Barney’s grandad taught him how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors during our holiday, and the little lad picked it up very quickly. Grandad Den calls it “Hick Hack Hock”, because in his day that was what you said instead of “1, 2, 3”, revealing your move on the word “Hock”.
Reading How to win at Rock, [...]
My friend J is American, but has a British mother and has been living here in the UK for more than a decade, bringing up his son.
He and his wife recently decided, after many years of legal residence in the UK, to become British citizens. The main reason, he said, was to give their son [...]
March 18, 2007 – 10:32 pm
I remember Liam - egged on and helped by Steve and Ian - used to deface the classroom blackboard at lunchtimes with an elaborate depiction of the Led Zep “Zoso” symbol:
Our teacher at the time was not a Led Zeppelin fan and had no idea what the symbol meant, let alone who was responsible for [...]
Thoroughly enjoying the lunar eclipse, thanks to my step-father’s old binoculars and a warm fleece. Didn’t bother trying to take any photos; Paul and candace have done a great job on that front anyway.
February 10, 2007 – 10:07 pm
In 1988 or thereabouts, the AS Level Geology group from my school went on a field trip. We stayed somewhere in Weston-Super-Mere, and spent the days exploring the geological delights of Avon and Somerset.
Of which there are very many. The “father” of geology as a science, Willliam Smith), made his first discoveries as he and [...]
February 8, 2007 – 7:58 am
Barney woke up first, as he usually does, and wandered into our room in search of a mummy or a daddy who might be willing to get up and make him some breakfast.
Mummy got up, as she usually does, and through the landing window saw the snow covering everything outside, and still falling softly from [...]
January 24, 2007 – 5:45 am
I’m getting bored with the template for this site. I want to keep it broadly looking like it does (one column, minimalist, horizontal elements rather than vertical ones) but perhaps with a little more … you know … p’ching. Then again, maybe I won’t bother. The built-in Blogger templates make my eyes water, I can’t [...]
January 23, 2007 – 1:58 am
That Viv’s man had been unfaithful
That Viv was thinking about having him back again
That she considered this “Bloody crazy,” and
“The last thing she should do.”
Also that the fella concerned was “a twat,” and
A “slimy bastard”
That Viv had recently been shopping for new shoes
Which were quite nice actually
(Written in respectful homage to Meg, who overhears more [...]
January 19, 2007 – 2:51 pm
Feeling positive about all sorts of things today. I’ve had an enjoyable, ego-boosting week full of compliments and kind words from friends and strangers.
Work is looking good too, with a commission from a national newspaper and some other interesting potential projects looming; I’d better not say what they are because none of them are [...]
January 18, 2007 – 5:58 am
Despite the horrific weather, with fences toppling all around and the force of the wind pushing rainwater through the seal around Barney’s bedroom window (true - it was raining inside his room at 7 o’clock this morning), I thought I’d go for a run this morning.
Partly because the tow path is nice and flat, and [...]
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