David Jenkins' weblog

Life’s too short to drink instant coffee

Category: life

  • Cambridge, lock downs and face coverings

    Cambridge, lock downs and face coverings

    —

    in ,

    I went into Cambridge this morning. Generally speaking it’s not a big deal. In normal pre-Covid times I’m often at Shire Hall and I have a habit of going in every Saturday mornings to meet friends for breakfast. But today was only my fourth visit since the start of lock down (16 Mar 20). Two…

  • Five restaurants with staying power

    —

    in ,

    We had lunch at the Old Fire Engine House in Ely today. That in itself would be worthy of a post because the food is pretty good, there’s an acceptable wine list and service is intelligent and excellent. But there’s a twist. I first went to the Old Fire Engine House sometime in 1970. That’s…

  • Man United lost. So what?

    Man United lost. So what?

    —

    in

    It was the semi-finals of the FA Cup earlier this month and in these strange Covid times it was a pleasantly elegant pairing of clubs with both ties being London vs Manchester. Rather surprisingly perhaps Man City lost the first one to Arsenal and then Chelsea beat Man United in the second. So what?

  • What I did last week (13-17 Jul 20)

    What I did last week (13-17 Jul 20)

    —

    in

    Monday: a freebie is always a delight and today I’ve been on the receiving end of one. It seems like a long time since the last one (maybe that’s a post for the future: 5 freebies I’ve enjoyed) but this one’s welcome on so many levels.

  • I take photographs. Does that make me a photographer?

    I take photographs. Does that make me a photographer?

    —

    in ,

    I’ve been taking photographs since the mid 60s and then more seriously since 1974 when I acquired my first SLR. I complemented this with a pocket camera which I always carried with me (click here for my camera post).

  • Going to the movies

    Going to the movies

    —

    in ,

    Not something we can do at moment of course but that doesn’t stop me reminiscing. My memories of going to the cinema, or to the flicks as we would have said in those days, began in the early 60s. As a teenager in I went to the local cinemas, every town had one, and, if…

  • A lifetime of running (not)

    —

    in ,

    I ran 4.5 km yesterday. No big deal you might rightfully think but it was a part of my progress towards a medium term goal of 5k in 35 minutes. But more about that later. In the meantime I’ve been thinking about my relationship with running from schooldays to the present.

  • 5 things I miss during social distancing

    5 things I miss during social distancing

    —

    in ,

    Firstly the small print. I’m a baby boomer, got my own house with no mortgage and have a couple of occupational pensions which keep my bank balance positive (although my pension pot has taken a bit of a hit as the stock market’s crashed). So I’m not worried about losing my job, I’m not working…

  • Me and my stent: 6 months in

    Me and my stent: 6 months in

    —

    in

    It’s worth a little reflection. Six months ago, on Thursday 29 Aug 19, I was flat on my back at Royal Papworth having a stent inserted in my right coronary artery and I still find it remarkable that I’m leading a pretty normal life today. I wrote about my feelings one month in (https://wp.me/phtcF-QE). It…

  • 5 things to/I do before 9 o’clock

    —

    in ,

    I’m motivated to write this piece because I’ve just come across a similarly motivated blogpost which talks of ‘9 things before 9AM’ (click here). It’s a mix of the mundane (drink more water) and the strange (daily affirmations) with some hard work in between (journals) but I recognise much of my own thinking.