The pain of the loss of a very difficult woman.
Category Archives: Other things
Nettles
Food that fights At first they seem innocuous,A small stand of light green stems and leavesUnder a newly planted plum.I welcome them as a source of spring healthiness and vigour. But despite regular cropping they become stronger,And Stronger.They fight like lowlanders at Culloden,Each defends his brother with a sideways thrust. Ouch.The pain continues as theyContinueContinue reading “Nettles”
God bless the King!
HEADLINE NEWS MAN THROWS SMALL BITS OF PLASTIC THROUGH RAILINGS AT PALACE Shock/Horror? Police praised for handling difficult situation. Was this really headline news? Whose job was it this morning at the Beeb to assess the importance of this story, and how completely it should be told? Let us think for a moment… Spent shotContinueContinue reading “God bless the King!”
Should auld acquaintance be forgot?
Please click through for musical post. An appalling rendition of Auld Lang Syne Three Ships Was meant to be Auld Lang Syne Happy New Year, best wishes for 2023
The power of love
1st letter of St Paul to the Corinthians Chapter 13 “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can moveContinueContinue reading “The power of love”
Peace or War?
There seems to be a tiny window of doubt within our broadcast media within the wall to wall consensus of Russia bad/Ukraine good/America a well meaning passer by that just happens to have some long distance weapons to spare and an interest in Russia’s failure. Roger Waters has enough celebrity clout to get a mentionContinueContinue reading “Peace or War?”
I saw three ships…
A Beaufort Dinghy Today I chatted up the owner of Millie, a boat similar to this above. He is getting on in age, I’m guessing he predates Ian Proctor’s 1965 design for the16’6″ Beaufort Dinghy, which was, I am told, popular with the Royal Navy dinghy sailors, and was seen as indestructable. He has soldContinueContinue reading “I saw three ships…”
Stone cold sober.
Mental illness has been in my thoughts of late, best I don’t say why, but it has always been a diagnosis that I am not prepared to take at face value. I believe it might be always the case that the fault lies not entirely with the patient, but also with the world in whichContinueContinue reading “Stone cold sober.”
Deaths Peripheral to Sars Covid II
Deaths Peripheral to Sars Covid II** Introduction and explanation. I may have alluded before to my work in the funeral business. Throughout the uk epidemic part of the Covid pandemic we learned quickly about the illness that was causing such a stir. It was clear to me from the start that diagnosis was very iffy,ContinueContinue reading “Deaths Peripheral to Sars Covid II”
Deaths Peripheral to Sars Covid II No 1, The Track Worker.
Summary of R.A.I.B. finding. At around 10:52 hrs on Wednesday 8 April 2020, a passenger train, travelling at 90 mph (145 km/h), struck and fatally injured a track worker on the West Coast main line near the village of Roade, Northamptonshire. The accident happened because the track worker, who was the person in charge ofContinueContinue reading “Deaths Peripheral to Sars Covid II No 1, The Track Worker.”
Tumbleweed
7th June 2021 Its very quiet in here. Sadly I no longer have access to a computer at work. My wife’s two laptops do not tempt me, I’ve tried writing with my smart phone, but that doesn’t appeal either. It could also be that I don’t have anything desperate to say, or have done nothing worthContinueContinue reading “Tumbleweed”
Schnark Music
The Schnark has been keeping his head down this winter. A new boat is in my care on the Medway, but we’ve not been a float since July except as crew, or in hired craft. I have stories to tell but not the time to give them credit. I have been instead banging away withContinueContinue reading “Schnark Music”
Christmas and the NHS
Salbutomol 100mcg 2x daily if required Beclamethazone 200mcg 1x daily, Calcium and Vitamin d3 600mg & 400IU, (10mcg) x2 twice daily. Alendronic Acid 70mg x1 once weekly. Folic acid 5mg once daily. Methotrexate 20mg injected once weekly, skip folic acid on this day. Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment once daily applied externally to affected areas as required.ContinueContinue reading “Christmas and the NHS”
Rosehips
Prickly scarlet kisses dangle dangerously over the water butt. I am tasked with taming them. Surgical precision cuts with cold steel Leave a pile of thorns and blushes at my feet. The brightest are to keep, Those mellowing to a fire orange Can be raised to the mouth, Sucked out from the back end, SweetContinueContinue reading “Rosehips”
Oh wretched mouse
Dear little mouse, It has been two years now Since your last appearance, And once again you have destroyed my peace. My poor dear wife is driven to distraction For fear of what you might be doing. And where did you find that acorn? In our attic studio. I understand your pleasure in devouring it,ContinueContinue reading “Oh wretched mouse”
Little Bird
Dear little bird, You have become trapped under the netting Over my neighbour’s cabbages. A state of dire panic You exercise every muscle in your body In an effort to be free of that spiteful web. I am moved with pity and anger. I try to help But I need a knife to cutContinueContinue reading “Little Bird”
Fortune telling under the apple tree
Fortune telling under the apple tree. Down on the allotment, by Ravensbourne Brook, a mature apple tree flouts the height regulations. I think two metres is the usual rule, mine is closer to six. Fortunately, our committee have better things to do, and anyway, the apple tree was here before any of us. My treeContinueContinue reading “Fortune telling under the apple tree”
The Battle of Ravensbourne Brook
Beside my end of the allotments runs Ravensbourne Brook. I was taken aback when I got here tonight to see a silent dog fight in the sky between a crow and a heron. I fancy the heron was after eggs for his tea, the crows are amazing, they marked him constantly, and the heronContinueContinue reading “The Battle of Ravensbourne Brook”
James
I don’t know much about James, Only that his heart is not filled with cold cynicism like my own. His mind is uncomplicated and his spirit pure. He sees opportunity in the weariness of strangers. The pleasure of kindness. I am jealous of James. I don’t know if I can learn from James. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/18328363.kind-hearted-james-leaves-gifts-nhs-staff-battling-coronavirus-john-radcliffe/&ved=2ahUKEwjE3YevyrvoAhXMYcAKHaijC0wQFjAAegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw2E-bjwudscyCwO9IqrwHYV IContinueContinue reading “James”
Sleeping with my mother’s mouse.
Mother didn’t see the mouse because of her cataracts Until he grew quite big. There is, of course, only ever one mouse. Tonight mother spotted him. He ran into my bed room, And under the bed. I sat quietly on the bed as mother was in the bathroom. The mouse ran out, into the hall,ContinueContinue reading “Sleeping with my mother’s mouse.”
Plasticine World
If the world were made of plasticine I would carve it up. I would free Africa from the gaze of the west. Children in Sierra Leone would not see pictures of western luxury. But then I’d carry on dividing. ———————- Perhaps a small island For Mr Trump, very low lying. And divide and divide, AndContinueContinue reading “Plasticine World”
Station cat
Station Cat I see you often Stretched across the card reader That guards the step free access. I guess you have a story, Not just a pat on the head from each passing commuter. Today your cover’s blown! My train is slashed from eight carriages to three, This puts me centre stage atContinueContinue reading “Station cat”
The many singing lochs of Penge
Praise for I live in Penge close to the true Lake District as referenced in this article from the Independent from 2013. Neither of Norwood’s lakes is the singing loch of which I speak. My singing loch cannot compete with the ancient mythical status of Michael Graeme’s. I think he will agree with me thatContinueContinue reading “The many singing lochs of Penge”
The mouse who lives under my woodpile
Published after the Tory party were re elected with a shift to the right wing. The mouse who lives under my wood pile Has an excellent healthy diet. He lives on Strawberries, Redcurrants and Mulberries. He finds all of these vitals, within easy reach of his cosy warm burrow. If I everContinueContinue reading “The mouse who lives under my woodpile”
For Chris
Welcome Chris, Pull up a seat. You asked to hear of what I’ve read and how I’ve been inspired. Mmmm…. Tricky…. Not sure if these are in any order, but… There has been a lot of silly nonsense… Jack De Crow by Alexander/Sandy MacKinnon MacKinnon sets off along canals and brooks from a Shropshire PublicContinueContinue reading “For Chris”
The writing life – growing some soul?
Originally posted on The Rivendale Review:
The online world remains the easiest outlet for creative expression, at least one that comes with an audience. I’d say it was my “preferred” option but that would be to suggest I have any other choice which, in common with many of my kind – at least those of…
A pilgrim’s tale
Your hero and heroine have journeyed from the little old town of Westerham, near the mighty M25 turnpike, where the high street turns its back on London and reaches out to Wessex in the west and Kent in the east, to the great cathedral city of Canterbury, without resort to any horse, donkey or porter.ContinueContinue reading “A pilgrim’s tale”
Reflections of the Schnark
The beginning The fires this year in Brazil and Australia along with the failure of governments around the world to wipe their own bottoms allow me to conclude briefly and without ambiguity that humanity will self-destruct. Right, got that out of the way. I find pleasure in nature, in escape from crowds, in discoveringContinueContinue reading “Reflections of the Schnark”
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