Category Archives: The stuff of daily life

The death of a pet was always a painful moment. Even in latter years there has been grief at the death of dogs who have been faithful friends. Recalling the pain I felt as I buried Bella, who had joined … Continue reading →

“Do you remember going to the Golden Valley in the Malvern Hills with the Cheltenham crowd?” I did remember, but the memories were patchy, unclear. We had parked in a grassy field and had spent the afternoon in a nature … Continue reading →

Gardening was a matter of necessity. In our front garden, we had a few wallflowers and a lilac bush at the gate, in the back garden there was a full range of vegetables. Gardening was about digging trenches for potatoes, … Continue reading →

I started primary school in September 1965. Long Sutton Primary School, where I spent the first eighteen months of my education, was probably typical of most small rural primary schools in England. In infant class, pupils were given blackboard slates … Continue reading →

It is a grey evening. Somerset’s cricket match today was disrupted by persistent breaks for rain and bad light. In childhood, the closing days of the summer holidays were a harbinger of doom, it announced the imminent onset of a … Continue reading →