Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred
Whimsical observations from deep within an erratic mind
I concluded yesterdays yarns from the scorebox at the point I’d been promoted within the scoreboard operatives hierarchy. I was thirteen summers old and due to the promise shown at updating the wickets and overs, I’d been given the extra responsibility of ensuring that the teams and the crowd (including legendary old players) were kept... Continue Reading →
During yesterdays nostalgic musings which broached the subject of cricket scoreboards, recollections of working in a local club's scorebox in my early teens manifested themselves in my random mind. Joining Gateshead Fell cricket club as a junior player in 1976 took my life on a much needed new path. My recently acquired joys of puberty, along with the end of a... Continue Reading →
I was reminded earlier that it's two years since 'that' journey. An ordeal that lives long in my son and my memory; a time where we witnessed hitherto unseen traits of malevolence from an ordinarily unassuming family member. A hair raising ten mile white knuckle ride, courtesy of uncharacteristic arbitrary driving by my pater (Mally), exacerbated by his even rarer display of road rage. Not that Mally... Continue Reading →
The table top football game Subbuteo taught me many useful life lessons as a child; one of which was my brother Ian was a chuffing cheat at table football games. He’ll have his own version of these events, but will never convince me he flicked the small plastic player to ‘kick’ the giant football, which... Continue Reading →
In his 1970s/80s children’s TV show Record Breakers, the amiable late entertainer Roy Castle closed the show with a song telling viewers of the dedication required to attain world records. If memory serves me correct, the first few lines of the lyrics taught the younger brood ‘Dedication, dedication, dedication. That’s what you need. If you want to be... Continue Reading →
As yesterday's sun perched at solar noon, in a West Yorkshire suburban garden flickering flames engulfing neatly stacked briquettes in a kettle drum bbq. This combustion resultant from the rendezvous of a firelighter with a lit match; a meeting instigated by a middle age man, random of thought and erratic of mind. Bearing in mind the stiff breeze, which I though would render my efforts of... Continue Reading →
On this day in 1966 Frank Sinatra topped the UK singles charts with the Grammy Award winning ballad Strangers in the Night. This date was also made notable as it witnessed the premiere of the movie Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf; director Mike Nichols celebrated celluloid comedy/drama, starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, which went on... Continue Reading →
Well, we’ve moved into a ever more uncertain political future. The General Election votes have been counted and, as twelve months ago when the UK public chose a divorce from the European Union (EU), a previously unforeseen outcome has been produced. Despite the aforementioned referendum occurring a year ago, the decree absolute between the UK... Continue Reading →
When I'm writing, I find my creative capacity diminishes as the shadows lengthen in my back garden, resulting in me rarely undertaking the pastime on an evening. The art of penmanship takes on a whole new mantle when I’m feeling jaded, introducing a latency in thought not ordinarily present prior to dejeuner. I suppose it’s only common sense that after a day of... Continue Reading →