Category Archives: Uncategorized

Words: good, bad, and ugly

Posted on March 25, 2019 by

Picky, I know. There are some words and phrases to which I’m allergic. I don’t sneeze when I come across them, but I do shudder. The first is ‘vast majority’ because I rarely see the latter word without the former … Continue reading →

Posted in MUSINGS, Uncategorized, writing | 1 Comment

Marmalade adventures: If at first you fail, use pectin

Posted on March 1, 2019 by

Each year when the seville oranges arrive, usually in January, our family tradition is to make orange marmalade. Until this year I thought I was getting the hang of it. This time I made a small change in the recipe. … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and Cooking, MUSINGS, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

You are never too old

Posted on February 7, 2019 by

As I approach my 87th birthday and occasionally protest that I am too old to do one thing or another, some people argue that this is never true. Generally, I disagree because as I was once a physician, I know … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Music, MUSINGS, Old age, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

D H Lawrence’s Rananim: another failed Utopia

Posted on January 23, 2019 by

Originally posted on Richard Smith's non-medical blogs:
During the First World War D H Lawrence wanted to found a society of friends with whom he could “sail away from the world at war and found a little colony.” He…

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My musical career

Posted on January 18, 2019 by

When I turned 50 I was on sabbatical in London, England. One of our sons – an excellent pianist – was a final year student at Pimlico secondary school. We chose Pimlico because it had a highly-regarded music program. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Old age, Uncategorized | Tagged | 4 Comments

Boxing Day Cooking: tribulations and triumph

Posted on December 29, 2018 by

The holidays are nearly over.  Xmas turkey was lovely, but I did not have any cooking responsibilities.  Later, however, for a belated Boxing Day meal, I did. Ambitiously I set out to do roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, Plum … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Soft boiled eggs

Posted on December 6, 2018 by

I know this will seem silly for some, but the point is this: I am 86 years old and recently discovered that I was not sure how to soft boil an egg. I thought it would be a kind gesture … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments