Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred
Whimsical observations from deep within an erratic mind
Referred to by Sir Winston Churchill as "Scotland’s greatest ever ambassador", entertainer Sir Harry Lauder passed away on this day in 1950. Born in Portobello, Edinburgh in 1870 he was the first Scottish entertainer to sell a million records and at his peak was the highest paid entertainer in the world. He started singing in... Continue Reading →
Recently, I visited York to see my son Jonny on his off day. It's always a fillip to catch up with the lad who calls me dad. He calls me some less flattering things as well, but it's best they remain within the family. We took in lunch in one of York’s many fine eateries.... Continue Reading →
“Right, then, it's Manchester United versus Spurs in this cup tie here at Old Trafford. And it's the fair-haired, slightly balding Charlton to kick off.” Words of commentary delivered with gusto by sports teacher Mr Sugden (played by the late Brian Glover) in a scene from 1970 British movie Kes. His descriptive words not only... Continue Reading →
In 1982 the British punk rock band The Clash released a single that included the lyrics:- Should I stay or should I go now? If I go there will be trouble And if I stay it will be double So you gotta let me know Should I cool it or should I blow? Should I... Continue Reading →
During a recent sampling of Facebook's fare, I was struck by the bizarre nature of some of the apps or themed postings that had rendered on my timeline. For example, I saw a posting which asked the reader to add in 'comments' the main characters name in the last TV show they'd watched. According to... Continue Reading →
It was one of the funniest scenes in arguably the best loved British comedy in the last three decades. A lovable imbecile sat in a café with his mates, basking in the glory of his recent award for saving his employers (the local council) money by using the same broom for 20 years. On cross... Continue Reading →
It was a warm Bedfordshire night on 4th July 1990. My first born child had just turned a month old and was being fed upstairs by my diminutive Mrs. I wasn't convinced pizza was suitable for a one month old, but he's got to the age of 25, so I'll begrudgingly give kudos to... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, Storm Imogen ravaged parts of England and Wales. Seeing the devastation caused by Immy on the TV news, made me ponder as to who actually names these storms. After extensive research (3 minutes on google), I found out that the Met Office and Met Eireann use an alphabetical list of monikers chosen by the... Continue Reading →
The literary icon Charles Dickens would have been 205 years old today. If he was still with us, the Hampshire born writer would have no doubt have spent a day book signing at Waterstones, prior to moving on to his local Berni Inn for a carvery with his great, great, great, grandchildren. After all that... Continue Reading →