Category Archives: Britain now & then

An invisible man and a nice cup of tea

Posted on January 15, 2016 by memoirsofahusk

On dimly lit suburban streets, in the hours before dawn, it’s as silent as our world can be. Up in the lofty fir trees, knowing owls watch for prey. Foxes prowl through tangled brambles growing beyond neat garden fences. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Britain now & then, Lancashire & the golf coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Standing stones, hillforts – and defying a guardian wind

Posted on January 1, 2016 by memoirsofahusk

It’s a dour day. Stoking the smouldering coals of melancholy. And it’s further than it seems, the journey. A sign catches my eye. ‘Stone circle,’ I read aloud.  Then add, to my own surprise, ‘let’s go’. It’s a while before … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, jaunts & going out, Britain now & then | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Beheaded for flirting? LOL!

Posted on December 12, 2015 by memoirsofahusk

One of the things foreigners living in England always struggle with is identifying the social trip wires. How do you hold your fork? Is it a napkin or a serviette? Do you need to go to the toilet, lavatory or … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, jaunts & going out, Britain now & then | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Romantic ruins and inner visions

Posted on October 27, 2015 by memoirsofahusk

I’m elitist and snobby. Unadventurous. Uncultured. And worse. They’re just a few of the things I’ve been accused of being. No, not by trolls, nor disgruntled readers. This is some of my friends I’m talking about. Why? Because I’ve not … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, jaunts & going out, Britain now & then | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The customer is always – irrelevant?

Posted on October 23, 2015 by memoirsofahusk

Here in Britain one of our oldest shops is Marks and Spencer. It started life in Leeds, Yorkshire, as a market stall. By the time I was a child it had become a well-loved and respected chain selling knitwear and … Continue reading →

Posted in Britain now & then, Thinking, or ranting, or both | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

There’s a hole in my heart where Mary used to be

Posted on October 11, 2015 by memoirsofahusk

Saturday night. The last train home. The station’s bright and light. The sound of squiffy silliness peppers the air. There’s no menace, no riotous shouting. No spitting, or pissing, or – you know – any of those ‘I wish I’d … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, jaunts & going out, Britain now & then, Liverpool | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Boum!

Posted on October 1, 2015 by memoirsofahusk

No armchair for God today. Not even a paltry cushion. No, I’m not having visions, I’m singing – in my head. It’s an old song by the French singer, Charles Trenet, in which this line appears: ‘Et le bon Dieu … Continue reading →

Posted in Lancashire & the golf coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments