Wednesday 26 January is Dad's 96th birthday, an event I was beginning to think would not take place. He has looked close to death on several occasions. But what do I know? Caring for one elderly parent is difficult and exhausting, but caring for two (one of whom has dementia) is almost impossible. It is…
I have been reviewing my posts from last year. It is far from riveting stuff. There was a great deal about Covid-19 (no surprise there); a bit of nostalgia; quite a lot about getting out of London, when possible (and there were more escapes than I mentioned - including a very enjoyable weekend in Paris),…
It isn't working. Certain things, such as having to climb half a dozen stairs to use the lift, are admittedly problematic, but could be dealt with, given time. But it is clear that they have already made up their minds. Everything is wrong. "It's never going to work," says Dad. Mum is crying, and wants…
I sit in the gloom watching my father sleeping, mouth wide open ( his default mode these days), while my mother stares at the TV. It doesn’t matter what is on because she doesn’t understand much of it. Daytime TV is mind-destroying anyway I have seen too much TV recently: Dion Dublin talking about knocking…
Have you ever trapped your finger in a door frame? I hadn't until we were in holiday in Suffolk this August. I don't recommend trying it, because it hurts like hell. And all because I was careless and not looking at what I was doing. I well remember losing a toenail 40 years ago. You…
Brittany is (or was originally referred to as) La Petite Bretagne - did you know that? It was a place of refuge for Britons escaping from the Anglo-Saxon invaders of their homeland. Or maybe they just wanted to go somewhere a bit warmer, as millions of Britons still do. Having had a holiday home in…
It may occasionally be of interest to others but this blog is a self-indulgent exercise. Sometimes I'm just recording what I've been up to and how I feel about current events, such as Brexit and the Covid pandemic. But it has also given me a space to examine and attempt to come to terms with…
Ten months between visits is a longer gap than we'd have liked. I know, many people have been suffering in various ways at this time so I shouldn't moan about it. The downside of having a holiday home is that you might arrive to find a leaking roof or a wasps' nest; well, you try…
Now that Portugal's all-too-brief status as the UK's green destination of choice has been revoked, the Government is encouraging us to take our summer holidays in dear old Blighty. Frustrated by not being able to get to France we decided to give Cornwall a go, and managed to find somewhere to stay... in a tin…
Fancy a foreign break? Who can blame us really when it is so wet and cold in Blighty. Just when you think things might be improving, a hailstorm crashes down. Merry month of May? If you want to get away, there are currently very few Government-approved destinations. There’s Australia and New Zealand (who clearly don’t…
The Wight Stuff 