Wishing you all A Life in Roses in 2022
Mike got me a few roses for a nice start to the New Year.
It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood
Well, yesterday was, anyway. Today it’s cold. Thank you all for the good wishes. My apologies if I didn’t answer you personally, I was a bit distraught. I have excellent … Continue reading
Life can be difficult
I usually make an effort not to talk about unpleasant things – but sometimes life just doesn’t cooperate with me. There have been two things this this year that have … Continue reading
If Goodness Is Represented by X
Last night I couldn’t sleep and I was thinking about that tired line on how can there be goodness without “god”… But – what is goodness really? Isn’t the very … Continue reading
How the aristocracy preserved their power | Chris Bryant
“Historically, the British aristocracy’s defining feature was not a noble aspiration to serve the common weal but a desperate desire for self-advancement. They stole land under the pretence of piety … Continue reading
As mid-life crises go (come?)
I’m at 70kg. Which is down from 73, but not quite the 64 I was between the ages of 19 and 37. I’m 5’9 and a half, so I know … Continue reading
The Grey Agendist
Well, the hair is grey, anyway. Very, very grey. Also, very, very short. My mood is up. We’ve had over a week of excellent weather now. One day at 18º … Continue reading
The Last Shaman by James Freeman
This documentary is now on Netflix. Interesting concept. James suffers from acute depression. He’s tired. He’s tried all sorts of treatments but nothing has really worked. He decides to “give … Continue reading
Autumnal in G Minor
Time insists on passing. I looked at the calendar today and realized that this time two years ago, we were packing up Villa l’Africaine. Yesterday I received a lovely card … Continue reading
Lipovetsky on Lightness
I haven’t read it yet- but have read much about it, including a couple of the author’s interviews. The topic interests me. He discusses modern society and the new culture of … Continue reading
Monitoring (One’s Own) Prejudices
… If you recall … The idea for the apartments was a creative/design exercise. How do we make something attractive that’s also affordable. Affordable enough for people living on a … Continue reading
So it’s March 23rd- again.
It’s been a thoroughly pleasant few days. Some of our favourite people (former neighbours and friends) from Sotogrande came to stay. We had lunch at home, we went out to get … Continue reading
Signs of Spring
It’s 17° and the sun is shining today. The forecast says that in a couple of weeks it’ll be around 20°. Then it’s practically March and if last year is anything to … Continue reading
Twiddlings
Have you ever considered you’re just twiddling? I went to a gallery opening earlier. Some beautiful things there (more on that tomorrow.) I saw a painting I intend to buy … Continue reading
Of camellias and futures
The white camellias are now in full bloom and what a show it is (for a sense of scale, compare to the chair at the bottom right of the first … Continue reading
Lunch at the Grand Balcon
Sunday we went to lunch at the Grand Balcon. It’s been open for over 100 years. The back of the wine list is an amusing page of little notes and … Continue reading
I’m half fixed + random thoughts
This morning I can twist to the right. Progress!!! Random terrible fact: Every day 4 women in Colombia are murdered as the result of domestic violence. That’s not an estimate, … Continue reading
Another beautiful day. Gentleman of the camellias revisited
Today is winter solstice, the year’s shortest day. “The solstice is usually on 21 December, but comes a day later this year for the same reason we have leap years … Continue reading
Please do detest me; and don’t hesitate to offend me.
Just because I think I wouldn’t be half the person I am had I not been as truculent as I was born to be. The other day someone from … Continue reading
Dr. Zhivago Time
We’ve had a cold front since last Friday with night time temperatures fluctuating around 3 degrees. It means I get to go out in coats which I haven’t worn in … Continue reading
Atheism’s primordial problem
Atheism’s primordial problem: time. Especially when we arrive at atheism at an early age. I did pretend I wasn’t an atheist until I was 15 or 16, but in my … Continue reading
Intimate dinner
We had a couple of friends over for a terribly informal dinner last night. As the dining room is still not done we put a table in the grey salon. It … Continue reading
The Shark Tank; A Sigh of Relief
I’ve been reading the Spanish newspapers during the past days and feeling an enormous amount of relief- in regards to being where I am now. I feel safe in a way … Continue reading
An interesting point in life: donotgiveadamnism
Fabulous, really. I’m only just now realizing how much of life is reflective (in the reactive rather than thoughtful sense.) I can’t quantify it precisely, but it seems to me … Continue reading
In all, a good week.
The backsplashes in the kitchen are finally fitted. So is the mirror in the master bathroom. And we’ve finally moved into the master bedroom even though it’s not quite done … Continue reading
The Body Swap Films- and I.
That’s how the past nine months have felt, like I woke up in a different body. It wasn’t just moving to another house, every aspect of life is so very … Continue reading
Isms and Obias
This is more a question than a post- what responsibility does an individual have in overcoming the isms and obias of the world? I think it’s interesting because people … Continue reading
Enhco
If I were 22 again and single, I could probably fall in love with someone like the boy at the piano. It’s so strange for so much of life to … Continue reading
What’s your partner’s favourite story- about you?
In case your partner is British (or French) you can count on it being something awful and profoundly sarcastic that makes you look utterly ridiculous. I know the story Mike … Continue reading
And suddenly
…the silk curtains are up, and there’s music playing. The lighting is my lighting. Moody. The wind, the one that seems to have been following me from continent to continent … Continue reading
Promising
We went to see this building today. It faces two streets, which is good because that means a reasonable amount of light in every room. It’s got a business on … Continue reading
My Mazamet 
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