Can You Hear Me Now?
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…)
War Baby.
“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…)
Review
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…)
Ashes to Ashes
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…)
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…)
Bobby’s Big Garden Birdwatch… Mindfully
Garden Birdwatch
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…)
Wendy’s Jumper
Bertie: “Corrr blimey. It’s bleedin taters Bobby!”
Bobby: “I know, Bertie. But at least you have a fur coat.” (more…)
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!
Let’s Have a Party
Cor blimey Bobby are you really seventy bleedin seven, or just dead?
Seventy Seven Sunset Strip
(more…)
Johnny Haynes: Captain of Fulham and England
Johnny Haynes
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…)