Monthly Archives: May 2020

Hard times

Posted on 31st May 2020 by Ian

Military life was a necessity. In my family tree, there are numerous soldiers. They were men who had joined up not because there was a war, although in the vast expanse of the British Empire there was generally a war … Continue reading →

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Sneezing

Posted on 30th May 2020 by Ian

One evening captures the mood of many. Standing in the bathroom of the farmhouse, I took a flannel, soaked it with cold water and placed it, blindfold-like, over my eyes. There were a few moments of relief, a coolness in … Continue reading →

Posted in Unreliable memories | Leave a comment

Mapped

Posted on 29th May 2020 by Ian

Google Maps may be excellent. The app may get me to places in optimum time, it may tell me where I am when I have no idea, but it is not tactile, and it has no sense of history. There … Continue reading →

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Borrowing family members

Posted on 28th May 2020 by Ian

On the  Ancestry website, my great grandfather appeared in a family tree. According to the family tree that the person had assembled, he had lived in New Zealand, which was a fact that did not fit in with what I … Continue reading →

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Train noises

Posted on 27th May 2020 by Ian

“Ever since childhood, when I lived within earshot of the Boston and Maine, I have seldom heard a train go by and not wished I was on it.” Paul Theroux’s words from The Great Railway Bazaar must have captured the sentiments … Continue reading →

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