Laurel Cottage. The home of Mindfully Bertie.
Laurel Cottage. The home of Mindfully Bertie. A Cottage full of love, memories, grandchildren. Back in 1998 it was quite different. Diddley was already living here. Facing losing it in unpleasant divorce. When, at the eleventh hour and fifty nine minutes, newly married she was able to email the entire office she and Bobby worked…
Continental Railway Journeys: Austria.
And so to Austria. Bobby loves Austria. Back in 1981, it was the destination for his first holiday abroad. Wallace Arnold coach from Victoria Coach Station. (A future blog). 24 hours. To Lake Achensee, near Innsbruck. Many years later, married to Diddley, he was in a relationship where you followed your dreams – even if…
A Suffolk Adventure.
The Adventure Club: Suffolk. Bobby worked for the Highways Agency for nearly twenty years. During that time he made some wonderful friends that are still friends today. Eight years after he retired. Back in 2006, he suggested one evening that his friends walk with him the long way to Laurel Cottage. Over the hills and…
Good Grief. You’re Doing OK, Bobby!
Good Grief. Dear Friends. As you know, Bobby is a man of few words. I do most of the talking. This week, he is saying nothing at all! He was profoundly affected by an article in last Saturday’s Telegraph magazine. An article itself reproduced from a book… “Good Grief” by Julia Samuel. It gave him…
Paris to Munich.
Railway Journeys: Munich. Clerk Ordinaire, pen pusher, in civil service parlance… an “inky” to a civil engineer’s “oily”. Bobby is all of these things. When Diddley died what was the first thing to do? Correct. Set up a file. With a stationery cupboard looking like a mini Rymans, it was all there. A ring binder….
A Trip to Piccadilly Circus.
Piccadilly Circus. Bobby… “We are going to a circus!” Bertie… “Wow… All that colour, lights, fun, clowns. You would make a good clown Bobby. You’re good at falling over…” Bobby… “Thank you. I’ve been called a clown many times. Usually derogatory. Anyway, not that sort of circus. We are going to Piccadilly Circus. They turned…
Snowdrops. The Harbingers of Spring.
Snowdrops. THE SONG OF THE SNOWDROP FAIRY Deep, sleeps the Winter, Cold, wet and grey; Surely all the world is dead; Spring is far away. Wait! the world shall waken; It is not dead, for lo, The Fair Maids of February Stand in the snow!
Continental Railway Journeys: Paris
And so to Paris… As we boarded the Eurostar, I could see that Bobby was deep in thought. Did he wish Diddley was there? He had promised to take her to Paris, but never did. Was he nervous about the adventure? So excited, he had been rendered speechless? No! He was thinking about 1954.
Tribute to Diddley.
Diddley. Dear Friends. This is a week for Bobby to explain. Last week in Lighting a Candle for Diddley, I told you that here at Mindfully Bertie we understood that there could be many readers now who never knew who she was. Equally there are many who will be happy to remember with a smile.