Pouring One Out
I recently lost a friend. Snatched from this life suddenly, unexpectedly, tragically. His life ended as suddenly as a candle being blown out. He was, by far, the bravest man I knew. He put his all into everything. When he served, he was accepted into one of the most elite special forces units on the planet. At work, he always put the most effort in. His standards were always higher than everyone else's, and he achieved them. He enabled others around him to achieve th
6 days ago2 min read
On home
What does home mean to you? Are you comfortably reading this at home, or are you away from your creature comforts and family, on the road somewhere? The dry, clinical, definition of home is a place where one dwells permanently, especially as a member of a family or household. It’s a place of residence or refuge, where one experiences a sense of belonging, safety, and attachment. I think it’s much deeper than this. If you were to ask a series of random people their defini
May 214 min read
A Little Bit Off
I think it's fair to say, if we're all being honest with ourselves, we can all relate to having the occasional bad day. Days when nothing seems to fit, something is ajar that is otherwise seated correctly, and nothing can persuade you otherwise. Some are more lucky that others, in that days like this are a rare occurrence. Others are not so fortunate, spending large portions of their time under a thick heavy blanket too akin to these maladroit feelings. Both are equally v
Apr 291 min read
I stood tip-toe upon a little hill
I STOOD tip-toe upon a little hill, The air was cooling, and so very still, That the sweet buds which with a modest pride Pull droopingly, in slanting curve aside, Their scantly leaved, and finely tapering stems, Had not yet lost those starry diadems Caught from the early sobbing of the morn. The clouds were pure and white as flocks new shorn, And fresh from the clear brook; sweetly they slept On the blue fields of heaven, and then there crept A little noiseless noise among t
Apr 27 min read
On Pastoral Scenes
I’ve recently come into possession of a first edition of the book “Highways and Byways in Dorset” by Sir Frederick Treves. Sir Treves was a leading anatomist and surgeon in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Indeed, he is most famous for his care of Joseph Merrick, unfairly dubbed the Elephant Man, after being forced into a tragic existence in travelling freak shows. Ultimately, Treves treated Merrick with palliative care and enabled him to reside in the London Hospit
Mar 305 min read
Fog
I sleep fitfully. Each night a fog descends. Not a gentle fog with romantic mystique. A polluted smog that obscures reality, gets caught in one’s throat, and feels like walking under a canopy of oiled brown paper. It’s dense, humid, oppressive. Somewhere in the distance a fox screams, or was it a human? If it were shown on an antiquated map, the text “here be monsters” would be included, prompting the viewer to stay away. I don’t have that luxury. Each night I am forc
Mar 192 min read
Beef Wellington with Bordelaise sauce
I recently had occasion to genuinely push the boat out. Be extravagant with a meal; purchasing quality ingredients and allowing myself the time to prepare them properly. These recipes are based on a mixture of traditional recipes, tweaked slightly, but still retaining their complexities and traditions. I didn’t cut any corners with this dish. A beef wellington is made up of a filet of beef, wrapped in a mushroom mixture, a duxelles, which is wrapped in a cured meat, tradi
Feb 208 min read
