My brother Joe and his wife Trish are now the very proud parents of Jack Patrick, born today in Newcastle, New South Wales. Jack Patrick shares his birthday with his grandmother in England – (good timing for the perfect birthday present for his granny!) His grandmother in Australia says he looks like me. Not sure whether or not to feel flattered by this!
Similar Posts
Forty Years Around the Campfire
There are some places where time behaves oddly. Gilwell Park is one of them. Today I went back for the 100th Gilwell Reunion — and realised, slightly alarmingly, that it is forty years since I attended my first one. I was 22 then. I should make clear that I haven’t been to every Reunion in…
Fifteen perfectly normal British habits that leave visitors completely bewildered
I have spent a good part of my working life travelling, working with people from other countries and, from time to time, trying to explain Britain to them. That is not always easy. The country we describe abroad is often tidier than the one in which we actually live. We talk about parliamentary democracy, ancient…
A letter to my 14-year-old self
Dear Johnnie, I know you won’t appreciate me calling you that, but it’s how I think of you, my younger self. You’re 14 right now. I’m 40 years older. I’m writing this letter to you because a colleague at work has suggested that I provide you with some advice that might help you to become…
An all round education…
My five year old nephew, Jack Patrick, came to lunch today. He brought his mum and dad, his little brother and his grandma with him, but, as he helped me microwave the frozen peas and lay the table, it did feel as though it was him I was entertaining rather than anyone else. “I…
