In 2003 a series of 4 TV programmes was recorded entitled “Grumpy Old Men”. The title was taken from the 1997 film which starred Jack Lemmon. In the TV programme, narrated by Geoffrey Palmer, a number of famous men between the ages of 35 and 54 aired their grievances about various aspects of modern life…

I wonder how often it is that you receive a handwritten letter these days? And how often do you write a letter to friends/ family members? I have to confess that I contact people mainly by email, text or phone call now and it is quite rare to receive a handwritten letter. Postage costs have…

As I write this TFTD the news bulletins are telling us about wildfires destroying large areas of land in Europe, Canada and the UK due to the long period of draught. One of the most distressing aspects of this situation is the evacuation of people from their homes. There have been clips of people sleeping on…

Growing sweet peas has become something of an annual ritual for me. In February, when the weather is cold and rather miserable, I buy 2 packets of sweet pea seeds. I sow them in compost in a tray placed on the spare bedroom window sill and wait to see the first signs of growth. By…

This week I’m continuing to look at some of the issues raised by Sir Gareth Southgate in respect of young men, inspired this time by the TV programme which was shown recently, “Changing the Game for Young Men”. In this programme he asks how we can build a positive culture around young men when many…

Following retirement from his post as England manager Sir Gareth Southgate was asked what he would do next. He said that he wanted to spend time thinking about that, and shortly afterwards he was asked to give the Dimbleby lecture in 2025. As I listened to him delivering that lecture, I felt it was a most…

One of the distressing items that sometimes comes up on the news is a report on a medical facility where standards have fallen far short of what is required and harm has occurred to individuals whilst they are vulnerable, sick and in need of professional care. This “thought” is not intended to undermine the serious…

I have always thought of roses as blooming in June in particular, but plants are responding to global warming and moving through their cycle earlier, so I have been enjoying my roses in May as well as June this year. A few years ago, I treated myself to my first, but not last, David Austin…

This week I want to share with you an experience I had last Friday June 19th. I had spent 4 days in the East Midlands on holiday and needed to return to Ipswich from Derby in time for a commitment on the Saturday. I caught a train that left Derby station at 13.08 and arrived…

My fourth and last thought from Bristol is inspired by my visit to the harbour. I was advised that a walk round Bristol harbour is one of the most pleasurable experiences of sightseeing in Bristol. In fact, it was bitterly cold when I was there and we opted for a boat trip in a covered…