Monthly Archives: August 2026

Thinking of you so much during this tender time. ​Watching the devotion and tenderness you showed your mum in her final days was truly moving. Bringing her home so she could make that journey surrounded by your love speaks volumes about the man you are and the bond you shared. You walked her home inContinue reading “Thoughts on losing a mum”

True courage rarely announces itself with noise. It does not need to roar to be felt. Sometimes, the most profound bravery exists in the quiet spaces—in the steady, resolute spirit of a person who looks life’s hardest trials in the eye and refuses to be broken. That is the kind of courage Anthony carries. ​WhenContinue reading “My friend, Anthony”

I just wrapped up a week of working enrollment at Easton College, and if you’ve ever worked one of these gigs, you know the specific, chaotic rhythm of the whole thing. ​Enrollment week exists in two distinct modes: absolute, all-hands-on-deck frenzy, or the kind of vast, stretching boredom where you start memorizing the emergency exitContinue reading “A brief period”

I’ve been thinking lately about the quiet, steady magic of how you love me. In the rush of everyday life, it is easy to let the most important truths go unspoken, but I want to make sure you know just how deeply I see and appreciate who you are. ​Your patience with me is nothingContinue reading “A thought for Valerie”

Today I made sourdough for the first time in actually quite a few years. I haven’t been eating much bread, but this morning we didn’t have any, so I thought, “Okay, I’ll see if I can actually remember how to do it.” Below you’ll find a picture of my first white seeded sourdough.

Yesterday was the first day of a brief work sojourn at Eastern College. I was reunited with two people who I had worked with last year: Gary Sparks and Deborah McCluskey. It’s a relatively easy job. I have to greet people as they come into the foyer and invite them to enrol for whatever courseContinue reading “Working at the reception of Eastern College”

Thank you to Paul and Gilly, David and Ruth, Archie and Meheli, and of course Valerie for the fantastic 75th birthday dinner. They say age is just a number, but celebrating with great friends makes the higher numbers a lot easier to swallow! Cheers to you all.

Val, as usual, did amazing things or had amazing things planned for the weekend of 14th, 15th, and 16th of August for my 75th birthday and my 76th year. It all started with a rather nice meal that Val put together with all sorts of wonderful things, and I had made Summer Pudding, which isContinue reading “A birthday weekend 2026”

Tonight we watched Mika and the programme The Piano on Channel 4. Amazing! The Piano hit on something truly special, largely because the chemistry and empathy between the hosts and judges never felt performative. ​Claudia Winkleman brought her signature warmth, grounding nervous amateur musicians in high-traffic train stations before they played, while Mika (alongside LangContinue reading “Tonight.”

I’m not living without air-conditioning. I wonder how I would manage. Currently, we are running the air con at 24°, and it seems really cool, but it’s doing the job. O steady hum behind the plastic grille, quiet savior of the dog days, you breathe a glacial mercy into rooms where the midday sun pressesContinue reading “I’m glad we have air conditioning.”