Author: TrickyAndNIcky
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Five Years
1st April 2026 It might feel like this long since our last post, but that’s not the inspiration for the title of this one, nor is the opening track on Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album. Our latest stint in Pollards Mill ended in early March and naturally there’s less to blog about when we’re not there,…
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From pillar to post
3rd February 2026 We introduced you to our new gates on 21st October last year (‘The Gates of Delirium’) and, inevitably, our minds soon turned to the state of the pillars on which they hang. They’re rock solid and vertical – which can’t be said about everything around here. One is taller than the other,…
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The Mirror and the Light
23rd February 2026 A couple of years ago, when we and some friends were staying in a rented property on the east coast of Barbados (ah! such carefree days 😆) we had a 13 day internet outage. This obviously had its disadvantages, but it did free up a lot of time. I used some of…
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The Emerald Forest
21st February 2026 For reasons which will become obvious, I was going to call this post ‘The Big Bamboo’ but decided to try and be a bit more original. Having said that, if you fancy a laugh, google ‘Big Bamboo lyrics’ or, even better, listen to the version recorded by Trinidad calypso legend The Mighty…
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Dig for Victory
6th February 2026 Our latest VIPs have distracted us so much we haven’t written anything for ages – so this is a bumper blog! Part 1: springing a leak The VIPs pointed out nearly two weeks ago (whilst sunning themselves by the pool) that one of the pipes had a pretty little fountain spraying from…
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The cutting room
18th January 2026 Last week we had one of our “immersive garden days” well that was the plan, however the early start was curtailed by our NYE infringement and the trip to the magistrates court. By the time we had returned the gardening team had made massive inroads into the project of the day. The…
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The long arm of the law
13th January 2026 I reckon I’ve had four careers. The first was brief – 18 months as a ‘Saturday boy’ in the record department at WHSmith when I was at school. I earned £9.10 per day and my main aim each time was to get the boss to let me play one Black Sabbath or…
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The lengths we go to
8th January 2026 Many moons ago, (well before “we fired de work” and then took on the biggest job/ adventure of our lives) we used to come on holiday to Barbados and stay with my parents on the East coast. One year at breakfast Dad introduced us to his new best friend “Winston”.. Dad sat…
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New year, new leaf
5th January 2026 Ha, I know you will all be thinking that this is a post about New Year’s resolutions, but you are wrong. Whilst in my youth I was not adverse to resolving to lose weight, or be kind, or give up alcohol for January, some resolutions more successful than other; I have long…
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A Caribbean Christmas…
4th January 2026 …and Bajan New Year. Unlike my lovely wife, who lived in the Caribbean till she was 14, 2025 was only my third tropical Christmas – after Sydney 1990 and Barbados 2014. Nonetheless I think I’m acclimatising to this slightly strange double life – for instance, this didn’t seem out of place: And…