I swim at an indoor pool every Sunday morning, except when I am away from home or have another reasonable excuse, such as I can't be bothered. Apart from walking, it is the only regular exercise I take. As I plough up and down, which I find extremely boring, I have to have something to…
My earliest memories of Dad are of a loving father who would unexpectedly bring home toys after work: soft toys, and on one occasion a rubber bone for me to cut my teeth on. Later, there were model cars and other mechanical devices that he wanted to play with himself. I inherited Dad's huge Meccano…
As I've said before, I am not much of a musician. I'm resigned to the fact that, at my age and with arthritic hands, I will not get better - but I am still ambitious, within my limitations. I try my best. When One for the Wall re-formed, eight years ago, the idea was just…
Back to Blighty in early September, after a long, sunny and thoroughly enjoyable holiday in France. For six weeks we saw almost no rain. Then, on our last day, we were nearly caught out in two violent rainstorms; one on the island of Noirmoutier, and the other in Saint-Malo just before boarding the ferry for…
If you were to say “You always seem to be on holiday, mate,” I could hardly argue otherwise. But Anne is recently retired, as I have been for more than seven years. So why not, so long as funds and good health allow? So it's back to La Bréchoire, where nothing much seems to happen yet…
I had visited to Athens twice before: once in 1971, when I was 16, and once with my wife Anne, in 2000. Only for a couple of days in each case; all I can really remember is traipsing up to the Acropolis and visiting two or three museums. This year we decided to spend four…
It used to be cheap. It no longer is, but I don't care. I've enjoyed every day I've spent in Greece. Having just come back from a fortnight in - possibly - my favourite country, I'm waxing lyrical yet again. We day we left Herne Hill began rather strangely. While waiting for our train to…
We haven't been annihilated by Russian missiles. The invasion of Ukraine continues, with thousands killed and millions made refugees, but it all seems far away, certainly far enough to be forgotten on a sunny day in May. I have a feeling that British interest in this war is waning, as it becomes almost normal, a…
It is easy to forget that 40 years ago our country (my country, that is) was at war. Very easy for someone of my generation to forget that it happened four decades ago. And even easier for subsequent generations, because there has been little about it in the news (not that I wish to be…
You have to treat yourself once in a while, innit? I freely admit to having several guitars. There is the Fender F55 12-string I've had since 1973. But one of the tuning pegs is knackered and it has no pickup or on-board tuner. I don't play it. I could sell it. Maybe I will one…
The Wight Stuff 