So there I was. 10 years old and I’m sat there in the back of an aging Ford Mondeo with Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall... We’d been in the car for around 10 hours, with plenty more road left ahead of us, but the guys were diligently taking it in... Continue Reading →
I knew that I had made a terrible mistake when I realised that my eyeballs had started to sweat... Of course, years later, my wife would try to have me believe that the beads of precipitation streaming down my cheeks at an alarming rate were actually tears. I’ll leave you to be the judge of... Continue Reading →
I remember there being a time that I was only really aware of there being one ‘6 O’clock’ in the day... And let me assure you that it was very much the ‘6 O’clock’ that arrives later in the day, strategically placed within the window of ‘Happy Hour’! A ‘Happy Hour’ that was ironically partly... Continue Reading →
Quite how we weren’t both covered in each other’s vomit I have no idea! Wait. That’s a weird way to start...Let me go back a bit. I guess I’ve always had something of an adventurous spirit, with a penchant for exploring the more usual and a persuasion for activities of the adrenaline inducing kind. And... Continue Reading →
‘For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Tom - Matt’s bigger, little brother!’...cue laughter. Dammit. I’ve got to hand it to him, that was a strong first line and a rapturous reaction. The sort of opening gambit that would ensure his audience would pretty soon be eating out of his hands, willing him... Continue Reading →
We were in close proximity, and engaged in a standoff that had been waged more times than I cared to remember. And as the war of words continued, locked in a battle of who could hold their nerve the longest, I knew I was going to lose my bottle... And I mean that in the... Continue Reading →
If you’re anything like me, the activity of recycling comes hand in hand with the daily debate of ‘...wait. Is this thing even recyclable?!’... It’s a moment of blind panic that quickly subsides as I remind myself that, yes, of course glass bottles are recyclable! (empties being somewhat a hazard of the trade I’m afraid).... Continue Reading →
Life is very seldom black and white. And perhaps that’s never been more true than at the current time of writing, with Coronavirus in full swing. You could say that living in the grey is proving to be more than a little...unique. But if there’s one thing that unique times call for, it’s an equally... Continue Reading →
And just like that, completely unexpectedly, she announced it was over. I was devastated. At ‘19’ I knew that I liked her. At ‘21’, I was in love. And by the time we got to ‘25’ we had decided to set a date! I felt like the luckiest guy in the world. The venue was... Continue Reading →
‘But Pink is a manly colour!’ she protested, the frustration and sheer exasperation starting to show, as the debate raged on. The battle lines had been drawn... It was the very early 1990’s, and I was around 8 years old. And the subject of this heated exchange? A pink coat. More specifically, MY pink coat.... Continue Reading →
The Gin Shelf 
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