Month: December 2016

Fingers on the Button

If you live in a democracy it’s a good plan to have the casting vote (just in case). Votes cast for watching University Challenge at home are exactly 50% in favour but I don’t have that casting vote, so it’s a treat to be on my own for a few days and to indulge.

Cold War Curtain-Raiser

President Obama has ordered thirty-five Russian diplomats based in Washington to leave the country. What a feeble gesture compared to the magnificent score Sir Alec Douglas-Home and Edward Heath notched up in 1971. Ninety in one innings and fifteen extras, as Sir Alec may have put it. 

Safety Play

It’s rather disagreeable to start the new year on a sour note but that’s the way the taxman likes to do it. In the UK the Inland Revenue likes its customers to settle up by the end of January.

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Categorised as Business

Flash Mob Opera Fulham

This year I became associated with Fulham Opera. We perform in St John’s Church near Fulham Broadway. Obviously I don’t perform and in fact have not yet made any contribution.

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Categorised as Music

The Tartar Steppe

It’s feast or famine at No. 56 and right now it’s feast. A feast of lovely books and I will share them with you as I read them. First I never got round to mentioning that I was given two books after I fell downstairs.

Bath Abbey

Most of my Christmas Day Services have been at the C of I church in Dunleer. It was Low Church, austere architecturally and with the old, simple liturgy. Even the plate was a wooden platter, the sort of thing  from which Oliver Twist might have had an exiguous helping of gruel. It was presented by… Continue reading Bath Abbey

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Categorised as Religion

Bath Time

If you are reading this on Christmas Day I wish you a happy, peaceful and holy Christmas. I don’t have any truck with calling it “the holiday season” or similar weasel words denying its place as the second (or third?) most important date in the Christian calendar.

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Categorised as Travel

Under Doctor’s Orders

A friend, who must be anonymous, went for his annual check-up in Harley Street.

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Categorised as Art

Strictly Social

Robert says that I have a habit of going up to complete strangers and then rambling on about nothing for ages. There is some teeny-weeny truth in this but it does often provide background that adds to the pleasure of a walk, for instance. Of course in London I’d never dream of doing such a… Continue reading Strictly Social

Suez and Brexit; Keep the Aspidistra Flying

As the Suez Crisis unfolded, as with the war we waged in Iraq, it became clear that there had been a pretty big bish. International opinion consigned Britain and France to the dog house; petrol was rationed; the Prime Minister went to recuperate at Goldeneye (Ian Fleming’s house in Jamaica). George Lyttleton expressed his feelings… Continue reading Suez and Brexit; Keep the Aspidistra Flying