When rendered creatively impotent, I occasionally endeavour to fill the chaste pages of my journals by recollecting tales of family folklore. Sharing with readers yarns which over the passage of time will have been embellished by various familial sources.  Like clan members before me, I’m equally guilty of using artistic licence to augment fictional elements.... Continue Reading →

Yesterday was ‘World Mental Health Day’. Twenty-four hours designed to raise cognitive impairment awareness, educating the inflicted they are not alone, and most importantly urging sufferers not to agonise in silence. Sure, with counselling resources stretched, attaining the professional help aimed at countering cankers of the mind may not be immediately forthcoming. However, we should... Continue Reading →

Scene - Early autumn sunshine dissects a mature wooded area aside a north Leeds parkland lake. Almost three years to the day since our mother’s passing, with solar rays peeping through trees bathing our faces with a pleasing warmth, my brother Ian and I stand tentatively among the waterside woods. Her eldest two offspring preparing... Continue Reading →

Torrid West Yorkshire rainfall greeted tired eyes when looking out of my bedroom window upon waking. However, I resolved not to get too downhearted at this sight. Instead using prevailing weather conditions as a motivating tool for me to put pen to paper. After all, why would I want to wander out in this meteorological... Continue Reading →

Although ordinarily enjoying, not to mention thriving in, my own company, recently I’ve concluded I spend an unhealthy amount of time on my own. Despite my social media posts perhaps hinting I enjoy a full and fun-packed life with numerous like-minded reprobates, in reality I spend a detrimental portion of my day alone. Incidentally, the... Continue Reading →

It's Friday the 13th today. A day folklore suggests one might endure poor fortune, along with chance of bumping into a hockey mask wearing Jason Voorhees and his chainsaw, Frank. Episodes of bad luck which, if old wife’s tale bear a shred of truth, can be warded off by carrying around a rabbit's foot or... Continue Reading →

I’ve been inflicted with back pain since after suffering a freak accident erecting my campervan awning last Friday. To clarify, freak accident relates to the event causing the injury, not that the mishap happened to somebody who’s a freak… Although then again! Yours truly royally ricking my lower lumbar area whilst inflating the camping accessory’s... Continue Reading →

Always endeavouring to brighten my readership’s day, I thought I'd commence this piece litteraire with a random joke. A whizzbang I thought I’d procure with a little help from Amazon Alexa's (AA). Sadly, the cloud-based AI assistant wasn't very forthcoming upon hearing the request. Her polite, soft tones almost apologetically informing me she was unable... Continue Reading →