“Uncle Tim, you go on Grandpa’s side,” urged Sam, as he eschewed a sensible game of attacker/ defender/ goalie in favour of using both goals on the field. Yes, 9-year-old Sam would take on the combined might of 35-year-old Tim, once a fine junior football striker, and Grandpa, the manager of his then team. But,Continue reading “Grandchildren – exhausting, or invigorating?”
Category Archives: Challenges
O Brave New World!
(title of a dystopian novel written by Aldous Huxley in 1931) Parting with an old, beloved power tool is an emotional affair. My Black & Decker Sanding Mouse had served me faithfully for 15 years. It’s reduced the burden of sanding the Wendy House (summerhouse), balustrade and the wall of our neighbours’ shed (all onContinue reading “O Brave New World!”
The Slow Train to Rome
A Learning Experience Help! We’re in the wrong place and the train leaves in 15 minutes! Let’s pray, then ask this bloke…Scusi, signor, farla inglesi? -o-O-o- Yes, the timings were a bit tight. Our train from Paris hadn’t arrived in Turin until 9:30 p.m, taking longer than usual ‘cos we’d to take a bus journeyContinue reading “The Slow Train to Rome”
Jesus and the Climate/Nature Emergency
Pictures are from ‘Creative Commons’. Even for the most experienced fishermen, this storm was a nightmare. Wave after wave crashed over the deck; the boat lurched up, down, to and fro’ so all they could see were the giant cliffs of water. Any moment now would come that sickening crunch as the mast split inContinue reading “Jesus and the Climate/Nature Emergency”
A Weekend at the Brick House
The cover image is generated by AI Grace grew more and more excited as each station passed by. Only three more stops! “This train will be calling at Wakefield Kirkgate, Mirfield, Brighouse…” “Daddy, we’re nearly at the Brick House!” she enthused. Whilst our son Martin set off to fetch the fish and chips, Jane andContinue reading “A Weekend at the Brick House”
Hip Hop
Too clever by half, that’s my trouble. lt had all looked so tempting, that wobble board with a maze sunk into its upper face. My challenge was to balance on top, moving two marbles in towards the centre, then back out to the edge. [The picture shows a similar model with a third marble] AsContinue reading “Hip Hop”
Felicity’s Choice
A dialogue set in Nigeria, with acknowledgements to Women’s World Day of Prayer, 2026. I wrote it to support a Lent group session that Jane and I led, exploring, ‘One Faith’. Olu, a recent graduate in Agriculture aged 22, is looking for work. He’s talking to his aunt Felicity, recently widowed with 3 young children.Continue reading “Felicity’s Choice”
Hip, Hip, Hooray?
Cover picture by Mohamed Hassan via Pixabay -o-O-o- You will have gathered that I’m now just over 3 months into recovering from my total hip joint replacement. In my previous post, A Happy Hipster? I described the privations of a patient in the early stages of recovery, along with the gadgets I was using. Gradually,Continue reading “Hip, Hip, Hooray?”
It’s a Mad World, but What if…?
Are you having a Merry Christmas as a means of escaping from our messed-up world? Or could there actually be something to celebrate? And, might there just be hope after the COP30 summit? -o-O-o- The noises coming out of the Belem conference centre weren’t optimistic. Fine words, but very little finance to help preserve theContinue reading “It’s a Mad World, but What if…?”
A Happy Hipster?
‘Do not raise your knee above hip level…” said my exercise sheet. “Are yer kidding, mate? I’ve no idea how it’ll get any higher than my ankle!” I yelled. -o-O-o- In my post, ‘Ouch! I’ve got the hippy hippy shakes’, I shared my experiences as I awaited my Total Hip Replacement. Sure enough, it tookContinue reading “A Happy Hipster?”
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