Monthly Archives: April 2012

The latest in ceiling decorating ideas: carpet (Rousse)

My father invited us all to choose our rooms in the new family mansion. My nephew P suggested that I bag the room next door to my enormous bedroom so that I could use it as a lab. I was … Continue reading

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JK Rowling’s new book (Rousse)

JK Rowling and I were enjoying a quiet day out together in Edinburgh. To begin with we got away with wandering around town without attracting any attention. However, when Jo put on her fur coat and started prancing around with … Continue reading

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Terry Wogan’s dog (Rousse)

I bumped into Terry Wogan walking his white west highland terrier in the woods. At the time I was carrying a sleek black cat (sneakily kidnapped in the Midlands).

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Unwelcome distraction at the British Library (Rousse)

It was a huge commitment to travel from Edinburgh to London by train every Saturday to study medieval manuscripts in the British Library. This is why I objected so much to the shopping concession in the Humanities Reading Room and … Continue reading

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Battle of Flodden commemorations preview (Rousse)

We were stuck in an ill-equipped classroom several miles out of town away from the excellent resources of our main campus. Somehow I had to entertain this small class of postgrad students with no access to the online materials that … Continue reading

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Thirsty Queen congratulates academic on latest leg of jubilee tour (Rousse)

For security reasons the date of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee visit to campus had been kept a closely guarded secret. It was a complete coincidence that I happened to come into the office on that particular day at the height … Continue reading

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Vegetable gardening failure (Belle)

While potting on the seedlings, I had a sudden crisis of confidence. Why had I thought it a good idea to plant tomatoes on the dog’s back?

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Trip to fishing tackle shop trumps rapids ride (Rousse)

For all this time my parents had believed that they couldn’t walk very far, yet here they were heading home to England from Poitiers in France by foot. My mother even managed to carry a heavy shopping bag in one … Continue reading

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Ménage à trois shocker (Rousse)

RG was executor of ECM’s will. Finally there was someone who could explain the controversy over my school friend’s lifestyle. Apparently everyone disapproved of E and her husband P’s domestic set-up in which their housekeeper Jane was counted as one … Continue reading

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George Clooney autograph bonanza (Rousse)

George Clooney was here! I saw him leaning against the wall, dressed in a lightweight beige linen suit, watching everyone. Nobody else seemed to have noticed him. This was an opportunity too good to miss. I raced over with a … Continue reading

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