Monthly Archives: April 2023

Gifts and guests shattered in Sunderland (Rousse)

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Dreamaticus

M and AP hosted their joint 60th birthday and ruby wedding anniversary party in Sunderland – a place with which they had no connection whatsoever. I travelled most of the way there by car up the A1, finishing the journey … Continue reading →

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Shameful colonial furniture (Rousse)

Posted on April 22, 2023 by Dreamaticus

While JM popped out to buy éclairs (or similar) and TPR tackled the washing up, I took a close look at the crumbling antique furniture that was rammed into the space at the bottom of our stairs. Why did we … Continue reading →

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Holidays for widows (Rousse)

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Dreamaticus

Out of earshot TPR’s earshot, DJ told me that he and his wife FB were making plans for future holidays with me. ‘What about TPR?’ I asked? ‘He’ll have died of stress by then’, he responded without emotion.

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Dressing secrets of the French royal family (Rousse)

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Dreamaticus

The curator passed me the tiny fitted eighteenth century jacket. The solid gold buttons, along with the hand-stitched trimmings in precious threads, stood out against the beautiful dark blue velvet. ‘Check the silver embroidery on the seam of the sleeve’, … Continue reading →

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Restaurant food with conditions (Rousse)

Posted on April 16, 2023 by Dreamaticus

The view from our well-equipped black metal balcony was of the beautiful mountains – and if you wanted to make a phone call, or post a letter, the facilities were right here too, painted traditional pillar box red. In the … Continue reading →

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A pedalling peril (Rousse)

Posted on April 15, 2023 by Dreamaticus

It was very difficult riding round the city on a tandem carrying a king size duvet. Barely able to see over the handle bars, my greatest fear was that we would take out an unseen cyclist just ahead of us.

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David Baddiel and love (Rousse)

Posted on April 14, 2023 by Dreamaticus

There was nobody more astonished than I was when David Baddiel fell in love with me. We first met through friends, and now we were inseparable. We chatted for hours (I confessed that I used to listen to his football … Continue reading →

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Watch Lola! (Rousse)

Posted on April 12, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I screamed at everyone in the railway carriage that they must watch the just-released cinematic masterpiece Lola.

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Inappropriate ecclesiastical furniture (Rousse)

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Dreamaticus

The grandfather clock was very big. Indeed, it was so huge that it was hard to imagine that it would fit into any domestic setting. Then LM pointed out the matching alter. This antique shop specialised in ecclesiastical furniture. It … Continue reading →

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A Teesside child bike thief (Rousse)

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Dreamaticus

You could say that it was my own fault that 9 year-old Tory stole my bike. TPR would be aghast to learn that I had left it unlocked outside the pharmacy, even if I argued that I was in a … Continue reading →

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