Dear Andrew, I have enjoyed reading all your posts about India. It made me think of my visit to see you in 2020 BC (Before Covid). And that gave rise to my postcard to Derrick. Now it’s your turn. But, and Andrew I do hope you forgive me, but I want to write this as if I’m talking to everybody about you. Because some people … Continue reading Postcard to Andrew.

Dear Derrick, Hope you are well. D’you remember just before Covid in Feb 2020. D’you remember then? This is what your garden looked like. I’ll bet it’s changed by now. But are the birds still coming for visits? And just by the way, Next time you drop in to the Fleur De Lys remember to have a beer for me. And send me the bill. … Continue reading Post Card for Derrick.

Friday morning passed by on leaden feet. I had worried about walking the treadmill. Didn’t have to. I lay on a couch and the doctor injected me with some magic potion that made my heart think it was working flat out. The worst part was signing a note that said I wouldn’t sue the hospital if I died. “Died!” Apparently the magic potion has been … Continue reading The doctor’s report.

This poem is one, I remember, that even then I was not sure what I meant. I still don’t know but I like it anyway. Lifting the sun With delicate care I placed it upon the tree And ran to the top of the hill To watch it shing there. My fingers, my hands, were burning And the flesh was peeling back – So I … Continue reading Interlude #5

Nothing exciting happened today. But I do want to tell you that it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be if you are required to abstain from coffee for 24 hours. I did wake up early on purpose and made a coffee at 6 o’clock. Took it back to bed. Fell asleep and the coffee was cold when I woke up. By the way – … Continue reading A sans caffeine day.

In my early twenties my life – apart from work and study – was a continuing traffic jam of being in love and being out of love. I either fell deep or I despaired. But I thought I was the only one who was experiencing such a life. I’m older now and I wonder what I could have said if I could have known then … Continue reading Interlude #4

There is a bird – an owl – that has an onomatopoeic name. It is the Mopoke where I lived back then. It is called the Boobook in reference books. The Australian boobook (Ninox boobook), is a species of owl native to mainland Australia. Its name is derived from its two-tone boo-book call. There are eight subspecies. They have a very distinctive call and when I was a little … Continue reading Mopoke.

And so the conversation continued and little Dougie’s father says how nice it would be and Dougie and Millie will look forward to Thursday with great delight and after the conversation concluded with joy and happy anticipation Dougie’s grandfather got dressed and forgot what day it was and drove down to the station to go and visit the grandchildren. That is how a Thursday in … Continue reading Level Crossing incident

A very quick note to tell you that if you didn’t see all seventeen photographs I have tweaked the post and they are worth a second look I think. I changed a slide show into a Tiled Mosaic.   Continue reading A horse a horse my kingdom etc etc

I would have said it was  cold and damp and miserable outside at 3.20 but I was warm and sleeping when the phone yelled out with that urgent sound of a message coming in and the only person who would do that to me at that time of the morning would be Michael who’s in hospital with two knee reconstructions and he can’t sleep and … Continue reading 3.20 am