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The High Street

Is the high street dead? Is a revival of the high street feasible? Huge supermarkets finished off small businesses and many local shops disappeared. Now, major retailers are going out of business. What is the future of the high street? Will we have dozens of coffee shops? Will charity shops take over town centres? Join me for a look at the high street.

Do It Yourself, or a professional job?

If you want a job doing properly, do it yourself. That’s what I was told when I was young, and very often it’s good advice. Join me in this episode as I look at the difference between a professional job and DIY.  You might be surprised by some of my revelations!

Automations and Job Losses

Automation is progress, it’s great… But it means job losses. Automatic letter sorting replaced dozens of men. Electric trains replaced steam, the fireman was redundant. The bus conductor was made redundant. Shops disappeared with progress and the advent of retail parks. The coal shop, the wool shop, the ironmonger… In this episode, I look at the jobs that no longer exist.

Children!

The joys of bringing up children. The tantrums, slamming doors, the tears… And the things our parents used to say to us. You’re not going out until you’ve tidied your room. Yeah but, why can’t I? Because I said so! Join me for a look at the joys of parenting and kids.

My brush with the Aristocracy.

My brush with the Aristocracy is a fun look at the lives of the people in the Big House on the hill. My clandestine visits to the house revealed just how different my Lord and Lady were to us commoners in the village. 

Junk – To Keep or Dump?

You find an kid’s bike in the attic, it’s from the 1950s… Do you dump it or keep it?  An old vacuum cleaner from the 1940s… Do you take it to the rubbish tip or clean it up and keep it? One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. If you throw something away, you can be sure that you’ll regret it. But you can’t keep everything!

Seeds of Doubt

‘I saw your boyfriend out with another girl…’ the seed of doubt has been planted! That’s all it takes, just one little comment, to destroy a relationship. I’ve received several emails from listeners who have been stung by the seed of doubt. Join me in this fascinating episode.

Decorating, then and now.

In this episode, I look back and the way people decorated their houses one hundred years ago. The paint and wallpaper, the carpets… And the way we decorate now. In some respects, what was modern then is modern now! What goes around comes around. 

Ghost Hospital

During a visit to a modern hospital, I got lost in the labyrinth of corridors and found myself taken back to a ghostly Victorian hospital. I thought I’d walked into a museum as I spoke to a doctor. The young nurses were dressed in old-fashioned uniforms, the wards were eerie… I soon realised that I’d gone back in time.  In this episode, I relate my strange and, at times, frightening experience.

Cheats Never Prosper

Adulterer, love rat, two-timing cheat… When someone cheats on their partner, it can cause heartbreak, devastation and despair. In this episode, I recall the deceit and cheating I’ve witnessed between some couples. Strangely, the outcome isn’t always bad!

Reducing Stress

Most people suffer from stress at some stage in the lives. How can we calm ourselves after a stressful day? From listening to relaxing music to a workout in the gym, there are several ways to reduce stress. According to some, there's a tried and tested way. Come and join me for a walk in the woods.

The Four Seasons.

Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn. The four seasons are very different, bringing different experiences to different people. Summer holidays, winter nights, dark evenings, lighter evenings… Join me for a look at the seasons.

Your Emails.

I’ve received shed loads of emails over the last year or so. In this episode, I read some of your comments, funny, happy, rude and sad. Join me for a look back over the last year of Podcast episodes, and what you thought of them.

Broken Marriage.

A young couple fall in love, they marry and build a home together, they have a baby… Then disaster hits. Divorce. What went wrong? Why? Whose fault was it?

Working From Home

Working from home, the idea sounds great. You can start when you like, finish when you like, take a day off when you like. But… is it a good as is sounds? In this episode, I explore the good side… and the not so good side, of working from home.