Blog posts and short stories

  • What’s in our water?

    What’s in our water?

    A quick guide to filters, distillers and purifiers and how to clean your tap water The hidden nasties within a glass of drinking water are a disturbing reality of the UK’s water industry. Bacteria, viruses, carcinogens, organic phosphorus, glyphosate, herbicides, perchlorate, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and detergents lurk, dissolved in our tap water – and Read more

  • Things Mums NEVER hear their teenage sons say (or do)

    Things Mums NEVER hear their teenage sons say (or do)

    ‘Mum, before I put these clothes away, do you need anything else ironed?’ ‘Hey Mum, What’s that playlist you’ve got there?  I love it.’ ‘Mum, you still haven’t accepted my friend request.’ In the car: ‘Would you like me to turn the music down so we can talk?’ ‘Hey look! Isn’t that Audrey from your Read more

  • In my opinion – unacceptable dramatic effects on TV

    In my opinion – unacceptable dramatic effects on TV

    From a young age, I would spot continuity errors in American productions like Kojak, Hart to Hart, Starsky & Hutch and Charlie’s Angels. Little things like people driving without rear view mirrors, or running out of a house wearing pyjamas and acquiring a dressing gown by the time they reached the end of the road. Read more

  • The English middle class pre-Covid19 – (none of this applies anymore)

    The English middle class pre-Covid19 – (none of this applies anymore)

    Earl Grey, Coldplay, skiing in Verbier, latte, yay! British Airways, fair trade, Mark Warner holidays, BUPA, brunch, meet for lunch, Amazon, camping at Whitsun, Cath Kidston, Italian delicatessens, tennis lessons, Wimbledon, Classic FM, missed the Eurostar again, farmers’ market, comparethemarket(.com), cookery class, hoping for 11+ pass, organic, balsamic, colonic, brogues, Waterstones, massive bank loans, rock Read more

  • Surreal

    Surreal

    Read more

  • Viewpoint: Ego travellers

    Viewpoint: Ego travellers

    “The urge to self-photograph and upload, to document and publish our every significant experience, was in the news again last month, when it was reported that several holiday companies are marketing ‘Instagram-friendly tours’ catering for ‘ego travellers’ among the millennial generation.  This came hard on the heels of Thomas Cook’s announcement that it might sell Read more