Category Archives: Uncategorized

Making gravy (Rousse)

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Dreamaticus

Our new neighbours were BP, SF and their two daughters. Amongst the upgrades to their new flat, they completely renovated the kitchen, putting in the most enormous range oven. When my sister J called in, BP served her a plate … Continue reading →

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When Her Majesty meets the family (Rousse)

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Dreamaticus

Queen Elizabeth II and I held hands – or, more precisely, we interlocked little fingers according to the limits of royal protocol. I wanted to introduce Her Majesty to my second cousin EB, but she was far more interested in … Continue reading →

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Crafty hotel jewel thief preys on wealthy woman (Rousse)

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Dreamaticus

When my necklace snapped and the chain and pendant fell to the floor, I considered it an accident – but then someone else joined me on the floor to scramble around hunting for lost jewellery. Was there a thief in … Continue reading →

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Touching the winking Prince of Wales (Rousse)

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Dreamaticus

William, Prince of Wales, followed me through the house, pen and paper in hand. Ignoring the antique furniture, he was most interested in the pictures – and completely oblivious to the mess in all the rooms. This was so much … Continue reading →

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A disputed art inheritance (Rousse)

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Dreamaticus

When we listed the art and antiques in my mother’s house, we missed the beautiful early twentieth century picture of a red-haired girl walking through a walled garden. It was painted in oils by my great grandmother, and had been … Continue reading →

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Fixing flood damage (Rousse)

Posted on July 11, 2023 by Dreamaticus

The wallpaper had only been up for a couple of weeks when the bedroom was suddenly flooded from above. The first surge of water tore down the newly decorated walls. The rest puddled into a heavy pool over the ceiling, … Continue reading →

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Waylaid on Broughton Street by Edwardian hookers and a shop alarm (Rousse)

Posted on July 8, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I knew that I needed to be at Waverley Station to meet JS and RR off the train from Bristol at 18:30. Nevertheless, I cycled down Broughton Street on my static exercise bike, and followed the new-to-me narrow street that … Continue reading →

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Edinburgh versus Bristol (Rousse)

Posted on July 6, 2023 by Dreamaticus

Since the sale of our beautiful Georgian flat in Edinburgh, we were staying in a cramped modern, windowless, flat in a rough part of Bristol. This would be a temporary arrangement until we found a new home more to our … Continue reading →

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Babysitting at Elizabeth Archer’s request (Rousse)

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Dreamaticus

Elizabeth Archer asked me if I could look after Ben and Daniel Graham for the afternoon, then take them to East Linton to spend the night with their grandmother (ED). Aged 8 and 6, these two boys were quite a … Continue reading →

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Cake and a corpse at the bank (Rousse)

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Dreamaticus

I stepped off the bus, annoyed that I hadn’t checked the proximity of the stop to my ultimate destination. Now I had quite a long walk back along the main road. On the street, I noticed that a delivery of … Continue reading →

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