Blithe Spirit

Plum Duff, aka figgy-dowdy, is dished up on Sundays in the Royal Navy depicted by Patrick O’Brian. Next month there is lashings of Plum on Sunday afternoons on Radio 4; Uncle Fred in the Springtime and Leave it to Psmith, with excellent casts.Details on the PG Wodehouse Society website.

Objets Trouvé

When Bertie pounces on something that belongs to somebody else, he dances, prances and capers and I say sorry; but my heart isn’t in it; it’s an objet trouvé.

Benford’s Law

There may not be enough PPE in hospitals but popular economist, Tim Harford, has his own PPE from Brasenose. His columns in The FT and broadcasts on BBC Radio 4 are usually intriguing.

Windmills on My Mind

Exploring Wimbledon Common, it’s hard to miss the windmill. Some things never change. In 1799 an enterprising cove sought permission to build a windmill but he was refused because he didn’t submit plans.

Coronavirus Chronicle V

I planted a wisteria Floribunda Alba four years ago. It’s doing well but refuses to flower so instead of the above display I have this.

How To Spend It

Like Bertie with a bone, I’m reluctant to leave Patrick O’Brian. His stepson is Count Nikolai Tolstoy and his eldest daughter is Countess Alexandra Tolstoy-Miloslavsky. May I digress?

Blistering Barnacles

Richard Russ (1914-2000) and Georges Remi (1907-2000) changed their names; Richard Russ by Deed Poll, Georges Remi as a nom de plume.

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Categorised as Literature

Farewell Richmond Park

Bertie is thirteen months old today. Yesterday I took him for a glorious walk round the perimeter of Richmond Park and his behaviour was exemplary until we were almost back at the car.

Uneasy Money

“I know what I want,” said Basil. “I want to be one of those people one heard about in 1919; the hard-faced men who did well out of the war.” (Put Out More Flags, Evelyn Waugh)