Part of our yesterday’s celebrations for Mrs S’s birthday were a cocktail at the Liquorist bar on Greek Street, along with lunch at Gino D’Campo’s restaurant on Park Row, Leeds. For the latter we were joined by our son Jonny and his fiancée Jenny. Sitting outside the cocktail bar beneath the midday solar rays, my upbeat missus glowed with the brightness bestowed in a Mina painting. These sunbeams a magnanimous […]
Today’s the eighth birthday my diminutive wife has celebrated since her November 2010 prognosis, at the age of 44, indicating her condition would make it unlikely she’d celebrate many more 11th Junes…. Obviously, I’m paraphrasing as medical professionals would never use language as insensitive to a patient – The message though was the same. As a consequence of the incurable nature of her rancid canker, she can’t ultimately reign victorious […]
Twenty eight years ago today I became a father for the first time following my son Jonny joining the cast of this reality show called life. A rollercoaster of a gig that my boy has thus far weathered relatively well, arriving into adulthood as an engaging and grounded young man of whom I’m very proud. Never short of a whimsical putdown or a quip at his dad’s expense, Jonny is […]
On this day in mid-1960’s Kirskstall, Leeds my younger brother Ian made his appearance into the world. Born at home, our kid arrived shortly after the conclusion of the second Cassius Clay vs Sonny Liston fight. With Clay (latterly Muhammed Ali) winning by first round KO, Ian didn’t turn up on time to witness Liston being struck to the canvas by the Louisville Lip. Although I suspect, as a new-born […]
Saturday 5th May – It would have been my dad’s birthday today – The first since his passing last October. Ordinarily on this day, we’d visit him with perennial presents of a bottle of merlot, along with a CD to embellish his eclectic collection. Despite always receiving this predictable pairing of gifts, we knew we were always on safe ground when it came to the old man’s appreciation. He liked […]
Thursday 26th April – Yesterday evening, my spouse treat me to a splendid birthday curry in a Leeds city centre eatery. Joined by my son Jonny and his fiancée Jenny, we were in good company, enhancing the overall ambience of the meal. A Chicken Tikka & Garlic Balti was the aforementioned curry that spent around twenty minutes pleasuring my taste buds. An Indian dish of such wonderful piquancy I genuinely […]
Friday 25th April – My existential odyssey began on this day in the 1960’s; the location of delivery a West Yorkshire maternity home. I’ve no idea whether I arrived standard post or recorded delivery – Thankfully, though, I was a package my parents wanted so avoided having ‘Return to Sender’ stamped on my forehead. That fateful spring day I was welcomed into the bosom of a loving family. One who’d […]
