Author Archives: Dreamaticus

Luxury yellow bathroom is no substitute for missing wife (Rousse)

Posted on June 8, 2013 by Dreamaticus

Now that it was the fashion to return to university to repeat your first degree, I found myself back at the University of Birmingham reading French. However, by the end of first year I was struggling to study and hold … Continue reading →

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From Leith to Loughborough by boat (Rousse)

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Dreamaticus

TPR shouted at me that if I didn’t hurry, we’d miss the boat from Leith to Loughborough.

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Inadequate shopping signage (Rousse)

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Dreamaticus

I should have put in a complaint to my friend RGJ as the manager of this enormously complex shopping centre. It was simply impossible to navigate. My worst experience of the day was when I got into the lift. It … Continue reading →

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A spot of early morning gardening (Rousse)

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Dreamaticus

It was only 06:00 in the morning, yet all the back gardens were buzzing with activity. When I opened the shutters I saw B next door mowing the grass, and two hunky gardeners digging up our lawn.

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Old university perks (Rousse)

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Dreamaticus

Now I understood why my colleagues at Edinburgh University were more productive than me. When my friend took up her new chair there, not only was she provided with a PA, but her department also paid for her parents to … Continue reading →

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Toddler emergency essentials (Rousse)

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Dreamaticus

Three days after explaining to MSB why we were childless, I gave birth to a fully-formed toddler. While we wondered how we would break this news to our families (TPR’s mother would be delighted, our nephews and nieces probably less … Continue reading →

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Sorting sleeping arrangements for house guests (Rousse)

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Dreamaticus

My parents had only been in the house for 12 months and already it was looking shabby. I almost tripped over the split lino as I ran upstairs to check who was sleeping where. If we weren’t careful, we would … Continue reading →

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Parrot spotted in Edinburgh New Town garden (Rousse)

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Dreamaticus

There was a parrot up a tree in the garden. A parrot? In central Edinburgh? Yes, a parrot was perched on a branch of the tree against the back wall! I rushed into the house to grab my camera, but … Continue reading →

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Widower fooled by wife imposter (Rousse)

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Dreamaticus

We’d been chatting happily for a few minutes before it dawned on me that this was an impossibility. My friend had died almost a year ago so how come she had picked up the phone? As I started to drop … Continue reading →

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Life as a limbless torso (Rousse)

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Dreamaticus

I couldn’t believe that anyone could be so cheerful after having all her limbs chopped off. My friend peered up at me from the grubby stretcher and said that she was just grateful that they had removed the cancer. I … Continue reading →

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