Life
Homage to Hobbiton
Sarehole Mill is four miles south of the centre of Birmingham. If this were a fairy tale, and it should…
Are the Red Roses due a routing?
England’s preparation for the upcoming rugby World Cup is beginning to look like a slow-motion car crash, after two pathetic…
Who fact checks the fact-checkers?
Last week, a retired physics professor called Nick Cowern said it was time to get tough with ‘climate denialists’. ‘In…
Real life
‘What a worry the Ulez must be for you both,’ said a friend with a nod to the pick-up truck…
High life
On board Aello She was built in 1921, a beautiful wooden ketch that is as graceful to look at…
Aussie life
‘Senior moment’, being an affectionate descriptor for the kind of harmless temporary memory failure which presages more serious cognitive decline,…
Language
The Albanese government has established a ‘Makarrata Commission’ with a budget of $5.8 million dollars. So, what is this word…
Chamber music
In Competition No. 3311, you were invited to submit a song suitable for inclusion in a parliamentary songbook. In an…
Port sunset
I once drank some excellent port at Ted Heath’s table. The invitation came as a surprise, but it almost certainly…
Dear Mary
Q. I have a public profile and have always looked after my personal presentation, but my identical twin has never…
Megan Rapinoe’s comeuppance
I’m loath to write about the current Fifa World Cup because criticising women’s football is textbook ‘misogyny’ – at least,…
Stop HS2 – I want to get off
I have two suggestions for HS2. Either stop it or make it stop. The spiralling cost and delays are reason enough…
The turf
On no course in Britain does jockeyship count for more than at undulating, tricksy Goodwood and although Frankie Dettori was…
Real life
‘Come on, let’s get a move on with filling in all the forms and we could have this done and…
