The Bee in my Bonnet
I've been cursing the turn of the month and the annual arrival of bees up the nose which are a fair indication that the start of a winter cold is upon me. Those bees [...]
Friendship
The Flatmate (that was), is now up to her neck in Italian Politics and any chit chat has to be by appointment and booked ahead. We have a provisional date for a week on [...]
Called to the Bar
The Grand was having his morning nap. The Son was working away in another room and not to be disturbed. The DiL got out her laptop and was busy. I decided to take myself [...]
Fags, Bags and Worse
The Grand can now walk independently. I have been surprised that he can out manoeuvre those of us who have more than half a century of experience on him, and should be able to [...]
The Mystery of the Blue Grass
The Sister has a wonderful garden. It's awash with colour and raspberries. It's full of interesting quirks: Planting, statues, places to sit, bee hives and fruiting trees. We enjoy a stroll. She tells me [...]
Night Swimming
We're living through Goldilocks weather. It's been too hot to sleep. Then it was too wet for my tomatoes to ripen, too cloudy for the runners to flower. The plums at the top of [...]
Dear Reader, He Moved In
The Toad is right up there with the viper when it comes to expressions of morality in literature. He's the method by which feminine goodness is put to the test and the punishment for [...]
The Spectacle Tree
The topiary at the top of my garden is definitely due a hair cut. I've resisted doing it myself because a lack of three dimensional vision has lead me to the conclusion that I [...]
Masquerade
If you attend one of the great masked balls of Venice, its said that you will not recognise your own reflection in the waters of the Grand Canal. With anonymity assured, anything goes. So [...]
Circles Of Damnation
I have had a glimpse of Hell. I have swum the waters of the Styx and crawled up the bank on the far side. I did it all in the hunt for the single [...]