Can You Hear Me Now?

Posted on 24/02/2021 By

Can you hear me now? Bertie waving headphones.There was a time when we rode on trains. Travelled to Farringdon on Thameslink. Looked out the window mindfully into people’s private lives. Compared how green some people’s lawns were. Wondered at the impressive history of Farringdon Station. Walked through Clerkenwell to Islington. (more…)

MemoriesMindfulness    


War Baby.

Posted on 21/02/2021 By

Bertie sat down, wearing a black cravat.“Bobby was a War Baby. That’s why his ears stick out.”

So said his Mum Dorothy many times over her lifetime with Bobby. She rarely mentioned the war at all otherwise. Nor did Sid. His Dad.

This soul searching all started with an interesting post on Sutton and Cheam History Group. Bobby always intended to write it up as a very interesting but short story. Then promptly lost it. There are a number of stories in the pending tray like that. It resurfaced on the History Group last week and he was determined this time to feature it. (more…)

Memories    


Review

Posted on 17/02/2021 By

Review: Bertie sat down, wearing a black cravat.Bertie: “Cor blimey Bobby, this pandemic seems to be going on forever. ‘Abnormal’ is becoming the norm. At the beginning of the first lockdown, we were immediately conscious of time on our hands. Time for us at Mindfully Bertie (Technical Director Tim might disagree) and time for many of our readers.” (more…)

DiddleyMemories    


Ashes to Ashes

Posted on 15/02/2021 By

Bertie in a hide at Slimbridge over looking the River Severn Estuary.

The Severn Estuary at Slimbridge.

It was the 15 February 1999. The light was starting to fade across the Severn Estuary. A middle aged couple were sitting alone in a bird hide at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire. Watching the scene developing in front of them as wild Ducks, Geese and Swans descended upon the lake in front of the hide. They were there to find find safety and food for the night ahead. The birds that is. The man knelt down before the lady on one knee and said… (more…)

AnniversarysCotswoldsCountrysideDiddleyMemories    


Siskin

Posted on 10/02/2021 By

Siskin.

Siskin.

Bobby’s interest in birds started in Ridge Road Library, North Cheam. One miserable winter, he caught flu quite badly and was off school for a while. Once he started to recover, he revelled in this little, long since gone library. One day he borrowed ‘The Birds of London’. He was amazed by the revelations in this book and by the birds that have been officially recorded within London’s boundaries. Bearing in mind he lived in North Cheam, later a Greater London Borough. The most startling fact of all, and one that has been endlessly repeated given his love of the Pembrokeshire Islands, is this… (more…)

MemoriesPSWildlife    


Bobby’s Big Garden Birdwatch… Mindfully

Posted on 07/02/2021 By

Garden Birdwatch

RSPB logo: "Giving Nature a Home".

Each year, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) organises the Big Garden Birdwatch. Always the last weekend in January, we take part and send our results to the RSPB on their dedicated website. A few months later they publish the results. A lot of the 2020 story is covered in our Breakfast Birdwatch blog. (more…)

GardensMindfulnessPSTrees and Nature    


Wendy’s Jumper

Posted on 03/02/2021 By

Bertie sat on Wendy's Jumper, knitted brown with cable patterning, on a hanger. The sleeves are wrapped around Bertie.

Bertie: “Corrr blimey. It’s bleedin taters Bobby!”

Bobby: “I know, Bertie. But at least you have a fur coat.” (more…)

MemoriesShort Stories    


We all have one.

Posted on 29/01/2021 By

Headshot of Bertie wearing a black cravat. Blog: We all have one.This week we are delighted to welcome back our visiting contributor Andrew with a short story about life.

We all have one!

(more…)

Guest WriterPSShort Stories    


Let’s Have a Party

Posted on 27/01/2021 By

Bertie looking at Bobby asleep in bed.

Cor blimey Bobby are you really seventy bleedin seven, or just dead?

Seventy Seven Sunset Strip

video

play-rounded-fill play-rounded-outline play-sharp-fill play-sharp-outline
pause-sharp-outline pause-sharp-fill pause-rounded-outline pause-rounded-fill
00:00
(more…)

Birthday    


Johnny Haynes: Captain of Fulham and England

Posted on 24/01/2021 By

Johnny Haynes

Bertie wearing his black and white Fulham scarf.

Bobby: “I am a writer. Good, bad, indifferent, rubbish, eloquent. I write and am, therefore, a writer. When I see other writing that inspires me, I don’t think ‘I wish I could write like that’ because maybe I already do. (more…)

FootballMemories