Category Archives: Mining the Diaries

Roots and Routes 1

Posted on June 7, 2026 by Brian

If the shelves in Waterstones and the books pages of the Observer are anything to go by we live in an age of memoirs.  Maybe that’s not surprising, given that it’s also the age of social media with its obsessive … Continue reading →

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Mining the Diaries 39a: Belgium

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Brian

I missed this in the first trawl of my diaries. It takes on a particular poignancy given the events of 2016. Hotel Leopold, Brussels, 15th -16th March 1999 In Brussels with a Cambridge delegation to visit the East of England … Continue reading →

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Mining the Diaries 19a: France 1990

Posted on September 12, 2024 by Brian

Another trip that escaped the initial trawl of my diaries. Maison St Antoine, Marcoussis, Paris, 10th February 1990 Here with David W.  David then taught at The Manor in Wilburton, a residential school catering for children with special educational needs. … Continue reading →

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Mining the Diaries 19a France 1989

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Brian

Something I missed from my initial digging in the diary mine. 31st March 1989 To Boulogne with David W.  Good day.  Much fog in Channel; sea dead calm. That’s all there is, plus a ticket showing we travelled by P&O … Continue reading →

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Real Things – Kathleen Jamie

Posted on August 30, 2024 by Brian

I’ve recently discovered the writing of Kathleen Jamie and have been moved and stimulated by her book Surfacing.  A passage encapsulates the experience of mining my diaries for this blog. ‘The old notebook retrieved, I closed the box… I had … Continue reading →

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Mining the Diaries 7a: Suffolk 1981

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Brian

I missed this holiday in the first trawl of the diaries.  59a High Street, Southwold 12th April 1981 A restless night punctuated by waking children, a calling tawny owl and an unexplained raging headache.  I got up with Matthew and … Continue reading →

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St Davids

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries 102: Wales Arosfa, Goat Street, St Davids, Pembrokeshire, 20th June 2023. Jane went to Narberth to see friends, so I had a day to myself, a chance to explore St Davids. Despite this being my fourth visit, … Continue reading →

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Venice

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries 101: Italy Casa Accademia, Fond. Bragadin 624, Venice, 20th May 2023 Awake early, I read for a bit (Where My Feet Fall, Duncan Minshull), though not really focusing.  A blackbird had called in the dawn.  Showered, out … Continue reading →

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Trieste

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries 100: Italy Hotel Roma, Via Carlo Ghega, Trieste, 16th May 2023 A return to Trieste after twenty-one years. We landed at Ronchi dei Legionari mid-morning and, after a battle of wills with the ticket machine, boarded the … Continue reading →

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Margate

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries 99: England Flat 2 57 Kingsgate Avenue, Margate 11th November 2022 We drove to Margate, parked in Westbrook, climbed down onto the Westbrook Promenade and walked east in the shadow of the former Royal Sea Bathing Hospital.  … Continue reading →

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Reydon, Southwold

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries 98: England Scholars Cottage, Old School Drive Reydon, 4th July 2022 A visit to Snape, a short drive south down the A12. One never knows quite what to expect at The Maltings, the temporary exhibitions of sculpture … Continue reading →

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Kardamili

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries 97: Greece 205A Anniska Apartments, Kardamili, Greece20th May 2022 After yesterday’s cloudy start, today dawned bright and clear.  The first rays of the sun breasted the mountains and picked out the white houses on far Messenia; light … Continue reading →

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Issam Kourbaj – Syria Reflection

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries – Reflection Looking back to past travels taxes the fallible memory.  Mostly, only high lights and low lights come into focus with the remainder blurred impressions.  Photographs, diaries, souvenirs and accumulated ephemera help, of course, but they … Continue reading →

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St Davids

Posted on March 10, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries 96: Wales Arosfa, Goat Street, St Davids, 12th July 2021 A grey morning; some promising breaks in the sky.  We walked down to the chapel at St Nons (it had become something of a pilgrimage) and lit … Continue reading →

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Covehithe

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Brian

Mining the Diaries 95: England Weavers Cottage, Spinners Lane, Southwold, 20th May 2021 The weather continued to be grim for May: wind, rain and cold under leaden skies.  It didn’t keep us in and bracing walks were rewarded by the … Continue reading →

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