Author Archives: Dreamaticus

Lost Middle Earth maps (Rousse)

Posted on May 28, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I let the precious loose-leaf atlas of Middle Earth drop from my hands at just the wrong moment. The fragile leather binder that held Tolkein’s hand-drawn maps fell to the floor of the railway carriage. It slid along the parquet … Continue reading →

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A drug-dealing pensioner (Rousse)

Posted on May 27, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I was flattered when the young man offered me change so that I would have the correct bus fare. ‘It’s OK’, I said, thanking him, ‘I no longer need bus fare now that I qualify for an old person’s bus … Continue reading →

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Beggar bleeds to death in gutter (Rousse)

Posted on May 27, 2023 by Dreamaticus

This was going to look very fishy in court, especially since a witness overheard my instructions to TPR: ‘He was begging. You thought he was going to attack you, so you struck first. It’s not your fault that his head … Continue reading →

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Shaft jumping in Exeter (Rousse)

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Dreamaticus

SY and I were more adventurous than the others during our holiday. While NY, AH, CS and TPR stayed indoors at the cottage, SY and I drove all the way along the coast and then inland as far as Exeter. … Continue reading →

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Greedy goldfish and slapdash workmen ruin house and garden (Rousse)

Posted on May 20, 2023 by Dreamaticus

The house and garden were a complete mess: the house because workmen had damaged the newly wall-papered corridor at the back of the flat; the garden because two enormous, greedy goldfish had taken charge the pond, recently flooded to cover … Continue reading →

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Courtship rituals for the widowed and widowed-to-be (Rousse)

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I met the young red-haired doctor around the time of TPR’s final illness. It was convenient (to me) that he had lost his wife to cancer a year earlier. Amongst our courtship activities we marked (appalling) Masters dissertations, walked through … Continue reading →

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Self-immolation by train (Rousse)

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I eventually found the emergency phone number on the LNER web site. ‘Please come quickly!’ I urged. ‘The passenger seated behind me in Coach E on the 6pm Glasgow to London service is trying to set fire to herself!’

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To Stornoway by bus via Perth (Rousse)

Posted on May 13, 2023 by Dreamaticus

Finally the crammed bus set off for Stornoway via Perth – but before we’d even reached the outskirts of town, the driver was lost. We ended up in the cul-de-sac of a new housing estate still under construction. This tiny … Continue reading →

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Waiting for the headmistress (Rousse)

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Dreamaticus

The teachers stood patiently in a long line, creating a human snake that encircled the school hall. I joined them, keen to discover whether or not the attraction out of sight at the head of the queue was worth the … Continue reading →

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2023 sycamore seedling infestation reaches new heights (Rousse)

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I climbed high up the red brick wall that separated our back garden from the narrow yard next door. When I reached the top, I complained to myself about the mess of smashed clay plant pots and broken plastic containers … Continue reading →

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