Going Out with a Bang

Nearly ten years ago, on the 18th of December 2007, I shot at Ashcombe in Wiltshire as a guest of my Godson’s father. The birds are some of the most challenging anywhere and I prepared myself by booking a lesson at the West London Shooting School.

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Categorised as Sport

Mr Kong – Gone

When I was forty, with apologies to AA Milne, I had a birthday party at Mr Kong in Lisle Street. It was a good evening and two things I will always remember.

Blake Memorial Cross

Margravine Cemetery has two listed buildings, four listed memorials and two Commonwealth War Commission headstones marking the graves of two holders of the Victoria Cross. Not bad, eh?

A Peregrination

The bird feeders in the back garden are a bit of a disappointment. In the summer mice put on engaging gymnastic displays in their endeavours to gain access but not many birds attended.

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Categorised as Art, Nature

Miss Julie

There are glaring gaps in my education and one of them was filled in on Monday evening at the Jermyn Street Theatre.

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Categorised as Theatre

Private Insight

My broker periodically sends me a glossy magazine, Private Insight. Hitherto it has been reliably dull, dwelling on the need to contribute to a pension scheme, plan for Inheritance Tax and so on.

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Categorised as Business

Morning DJ

Radio 3 is not frightened of being quirky. On Sunday there was six hours of music with no interruptions. Sacred River was introduced by Neil MacGregor at 9.00 am and then flowed along presenter-less until 3.00 pm.

Nouveau Pauvres

As we bumble Brexit-wards I worry about my friends with properties in France. How will they manage? We must look to history for guidance.

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Categorised as Charities

Box of Delights

In Salad Days a magic piano is entrusted  to Jane and Timothy by a passing tramp. Frodo Baggins inherits the Ring from his cousin Bilbo and is told by Gandalf to take care of it. For Bertie Wooster in The Code of the Woosters the MacGuffin is an 18th century silver cow-creamer. It is an… Continue reading Box of Delights

Panda Power

I want to ponder the geopolitical ambitions of Russia and China, how they differ from each other and how effective they are.

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Categorised as Politics