Tag Archives: family

David Mitchell’s photography one-upmanship lands university professor in trouble (Rousse)

David Mitchell showed me his DSLR camera and its a full range of lenses. It was then – two days into our two week holiday touring the Scottish highlands – that I realised that I only had the telephoto lens … Continue reading

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Films stars and seals meet their maker on Devon beach (Rousse)

TPR sat on a bar stool at the other end of the café. While chatting away to some random woman, he glanced in my direction and winked the message “Don’t worry, I know I’m yours. I’ll be over to you … Continue reading

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Sting beats Mick Jagger in conversation competition (Rousse)

Sting was giving his full attention to AD, but I didn’t mind because I knew that my turn would come eventually. I made myself comfortable knitting on the sofa listening to Eddie Mair in the second half of Radio 4’s … Continue reading

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Changes in the marine environment to suit a red-haired mermaid (Rousse)

We were coming to the end of an uneventful family holiday. On the morning of our last full day away I bounced out of the big shared family bed and asked my little sister (aged 12) whether she would like … Continue reading

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A sister’s wedding, smokers and cycling (Rousse)

We all gathered at my parents’ house in a small town off the M4 corridor for my sister’s wedding. It was a huge affair, largely because the expected guest list of family and friends was supplemented with the names of … Continue reading

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Fearless kayakers ignore shark in Scottish waters (Rousse)

On the day that we packed the car and crossed back over to the mainland we discovered that X and Y had also spent their summer holiday on the Isle of Mull. It was a pity we hadn’t known earlier … Continue reading

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A fortunate Falkirk house sale (Rousse)

Following a fabulous picnic on the grassy dunes of Falkirk from where PC, SA, RC and I watched the sea-rooted wind turbines, I confirmed my decision to move out of town. How fortunate that the doctor’s Georgian house on the … Continue reading

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Rob Brydon and Sarah Millican top Rousse’s bill

Our timing was perfect. The family that had bought our little house in Birmingham was away for Christmas, so we could just move straight back in. At first the neighbours were suspicious, but one by one we won them over. … Continue reading

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When an interactive workshop goes wrong (Rousse)

This five day interactive workshop was not delivering creative ideas as anticipated. The participants were merely going through the motions of the exercises that they were set, and appeared to have no interest whatsoever in forming research relationships with one … Continue reading

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Time to diet (Rousse)

While the others were at the morning marriage ceremony, TPR and I prepared for the afternoon celebrations. We scoured the woods for mushrooms, then brought our haul home to check against the text books. We didn’t want to risk poisoning … Continue reading

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