Falsely Accused
Falsely Accused DM 13th November 2023 “You’ve been smoking!” was all that I could hear. My mother’s words, spoken long ago, when she caught me smoking in the shed below the kitchen. But this time the explanation for the nicotine-looking stains on my fingers was different. Really and truly, I was picking stinkbugs off my […]
Death on the Nail
Death on the Nail DM 7th November 2023 That Hercule Poirot is one clever chap. Crime after crime, the great Belgian detective steps forward, and with a twirl of his famous moustache, puts the clues together, solves the mystery, and saves the day. And Agatha’s ability to have her famous character reach his conclusion on […]
The disappearing squeak
The Disappearing Squeak DM 30th October 2023 I hate that. It’s so unfair. For months my car has had this high-pitched screech, that to my ears, sounds like a noise coming from one of the rear wheels in rotation. And no, it’s not the sound of a stone caught in one of the tyres. And […]
A holy heist
A Holy Heist DM 24th October 2023 That was clever! My newsfeed recently reported a crime in Poland involving a man pretending to be a department store mannequin. Apparently the ambitious fellow posed in the front window and waited for the close, upon which he proceeded to help himself to jewellery, food and luxury clothes. […]
For my twenty cents
For My Twenty Cents DM 16th October 2023 Rare coins are an intrigue, aren’t they? The Australian 1930 Penny is highly sort after, and sells for more than just a ‘pretty penny’. Further down, but in the queue, is the 1966 “20 cent wavy” – a coin that has a slightly curved upper edge on […]
The Cheese Church
The Cheese Church DM 9th October 2023 I thought it was a Monty Python sketch. You know, the one about the cheese shop. Where the guy walks in to buy some cheese, but the owner, though buoyant, cheerful, upbeat, and proud, has to confess that they have no cheese. My son had visited the local […]
In Praise of Fennel
In Praise of Fennel DM 3rd October 2023 If I could find words of sufficient worth, I would compose a song to the fennel plant. Yesterday I picked some of its delicate branches, crushed them in my hand, and enjoyed the fragrance of liquorice. And upon learning the nutritional qualities of the plant – being […]
Pelican Brief
Pelican Brief DM 25th September 2023 Collective nouns are not my strong point, so I had to look up the one designated to a group of pelicans. A pod stands first in the queue, then squadron, then fleet; and of the three, squadron I think suits best, for pod seems too associated with whales and […]
Ladies Arms
Ladies Arms DM 18th September 2023 One of our Lebanese friends recently joined us for lunch and kindly brought some Ladies Arms. It’s a funny expression, and conjures up thoughts of body-snatching or mannequin theft. Ladies Arms are delicious pastries, drenched with syrup, and filled with ashta cream. ‘Znoud el sett’ is their name, which […]
Grounded grasshoppers
Grounded grasshoppers DM 11th September 2023 I have now calculated that there is not enough life left for me in this world to read all the books on my shelf. Actually, I think I passed that point years ago, but have been in denial, so that I could still keep on buying them. But obviously […]