Memories of Spitalfields

Posted on 20/01/2021 By

Headshot of Bertie wearing a black cravat.

Dear Friends of Mindfully Bertie. (more…)

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Dreaming

Posted on 17/01/2021 By

Bertie: “Gor blimey, Bobby. Wednesday’s story about 2013 and the Samaritans was a bit heavy. Did it upset you writing it?”

Dreaming: Head shot of Bertie.Bobby: “Not at all Bertie. When I walked over that railway crossing with David, I knew it was an opportunity to put a couple of things straight. And also to close the book on the whole episode. (more…)

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The Railway Crossing

Posted on 13/01/2021 By

Bobby standing in the middle of the Railway Crossing looking south, towards Oakley.

Looking south towards Ockley.

The sun shone one morning in Christmas week. David came over for a socially distanced walk. Most of Bobby’s walking is in the hills. Walking from Laurel Cottage to sandy or chalky locations means Weald mud first, or a short car journey. So they decided on a local muddy walk that encompassed this railway crossing. Suddenly the memories of 2013 came flooding back. And the realisation that Bobby hadn’t walked over it since. (more…)

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Wisley Christmas Eve: Mindfully Arboretumanally

Posted on 10/01/2021 By

Mindfully Arboretumanally

Mindfully Arboretumanally: Bobby’s favourite tree.

Bobby’s favourite tree.

As Bobby struggled with the life he was leading a few years ago, he turned to mindfulness to see if that would help. It did, particularly when practised in a group of people. Some time later, he mentioned it to the Gentle Author (GA) and also that this best friend was a teddy bear called Bertie. The GA suggested it would be a good name for the stories he was contemplating writing. And Mindfully Bertie was born. (more…)

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Little Pink Book Wot’s in a Name?

Posted on 05/01/2021 By

Wot’s in a Name

Bertie sat on a tall stook with a cricket bat in front of him.

So here we are in 2021. If you got my free calendar… how lucky are you? If you didn’t, you should have answered the offer last year! Demand is increasing for this very special bit of culture. So put your name down now for 2022. (more…)

Memories    


Will the Real Alf Garnett Step Forward. Please!

Posted on 03/01/2021 By

Alf Garnett.

Bertie and Bobby, in Christmas outfits, sat on Diddley's Bench.

Bertie: “Bobby. This is my favourite place.”

Bobby: “It’s mine too, Bertie. Especially on Christmas Day morning.” (more…)

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Goodbye 2020

Posted on 30/12/2020 By

Dear Friends of Mindfully Bertie

Bertie in a Christmas Hat and wearing a glittery gold bowtie by the Christmas Tree.

On 16 March 2020, we wrote “Self Isolation Day” and published it two days later as our first mid week blog. A couple of weeks later we posted “Room 311”. This celebrated our last course with the Gentle Author in Spitalfields on 6 March. Our spiritual home. Since then, in this unforgettable year, we have posted another eighty stories. It’s a monumental achievement. In doing so, we hope we have brought a little sunshine into a world that has been relentlessly gloomy. A world full of tragedy and heartbreak. One that, as we look forward to 2021, is still full of uncertainty. So I say “Bobby… well done mate. Tim… you are a bleedin star keeping up with him and his eccentricities!”. (more…)

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Little Pink Book Family History

Posted on 27/12/2020 By

Family History

Family history photographs with a pink "Post It" note.

It’s clear looking back over so many years that facts become assumptions and can become pure fiction. Just like Chinese Whispers, I suppose. On the one hand we have the true facts, as verified by our Resident Genealogist Elizabeth. And then we fill in the gaps. Hopefully with inspired guesses, but never pure fiction. That little book clearly came to Bobby from his mother in 1953. When it only had two entries. Both poems. One by his mum Dorothy. Mrs D Ball. (more…)

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Merry Christmas 2020

Posted on 23/12/2020 By

Merry Christmas to you all from Mindfully Bertie

Merry Christmas from the Mindfully Bertie team.

We hope you like our Christmas Concert. (more…)

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Little Pink Book

Posted on 20/12/2020 By

The Little Pink Book.

Bertie: “Ere Trev. Got a job for yer. You like messing around with Bobby’s childhood junk. Here’s an unusual one… What looks like rubbish to me.”

Trevor: “Once again I must remind you, Bertie, that my name is Trevor. As voted for by one of our more sophisticated readers. Kristian in California. As with all things, one person’s junk is another’s treasure trove of memories. This tiny grubby little book does, I admit, look very unpromising. But who knows what may be within it. We shall see… (more…)

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