Author Archives: Dreamaticus

Finding a tenant in Birmingham (Rousse)

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Dreamaticus

On a rare visit to Birmingham, TPR and I checked up on our little house in Northfield. It had been empty for years, but we didn’t have the heart to sell it. I wandered around the lovely garden, surprised to … Continue reading →

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When daddy was a school girl (Rousse)

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Dreamaticus

Someone had discovered old video footage of our family and posted it to YouTube. There I was, fourteen years old, dressed in a raspberry cotton two piece peasant dress, arguing with my father. He then stood up and ran off … Continue reading →

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Dangerous yellow balls (Rousse)

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Dreamaticus

A swarm of several hundred yellow balls bounced down the street straight towards me. If I wasn’t quick, I’d soon be knocked over and engulfed in plastic.

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Bilingual pre-school songstress wows Simon Cowell (Rousse)

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Dreamaticus

Now that A was a little older she was completely fluent in English (as well as German). One day we heard her singing an Ella Fitzgerald song in a deep, low, melodious voice. This was astonishing. None of us – … Continue reading →

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Cooking with puffins (Rousse)

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Dreamaticus

With a change of date for our annual Christmas party, TPR also altered the menu. He replaced the traditional crecy pies with homemade puffin meatballs. I wasn’t sure that many people would be tempted to try them. I for one … Continue reading →

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A life out of control (Rousse)

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Dreamaticus

Could it get much worse? LC had accidentally timetabled me to teach on Mondays (traditionally my research day); nine other people had moved into my (now filthy) office; and I had a class in 10 minutes for which nothing was … Continue reading →

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David Mitchell’s ancestors and Rabelais (Rousse)

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Dreamaticus

David Mitchell and I were meant to be studying, but we kept on catching one another’s eye across the library table. As I wondered what it must be like to be married to him (lucky Victoria Coren) I found it … Continue reading →

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James Corden, Johnny Vegas, and a couple of neglected twins (Rousse)

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Dreamaticus

James Corden – or was it Johnny Vegas? – was the father of my twin baby sons. In our unconventional family set-up he did his best to care for the children while I was at work, but never thought to … Continue reading →

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Husband leaves wife of 27 years for 18 year old (Rousse)

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Dreamaticus

TPR had been behaving rather strangely of late, and now I knew why. He was leaving me for a slim, glossy dark-haired, 18 year-old sixth former. I tried to show the girl friendship, but in reality I was preparing to … Continue reading →

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All eyes on the designer – and not the bride (Rousse)

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Dreamaticus

Normally all eyes would be on the bride, but MSB looked so beautiful in her modest office outfit of vintage-style 1950s hyacinth blue satin underwear (a tape measure in her hand) that on wedding days crowds gathered at the studio … Continue reading →

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