An evening with…

Tapha I just had to write this one. I am at a ‘Beach Party’ at a restaurant called ‘Tapha’ on Sanur beach. I have just celebrated my 69th birthday and I am probably average age for this gathering! There is a band playing all sorts of covers of well-known songs, including ruining Smoke on theContinue reading “An evening with…”

69th Birthday reflections. I’m a grumpy old git

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”

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”

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”

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!”

Friday 4th July

Happy birthday to the ungrateful colonials! It’s ironic that almost 250 years after becoming a republic without a King, they have elected a man who would be King! (Apologies to Rudyard Kipling). Sitting up late last night, chatting away on social media, I think I have a ‘date’ when I get back to Oman. AnContinue reading “Friday 4th July”

Thursday 3rd July.

I didn’t go out exploring anywhere! I got up about 0930 and had breakfast here in the hotel. Continental breakfast – two slices of toast with jam and butter, plus a cup of very strong coffee – thick as mud. I have spent most of the day reading and doom scrolling – I think it’sContinue reading “Thursday 3rd July.”