Drinking
My First Foreign Holiday
I left school in July 1966 and started work as an apprentice in that September. I didn’t earn a lot of money but I did manage to save a little in the Bradford and Bingley [more…]
Literature
Arts
The Disastrous Failure of Post War Media
In a parliamentary democracy offering only two political parties the press have played a significant role in questioning government policy & more importantly holding that policy outcome to account. Not always admittedly for the common [more…]
Fiction
The Man Who Played Ross – Chapter 11
Operation Palliser – May 2000 Jarvis was at his parents’ house, being spoiled rotten by his mother and indulged by his father. But the happy families’ illusion was deceptive, because he knew that his parents [more…]
Animals
Larry’s Diary, Week Eighty Four
Monday Good morning people, what a beautiful morning, clear blue sky and warm. It was the same yesterday, I had a lovely snooze in the sun. I hope this sun lasts all day so I [more…]
Book Review
Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War Part 6
The Twin Battles of Mantinea and Cynossema, and Series Conclusion In this final article of the Series, I want to discuss another of Thucydides’ apparent pairs of events – the Battles of Mantinea (late 418 [more…]
Arts
The Swaling, Part Forty Six
Davies brought me breakfast in bed. Was it genuine concern or his army humour? I was in a bit of a state. His cooking wasn’t great. The culinary school that he relied upon seemed to [more…]
20th Century
Jinnie’s Story, Chapter Nine
Jinnie woke to the sound of Simone singing in French in the shower. First, she lay quiet and tried to recognise the song but it was nothing she could place. Then she realised it was [more…]
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Question Time Review
Question Time 11th March 2021 Panel: Mims Davies (Conservative) Steve Reed (Labour) Victor Adebowale (NHS Confederation) Dan Hodges (Journalist) Bonnie Greer (Writer) Venue: London As every Puffin knows, this is the week of international women’s [more…]
18th Century
Book review: The Time Traveller’s Guide to Regency Britain
The Time Traveller’s Guide to Regency Britain by Ian Mortimer. Publisher The Bodley Head This is the latest in a series of Time Traveller’s Guides by Historian Ian Mortimer and his enthusiasm for his subject [more…]