Author Archives: JJS

Fifty Years, One Belt, Zero Regrets

Posted on October 24, 2026 by JJS

In a spectacular act of self-delusion, I decided last weekend to “start cleaning up the home office.” Anyone who has ever made this announcement knows what it really means: moving things from one pile to a slightly different pile while … Continue reading →

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London escapade

Posted on October 20, 2026 by JJS

Summary of five days, two feet, countless pints and one abandoned itinerary Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Five days in London, and my carefully prepared itinerary didn’t survive its first encounter with a curry, my feet clocked up kilometres … Continue reading →

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London, Day 5

Posted on October 20, 2026 by JJS

Departures Good night’s sleep? Check. Foot considerably less painful? Check. I’m giving full credit to the pint of Fuller’s London Pride last night. Medicinal, obviously. Doctors hate this one weird trick. It’s not even 10am and I’m already on the … Continue reading →

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London, Day 4

Posted on October 19, 2026 by JJS

A tale of two Wests (and one sore foot) Slept until 5am, which at my age is basically a medical miracle. Apparently walking half the Thames Valley will do that to a man. Today’s plan: a cloth shop on King’s … Continue reading →

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London, Day 3

Posted on October 18, 2026 by JJS

DRAFT 3:30 a.m. My body, apparently still on a schedule known only to itself, woke me for the third morning running. I then lay there for nearly two hours, staring at the ceiling and composing strongly worded letters to my … Continue reading →

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London, Day 2

Posted on October 18, 2026 by JJS

DRAFT Breakfast: croissant 🥐 and tea in bed, which is where the day’s first Big Decision was made. “Why don’t we walk to Marble Arch instead of taking the tube?” Reader, this was said by a person who had not … Continue reading →

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London, Day 1

Posted on October 17, 2026 by JJS

A military operation immediately loses to curry Or: how my meticulously timed itinerary lasted roughly 2 hours I arrived in London with a plan. A proper plan. Timed, scheduled, practically laminated. Napoleon would have looked at it and said, “A … Continue reading →

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Needle week

Posted on October 17, 2026 by JJS

Week 42, in which I become a human pincushion and then fly Ryanair If this past week had a theme song, it would be a very small, very sharp ping. Needles. So many needles. Let’s start with the baseline: four … Continue reading →

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Waiting room chronicles: A gastro adventure

Posted on October 14, 2026 by JJS

🇬🇧 I am writing to you live from the hospital waiting room, that sacred place where time stands still, magazines date from the previous administration, and everyone studies their own shoes with intense interest. Today I am seeing a new … Continue reading →

Posted in Health and fitness, life in France | Leave a comment

What to wear

Posted on October 12, 2026 by JJS

The question of the week Autumn in our little corner of France has decided to perform a yo-yo ballet, and my wardrobe is the unwilling understudy. Last week, in a fit of optimism, I packed away all my shorts and … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, life in France, Travel | Leave a comment