Tag Archives: child

Graeme Garden’s elasticated stockings and a railway car chase (Rousse)

Graeme Garden sat opposite me in the waiting area at BBC Radio 4 reception. He was my host for the day. On the basis of my impressive track record of developing panel games, I’d been summoned to help create three … Continue reading

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Time-travelling aunt fulfils her duties as a godparent (Rousse)

The children’s names were listed in sibling groups on a whiteboard. The mothers referred to the list as they discussed godparents and presents. Although he was male and based in the Republic of Ireland (where this scheme did not operate), … Continue reading

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Gordon Brown in the background while Rousse begs bags for belongings

Ugh – teenagers! I was helping two young friends pack up their university accommodation at the end of term. They were hopeless, unable to decide what to keep and what to throw away, virtually inert while I did all the … Continue reading

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Rousse exiled

It would be impossible to measure our sense of shame, but now we had some idea of what it must have felt like to be exiled from the community in ancient times. Our mistake had been to overestimate the extent … Continue reading

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Basking shark sighted in freshwater pond (Rousse)

The child tugged sharply at my hand, hurrying me along to see the black kite that she had spotted floating in the pond. From the water’s edge I could easily tell that this was not a kite, but the dorsal … Continue reading

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Crime by letters and Vera Wang (Rousse)

The criminals’ mission had been to kidnap a toddler. They were stealing to order. Only a child who shared the famous surname would do. Unfortunately, in their confusion the kidnappers had targeted a child whose surname was Smith. We had … Continue reading

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From the Caribbean to Tiverton by foot in party dresses (Rousse)

Caribbean holiday over, MSB and I began to make our way home to Edinburgh. We were most unsuitably dressed for the journey, decked out in party dresses and ballet pumps. MSB modelled one of her own creations, a gorgeous Quality … Continue reading

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Belle goes clubbing and meets a resistance heroine

After an excellent night out in a ‘cave rave’ we were forced to take four night buses home, changing at Croydon and Birmingham Broad Street. The five year old poppet in ribbons was carrying two pink tulips and a carnation … Continue reading

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Belle takes a walk and slaves for a toddler

I returned from a long walk and was told to go on another one over open fields. I suggested I could manage three miles, and IW said to me, ‘Well, that should take us three hours’. I thought ‘That calculation … Continue reading

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