I didn’t have the best of parents, but in some ways they weren’t the worst either. For one thing, they never hit us. My mother did attack me twice, though she managed to catch me only once, smashing my

Since I had guests last weekend and was unable to join in the Weekend Experiences, I thought I'd delight you all by posting on last week's topic this week instead. Until I saw the prompt, I can’t say I’d

makes the whole world blind

I’m probably the furthest thing from a grumpy fucker that you’re ever likely to meet, and if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, they’re lying. That’s not to say there isn’t plenty to be grumpy about.

I’m far too forgiving ever to seek retribution, and I’m certain that if you lined up a hundred of my friends and questioned them under caution, they’d all agree. After all, to err is human, to forgive

Sometimes I have nightmares that I’m still an employer. Then I wake up and thank Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and all the saints that I’ve retired from that game. It’s not that I disliked employing people, it’s

Anyone who has ever read my blog —and believe it or not, some do—will already know that I regard government as the root of all evil and reserve the right to ignore all rules other than those my conscience

From a very young age, I knew there was something wrong with everyone else, but even so, I was still shocked by people’s behaviour during the whole Covid madness, and I haven’t had much faith in humanity

Would I rather be an emergency doctor, a zookeeper, or a police crime scene investigator? That's an easy one! Having cared for my father with dementia for four long years, I would choose the occupation

Would I accept a job I knew to be criminal if the money were good enough? Absolutely. Illegality in itself, would not deter me. I would, however, need to be reasonably certain that I wouldn’t be caught.

I’ve never had a problem with ego. Mine is far too small to have ever impeded my progress, and being the very antithesis of an egotist has always worked in my favour. Humility endears one to others; bragging

If I had to change one thing about myself, it would be my overly good nature. I am far too kind and generous for my own good. It is to this unfortunate trait that I attribute my failure to amass a vast

I went on a road trip once — and never did again. It was the early ’90s. I had a new beau. He had a new motorbike, a beautiful red Honda Shadow. “We’ll go on a road trip,” he said, “through Britain and

I always judge a book by its cover. Apart from the blurb on the back, it’s how I choose in a bookshop. I’m much the same with people. I can usually tell at a glance how tedious or otherwise someone is

Alas, this weekend I was engaged in a spot of Bunburying and thus unable to join the weekend-experience proceedings. Rather than deny my regular readers their weekly glimpse into the mind of a self-declared

I can’t say I have more than a passing acquaintance with failure. If I have ever failed at anything, I can’t recall it, though these days I must confess that I remember very little and understand even

Well my dear gardening chums, this is my sixth growing season and let me tell you, I’ve learned a few things in the past five years. Chicken defences have been strengthened considerably, all pallets have

If I were told I had 300 minutes left to live, what would I do with them? Why, I’d get a second opinion, of course. I’ve never been one to believe anything I’m told without question. You’ve all heard the

Since I arrived back last week from my sojourn under bluer skies, a dearth of compost has been thwarting my horticultural endeavours. Thus, this morning I had a pallet of thirty six, twenty five kilo bags

As my merry band of avid readers will know, I have no dirty little secrets; in fact, I have few secrets of any kind. My life is an open book. I say what I mean, I mean what I say, and I always do what