While pushing the vacuum cleaner around today I worked out that I had changed something over 6500 nappies in my life.
Terrifying.
Three children in nappies for about two years apiece on seven nappies average per day and I changed around three out of every seven. I’ll grant that My Dear Wife did the larger part […]
Continue reading 'Bally Bosch, By Jove!' »
Bloody, bloody blight. I thought I’d got it right this year. I planted the tomatoes in rows parallel to the prevailing wind to help keep them well aired. I made sure I followed all advice on spacing. I even applied Bordeaux mixture as a preventative.
All to no avail.
I’m not sure about the organic credentials of […]
Continue reading 'Blighted!' »
Am I, I wonder, on the verge of a mid-life crisis? I realised with a sickening lurch a little while ago that this month marks 20 years since I graduated from university.
It was an odd period of life. For a start, it wasn’t really as much fun as I expected: everyone seemed far too image […]
Continue reading 'Happy Anniversary' »
One of the curious things about some of the very best restaurants in France is that they are found so often in rather unassuming – unfashionable even – corners of the countryside.
Indeed, one of this breed is located a few miles up the road from us in the perfectly attractive but decidedly modest village […]
Continue reading 'Restaurant Review: “Auberge de la Rivière” in Velluire' »
I found myself having a strange experience whilst washing up today. Not that washing up itself is a strange experience for me – I am a black belt, sixth dan washer upper and have washed up in combat conditions. The sponge holds no fear for me.
No, what was strange was that the washing up liquid […]
Continue reading 'The Great Flavour Conundrum' »
I will admit to being completely exhausted. Partly this has to do with a very late night for all of us on Sunday following our kermesse – which you can read about on the Telegraph site, if you have a mind to – and partly due to the large amount of physical labour I have […]
Continue reading 'Pink Shandy' »
Did you, Dear Reader, ever wonder wither comes fashion?
I have heard it suggested that “what will be worn in 2009” is decided by a select and talented group of fashion journalists examining the work of both emerging enfants terribles & established grandees, and observing the dress trends of the cutting-edge (rich) young.
This, of […]
Continue reading 'Fashion Weak' »
A faintly surreal day. Actually, my life since about age 25 has been broadly surreal, so today was either exceptionally so or was approaching what passes as normality for most people.
Firstly, let me say that I am delighted that David Bowie is not dead. If he were then what is happening to the magnificent song […]
Continue reading 'Biting off more than I could chew' »
The St Medardus index today hit a heady 0.679.
Which in physical terms means that the vegetable patch is growing like mad. This is good news in many ways: peas, beans, raspberries, courgettes, potatoes and lettuces are all yielding huge quantities. Tomato plants are heavy with fruit, albeit green for the time being. Actually, the […]
Continue reading 'When the going gets tough, the tough get hoeing' »
I refuse to accept any accusation that I am some kind of Luddite. I am all for progress provided that it improves the net sum total of human happiness. But progress for the sake of progress – using machines or technology to perform tasks that really can just as easily be carried out by humans […]
Continue reading 'Afflictions of modern life #2: Misapplication of Technology' »
