Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred
Whimsical observations from deep within an erratic mind
“We dreamers have our ways Of facing rainy days And somehow we survive….. “ Those first three lines of lyrics from Barry Manilow’s song ‘I Made It Through The Rain’ sprung to mind yesterday during a discussion with my wife on her 50th Birthday. The words made an unscheduled cranial visit while we discussed the... Continue Reading →
We are on countdown this week dans la maison Strachan in the run up to Karen’s 50th birthday on Saturday. Incidentally, when I say we are on countdown, I’m not referring to making an appearance on the Channel 4 quiz that tests numeric and word dexterity (that would start with a capital C). I allude to... Continue Reading →
We had an early reveille this morning, as consequence of my wife Karen's appointment at a health centre in Leeds. Despite the unforgiving chill of the Spring breeze, it was heartening to see the sun shine with an enthusiasm not seen of late. Sitting in the waiting room, I looked out from a lofted view... Continue Reading →
“Ok then sir, what’s it to be? A beard trim or a full cutthroat shave?” I was asked by the guy with the ruddy complexion in sinister gravelled tones. There was something deeply unsettling about the way he spoke, not to mention the haphazard manner I’d seen him wielded the razor sharp tools of his... Continue Reading →
Today is Karen's second hospital appointment of the week; on this occasion for the receipt of ongoing monthly treatment. After over five years, she's become so familiar to receptionists and nurses, they greet my spouse by first name........ Or they would if her name was Arnold. Seriously though, the engaging manner of nursing staff at... Continue Reading →
Yesterday morning I got a surprise when arriving at the breakfast table to be greeted with a smile and a cordial “Hello!” from my diminutive other half. The surprise wasn’t the cordiality of Karen’s greeting, moreover the fact we had a kitchen table. We certainly didn’t have when I retired to bed the previous evening!... Continue Reading →
Recently an acquaintance relayed an assumption they'd formed about relationships, in particular those where one party suffered from terminal illness. They opined, that under those circumstances the partnership would be one of unrelenting cordiality. After all your relationship together is on borrowed time; how could you possibly argue anymore? Their presumption being, despite the patient and... Continue Reading →
I’m in a high state of alert sitting penning this prose. Yours truly is under strict orders from my daughter Rachel not to move from the living room of maison de Strachan while she's at work - A consequence of the expected arrival of an urgent package I'm required to sign for on behalf of... Continue Reading →
In the 1970’s BBC sitcom The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin, his workplace quack Doc Morrissey would frequently confess to his patients he hadn’t a clue what was wrong with them, before prescribing aspirin and an assurance of its curing qualities. It seems to me this incompetent general practitioner’s quackery has a far more... Continue Reading →