• Battles, Birds, and Bank Holiday Bicycles

    9th May 2013 At long last, the weather has decided to behave itself, and venturing outdoors feels less like an endurance test and more like a pleasure. I’ve been hard at work repointing the patio slabs, a job that has left a visible archaeological record of my learning curve. The early attempts scream “work in… Continue Reading

  • Of Needles, Illusions, and Murder on the Tracks

    5th May 2013 Nan has recently embarked on a course of Vitamin B12 injections, required thanks to her diabetes. Because her body isn’t absorbing it properly, the only option is to send it straight into the bloodstream, six jabs in two weeks to get her going, and then one a month for life. With all… Continue Reading

  • Of Blogs, Bulbs, Bleary-Eyed Babysitting and Thelma

    16th April 2013 Way back in June 2007, my nephew, Simon Wadsworth, was the spark that lit this whole blogging lark. Fresh out of university and not yet shackled to the “sensible world of work,” he set off backpacking across the globe. His blog kept us all in the loop, allowing us to travel vicariously… Continue Reading

  • Geocaches, Cold Snaps, and Contraband in Southend

    8th April 2013 The cold snap shows no sign of retreating, a curious mix of sunshine and wind sharp enough to cut through three layers of clothing. Tempting though it is to get outside, the glow of the wood burner makes staying put far too easy. According to the papers, this has been the coldest… Continue Reading

  • Eggs, Exhausts and Endless Tissues

    1st April 2013 Since returning home, Sue and I have been knocked sideways by chest colds. Between the bitterly cold weather and the daily flurries of snow, neither of us has felt much like venturing out. Charlotte and her crew came over after she’d taken Ellis to lunch at Nan’s. I’d popped in to see… Continue Reading

  • From Sunshine to Snowboots

    26th March 2013 The alarm was dutifully set for 6:45 am, but we managed to beat it by waking at 6:15 am. Clearly, our body clocks were already braced for the joys of travel day. The suitcases had been surrendered to the corridor the previous night and had mysteriously vanished by morning, hopefully into the… Continue Reading

  • Shorts, Seafood and a Stroll Down La Rambla

    23rd March 2013 We indulged in a leisurely breakfast this morning, as Barcelona wasn’t expecting us until after 1 pm. Suitably fortified, we decided on a brisk constitutional around the decks. The sky was blue and cloudless, but a brisk Arctic gale made my decision to wear shorts and a t-shirt look less “Mediterranean chic”… Continue Reading

  • Dolphins, Champagne, and German Scrabble

    22nd March 2013 The clocks went forward again last night, which meant we lost another hour of sleep. Not that it bothered us much, we sailed past Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean at 6 am, but Sue and I snoozed happily through it all and didn’t emerge for breakfast until 9 am. What we did… Continue Reading