January 2026
January is generally a quiet month for the fireworks company I run. Time, then, to turn my attention to another of my passions: marmalade! This is the month for making it, when the bitter Valencia oranges arrive in the shops. My Sunday mornings wouldn’t be complete without three
November 2025
We have been receiving regular notifciations via the village whatsapp gropu of a ‘lost cat’. Here he is, pictured in leafy Piccotts End Road looking like a white owl with his pointy ears, ready to pounce on an unsuspecing vole. Ragdolls are not known to be adventurous, preferring to stay in the warmth of their home than venture out into the great unknown. Our older ragdoll Coco
September 2025
With nothing better to do, I decided to put the nation’s favourite new AI tool, Chat GPT, though its paces. What, I asked, could Piccotts End do to attract more tourists. Before you throw your hands up in horror at the very thought, let me say it was only a light-hearted question. The good news is that Chat GPT did not suggest opening a McDonald’s or a Starbucks.
Here’s what it said:
July 2025
Thumbing through the pages of a Sunday supplement this week, I was intrigued to come across an article about our esteemed, veteran village resident Val Corbett. Had Val just featured in the King’s Birthday Honours? Had she just swum the Channel? Or had she been picked for the England women’s football team? No, none of these. The article was about Val’s age, or lack of it.
April 2025
I am so annoyed! I hadn’t had a bet on the Grand National for many years. But today I thought I’d have a flutter. A tenner each way on any horse that took my fancy. I scanned the runners and riders. Around 35 of them with the usual array of colourful and amusing names. One I remember from years ago was called
February 2025
Our village book club has proved a big hit since it started some 15 years ago. In that time we have read more than 100 novels and short stories, ranging from classics like Moby Dick to amazing short stories like The Time Machine. But few have given us more pleasure than one written by one of our members.
January 2025
Enjoying a Christmas drink and chat with PERA chairman Simon Lillystone I was amused by his story of an unexpected encounter with Sir Stephen Fry. Simon was attending an awards ceremony in London. On entering the venue he was surprised to be greeted by the polymath and comic. ‘How wonderful to see you,’ said Sir Stephen,
December 2024
Samuel Pepys kept his diary for 10 years between 1660 and 1670. It was a tumultuous time. The Restoration of the Monarchy with King Charles the 2nd, the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. Pepys had plenty to write about and a fascinating read it is too. He only stopped because he feared for his eyesight after years
November 2024
A miserable, wet and cold evening this week and I’m settling in for a warm night in front of the TV. A knock on the door. Who could this be at 7pm?
June 2024
I’m always full of admiration for all those hard-working, enterprising people who are up before the crack of dawn to provide a service. Like the lovely ladies at Amanda Jane’s in Queen’s Square who get up at 2am every morning to travel to London to buy fresh fruit. Not up quite that early but still daft o’clock is the Old Town’s newest entrepreneur, Lesley.