Author Archives: Dreamaticus

Undergraduate accommodation options (Rousse)

Student finances were so tight that the university accommodation choice for the typical undergraduate student boiled down to: A very expensive traditional room in hall A ‘blow-up bedroom’ – effectively a blow-up mattress inside a tiny tent ‘Suitcase sleeping’ – … Continue reading

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Uninvited garden vandals (Rousse)

What a sight greeted me when I opened the back door! Someone had bored a massive circular 20 foot deep hole in the centre of the lawn, most likely using the heavy duty digger that stood against the wall next … Continue reading

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Nicking a notebook, a nightclub, and finding photos from the 1980s (Rousse)

The brand new thick red-covered notebook on my mother-in-law’s kitchen table was ideal for my assessment task. I grabbed a black Sharpie pen, then very neatly wrote the title of my work on the cover. Almost as soon as I … Continue reading

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Secret old lady’s clothes stash discovered in toddler’s bedroom (Rousse)

Just when we thought that I had dealt with all my mother’s personal effects following her death, I discovered a small chest of drawers stuffed with some of her clothes – in the bedroom of a small blonde child that … Continue reading

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Ignored by Canadians (Rousse)

At my cousin’s farm in Somerset, I shared JB’s bath water and TPR sorted out our Mac accessories while the Canadian branch of the family ignored us.

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Anonymous author anger (Rousse)

My research group made its home on a single floor of a 1970s high rise. Although the building’s exterior was ugly, we did well to make the inside cosy with antique furniture and carefully positioned ornaments. Everyone seemed happy enough … Continue reading

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Rainbow clown wigged lawyer granny keeps avocado green toilet in her sitting room (Rousse)

My lawyer paternal grandmother was a stunner, even when wearing her rainbow clown wig. It was a pity that she barely practised law these days, largely due to the frailties of old age. Changes to her lifestyle were evident in … Continue reading

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A ruined antique, a banana loaf, and paperwork for Holy Island (Rousse)

Almost as soon as I did it, I knew that I should have never plonked a red hot Le Creuset casserole dish on the top of a highly polished antique mahogany sideboard. Sure enough, I’d instantly made a nasty circular … Continue reading

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Jonathan Ross seeks flat and recognition in Edinburgh (Rousse)

Jonathan Ross stood in my study and spoke with excitement of the prospect of buying a flat in Edinburgh. I suggested that he step away from the window to avoid the risk of drawing the attention of passers-by. ‘You must … Continue reading

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Interesting work in Stockton-on-Tees with broadcaster-farmer Stuart Maconie (Rousse)

Alongside his broadcasting career, Stuart Maconie worked as a part-time farmer in partnership with my cousin BB. They ran their agricultural operation from my childhood home in Stockton-on-Tees, on the corner of Darlington Road and Kenton Close. I managed to … Continue reading

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