In British Commonwealth service, the White Scout Car was regarded more as an armored truck, reflected in the designation “Truck, 15cwt, 4×4, Armoured Personnel”, and was used in a variety of secondary roles, being issued to engineer, artillery (as an observation vehicle for field artillery observers) medical (as a protected ambulance) and signals units; within […]Read Post ›
I was in West Kensington the other day and suddenly I was five again and going to school for the first time. Actually, maybe not the first day, as the routine had been established. I was holding my grandmother’s hand. We would play word games on the way. I must have been able to read, […]Read Post ›
wersja poprawiona Dzisiaj pożegnaliśmy niezwykłą osobę. Czerwony acer powyżej jest stałym przypomnieniem naszej przyjaźni. Kiedy poznałam Marysię i jej siostrę Annę, obie miały włosy w kolorze tego drzewa. Podobnie jak Ania z Zielonego Wzgórza, obie stały się moimi bohaterkami, ze względu na swoją żywiołowość, niekonwencjonalność i zadziorną inteligencję, która przejawiała się w moich oczach poprzez […]Read Post ›
Today we said our final goodbye to an extraordinary person. The red acer above is a constant reminder of our friendship. When I met Marysia and her sister Anna they both had hair the colour of this tree. Like Anne of Green Gables they both became my heroines, for their vibrancy, unconventionality and fierce intelligence […]Read Post ›
In 1981 I left my first “proper” job in order to become the perfect mother. No short term maternity leave for me, thank you very much. I was going to embrace the whole housewifely motherhood vibe wholeheartedly. Come to think of it, Surrey county council did actually offer to pay me two months salary if […]Read Post ›
The photographs here are all of statues and sculptures I liked for their sinuous forms. I just wanted to reach out and stroke and touch. Couldn’t of course. But it was pleasant just to linger and look.
Christmas 2012 John pulling a cracker with “Magick” I first met John in 1992 in the grand educational establishment that was known as Walford High School. Set in the westernmost part of London, not the east end as you might expect, it was in many ways a nightmare of a school, but as a source […]Read Post ›
A few weeks ago my best friend’s brother died. He was also my husband’s cousin, and I’ve written about Tom before, I think. It was sudden, and shocking, and extremely sad. Tributes and memories poured in and many people came to the funeral. Including Tom’s childhood friends and members of his group, Just an Odd […]Read Post ›
Who was Roy Kerridge? I found this letter from 1985. I must have written to him at the Spectator. I must have sent him a cheque. But why? Who are these people he is writing about. I did find an obituary of him which makes for interesting reading. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2020/04/17/roy-kerridge-writer-chronicled-colourful-eccentric-byways-british/ He never did write back to […]Read Post ›
Happy Birthday. 8 May I interviewed this beautiful woman a couple of years ago for an entry in the souvenir programme of the polish Jubilee Ball. As it is her birthday today I thought I would share the article with you. She was such a delight to talk to, as she gave me tea in […]Read Post ›
Life Through Basia's Eyes 