It’s a Robin having an early morning puff on his pipe before the day starts

Dickens fans know Christmas is the season for change and transformation, just like Mr Carpenter.

Against the odds, white noise triumphs. I’m 40% less grumpy.

Good plan, hope it works. The withdrawal is murder and quite unpredictable - I’ve felt terrible the past two days, but was fine earlier this week.

That’s very fast. I’ve had to wean off it too and it’s been horrible. Ended up in A&E with heart palpitations after the first 100mg and my mood is all over the place.
Starting to settle a bit on 50mg but heart is still pounding away.

I don’t think I have it but the looping music is murder. 2 minutes in the Co-Op and that’s my soundtrack for the day.

My biggest peeve - know why it would drive you mad.

Yes, absolutely.

“I’ve said that many times.”

In a desperate panic, I wrapped the wife’s birthday presents with packing tape. Looked like something a a serial killer would send.

Anyway, RIP to the man.

It was one of the warmer memories from a job that veered from hilarious capers with fellow hacks one minute to trauma-causing experiences the next.
I was grateful for the call and pleased not to have made a tough time worse for once.

Later that week, I had a call and - while it’s hazy whether it was the let down partner or another family member - they declined my interview. However, they did as that my note gave them “our only laugh all week”.

When the photographer and I arrived, the pub was shut and no one answered. Rather than give up, I hand wrote a very polite note explaining that I was sorry for the intrusion but my editor would want me to try everything. I never expected a reply.