Category Archives: Odds & Ends
Early Autumn Wedding
“Are you having any readings?” “No.” “Have you brought some music?” “No.” “Do you have rings?” “Yes.” The elderly registrar smiles with a hint of relief. At least one traditional feature. She tells those present that photos are not permitted … Continue reading
Thunderstorm
After weeks of relentless, unusually intense heat, the weather forecaster announces a violent thunderstorm with possible flash flooding in the East of England. That and we’ve been promised the longest lunar eclipse – with blood moon, no less – in a … Continue reading
Posted in Odds & Ends
Tagged katherine gregor, moon eclipse, scribe doll, thunderstorm, writing
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Ash Wednesday
Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam. Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo munda me. The voices gently rise to the stone vaults and fill the 12th-century church, … Continue reading
A Writers’ Social
The Scene: A bar. The Players: Novelists, children’s writers, academics, translators, journalists, biographers, and other assorted literary intellectuals. * “Hi! Nice to see you! Which way did you come?” “Oh, it was bloody awful. I drove down the [name of … Continue reading
A New Focus for the New Year?
I am just wondering if a shift of focus might help. Practice makes perfect, so the more you repeat an action or even a thought, the more likely is that action or thought to become consolidated. After all, wherever we … Continue reading
Qi Gong
It’s the same every morning. I negotiate my way out of bed and, eventually, brave the steep Munchkin stairs and stagger into the kitchen. I put the kettle on, wait for the first crackling sound and switch it off. I … Continue reading
Yellow
I need yellow in my life. Its unadulterated joy. Its sunshine. For me, joy is most definitely yellow. Not lemony, with a green undertone. Not a darker shade with a injection of mustard. Not the distinguished, pale, almost ivory variety. … Continue reading
A Piece of Italy – I Mean Naples – in Notting Hill
Pasquale places cutlery next to my sfogliatella. Pointedly. “You Northerners probably eat it with a knife and fork,” he says, deadpan, and strolls to look out of the front door, his hands behind his back. He says Northerner to me, … Continue reading
Idle Thoughts about Bank Holidays
I love Bank Holiday Mondays. Even though I now work from home, so weekends and Bank Holidays are of little consequence to my timetable, I nevertheless get out of bed with a sense of anticipation, of mild excitement, at the … Continue reading
Posted in Odds & Ends
11 Comments
Midnight Cha-Cha-Cha and Tabasco
I am about sixteen. I wake up in the middle of night. The sound of distant crunching, faint music and the light spilling into the corridor lure me like the tune of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. I get out … Continue reading
Posted in Odds & Ends
Tagged Childhood Memories, katherinegregor, Mothers, Rome in the 60s, scribe doll, writing
15 Comments
Scribe Doll 