Category Archives: The stuff of daily life

Phoning my mother last night, she said, “Did you hear that Jethro has died?” “He can’t have been very old,” I said. “No,” she said, “only seventy-three. I think he died from Covid.” “He’ll be missed,” I said, “he made … Continue reading →

14th December, the anniversary of the birth of my grandfather in 1913. He died in 1991, I never really thought about how much he meant to me, until he was gone. The last time I saw him was when on … Continue reading →

In much of northern Europe, today is Saint Nicholas’ Day, the feast of Santa Claus. Christmas draws closer. In normal times, the coming frosty days would have seen the Christmas markets in medieval European towns and cities. There would have … Continue reading →

Christmas approaches and the demand for Barbie houses seems as buoyant as ever. The cheapest Barbie Dreamhouse is £250 from Argos. Littlewoods have it at £329. Why would anyone pay £79 more? Presumably because Littlewoods have the option to buy … Continue reading →

Perhaps it was the dog-end of November daytime gloom that triggered the recollection. The deep greyness of the sky blanketed the city with a half-light. Indoors, reading without a lamp was difficult. It must be forty or perhaps fifty years … Continue reading →