During my time at Southampton General Hospital we always had a junior doctor from Sri Lanka in training. Some of them worked with me and many became friends.
After retirement my wife and I decided to go and live in another culture for a while; Sri Lanka was the obvious choice. What was it like? What happened to us? What are the differences compared with Chandler’s Ford? Here are a series of blog posts for anyone interested. [Read more…] about Dispatches From Sri Lanka
“What’s for dinner?”
“Your favourite tonight; mealworm and mash.”
“Did you get those nice mealworms from Waitrose?”
“Better than that; these are our first crop of home-grown from the shoebox in the garage.” [Read more…] about Mealworm and Mash
New in Chandler’s Ford is The Hospice Shop, a charity shop occupying premises at 72 Hiltingbury Road at the corner of Thorold Road and Hiltingbury Road. It used to be a used car showroom.
The shop is appealing for unwanted items and we took some books and toys today. Unfortunately [Read more…] about The Hospice Shop
Now is the time of the foxglove. It grows naturally and is therefore regarded by some gardeners as a weed but it is a noble flower. Upright and stately in a royal purple colour it rises above others as a bright symbol in shady places.
Why Foxglove? This strange name for the flower has been around since the 14th century and was sometimes called ‘folksglove’. [Read more…] about The Foxglove
Heroes are rare by their nature. The best ones do not know that they are heroes, they have to be recognised by you. Anyone proclaiming himself a hero has excluded himself from the class.
During my time at school it was announced that Lieutenant-Commander Peter Twiss had broken the world speed record by 300 mph [Read more…] about Meeting a Hero
The head of my department at the University took on two foreign students but he did not have the patience to supervise them. He wondered how the young, green lecturer would cope. I came to be supervisor of two Egyptian men ‘of mature years’ as it is quaintly put. That is, older than most students reading for higher degrees.
It took them a while to overcome the culture shock and get their English up to a reasonable standard. [Read more…] about Immigrants
I have just gone through a period of losing things. At least I hope I have gone through it and will not lose any more essential and valuable objects. Some years ago odd socks would appear and no matter where I looked the partner for it never turned up. After hanging around in my sock drawer for a while I would throw the sock away.
The next day the other one would turn up. [Read more…] about Lost and Found
On May 14th, Haskins Garden Centre at Mansbridge opened its doors late to host a fashion show in aid of the Countess Mountbatten Hospice Charity.
Many of the audience of about 150 were from Chandler’s Ford. Also present were The Worshipful, the Mayor of the Borough of Eastleigh, Malcolm Cross and [Read more…] about Fashion Show for Countess Mountbatten Hospice
I promised to give a breakdown of the costs of my holiday flying a glider.
The glider is a Duo Discus, 2 seater and near the top of the range in terms of performance.
I travelled down alone but came back together with my co-pilot and the glider in its trailer. [Read more…] about Gliding Holiday Costs
It is not only gliders we see flying at the airfield at Santa Cilia in Spain.
Here are four other types of flight.
The Spanish army brought their helicopter for the troops to practise abseiling down from 50 feet up. [Read more…] about Not Only Gliders
A clear blue sky with not a cloud is sight suggested a difficult day of soaring. Thermals are usually under clouds and if there are no clouds, are there any thermals and where are they?
Thermals are large bubbles of warmer air which rise from the ground. If you have ever watched a lava lamp you have an idea of how they work. Unlike a lava lamp you cannot see the bubble. [Read more…] about Soaring The Pyrenees
After a six-hour drive through France and Northern Spain beneath low cloud and many showers of rain, I passed Pamplona and the weather changed. The cloud broke up and the sun shone from a blue sky. The weather improved over the next 50 miles to Santa Cilia.
Met with my colleagues who sadly had not been able to fly as the wind was blowing at 27 knots [Read more…] about Sharing The Sky With The Vultures
About half way along the road from Southampton to Winchester were three fords, nearby lived a family named Chaundler. This was the case in the 16th century. Earlier, there is no mention of Chandler’s Ford in the Doomsday Book though Eastleigh, Otterborne, Chilworth and Twyford are there.
Nothing changed in this wooded land until the 19th century when a large brickyard developed [Read more…] about About Chandler’s Ford
Holiday – No Holiday? That is the question.
All set to go gliding in the Pyrenees from a small airfield called Santa Cilia. We stay in the village in a typical stone Pyrenean house run by a wonderful lady called Toya. She looks after all the glider pilots and many pilgrims who are walking the trail to Santiago de Compostella. [Read more…] about Holiday – No Holiday?
Happy Birthday, Bill.
I was never as enthusiastic about Shakespeare as one is supposed to be. I was made to study him at school like most people. We did Merchant of Venice and I thought it a poor show how Shylock was treated. [Read more…] about Happy Birthday Shakespeare!
You would not go to Nottingham for a holiday would you? It is said to be the murder capital of the UK. Cricket lovers go for test matches at Trent Bridge and there is the legend of Robin Hood.
We went to visit a friend and found a delightful haven at the Attenborough Nature Centre & Reserve. It is a mere 5 miles from the city centre. [Read more…] about Nottingham for a Holiday?
On Saturday 12th April 2014 Chandler’s Ford born and bred Rowan Esther Catherine Cameron wed Robbie Stewart Weir at Weetwood Hall in Leeds. With names Cameron and Weir it was no surprise to see guests turning up in highland dress with kilts, black barathea jackets with silver buttons, sporrans and ghillies on the feet.
Modern political correctness meant that the sgian-dubh was not worn but [Read more…] about Wedding of Chandler’s Ford Girl
Just a few yards off The Circus in Bath is the Museum of East Asian Art in a beautiful Georgian house on Bennett Street.
The contents were collected by Brian McElney OBE, a British scholar of sinology who worked as a lawyer in Hong Kong. After retirement he tried to present his collection to other museums of Chinese art but eventually set this one up himself. [Read more…] about China In Bath
“Oh, to be in Chandler’s Ford / Now that April’s there.”
(Sorry about that misquote, Mr Browning.)
Recently someone told me that Chandler’s Ford had no soul. He went by the name of Mephistophilis on the chat site. I asked him to define soul but he declined.
The soul must be in the gardens. [Read more…] about “Oh, To Be In Chandler’s Ford / Now That April’s There”
We all have days out. Sometimes carefully planned and looked forward to, sometimes more spontaneous. All are enjoyable but sometimes a day turns out to be really special, better than expected.
Janet’s walk through Hocombe Mead was extra special.
We had one last week. [Read more…] about Special Day Out
