“Alexa, play Classic FM”So begins our breakfast on most days, and I mention it because it exemplifies the valuable contribution that classical music has on one’s mood. It can lift one up (Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams), or bring one down (Mars from the Planet Suite by Gustav Holst). I also mention the ubiquitous AlexaContinue reading “Blog 46. Is this a true likeness of Jane Shacklepin?”
Author Archives: Commander Shacklepin
Blog 45. Now who will be The One?
She has confiscated the remote control. I don’t mean the remote control that guides me down the stairs to make the tea while half asleep every morning, I mean The remote control: the one for the television. I am bereft. The remote control for the television has always been placed on the left arm ofContinue reading “Blog 45. Now who will be The One?”
Blog 44. Ease springs on Monday?
“What are you wearing?”, she called up the stairs.My naturally fertile imagination immediately added up two and two to make five: at last, my ship had come in. Had the woman gone mad? Was there some fruity article in that Women’s Institute Magazine that had dropped through the letterbox yesterday? I pondered rapidly on aContinue reading “Blog 44. Ease springs on Monday?”
Blog 43 Maybe five weeks in?
“Heave ho, heave ho, lash up and stow! Come along, golden girl, show a leg!”Thus, I dragged Mrs Shacklepin from the arms of morpheus at the unbelievably shocking time of 0820 this morning. I did soften the blow with a hot cup of tea, though she fell asleep again and let it go cold. ItContinue reading “Blog 43 Maybe five weeks in?”
Blog 42. And no idea how many weeks to go
“Covid deaths in UK 429 in the last 24 hours”, screamed the headlines in Apple News at the weekend (I gave up reading the BBC News some time ago in order to keep my blood pressure down). What the headline and follow-up did not say was that the number of deaths was 36% down onContinue reading “Blog 42. And no idea how many weeks to go”
Blog 41. And yet another three weeks to go…
Spring has come to England. I cannot comment on Scotland or the rest of the UK. After two days of rain, which has brought up the garden beautifully, we have returned to lovely sunshine and mild temperatures. It is cool in the shade, but pleasant out of it. The weather has been somewhat fickle. BeforeContinue reading “Blog 41. And yet another three weeks to go…”
Blog 40. Four Weeks in and beginning to get restless now.
I first became aware of a problem when Jane gave a lee lurch and listed over to starboard, like a frigate over-pressed with sail caught in a squall. Confirmation was received when she then heeled over to port after bouncing off the dressing table, and flopped onto the bed. Clearly, she was either in aContinue reading “Blog 40. Four Weeks in and beginning to get restless now.”
Blog 39. Three (and a half) Weeks In
“Hell is other people”. So wrote Sartre in his play of 1943. Philosophy is not my forte, but If I were writing an update in 2020 I would write, “Hell is other people and their blasted noise”. Here we are in enforced lockdown in a beautifully warm and sunny Easter weekend, trying to enjoy theContinue reading “Blog 39. Three (and a half) Weeks In”
Blog 38. Three Weeks In
Well, as the title says, here we are three weeks in and still hanging on. And I am embarrassed to say that, frankly, for us, it hasn’t been that hard. There has been a certain freedom in having no commitments each day: nothing planned, no entertaining, no visits to Marks & Spencer, not spending money,Continue reading “Blog 38. Three Weeks In”
Blog 37. Two Weeks In
Week Two of Twelve is nearly over and things seem to have settled down a bit here now. The supermarkets are quiet and almost normal (still no flour though). Isolation continues, but that has been no hardship for us. It is debatable whether a point of inflexion has yet been reached on the UK’s CV19 death curve, butContinue reading “Blog 37. Two Weeks In”
"A Very Vintage Chap..." 