Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred
Whimsical observations from deep within an erratic mind
I'm accompanied by the orchestral caterwauling of various workmen outside of my apartment as I commence this journal. The culprits of this disagreeable soundscape a bunch of high visibility vested fellas seemingly intent on distracting me from the literary task at hand... Well, if truth be told, although these highlighter pen lookalikes are quite vocal,... Continue Reading →
On Friday lunchtime I stood proudly as part of a voluntary team collecting on behalf of 2022's Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal. My second voluntary role of the year (I'd undertaken a similar role the previous week) a brio augmenting episode made even more worthwhile by the magnanimous patrons of Morrisons supermarket, Morley. I've not... Continue Reading →
Thursday morning witnessed an early start for yours truly - Commencing when my phone alarm proffered a dream shattering cacophony, causing me to franctically search for the device's snooze button. Initially, with hand flaling floorward, it was actually my jeans I pressed in my disorientated state of reveille. Unsurprisingly, that didn't negate the alarm's din... Continue Reading →
This morning, I spent a couple of hours as part of a fundraising team representing the Marie Curie organisation. Our locale Leeds city centre, our voluntary remit to appeal to the benevolence of Morrisons supermarket customers, Merrion Shopping Centre in situ. The journey almost starting dramatically when, while waiting for a bus on Selby Road,... Continue Reading →
I've just got back from collecting for Marie Curie Cancer Care in Leeds city centre. The location for this charitable work was the atrium at the Bridgewater Place office complex; which the morning was officially recorded as 9 on the Carol Kirkwood Effing Freezing Scale...... Bearing in mind the scale only goes up to 5, it gives an indication into how chuffing... Continue Reading →
In times of seemingly endless negative and disturbing news stories, escalating worldwide political/religious tensions, enduring personal family issues and my en suite light fitting breaking, seeking a pastime to raise the spirits becomes one of life's necessities. With this in mind, not to mention a desire to ‘give something back’ for the treatment and support... Continue Reading →
“Thanks for what you’re doing.” Five shorts words (six if you count you’re as you are) that a supermarket customer felt compelled to convey to me yesterday. A short sentence of appreciation bestowed while donating to the cancer care charity I was stood collecting for. It wasn't the most eloquent sentence I'd ever been... Continue Reading →
It was a dark unforgiving Lancastrian afternoon. In a scene not too dissimilar to Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson's farewell in the 1945 movie Brief Encounter, an enamoured couple stood on the platform at Manchester Piccadilly railway station. In a matter of minutes the train would leave to distant parts. Tears welled in their ever... Continue Reading →
I’ve just spent two hours dressed in a yellow tabard, wearing a huge daffodil on my head and with a box around my neck containing daffodil lapel pins. To clarify, when I say I had a huge daff on my head I mean a hat in that design, not that I have a yellow flower... Continue Reading →