My mother died on Monday 8 December 2025 "of frailty and Alzheimer's Disease", according to her death certificate. She was 95 years old. I have written this piece for those who knew her but will be unable to attend her funeral on Tuesday 6 January. First comes a very brief account of her life, particularly…
It’s 10 years since I retired from the British Library. A decade indeed! In mid February I reached my 70th birthday: generally known as a milestone, and it certainly feels like it. Hard not to refer to my age when meeting ex-colleagues, as I did last week, one of whom I had not seen since…
It's a year since my father died. A year to the day since I was advised to go immediately to his care home, because he had not long to live. In the end - because of late-running trains - I did not get there before Dad passed away. I arranged his funeral and reception, applied…
I've been remiss in not posting for over a month. I was going to write about our lovely holiday in Greece, (I sometimes wonder why we bother to go anywhere else) but that can wait a bit longer. After a frenetic summer, partly by choice and partly by necessity, Anne and I are now in…
When a body is cremated it ends up as a jar of ashes (usually a plastic one). What then? It's not an item I'd choose to hang on to for long. Would you keep it on your mantlepiece? The scattering of ashes presents problems that you might not have considered until the time comes. Most…
My wife plays a Brahms intermezzo on the piano while I read the Times Literary Supplement. This sickening scene takes place at our holiday home in Charente. But there are worse things to be accused of than being middle-class. We returned from France on 27 February - and here we are again. They are forecasting…
Tue: Very cold, even for January. Leave Herne Hill 11am, arrive Liverpool by train mid afternoon. To M&S to buy clothes for Mum (she has shrunk), then to lawyers to sign probate declaration for Dad's estate. Train to Birkenhead then taxi to Upton, arrive at house and turn on heating and water. Examine post: only…
Like the Christmas tree and "seasonal" cards (42 this year - not bad - including one received today from far-away East Sussex, postmarked 15 December), 2022 has been consigned to the bin. At least, that's what I'm trying to do. I hope for fewer traumas; obviously none at all would be better. When I looked…
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 intensely boring, I need 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…
The Wight Stuff 