When I was at University in Sheffield I was at one point desperate to move out of my Hall of Residence, Ranmoor House, newly built for 600 students of both sexes, intangibly separated by corridors and staircases, and doubling as a conference centre in the holidays. It was luxurious, warm (central heating that worked, windows […]Read Post ›
These days going abroad should be easy. But the pandemic has for me at least put back all the stress possible into going abroad, what with all the paperwork, testing etc etc. Having sorted all that out, the rest of the stress that I suffered last week was largely my own fault. Did I check […]Read Post ›
Last Tuesday I woke up thinking how uneventful my life has become. I had my breakfast, did a little light housework – very light indeed to be honest- and searched for my book. Never got round to reading it because my husband decided that his detached retina had reattached itself sufficiently for us to risk […]Read Post ›
A date to remember, especially today. Actually I had to look it up because I have spent a number of years trying to forget it as it was one of the worst days of my life. Unusual perhaps but I really was not interested in 22 men chasing after a ball for a couple of […]Read Post ›
What’s with the alliteration? Well sometimes you just want to play. when things suddenly go well., then all sorts of things loosen up. Language, laughter, life. Oops! Here I go again. Last week was one that I shall never forget. Friday 18th June was pleasant enough in an anticipatory sort of way because the next […]Read Post ›
I am not a natural camper. I can count the number of times I have attempted this activity on the fingers of one hand. (I’m not counting the outrageously luxurious glamming I have enjoyed in Uganda and Tanzania.) just the times I have agreed to sleep in a tent. Or even in a car. The […]Read Post ›
This little table was already old when I got it when I was a little girl. My mother used to take in the occasional lodger or paying guest, and I used to love them all as they were a very welcome break from my rather solitary not to say lonely existence. I was very shy […]Read Post ›
or: The asexual reproduction of plants. Miss Power was probably the least well-named teacher we ever had. Beige in dress, including the long bloomers she used to wear under her skirt (we could see whenever she sat at the desk on the dais, legs comfortably, yet still modestly, apart) and somewhat beige in personality. Certainly […]Read Post ›
This is not a picture of Mother Mary Gabriel or Reverend Mother as she was known, because I could not easily find one of her today. It is however a painting of her predecessor, the founder of the Convent, sister Mary Tredway. The habit is similar but there the resemblance ends, as M M Gabriel […]Read Post ›
For To S I’ve been sorting through a lot of things recently, boxes of photos and old papers mainly and I’ve been having a wonderful time. Yesterday I hit a certain jackpot, because I found a box of very special papers, mainly from my first year at university, 1972/3. I arrived in Sheffield in October […]Read Post ›
Life Through Basia's Eyes 