Ad Infinitum

Roman Road, in the Ashdown Forest, was hard soiled. My Nordic Poles couldn’t smash through the ice. The leaves crinkled and the sun so low I couldn’t really see the view, which was tweedy brown and gorse yellow. My wooly gloves were of no use, but my four layers of fleeces, sweaters and armless puffiness … Read more

There are days and then there are days. The rain tap-danced on my hood, I was zipped up, only my face peering out at the bare trees. The mud stuck to my Wellington boots, my glasses foggy with the drizzle. I could have knocked into the new neighbours, or even the old neighbours, but decided … Read more

Ill health gone. Black dog chased off. May we all have Unexpected Good. Unexpected Money Unexpected Love Unexpected Kindness Unexpected Generosity Unexpected Offers Unexpected Prosperity That’s courtesy of Michael Beckwith. I wish you all health wealth, love and perfect self expression. May Trump be eradicated, may Farage be erased, may Katie Hopkins be silenced, may … Read more

I don’t watch jungle capers I don’t watch ‘Honey G’ I don’t watch ‘Made in Chelsea’ I don’t watch ‘Dine with me.’ I don’t watch pointless gameshows I don’t watch gambling capers I don’t watch politicians Lying over papers. I don’t watch bitchy housewives I don’t watch ‘Jordy Shore’ I don’t watch naked dating I … Read more

Yellow leaves, red leaves, no leaves, green leaves. The oak tree outside the bedroom window is practically naked. November – one week to go till December – and I’ve found a new eatery – in the next village. Twee, said the dawter. It’s airy, light, walkers, dogs, old people, single people, groups of people, young … Read more

The pundits talk and punt. The speculators talk and speculate. The politicians talk and politicise. The winners win The losers lose And the talk goes on. The magnanimous forgive, the disillusioned dissolve, the spirited move on. The wind blows, the rain falls, the sun elbows the clouds out of the way and life goes on. … Read more

The stove is stoving, the light is fading and the fruit basket is full of windfalls. The washing’s ironed, the carpet’s vacuumed and the draining board is shiny. The ‘oosbind’s pottering, the dawter’s driving and the tickets are booked for the flicks tonight. The old git bought me two Norwegian walking poles. We crossed the … Read more

One week later the Cholla, chopped liver, Gefilte fish balls, bagels, egg and onion, Shepherds Pie, Macaroni Cheese, thirty thousand cakes and 43,000 bags of nibbles have finally left the house. 66 guests, including a dozen radio active children and one visiting dog from next door, have finally left the building. This new year was … Read more

I’m meant to be sleeping but I’m not ready yet. It’s 2.45a.m. I’m in the attic, the clock is ticking, everything else is dead quiet. The mole who is destroying the garden is asleep. The foxes have stopped screaming, and the old git is snoring gently. Yesterday I did my annual hosting for Blind Aid, … Read more

On the hottest day of the year I mounted the 8.17 to London Bridge. My feet froze with the trains air conditioning. I walked out of the train station. The Shard shimmered in the sunlight. I asked an armed policeman where Guys Hospital was. Clutching his rifle he said he had been seconded from Heathrow … Read more