Category Archives: Uncategorized

The obituaries flowed like no tomorrow this week and the 60th anniversary of the assassination of the President JFK was the kickstart. Munger , Venables and Darling followed. Per chance I walked by this Edwardian House in Headington . Oxford this evening. The home of Joy Davidman who was the wife of author C SContinue reading “60 years ago (2)”

Sadness befalls today on hearing the death of Terry Venables aged 80 after a long illness. Here pictured with my son ( left wing ) in the Royal Garden Hotel London ( coincidentally where England team celebrated their 1966 Workd Cup victory. Terry was a soccer hero and played for Chelsea , QPR and TottenhamContinue reading “Venerable Venables.”

Dear Father Christmas, I trust you are well and yes it’s me again knocking on your annual door like many others . I remember writing to you at aged 8 asking you to bring me the England soccer team kit. I left extra mince pies and sure enough you came down that chimney with it.Continue reading “Letter to Father Christmas.”

At around 7pm, 60 years ago today in London I was watching at home in Chelsea the quiz programme’ Take your pick ‘ on the TV with my mother and aunt. It was just after noon in Dallas Texas. Texas was a million miles away, known only by me for cowboys. Then when breaking newsContinue reading “60 Years Ago.”

In June 2023 the blogger in the post ‘ Hide Park Cornered. ‘ highlighted congestion at Hyde Park Corner caused by the London Mayor single lane strategy on Park Lane. I write this as a passenger on the Number 14 bus and the photo shows the complete lock jam of traffic at 4pm today. NothingContinue reading “London Changing 2”

In the movie Terminator , Arnold Schwarzenegger famously says Hasta La Vista ( goodbye see you later ). It is a quasi threat of terror upon the recipient ‘ watch out I’m coming back ‘ . We experienced a political version of that yesterday in the form of the Cabinet reshuffle . The Tory TerminatingContinue reading “Hasta La Vista”

On the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour we remember the fallen in the wars of the 20th Century. It is a day of remembrance and there are ceremonies across the land. The freedoms that those gave their lives for we dutifully respect but there are some in the land thatContinue reading “11/11@11”

Bollards line Westminster Bridge to protect Parliament from attack and for pedestrians and cyclists to dominate. The Hansom Cab, horse and cart , London bus and black cab rarely traverse. The Mayor whose father drove buses wants rid of all motor vehicles. It’s not the only thing that’s changing as London surrenders it’s heritage ,Continue reading “London Changing.”

Taught to say my prayers at night Taught to ask for God to right The troubles of the day All my problems to be allayed Some prayers were answered, some were not I wondered if God forgot To tell His Angels to wing on down And sort the muddles on the ground . Or perhapsContinue reading “Prayer”

The Collins English dictionary defines someone as being ‘ off their trolley ‘ means someone insane, strange , odd ideas and behaviour. The word trolleys is slang for men’s underpants. So when Government employees and heads of Civil service nickname the Prime Minister as ‘ trolley ‘ it is not an endearing remark. This wasContinue reading “Off one’s trolley.”