An old TV series which I Iove is “One Man and His Dog”. It’s a competition between shepherds in sheepdog trials. The dogs, invariably Border Collies, seem to have a…

Memory is a kaleidoscope of bits and pieces. We don’t recall a continuous storyline of life, as in a book or movie; no – we recall fragments, incomplete pictures, partially…

 A few weeks ago we returned from holiday in a delightful coastguard cottage near Weymouth, Dorset, overlooking Chesil Bank and the lagoon or “Fleet” it protects. But I’ll always remember…

Thursday 8th May 2025 was the 80th anniversary of VE Day. This extract from the Westminster Abbey Service of Thanksgiving programme sums it up: Right across the United Kingdom, people put…

In word association, “Easter” will often trigger “eggs”. My wife tells me that Easter eggs have rocketed in price this year; yet despite the cost they are just as omnipresent…

Is your glass half empty or half full?. As child, teenager and young adult, I was a half full person. I was a complete, over-the-top optimist. Sadly, this led to…

2022 - cut down to five feet Last week I killed a good friend. He was a beloved  companion for around thirty-eight years. Now hold on! Before you call the…

 A long time ago, a boy and girl fell deeply in love. No, I’m not talking about Mary and Joseph just yet: I was the boy and my wife was…

The town of Yarm, where I live, is divided by a railway viaduct, which dominates the town, cutting it in two.  It’s not well-known outside the area, yet it’s one…

Back in 1966, in my first year at college, we were taught about questionnaires and how to create them. In one session, we were given a short questionnaire to complete,…