Hobbies
Christmas Music Quiz 2020
As we fast approach the season of bah-humbugs and miserable sods, I thought it would be a chance for Puffins to win one of two (Ed. or four?) £25 Hook Norton Brewery vouchers* to cheer [more…]
Blog
Hobbies
Crossword No. 148
First correct entry out of ‘the hat’ wins a GP mug. Email entries to me by 6.00 pm Sunday, subject ‘Crossword’. Contact here on email Last week’s winner of a GP mug. 147 – Bri [more…]
20th Century
A History of Pop Music – Albums 1969
Featured Album: Johnny Cash – At San Quentin This is a series of articles looking at albums from 1960 to whatever year we end up in. I will select a featured album for each year [more…]
Cooking
The secret to a decent beef stew
In these depressing and difficult times, it is sometimes beneficial to return to encouraging and positive subjects, and in my opinion, there is nothing quite as welcoming as “Comfort food”. A fellow Puffin signalled their [more…]
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Question Time Review
Question Time 10th December 2020 Panel: Robert Buckland (Conservative) Wes Streeting (Labour) Malcolm Turnbull (Former Australian PM) Julia Hartley-Brewer (Broadcaster) Anand Menon (Politics professor) Venue: Chelmsford Firstly, your humble author your award-winning author must thank [more…]
Arts
Going Postal with Question Time
Graphic EJ – Updated by Sam. Fiona Bruce presents another hour of BBC programming from Chelmsford. Same old faces, same tired programming. On the panel are: Robert Buckland MP (CCP), justice secretary and Lord high [more…]
Arts
Postcard From Berlin, 1979
Back in the late 1970s, when we were both rising stars in IT in the Ministry of Defence, my friend was posted to Berlin to run the Army’s computer centre there. Being a good mate, [more…]
Arts
The Revelation of St Marcus
In his 7th February 1952 speech, Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke in sorrow at the recent death of King George VI but also in optimism of the following day’s proclamation of the sovereignty of Queen [more…]
Literature
Lords and Ladies, Part Four
Boggart paced deliberately back and forth in front of ginger bigfoot, birthmark Joe and trembling Theresa, peering coldly into their eyes at each pass. Perspiration oozed from the collar of his scabious headdress as he [more…]