Old times

I had a call with a client today which reminded me rather of my old work at a university, where I became an expert in helpfulness with a soupcon of flattery for some, to get what I needed out of them. A useful skill but a tiresome one. It was a sunny afternoon and tomorrow […]

Mounting rage

There is certainly mounting rage about this football super league business, I can’t imagine they’ll go through with it. It was a busy working day – started before nine and I had my head down till past 10. A strange and terrible leak started up in the ceiling of the bathroom and has splattered everywhere, […]

Paths through the back

After a Turkish breakfast we took the barge across the river and went out through the back of the other hotel. Here we came straight into fields and farms, though still with signs of construction which makes me think that Agva will not be as pleasant a couple of years from now and it is […]

Cosmic significance

I was on my own for dinner today, as there were only enough leftovers for the GF. I ordered in a yaprak ciger, and I must say, it cheered me up quite thoroughly. Such a pleasant change. Other than that it’s been another long working day. The GF is a bit under the weather, and […]

Exposure

The comic formerly on this website has appeared, in bowdlerised form and under another title, in the magazine. I daresay the original version will appear in my postmortem collected works, a slim volume but one offering great delight. I was rather on edge about this comic. I objected to having to tone it down, as […]

Suspicious happenings in the English countryside

An elderly millionaire baronet has been found stabbed to death in his country house in Dorset. A suspect has been taken into custody driving furiously through Hammersmith. A four foot long rabbit – which is also suspiciously long-lived – has been stolen from its Worcestershire kennel, but a pet detective is hot on its trail. […]

Drums in the distance

It is the first of Ramazan and I am working late into the night. Outside, drums are playing and a man is chanting or singing to wake people for sehri. Distance is more alliterative than accurate, as he is standing under our window. It seems rather early to me, as it is not yet 2 […]