Furnivall Gardens

On the north bank of the river, south of the A4, aka The Great West Road, lies Furnivall Gardens. You may think of it as being between The Rutland Arms and The Dove.

Cathedral

These are the pieces for a simple board game for two players. Not the sort of TV game like Traitors, a spectator game that goes on for weeks, or Diplomacy; another long, brutal game that takes ages too and may end in tears.

Ocean’s Three

Richard reports on the vicissitudes of life on a small boat. Diamond Blue left Gran Canaria on 21st November.

Published
Categorised as Family, Sport

Mid Atlantic

Diamond Blue is lying 11th in a field of 22. Richard sends an update.

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Categorised as Family, Sport

Diamond Blue

Diamond Blue, a Starlight 39, has a crew of three: Venetia, David and Richard.

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Categorised as Family, Sport

Starlight

“The Starlight 39 is a popular and well-regarded cruising yacht known for its combination of performance and comfort, designed by Stephen Jones and originally built by Sadler Yachts.” (AI)

Published
Categorised as Family, Sport

Dulcibella

This oil, Fetching Water, by Martyn Mackerill depicts an event in Erskine Childers’ 1903 classic, The Riddle of the Sands.

Sailing

The original ferry to the Isle of Wight is Red Funnel which has been in business since 1861. I can attest that there is nothing more gratifying than alighting in Cowes and stepping aboard the Royal Yacht Squadron tender to cross the short distance to Cowes Castle, the clubhouse of The Squadron.

Sissi

I bought this because I hold Richard Bassett in high esteem as an historian and travel writer; a biography of Wilhelm Canaris, and a memoir, Last Days in Old Europe. And for another reason; I thought it was a biography of the 19th century Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sissi).

Big Shot

My grandfather expressed consternation when I got a job in the City after university. I remember him shaking his head, saying he’d always thought I should go into the church and have a parish in the West of Ireland with some good fishing and snipe bogs … perhaps woodcock, he added hopefully.