This is one of my favourite photos of my stepfather, my mother’s second husband. I have written about him before, but as today would have been his 93rd birthday I thought I would celebrate it a bit, and show you one or two things that I have found. The photo is one of two portraits […]Read Post ›
This is a letter from a Dominican father from near the front line of the war. it’s harrowing but uplifting. Dear Sisters, Dear Brothers, After this morning’s Mass, I asked the Sisters of the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa of Calcutta about how they look to the future. “I have thought about this several […]Read Post ›
I haven’t posted for a while, but I wanted to share this delightful little tale with your. Our daughter is a teacher of English as a Second Language in the North of England and her story really moved us. She then wrote it up and here it is. “Every few weeks, I assign my students presentation […]Read Post ›
Today would have been my paternal grandmother’s 128th birthday. She died in 1978, so quite a while ago, but I remember her well. I have written about her before, but this morning I remembered that I had a copy of a certificate somewhere, and thought I would look at it more carefully. It’s a copy of […]Read Post ›
I opened my desk yesterday thinking I would do a tiny bit of decluttering, and managed not an iota. I found so many interesting things, and important things, none of which I wanted to get rid of. Many I had totally forgotten about. Like this envelope. I didnt recogise the handwriting in the first instance […]Read Post ›
Happy New Year After my wild New Year’s Eve celebrations last night – smoked salmon canapes, champagne – just me and my husband- I was in bed well before midnight – I was a bit at a loss today. I’d done the dusting and the washing and had finished my book, so I was mindlessly (should […]Read Post ›
Traditionally a time for reflection and fun, I thought I would have fun reflecting on the year by looking at all the photos I have taken this year on my phone. No, I am not going to show you them all, but I have judiciously picked out one or two from each month which have a particular […]Read Post ›
For the last few years most of my books and papers have been in the attic and I could not get at them. This weekend I had a very pleasant surprise. My son had brought down several boxes and I have had the loveliest time refamiliarising myself with their contents. I cried when I saw […]Read Post ›
For all my ex pupils I was a teacher for about 44 years. I started when I was still at school (in those days they didn’t have supply teachers, just willing sixth formers like me) and i loved the job most of the time. At first I taught mainly English to A level, then for […]Read Post ›
A big thank you. Last Thursday was an eventful day. Note the word eventful. I organised an event and it happened last Thursday. A few years ago, I was approached by someone to help in the Polish Underground Movement Study Trust’s archives (more about them later) and while there I was asked what I could […]Read Post ›
Life Through Basia's Eyes 