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86 and Still Counting

 

I'm 86, and life continues to be one great adventure.

I'm a jazz musician, webmaster, web project developer, writer, journalist, audio and video content creator, bibliophile, cook, fitness enthusiast, and lifelong learner. Whether I'm making music, developing websites, writing stories, producing digital content, experimenting with a new recipe, or staying active at the gym, I believe every day is an opportunity to learn, create, and connect.

This website brings together my passions—music, conversation, creativity, technology, worldwide friendships, and the simple pleasures of everyday life. It's a place to share ideas, experiences, and discoveries with people from around the globe who believe that curiosity and creativity have no expiration date.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you'll enjoy exploring, join the conversation, and come back often—because at 86, the adventure is still unfolding.

Welcome • Bienvenue • Willkommen • Bienvenido • Benvenuto • 欢迎 • ようこそ

New and Recent

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Cooking Since I Was 11 — A Passion for Life   My grandparents were very elderly and I found quicker to prepare food for myself when I came home from school. This I think caused my grandmother...

John Alvaro Caldas: Artist Without Ego   John Alvaro Caldas was born in Rusholme, Manchester in 1934. He showed an early talent for painting and drawing but chose to become a dancer, moving...

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86 And Still Counting

Cooking Since I Was 11 — A Passion for Life   My grandparents were very elderly and I found quicker to prepare food for myself when I came home from school. This I think caused my grandmother...

James Joyce Ulysses   I bought my copy of James Joyce Ulysses, the 1958 Reprint of The Bodley Head edition at Willshaw's Bookshop in Manchester. It was a 'Getting out of the RAF' gift to...

Attend a Wedding or a Football Match? | A Childhood Memory from 1941   I had an astonishing flashback to my childhood. I called my uncle concerning the death of my Mother. He made a remark...

The Real Anji: The Friend Who Inspired Davy Graham's "Anji"   In the context of the acoustic guitar instrumental, Anji (often spelled "Angi" or "Angie") was the name of the girlfriend of...

John Mayall and The Blues Syndicate   Formed in 1962 in Manchester, the Blues Syndicate was the very first band John Mayall joined, it was a cooperative founded by John Rowlands, Jack...

George Orwell Was Responsible For My Re-education   I became aware of George Orwell during my first posting to RAF Tangmere. He quite literally changed my outlook and the view of the would I...

The Ultimate Cost of a Mother’s Obsession — Part 2: The Funeral   I discovered that David had been living in the same village as myself and my family. We renewed our friendship. He became...

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Bow Ties   In praise of the bow tie. The individually tied type, that takes on the character of the wearer. Not those awful, lifeless, unconvincing, ready tied articles, that unfortunately...

Fishing. Nemesis Beside A Lake District Tarn   Arrogant and opinionated about marriage, three years on, I face a moment of truth while fishing a remote tarn in the English Lake...

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St Martins Hotel and Stratford Johns   The St Martin's Hotel, situate on Upper St Martin's Lane, was owned by the actor Stratford Johns, of Z Cars fame. It was cheap and very convenient,...