Traditionally Shrove Tuesday (Mardi gras) is the day that Christians eat up all the rich foods (including pancakes) before the forty day season of Lent starts on Ash Wednesday.  This year is special as the celebrations of Lent, Ramadan and the Lunar New Year all coincide – a rare occurrence that won’t happen again until…

When I was a teenager, I sent a card to a young man I really liked but who didn’t care for me. It was a risky thing to do – to wear your heart on your sleeve. Although it wasn’t signed, the fact that I blushed every time I saw him since then probably broke…

Do you have any crocus flowers in your garden? I can remember when I was in the infant school, the crocus was the subject of much artwork – being reasonably simple to draw and one of the first flowers to appear after the winter. It isn’t native to our country, but originated in the Mediterranean…

Remember last week I wrote about attending a match at Portman Road?  Well, that week was a bit of a football based week.  As I said, I hadn’t even been to the ground, let alone watched a math there, for 64 years. But I found myself there again in the Premier lounge for a meeting…

Last Saturday, we went to the cup match at Portman Road – Ipswich v Blackpool. It was the first time I had been in the stadium for 64 years. And it did trigger some memories. I remember being carried on my Dad’s shoulders – during the game and on the way home. Many things have…

Next Monday (19th January) will allegedly be the most depressing day of the year: Blue Monday. Developed by Cardiff psychologist Cliff Arnail in 2005, it’s a psychosocial framework to identify and explain a confluence of factors contributing to low mood and psychological distress typically observed in mid to late January. It even has its own formula:…

Where we live at midnight we watch the fireworks from our bedroom window. We have a view up the river and, on a clear night, can experience displays on the waterfront and beyond in one direction and possibly through Sproughton and along the estuary in the other. The family from next door who moved in…

At the beginning of a New Year, we thank God for His past faithfulness and trust in him for the future – whatever that may bring. I usually choose a hymn to put above my desk as a reference point for the year. However, this year I’ve adapted a prayer to use instead. God, help…

I was sad when the top ten chart for Christmas 2025 was announced at the end of last week with Kylie’s song ‘Xmas’ at Number 1. Although a record breaking success for her, it was poignant that it was the one festive song in the top ten that replaced ’ Christ’ with an ‘X’. Not…

When my children were small, my favourite day was Christmas Eve and my favourite time was teatime. By then, there was nothing else to be done for Christmas. The shops were closed, the turkey defrosted, the cards sent, the presents wrapped. The biggest challenge now would be to persuade the children to settle down and…