Category Archives: memories

Biking For Boys #motorcycles #memories #walking

I’m not your classic petrol head. I passed my motorbike test in 1980 but my driving test took another 3 years and one epic fail (reversing round the corner and aligning ones vehicle with the pavement – a totally useless … Continue reading

Posted in memories, miscellany, transport, walking | Tagged , , , , | 33 Comments

Toads And Bones #tunbridgewells #highrocks

One lesson from my preteens was a realisation that Dad was a bit of a wimp. He’d been in the elite Parachute Regiment at the end of the war and was extremely proud that he’d passed all the physical and … Continue reading

Posted in memories, miscellany, walking | Tagged , , , , | 35 Comments

Daft

It was probably 1961. It was cold and if not Christmas Eve then very close. Back then, the attitude towards dogs, at least in our part of north Surrey, perched on the edge of the North Downs’ escarpment was lax … Continue reading

Posted in dog, family, memories, miscellany | Tagged , , , | 29 Comments

The Articled Particle: The Worst Day

I suppose there were many ‘worst’ days in my two years as an Articled Clerk, a necessary step in the turgid process of qualifying as a Solicitor in England and Wales. The first day was pretty grim. There’s a sense, … Continue reading

Posted in law, memories | Tagged , , , | 21 Comments

An Extraordinary Era – Gone, Never Forgotten

Of course, I knew it would happen but now it has and it’s unreal. Surreal. The Queen, Our Queen, My Queen is dead. I’ve not known anything else than an Elizabethan era. And now it’s a retrospective. It’s quite easy … Continue reading

Posted in #writephoto, creative writing, humour, memories, miscellany | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 61 Comments

Reunions; Worth The Effort?

I went to a ten year reunion at my old firm’s glossy new premises on Tuesday evening, celebrating the work we did as the legal team for the 2012 London Olympics. It was grand to see some old faces, embarrassing … Continue reading

Posted in memories, miscellany, Olympics | Tagged , , | 26 Comments

The A to Z Of Life

I read a lovely post from the compelling fingers of Jennie Fitzkee, early years teacher par excellence. It lead to a short comment exchange that recalled my missing out of a place at Oxford University and ending up in Bristol. … Continue reading

Posted in memories, miscellany | Tagged , , , , , | 52 Comments

West Country Disasters

Recently, a story appeared in the press about a family who won a £3 million house in the West Country in a raffle. It was their ‘dream’ home, hardly surprisingly. And the pictures of the setting seemed spectacular. I’ve always … Continue reading

Posted in Devon, holidays, memories | Tagged , , , | 28 Comments

How to choose a name #dog #memories

How do you chose a name? Mine was apparently after Geoffrey Chaucer the medieval English author (my mother, pretentious… you could say) and my brother after our grandparents (Christian and surnames). We just went with what we liked except… both … Continue reading

Posted in memories, miscellany, thought piece | Tagged , , | 37 Comments

This Sporting Life: Turning The Tap

I was ten at the end of 1966 when something in me clicked. That need to find my own distinctive passion. It was conscious but I needed something. And while I can’t be totally sure, I think mum was behind … Continue reading

Posted in cricket, memories, miscellany, thought piece | Tagged , , | 12 Comments