Three Things Discovered on a Trip to my Mother's

I missed a turning when taking my usual back road from Bristol to Romsey (avoiding Bath and its traffic), and arrived for the first time in Norton St Philip - a lovely village containing this inn. Is it not beautiful, with its mullions and mounting steps? One day I must do more than drive past it.

While we were in Romsey, my mother - who is frightened of loud bangs and has a particular phobia about balloons - confided that when I was a child she wouldn't allow one in the house. I hadn't noticed this deprivation at the time, but tried to feel retrospectively miffed.

On the way back, it turned out that neither of my children believes The Corrs' "Breathless" is addressed to easeful Death, as I have long maintained. Perhaps not - but it's a much better song if you assume that it is.

We returned to discover that Jessie had been giving one of those "My Room" interviews for a Sunday glossy:

Three Things Discovered on a Trip to my Mother's

I missed a turning when taking my usual back road from Bristol to Romsey (avoiding Bath and its traffic), and arrived for the first time in Norton St Philip - a lovely village containing this inn. Is it not beautiful, with its mullions and mounting steps? One day I must do more than drive past it.

While we were in Romsey, my mother - who is frightened of loud bangs and has a particular phobia about balloons - confided that when I was a child she wouldn't allow one in the house. I hadn't noticed this deprivation at the time, but tried to feel retrospectively miffed.

On the way back, it turned out that neither of my children believes The Corrs' "Breathless" is addressed to easeful Death, as I have long maintained. Perhaps not - but it's a much better song if you assume that it is.

We returned to discover that Jessie had been giving one of those "My Room" interviews for a Sunday glossy: