Monthly Archives: January 2013

For many years I have not played the tin whistle much. I have concentrated on the flute, which is a stern mistress. Notwithstanding, in the right hands, the whistle is a tremendous instrument. Mary Bergin is legendary, here with Johnny … Continue reading →

So, I remember as a youth that one of the phrases that reputedly featured in English/French phrase books was ” My postillion has been struck by lightning.” How often would you have used it? In James Thurber‘s 1937 New Yorker article “There’s No … Continue reading →

I set off to clean my beaches but rush straight home again with my heart a pumping. I grab my camera and it is still there when I make it back to the beach. Yes, a Seagull! The first I … Continue reading →

So, I go fishing as the sun goes down. I had been out earlier and had a huge bite. Obviously a monster fish that I played expertly for some time until the line broke. I suppose it could have been the … Continue reading →

I have decided to save money and lose weight. The latter so I can be accustomed to the skeleton-like physique that I will own in destitution and the former as an attempt to delay destitution. I have adopted two strategies. … Continue reading →

I lift up a pile of dirty clothes to find a huge spider. It gives me a very poisonous look. I immediately rationalize that I should leave it alone as it has as much right to be in the house … Continue reading →

During the recent trip to Baja we cooked exclusively with a dutch oven. These are wonderful devices. If you do not have one, buy one now. You never know when it might come in handy. They are the perfect camping … Continue reading →

The principal goal of the adventure was to go see the cave paintings in the canyon in the mountains. They are well hidden in the nearest place to nowhere. Bad, bad road to squalid mountain village with bits of goat … Continue reading →

New Year’s Eve and we are camping on a beach about 40 miles from anywhere. It gets dark we start drinking beer when we spot headlights creeping along the deep sand track that leads to our camp. What?! Who?! Why?! … Continue reading →

Tires become big on this trip. Luckily I had noticed that the spare was punctured before leaving San Francisco and made a note to get it fixed in Mexico. Baja California is the best place in the world for car … Continue reading →