on the c … | Continue reading
This is the sixth part of a fiction serial, in 794 words. Colin’s daughter Jacqueline took after her father. Pushy at work, snobbish in the extreme, and completely convinced of her own superiority. She couldn’t wait to get away from the small provincial town and live in London, e … | Continue reading
When you have had enough of the horrors of this modern world, it is good to take a break and watch something that makes you happy. A retired postman and keen photographer who lives in Wales noticed that every night things were moving around on his workbench. So he set up a hidden … | Continue reading
Continuing the series into the new year. When you can’t afford a horse-box. I think Auntie has had too much to drink! Dad has just realised that his best friend has ginger hair. So proud of his culinary skills. The Poodles’ birthday party. Marta will go to any lengths for a free … | Continue reading
Yesterday I posted about our concern for our American blogging friend, Don Ostertag. Luckily, GP had an email address for him, so I contacted Don to ask how he was. Last night, I received this short reply. ‘Bad Covid and an accident has left me in bad shape, Pete.’ So, poor Don i … | Continue reading
This is the fifth part of a fiction serial, in 766 words. Colin was worn out and dirty. There was no time to wash the car this morning, as he still had lots to do. Digging out the large raised beds in the greenhouse had taken longer than expected. He had to carefully remove all … … | Continue reading
There has not been much happening lately, so this will be shorter than usual. Our Christmas tree and decorations were taken down and put away, so the Christmas season is officially over in our house. Some local houses still have exterior Christmas lights on at night though. ————— … | Continue reading