Author Archives: Ian Short

On this day, 50 years ago, I first arrived in Australia. We travelled the long way round; 36 hours in the air from London via New York, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Fiji and Melbourne, then to Adelaide. We were travelling from … Continue reading →

Four years ago, when I had my arm in a sling after breaking a shoulder, our then two-year old granddaughter saw me take it out to do some exercises and ordered, “Arrow, put arm in!” Today we are in the … Continue reading →

Fours years to the day that I was admitted to the ED with a broken shoulder, I was admitted – as planned – to the Ashford cardiac unit where I now have a shiny new heart valve. Many thanks to … Continue reading →

We are among the thousands without power this morning after last night’s storms. But at least we can make a cuppa with my mom and dad’s vintage camping stove from the 1960s. Below is a photo of me and the … Continue reading →

What the heck does the #ABC ‘s #AfternoonBriefing think it’s doing, putting sentimental music behind the Prime Minister’s and other MPs’ tributes to Peta Murphy in parliament today? Do they think we are clods that we need cues on how … Continue reading →

Is this what QandA has become? Had to turn it off tonight as I couldn’t stand the shallowness and superficiality. Comments Doug Jacquier Yes, it has. It has become the woke Olympics. Robin Tourville It makes me sad the term … Continue reading →

There is a bird in our garden whose call is three, quick, short, high-pitched tweets. It sounds exactly like the warning beeps from our fridge when you leave the door open. During the Spring mating season I am forever checking … Continue reading →

On this day sixty years ago in my childhood home in Birmingham, I watched the very first live broadcast of Doctor Who, Episode 1, “An Unearthly Child” with William Hartnell as the tetchy First Doctor. There was some concern that … Continue reading →

On this day, sixty years ago, late on a Friday night in downtown Birmingham, England, my dad and I were coming out of the AGM of our fishing club. Stepping out into the normally bustling Friday night city streets, we … Continue reading →