Back in my fifties when I was online dating, I discovered there was a "code" one had to learn so you could safely navigate the waters. It involved things as innocent as knowing what to say to sound fun but not a drunk, or confident but not self-absorbed, to recognising various slang terms or euphemisms... Continue Reading →

I've done a couple of posts listing things I don't love already, but although I'm accepting my significant years with as much grace as is possible, the occasional return to venting is required... Three-quarter length sleeves - just why? They're neither short enough to be cool in the hotter months, and when the weather turns,... Continue Reading →

Here's one of those questions attributed to Alan Alda which I tucked away in my potential blog bank. As someone who regularly finds themselves in conversations with all manner of people - be they strangers or someone I already know - on all manner of subjects, there's a general assumption that it's easy for me,... Continue Reading →

I am passionate about taps (faucets for US readers). In days gone by when doing up houses, I'd spend more time browsing and hunting down the perfect taps than any other purchase. Indeed, I bonded with one of my close friends when we discovered we shared this trait. I used to have curly hair, but... Continue Reading →

It's not just me is it? There was a time when the only thing I had to be mad at was the whole New Year, new me tyranny - I never thought it could be replaced by something as rubbish as the current New Year, whole new level of shit situation. The first few days... Continue Reading →

No, I'm not talking about anything serious like the shooting war going on in the Middle East... I'm talking rugby. Let me be upfront by disclosing that, much to the disgust of most of the fans I know, I am a club team first, national team second person. I absolutely love to see my club... Continue Reading →

I've not done a music related post for a while, so here's a collection of bits & pieces of music which gives me pleasure... Jamiroquai's Jay Kay "Sunny" There's a better quality video of him performing this at the Montreux Jazz Festival, but I prefer this stripped back version with Jools Holland on piano. https://youtu.be/3BjxFNWi7eQ?si=To8IWwsfqLbyI9LH... Continue Reading →

Nora Ephron famously wrote a list of things she wouldn't and would miss after her death. Having covered those things I don't miss last year and, while once more acknowledging you don't need a momentous occasion to look back on a life led to carry out this exercise, here's some things I do miss... Bacon.... Continue Reading →

Can you remember what your parents used to read you before bedtime?I'm not sure they did. We lived overseas and had an ayah (Indian nanny), and all our routines (including bedtime) were entirely run by her. It's unlikely she'd have read to us, as I'm not sure how well she read English with it not... Continue Reading →

Which one would you rather do: ask a question someone does not want to answer, or give an answer to someone who does not want to hear it? I've done both. I prefer to do the former... by a long way, as I'd hope the question - while not answered at the time - would... Continue Reading →