Tag Archives: gift

Sea shells, puppies, and religious services on Shetland (Rousse)

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Dreamaticus

We caught the ‘ferry service’ to the remote island off the Shetland mainland. Open to the elements, the tiny wooden boat only carried around ten passengers. TPR rushed off to secure our accommodation once we reached the shore. Meanwhile I … Continue reading →

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Black and white bearded ballerina (Rousse)

Posted on January 6, 2024 by Dreamaticus

I was astonished at the beauty of the framed black and white photograph. It depicted a bearded ballerina in the foetal position, arms wrapped around his knees, his long feet shod in ribboned pointes. KD (recently deceased) had put 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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Gifts and guests shattered in Sunderland (Rousse)

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Dreamaticus

M and AP hosted their joint 60th birthday and ruby wedding anniversary party in Sunderland – a place with which they had no connection whatsoever. I travelled most of the way there by car up the A1, finishing the journey … Continue reading →

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Donald Trump will run for President: exclusive interview from David Elstein’s offices (Rousse)

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Dreamaticus

Donald Trump’s fall from power was so great that he now worked in advertising sales for David Elstein’s media empire. My good friend JM also worked for Elstein, so gave me access to the once ‘great’ man. One day I … Continue reading →

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Highland spirit triplets, hopeless handmade goods, an over-priced exhibition, and very public toilets (Rousse)

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Dreamaticus

A set of Highland triplet spirits danced across the heather as they sought to reunite me with my mother and sister S after I came off the narrow single track road in our hire car. As soon as we found … Continue reading →

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Lurid art birthday gift (Rousse)

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Dreamaticus

My colleague FC led me to a basement. Here she had assembled an art exhibition with all pieces displayed for sale. I selected a lurid night time scene in dark oils from the freezer and took it home as a … Continue reading →

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An icy dip on Christmas Day (Rousse)

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Dreamaticus

So delighted was TPR to be with his entire family again, on arrival at his mother’s house for Christmas he disappeared straightaway into the large cinema room with his sisters. That left me with his step-father to set the table … Continue reading →

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Roller-skate spectacle for new shop-keepers (Rousse)

Posted on February 20, 2020 by Dreamaticus

As we took our seats in the shabby auditorium, I struggled to remember why we had bought tickets to this show. Perhaps we’d been unsuccessful in seeing the act during the Edinburgh Fringe last year, but instead managed to catch … Continue reading →

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Dangers of regifting unwanted presents (Rousse)

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Dreamaticus

I was on stage facing a line of dignitaries, including Donald Leach and former Moderator of the Church of Scotland Alison Elliot, to be awarded my latest undergraduate degree (classification 2:2). I took great care when asked to sign for … Continue reading →

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