April 2026. Waterbeach. A week ago we were on our way down south for our last overnight stay in Mum and Dad’s Waterbeach cottage; a year’s stay without a TV and internet, a month sleeping on a mattress on the ground. A mattress covered in crispy beef and Singapore rice that last night before we… Continue reading BYE BYE, SUNNYSIDE
WOBBLY BOB OR OLD PECULIER ? BIG DECISONS AT THE START OF THE NEW SPOONS VOUCHER YEAR
April 2026. Sheffield. Walking back from the Botanical last Saturday I had a lot of worries on my mind. The chance of Dad’s house sale falling through at the last moment (it didn’t), Mrs RM’s blog getting more views than mine (it might) the prospect of another year of not using my full Spoons voucher… Continue reading WOBBLY BOB OR OLD PECULIER ? BIG DECISONS AT THE START OF THE NEW SPOONS VOUCHER YEAR
BASS IN THE BOTANICAL
April 2026. Sheffield. A Saturday in Sheffield before, we hoped, a last hurrah cleaning the old house in Waterbeach. I did a walk out over the hills to the Botanical Gardens, where I brought Dad 5 years ago on his only visit to Sheffield. He’d given up golf the previous years and was struggling to… Continue reading BASS IN THE BOTANICAL
AN UNUSUAL EXCUSE FOR A DIVERSION TO A PUB
April 2026. Sheffield. Some good news today. Sunnyside is finally sold, to a lovely couple with two toddlers. Mum would be delighted. A week ago I was waiting for something to go wrong with exchange/completion/WW3, and persuading Mrs RM to get out of the house on a Friday night for some exercise, but definitely no… Continue reading AN UNUSUAL EXCUSE FOR A DIVERSION TO A PUB
HIGH (NBSS SCORES) SOCIETY
I’m suddenly miles behind on the blog again. How has that even happened ? April 2026. Birmingham. I’d just had the overdue glass of water on my Curated Exploration of Public Houses (CEPH), but forgotten to eat. Across the road from The Wolf, Mr Tasty offered artisanal pizza (possibly), but you’ll know how seriously I… Continue reading HIGH (NBSS SCORES) SOCIETY
CRY WOLF
I’ll spare you the A-ha video. April 2026. Hockley. Birmingham. At Bournville station I caught up again with the two Wolves fans from Attic, and had a chat about the merits of the Great Western vs the Wheatsheaf, and the mysterious “ruin” pubs of Budapest. Birmingham hasn’t quite got into ruin pubs yet, the original… Continue reading CRY WOLF
BASS IN BRUM’S BRITISH OAK
April 2026. Stirchley. Birmingham. With Attic ticked I could/should have caught the next train to New Street for my second Brum pub, but something was drawing me to Stirchley High Street. Not the Peanut Butter Jelly-me-up burger on the corner, but a couple of Untappd check-ins I’d just noticed the gloriously Art Deco British Oak.… Continue reading BASS IN BRUM’S BRITISH OAK
BOYS, BOYS, BOYS IN THE ATTIC (TAP)
I know it’s an Aerosmith tune, but I played the R.E.M. version a lot, so… April 2026. Stirchley. Birmingham. Arriving “home” from Waterbeach last Thursday afternoon I let Mrs RM the front door, grabbed a charger, and half an hour later was on the Cross Country to Birmingham. And half an hour later, Bournville. I… Continue reading BOYS, BOYS, BOYS IN THE ATTIC (TAP)
Does Grantham Wetherspoons EVER wash those glasses ?
April 2026. Sheffield-Grantham-Waterbeach-Southborough-Sheffield. Another week, another slog down and back up the A1, this time with the added bonus of a day trip to Tunbridge Wells to take my Mother-in-Law for surgery (all well, thanks). I’ve made this trip every week since COVID, and it gets tougher each time. Not so much the physical strain,… Continue reading Does Grantham Wetherspoons EVER wash those glasses ?
BALLAST
April 2026. Sheffield. I did get back from Retford, eventually, and arriving in Sheffield at 10 to 5 gave me a rare chance of a seat and tea with Mrs RM in the Rutland. I gave my dearest an hour’s notice, so she’d only be half an hour late, and picked the seat closest to… Continue reading BALLAST
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