capndarcy

Facts are Subversive

The trouble with having a large tsundoku pile is that there is often a significant time lapse between buying a book and reading it. This has been compounded, in my case, by a lengthy period when my reading mojo had left the building. Books which were topical when I bought them are less so nowContinue reading “Facts are Subversive”

Pirate Celebrations

Cap’n Darcy Knockboots explains the origins of Piratesmas. It was a dark and stormy night. Snow had been falling in flurries for days. The inhabitants of Port au Lethen were all snuggled up in bed, except for Emmeline Petticoat in the Egg and Dragon tavern (or was it the Dragon and Egg? I can neverContinue reading “Pirate Celebrations“

Travel in the Time of Covid. Part II

After all the pre-travel stress and uncertainty we had a fabulous weekend in Dublin. The first flight to Amsterdam was nearly empty although the flight to Dublin was busy where we succeeded in confusing border control by our circuitious route to the city. Thankfully they accepted my explanation that we like adventure and the detourContinue reading “Travel in the Time of Covid. Part II”

Travel in the Time of Covid

An Unexpected Journey It was not our intention to travel outside Scotland this year, yet here we are, almost ready to fly to Dublin for a weekend that will be our Christmas present to each other. How we have arrived at this decision is, quite frankly, epically stressful. The story all begins with airmiles. WithContinue reading “Travel in the Time of Covid”

Unpopular Opinion: Dogs off-lead.

“You’re on a walk and you see a dog on a lead. Your dog is running free. Q: What should you do next? Is it: A: put your dog on a lead B. Let your dog run over and say hello. C: Shout “Don’t worry, he’s friendly.” Or D: What dog? You were playing candyContinue reading “Unpopular Opinion: Dogs off-lead.”

Age is Only Important for Cheese and Wine

I went for my flu vaccine and covid booster this week. The nurse asked my age and I actually had to think about it then work it out. I don’t mean I do not know how old I am just that I wasn’t sure which year I was in. I knew I was older thanContinue reading “Age is Only Important for Cheese and Wine”

Love Food. Hate Cooking!

‘Put all ingredients in the slow cooker, stir and cover. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours’ This is my kind of recipe! Bung it in, switch it on, leave it alone. I have never liked cooking all that much. As a teenager, if I was left in charge ofContinue reading “Love Food. Hate Cooking!”

Kitchener’s Memorial or HMS Hampsire Memorial?

In a recent post I wrote about visiting Kitchener’s Memorial for the first time. As a child I lived a few short miles from it and growing up it was a familiar landmark in a prominent position on a headland on the northwest coast of Orkney. It marks the closest landfall from the sinking ofContinue reading “Kitchener’s Memorial or HMS Hampsire Memorial?”

Refugee Stories by Refugees

So much of the chatter around refugee stories are from people who are neither refugees nor involved with the support of refugees. Refugee Radio Times: Voices of Asylum, Identity and Resistance, edited by Lorna Stephenson and Stephen Silverwood, is a welcome focus on the lived experiences of refugees from very different backgrounds and with differentContinue reading “Refugee Stories by Refugees”

Finding Peace

My daily walk with Rousay has become tedious. For the past 18 months we have been confined to short walks around the town, on the local wood- and wet-lands or nearby beaches, woods and parks. It has all become very same-y and boring. We used to enjoy long rambles on designated long distance pathways orContinue reading “Finding Peace”