Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred
Whimsical observations from deep within an erratic mind
Summer evenings don't get much better than a tea of fish and chips from St Michael's Fisheries, then a short meander down the road to the Emerald Headingley Stadium to witness a t20 Blast cricket match. A scene that, in the company of my son Jonny, came to pass yesterday afternoon. In my book, a... Continue Reading →
I was amongst the crowd at Emerald Headingley Stadium yesterday evening. Along with the other spectators, my mission, should I choose to accept it (which I did), was to witness the safe return of two T20 blast points by the Yorkshire Vikings cricket team. Barring the Tykes path a dangerous nemesis who'd ventured north to... Continue Reading →
As I commence this offering, I'm sitting in what's classed as the Popular Enclosure at Emerald Headingley cricket stadium. In the absence of my laptop, I'm typing this narrative on my mobile phone - An onerous task but not as difficult as, say, writing this with a leadless pencil, or Cheesestrings***. *** - Other processed cheese... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
One of the pages within my website menu is Cricketing Yarns. A literary portal containing a series of partly fictional and unreliable tales from my club cricketing career. Although now retired, I played club cricket in Gateshead, Buckinghamshire and Leeds for over 30 years. An odyssey that started when one of my neighbours (Brian Dixon)... Continue Reading →
Wednesday 9th May - Yesterday I received an unexpected comment in response to a picture I recently shared on Instagram. The photo in question containing three Strachan males (my son Jonny, brother Ian and me) donning flat caps on a recent visit to the memorial garden at Headingley cricket ground. Appearing like an amalgam of... Continue Reading →
Friday 27th April - This morning, grey clouds and precipitation enveloped the Leeds 6 area. Unwelcome meteorological conditions greeting my family and me as we stood by the Headingley Stadium memorial garden. Our mission in the moisture to scatter the remnants of my fathers ashes. His final resting place located behind the imposing East Stand... Continue Reading →
Saturday 21st April - Yesterday, a scattering of my dad's ashes were mixed with the potting compost of two azaleas bought in his memory. A big fan of the shrubs that thrive in acidic soil, we thought it a fitting tribute for our late family head. My siblings and mother plan a similar homage to... Continue Reading →
Yesterday in Off Spinning In His Grave I wrote of Australian cricket ball tampering scandal, along with a brief period in the 1990's playing for Great Missenden CC (GMCC). Things have got even messier for the Aussie cricket team over the last 24 hours after press accusations of misdemeanours during winter's Ashes series against England......... Apparently,... Continue Reading →