My Story
Recent Articles
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An Excerpt from my Diary: Foraging in the Dolomites
The stunning Brenta Dolomites and the excellent Hotel Lorenzetti in the Mountain resort of Madonna di Campiglio draw me back year after year. I never tire of the spectacular mountain scenery, the wonderful walks and the diverse events that are staged there. This visit I enjoy a new experience,…
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An Excerpt from my Diary: 24 Hours on Brownsea Island
One of the shifts I do as a volunteer on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour is the out of hours’ warden. As it involves an evening patrol and being available in case of problems on the Brownsea Island campsite I stay overnight stay in a cottage on the island. It is a great opportunity to explore this…
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An Excerpt from my Diary: Winchester, Uppark and Emsworth
Winchester and Emsworth in Hampshire and Uppark House and Gardens in West Sussex are the highlight of a weekend staycation. It is so good not to be restricted by measures introduced to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. A shadow hangs over us once more as news breaks regarding the experts’ opinion…
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Extract from my Diary: My Platinum Jubilee Weekend
It is the first weekend in June 2022 and a two-day bank holiday, Thursday and Friday, to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II to celebrate an unprecedented seventy years on the throne. Celebrations take place all over England from local street parties to a very special Trooping the…
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Life During a Coronavirus Pandemic: Week 113 Moving On
It is week 113 of the coronavirus pandemic and it will be the last instalment of my coronavirus diary as daily life approaches normality in the UK. There are still pockets of COVID-19 in the world, notably North Korea, and still the risk there will be another global outbreak. Hopefully, the virus…
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Life During a Coronavirus Pandemic: Week 112 Planning a Move
My coronavirus diary for week 112 of the coronavirus pandemic records the news that there are two new COVID-19 hotspots – New Zealand and North Korea. The latter is centred on an outbreak of omicron cases in the capital, Pyongyang. It is the first time this country has admitted the virus has…
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Life During a Coronavirus Pandemic: Week 111 Brownsea Island
In my coronavirus diary for week 111 of the coronavirus pandemic there is very little about COVID-19 as the news is mainly about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rapidly rising cost of living in England. Covid, we are told, will soon be treated like a common cold – unless a new, stronger…
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Life During a Coronavirus Pandemic: Week 110 Tenerife North
During week 110 of the coronavirus pandemic China’s zero Covid cases policy is severely tested as the country suffers another outbreak of the virus in Beijing and Shanghai. In England we are told the coronavirus is no more serious than a cold now – provided a new, stronger variant does not break…
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Life During a Coronavirus Pandemic: Week 109 Tenerife South
It is week 109 of the coronavirus pandemic and I answer a request for volunteers at one of the local vaccination hubs now giving a fourth jab to the over 75s, the immune suppressed and also a surprising number of first and second jabs for protection against COVID. At the end of this week I am off…
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Life During a Coronavirus Pandemic: Week 108 Somerset
We celebrate Easter during week 108 of the coronavirus pandemic but COVID continues to affect international travel despite the lifting of restrictions. The continuing high number of new infections causing staff absences across the industry and the reduction of work forces during lockdown are…
