Sanur July 2026 Watching the world today I see the beauty in nature and the sadness in humanity. Sitting at a restaurant on Sanur beach at the Retro restaurant. The wind in the trees that are part of the canopy of the restaurant; beautiful flowers offering us insights to nature; and dogs chasing their ballContinue reading “69th Birthday reflections. I’m a grumpy old git”
Author Archives: Phoenix
Puberty
When I was in St. Kevins Roman Catholic High School back in the 60’s and 70’s, we had 2000 adolescent boys. Sex was the dominant chat. Puberty included the joke; ‘What did one leg say to the other?’ ‘I see shorty’s growing a beard!’ We longed for the site of that first pubic hair. OneContinue reading “Puberty”
Jimmy B.
Writing about R.A. Ladd took me back to some of the other daftness of growing up in Kirkby in the 1960’s. Some of the reflections still have me crying with laughter, especially things like my brother thinking Nightation meant a bad gas, as in a fart, until I clarified his error as Nitrogen. Then otherContinue reading “Jimmy B.”
R.A. Ladd – my father and farts
I am tempted to use this as a pen name for some of my writing in honour of my father. His name was not R.A. Ladd – it was one of his expressions, though I might have to put that into context in the Liverpool of the 1970’s. My father had the misfortune in thoseContinue reading “R.A. Ladd – my father and farts”
Monday smile
Lost … and Found!
Do you ever feel lost in the world? I know I could say yes because right now I am sitting at my desk in Hawana, Salalah – where is that? Any, recently I have felt a little lost in life. I ‘retired’ five years ago and went back to England. Sadly my income/pension didn’t quiteContinue reading “Lost … and Found!”
Happy to be alive
Turkey, August 2024 I was rushed into a Hospital in the middle of nowhere. My blood pressure was stupidly high and I had 7 litres of excess fluid built up in my body. My ‘resting’ heart rate was 190 bpm. I was close to having a heart attack or stroke so they put me intoContinue reading “Happy to be alive”
Show up, even when life feels messy.
Show up, even when life feels messy. Even when doubt and fear come up. Those emotions are part of being human. But you must not forget the incredible resilience within you, the human spirit that has the capacity to endure, adapt, and achieve extraordinary things. You may stumble. You may make mistakes. But your powerContinue reading “Show up, even when life feels messy.”
Fairy Hanny Rides Again!
So I was sitting here at my laptop, editing two of my current works of Art. However I just lost focus on both books. I finally found the antagonist behind Inspector Flaanges mystery in Death at the Dick factory, but the prose was just so turgid. Then I went on to edit St. Neds, theContinue reading “Fairy Hanny Rides Again!”
Aunty Mary
When we were kids we used to sing this song, to the tune of an old British Army Marching tune (I thought it was the Gay Gordons but I was wrong and will try to find it!) “Aunty Mary,Had a Canary,Up the leg of her draws.She pulled them down,And found half-a-crown,Up the leg of herContinue reading “Aunty Mary”
Fairy Hanny 