It’s day one of England’s second lockdown. I’m pleased to report the initial hours of life under more stringent government edicts have proved fruitful for GJ Strachan. It’s just gone 11am and already I’ve pencil drawn a caricature, completed the re-arranging of the dining room furniture, along with emptying a cabinet containing many old curios,…
Tag: memories
Personalised Craftwork
This morning, I spent time online creating bespoke 2021 calendars for family and friends. This spontaneous fit of craftwork producing an A4 size almanac containing one of my caricatures for each of the twelve months of 2021. So, as a Christmas gift, eight ‘lucky’ family members and/or buddies will receive a year long reminder that…
Something Simple
This morning, I awoke in fairly decent spirits, borne from a scene of autumnal West Yorkshire sunshine. This verve augmented by waking to recollections of yesterday’s impressive performances from my sporting amours Leeds Rhinos and Leeds United. The former beating Wigan 26-12 to reach the 2020 rugby league Challenge Cup Final against Salford, at Wembley….
Triggers
I’ve recently returned from watching an under-16 football match between my new locale Tingley and former manor Colton. A spontaneous decision resulting in a couple of hours where I got to meet up with my Colton based buddy Mike. He in attendance to watch son Sam, who plays as a midfielder for the away side….
Surprise For The Birthday Girl
Yesterday afternoon, family and friends gathered at a local social club for my mum’s surprise 80th birthday party. Upon entering the event room, filled with almost thirty family and friends, her arrival was greeted with a hearty yell of “Surprise!!”, Her awareness of the ruse led Maggie to look deeply moved. After the initial euphoria’d…
Unlikely Bringer of Joy
Yesterday, the middle-age domain, which’s been my fixed abode since 2013 when first able to tell the difference between a rhododendron and an azalea, witnessed yours truly bed even further into midlife. A realm of unfeasibly long nasal and ear hair and unshakeable redolence of TCP. The realisation of further familiarity to this segment of…
Comienza El Autobus!
“Start the bus”, or “Comienza el autobus” as team coach Marcello Bielsa may exclaim. Whisper it quietly but, following a torrid sixteen year absence from the Premiership, Leeds United are back!…… They promise to wipe their feet prior to entering the footballing promised land; and hopefully a few of the West Yorkshire club’s opponents. Prior…
Big Jack
Saturday reveille brought in it’s wake the melancholic news another of my boyhood footballing idols had passed. Jack Charlton becoming the third Leeds United legend to’ve died in just a matter of months. The one club footballer, who for nigh on two decades represented the club with distinction in on over 700 games, joining recently…
“Time!”
According to BBC News, some UK pubs are already calling “Time gentleman, please!”, closing back down only days after lockdown easing allowed their re-opening. The move consequential from drinkers at those establishments testing positive for COVID, along with fears revellers were disregarding social distancing edicts. The affected boozers, which form only a very small proportion of…