by Steve Tanham
“You’re staring at that lamp.” “Yes.” “You’ve been staring at that lamp for twenty-three minutes, now.” “Twenty four, actually. I’m counting as well as staring at the lamp.” “Why are you staring at the lamp at 11:30 in the evening when we’re on holiday in Dublin?” “Because it’s a peaceful shape with soft curves and relaxing shades of white, grey and silver.” “Just because … Read More Silly Shadow
by Steve Tanham
The massive concentration of vapour-trails over the familiar presence of the Midland Hotel set me musing with a smile: we could be being invaded! I walked up the promenade a little way to get a better view of the invasion. Tess was grumbling and pulling at the lead. She’d had a ‘frantic fifteen’ (minutes) chasing her favourite ball on a beach – newly opened … Read More Playing with the Sun
by Steve Tanham
I like to think I’m a man of the world … I’ve certainly not ‘done it all’, but I’ve lived my life, fully. And greatly enjoyed each challenge as it came, often learning in the process, especially from the disasters. But I’d never met a tanga, before. Well not in a personal way… I’d better explain. I’ve just turned 70. “Surely not!” I hear … Read More Encounter with a tanga
by Steve Tanham
My wife and her sister had just left to do some local shopping. I was set to take the two dogs – one ours, the other minded for two friends touring northern Spain – onto the nearby beach for their second run of the day. It was a prospect neither seemed keen on… My mind had registered the lowering sky … but only subconsciously. … Read More The extra coffee
by Steve Tanham
I’ve been following Di over at Pensitivity101 for many years, now. Like the rest of us, she’s had her ups and downs, but always weathers them and comes out cheerful and positive. She’s got a great sense of humour. She hosts ‘Fibbing Friday’. This week, she offers us the chance to spend a few minutes lying, as amusingly as possible, about the authors of … Read More But Fun…
by Steve Tanham
They are a part of living in the country. They’re a lot faster than they used to be, and there are a lot of them… And when you’re stuck behind one, on a narrow Cumbrian lane, there’s little you can do but wait. Often, you find yourself thinking ‘I’m late… could anything be worse than this?’ Plenty… as we found the other day when … Read More When the Picture is the Blog
by Steve Tanham
It’s one of those love-hate things… Apart from a bacon sandwich – crispy, of course – it’s my favourite breakfast… assuming Manx kippers aren’t on the menu… The humble French croissant, bought frozen from M&S, baked for twenty minutes in the oven then served alongside a fresh latté made in our Nespresso machine. We’re ‘dunkers’ my wife and I. The croissant reaches new heights … Read More The croissant and me
by Steve Tanham
I remember the ferry poster. May 2018 and we were on our way to Orkney for the first time. Four of us had travelled by ScotRail up from Glasgow to Thurso, a few miles west of John O’ Groats, the most northerly point on the British mainland. From Thurso, we were booked onto the evening ferry to Orkney, landing in Stromness around ninety minutes … Read More The Old Men of Hoy
by Steve Tanham
The sinister man in the white overall was tall and very athletic. He’d just talked me through what was going to happen next – punctuated by rapid movements of his blue gloved hands. I was still shocked and not sure I’d heard correctly, so in the photo I’m watching carefully as he explains things to the car ‘in front’. My one salvation was that … Read More Backwards into a Loch
by Steve Tanham
I thought it might be interesting to take some of the less relevant episodes – the ‘out-takes’ – from the just-completed Scottish workshop (and subsequent journey to Orkney) and run them on Sun in Gemini, in reverse time-sequence. The Thursday blogs, here and on the Silent Eye, will continue with the linear sequence of the Scottish and Orkney explorations. That way the odd bits … Read More Nomadics of John O’ Groats
by Steve Tanham
I’m not known for toilet humour. I’m sure it has its place, but, usually, not in my blogs. One of the undoubted reasons for this is that, when on long journeys, my wife and I are, as we describe it, somewhat ‘anally’ fixated when it comes to planning our day vis-a-vis toilet visits. We’re not talking trivial liquids, here; we’re talking the expulsion … Read More Horizontal in Dubai
by Steve Tanham
Inky Black Beneath the vibrant greens A ghostly figure forms Half-seen Whose Inky blackness draws A face from long-forgotten dreams ©Copyright Stephen Tanham words and image 2015
Sun in Gemini 
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