Since September 2024 I have been hosting quiz nights on Sundays at a local pub, as explained in this piece. Here’s a record of the 10 rounds of questions for the quiz on Sunday 16 February 2025. Round 1: General Knowledge H2O is the chemical formula for which liquid? Tallinn is the capital city of… Continue reading A Quiz from Sunday 16 February 2025
Here is the latest collection of photos related to “The 4-Ring Man”, an idea originally covered in this piece from 2018. We are dealing here with what remains when you drink a pint of beer (usually Guinness), along with examples of how we deal with empty crisp packets. Below are links to six other pieces… Continue reading The 4-Ring Man, in pictures (Part 7, November 2022–June 2023)
Since September 2024 I have been hosting quiz nights on Sundays at a local pub, as explained in this piece. Here’s a record of the 10 rounds of questions for the quiz on Sunday 2 February 2025. Round 1: General Knowledge Riga is the capital of which country? Which 20th Century US President, who died… Continue reading A Quiz from Sunday 2 February 2025
Since September 2024 I have been hosting quiz nights on Sundays at a local pub, as explained in this piece. Here’s a record of the 10 rounds of questions for the quiz on Sunday 26 January 2025. Round 1: General Knowledge Port-au-Prince is the capital of which country? Which 20th Century US President has the… Continue reading A Quiz from Sunday 26 January 2025
Here’s a list of the songs that I performed in public for the first time during January 2025. Each month I aim to play at least one new song from each of the following repertoires: Songs that reached #1 in the UK. Songs that reached #1 somewhere else. Songs that have not reached #1 anywhere.… Continue reading Repertoire: Songs debuted in January 2025
“All I Have To Do Is Dream” was a 1958 #1 here in the UK for The Everly Brothers, a double A side with “Claudette”. I added it to my repertoire in September 2021. I can tell you the exact date without having to check anywhere else: Saturday 11 September 2021, or the 20th anniversary… Continue reading Repertoire: “All I Have To Do Is Dream” and my reasons for playing it
Last September I had two medical appointments on the same afternoon. The second of these, at the dentist, had been booked six months earlier: the twice-yearly check-ups for me and my two children. Having turned 60 I am eligible for free eye tests, but still have to pay for all dental visits (including check-ups). So… Continue reading The 266 Bus Route
Sad news today. The actor and comedian Tony Slattery has died aged 65. He was a schoolfriend of my brother’s, and a family friend for many years after that. He has been mentioned a few times on this site. The handful of references to him on other pages can give you a sense of our… Continue reading Tony Slattery RIP
I have created a new Category for this site, Repertoire, to keep a record of songs that I play in public for the first time. It only includes songs that I have committed to memory and played in front of other people in a public space. It will not surprise anyone who knows me that… Continue reading Repertoire: A Summary for 2024
Last month, for the first time ever, I visited a hospice. I have visited people in hospital hundreds of times, but had never even seen the outside of a hospice. One of my favourite cousins on my mother’s side had taken ill. She told us many years ago that she had cancer that was “incurable… Continue reading Word of the week: Hospice
The Compartments 