Monthly Archives: September 2022

A random win

The Prix de  l’Arc de Triomphe will be run next Sunday. One Sunday in October, perhaps thirty years ago, I won money on that race. My gambling habit ran to £1 a week, my neighbour used to collect people’s football … Continue reading

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Pumping petrol

On the road from Glastonbury to Taunton, it was a filling station in that old sense of the term. It was not a garage, for that would have suggested the possibility of mechanical repairs, instead it was three pumps with … Continue reading

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A fair week

In Somerset, it is the season of fairs: Bridgwater, the greatest of them all, will take place next week. Our local fair was at Long Sutton.  It was a funfair small enough to fit onto the village green, but it … Continue reading

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A cat among the ministers

Apparently, Larry the cat at Number Ten Downing Street is the only permanent resident. It was a story that prompted speculation by the presenter of the radio programme as to how long cats lived. Sadly, for those with an affection … Continue reading

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Stupid television

Being someone whose knowledge of classical music is derived from clips played in episodes of Morse, from compact disc compilations given free with newspapers, and from television theme tunes, there are not many pieces of music that I recognize, but … Continue reading

Posted in This sceptred isle | 6 Comments