Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred
Whimsical observations from deep within an erratic mind
Aside from the health issues of two of my close family members, one of the most challenging parts of my existence over winter is not being able to get into my garden. With the therapeutic qualities of a spa visit without the overpowering aroma of lavender, unless of course you have a lavender plant in... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, I spent a few cordial hours in the south west of our bustling metropolis when I visited the White Rose Shopping Centre. I didn’t venture there with any agenda other than the provision of a lift for family members, resulting in spending most of my time dans les magasins dawdling aimlessly amongst the aisles. For a brief period, I... Continue Reading →
Yesterday afternoon, a family friend carried out maintenance work on my car's wheel bearings. He’s a very amiable guy, however I’m not sure why he undertook this work as there was nothing wrong with the wheel bearings. Not to mention he's a hairdresser with no mechanical skills! As he's keen to upskill his engineering skills, and as this tale is partly fictional, I decided that as long as... Continue Reading →
While opening door number 14 on the Strachan advent calendar this morning, something suddenly struck me....... The bloody holly wreath above the fireplace landed on my head! Thankfully it's predominantly plastic so the damage was minimal...... Incidentally, that's the bells on the wreath not my head! I took a valuable lesson from this minor incident. That being a blob of Blu... Continue Reading →
I was reminded earlier, during a visit to the social networking wonderland of Facebook, that on this day a year ago I took a train journey up to Newcastle for a Christmas night with friends in the north east. This gentle memory jog transported me back to that rainy north east break, in the company of amiable bunch of guys who... Continue Reading →
“When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed....... They're not laughing now.” So mused the late, great British comedian Bob Monkhouse. I thought of this joke as I rolled out of bed this morning. I was still half asleep and shortly to trip over the boxer shorts I’d carelessly discarded the previous evening.... Continue Reading →
It’s Halloween, or “A neet fir scraggsers and kets” as an elderly acquaintance bafflingly labels it. A night where ancient pagan liturgy meets with the contemporary ritual of sugar fuelled kids in scary costume. This evening in various parts of the globe, homes will ring to the annual sound of millions of doorbells and cries of ‘Trick... Continue Reading →
I’m fairly pragmatic about the whole Brexit debacle. Like with most things political, the bar for my expectations of our elected representatives behaviour, integrity and capability isn't set that high. Although often saddened, I’m rarely surprised by a tawdry act or misleading comment from the custodians of our bills and legislation. A point graphically borne out with... Continue Reading →
When English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote the adage ‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ he had little idea of how this line would evolve into a much used maxim over nearly two centuries of creative culture. Since it’s introduction in Bulwer-Lytton’s 1839 play Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy, the phrase, advocating disputes can be resolved by erudite... Continue Reading →