Monthly Archives: June 2017

A pin-up litter picker (Rousse)

TPR was the pin-up of Newcastle University. My nephew PMF was his agent. He arranged for TPR to live free of charge in the a hall of residence room, provided that he would pick up the litter on campus.

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A present of chocolate bananas (Rousse)

While I checked out the porcelain dishes, vases, jugs and bowls (some of which almost looked like glug jugs), DB bought me a bag of white and dark chocolate bananas.

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Learning to drive in a mark I Ford Escort (Rousse)

I had rashly offered to teach one of my new colleagues how to drive. I regarded this offer as a means of helping Gail and her husband out financially. They only had one income between them because the husband stayed … Continue reading

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An incontinent labradoodle (Rousse)

My school friend JC invited my fellow undergraduate CP to visit from France to celebrate her 50th birthday. I wondered what CP would make of the two rescue dogs – in particular the incontinent labradoodle.

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How to tell if a cameo brooch is fake (Rousse)

Granny H pressed the brown cameo brooch into my hand. ‘Here, have this’ she said. I was pleased to take it, but I knew that I would never wear it. Where there should have been two white engravings there was … Continue reading

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A [deleted] academic idiot (Rousse)

There was precisely one hour before my first lecture of the new academic year – and I had done no teaching prep WHATSOEVER. RR urged me to at least make a couple of PowerPoint slides, while I wondered how many … Continue reading

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Stevie Wonder misses his flight (Rousse)

Stevie Wonder, his female friend, TPR, two other computer industry experts and I were chatting in the bar while Stevie and his companion were waiting for a flight. I checked my watch. It was 19:15. ‘What time is your flight?’ … Continue reading

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An unworthy dissertation on Elizabeth I (Rousse)

SC and I were trying to work in one of the smaller University library reading rooms. While I was still worrying about my degree, she was marking a dissertation on Elizabeth I. She and JK wanted to fail the work … Continue reading

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How to go sledging – without a sledge (Rousse)

I should have been revising for my finals, but instead accepted SC and TM’s invitation to go sledging. I knew that I was risking my degree and that it was likely that I would come bottom of the class. However, … Continue reading

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A case of mistaken identity and the National Trust (Rousse)

My mother-in-law, three sisters-in-law, and one of my sisters met me and TPR in the grounds of a National Trust property for a picnic. TPR thought that he spotted SC in the queue for the house. He called her name, … Continue reading

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