Distance makes a good neighbour! What makes a good neighbor? My nearest neighbour, (neighbor with a u, because I’m British) lives around quarter of a mile away. Technically it’s about half a mile to the next living neighbour, as our nearest dwelling is at the moment unoccupied. Our good neighbour…

Dancing What could you try for the first time? I had never learned a single step of any type of dance whatsoever until six months ago. I’d played music for people to dance to for years, but never danced myself. That all changed when I was asked to join a new band formed to back a dance instructor…

Be true to yourself. What principles define how you live? The sixties was a time of social revolution. A lot of the traditional values such as marriage for life, no matter what, and no sex outside of marriage, were thrown out of the window. The pressures to conform to rigid social rules in Britain…

Our Vintage Dance Band! Well 2 weeks today we’re at Metheringham Village Hall, rockin’ and swingin’ our way through the afternoon! Get your tickets! Book your flights! Come and join us for an afternoon of dance from beginner to pro… Bring your own refreshments and dress ‘40’s Style for a fun…

Mowing the lawn What have you been putting off doing? Why? Not quite as much as in the picture, but it’s 5000 steps to mow my lawns. It’s a good hours worth if not more of plodding along, longer if I use a grass box. So I need to be prepared both mentally and physically. The big problem at the end…

I’ve never grown up! When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)? That’s me in the school cap! That’s my nan and little brother, both no longer with us, bless them. I’ve always had a child-like curiosity for things and still enjoy a good cartoon, Tom & Jerry being favourite.…

Funny world, innit? I look at my stats from time to time—I try to see some hidden patterns, the mysterious algorithm that changes an average post to a viral one. I originally started this blog as a vehicle for promoting my books, but it now has a life of its own. It’s a means of venting my spleen…

Louth Search Dogs Louth Search Dogs, Lincolnshire UK. An entirely voluntary organisation of which I am proud to be a member. We provide the Lincolnshire Police with our services of Search and Rescue dogs, trained to find missing persons. Once a year the dogs are tested in their role by the police.…

God loves a trier What's something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail. God loves a trier, is an English proverb. It means God (or simply life) favours those who persist in trying something that may not necessarily result in immediate success. I must admit that I will try anything…

I learnt to fly! What was the hardest personal goal you've set for yourself? I’m not sure what motivated me, perhaps watching others in the Royal Air Force. I was qualified to run jet engines, test systems and so on. I enjoyed my career, as a bandsman and then an aircraft technician. But fly one?…

Super Duper Moon! We don’t get Super Harvest Moons, we get Super Duper Moons here in Darkest Lincolnshire….no street lights or neighbours so we get the full effect! I took the pics through the bedroom window pane, hence the slight double effect. Even so I think they’re Awesome!

Surrealism Who are your favorite artists? The Persistence of Memory must be one of my favourite pieces by the late, great Salvador Dali. Artist and showman, eccentric and extrovert, his antics rarely kept him out of the limelight for long. His work influenced my own attempts as I studied art, and…

Playing my saxophone! What is your favorite hobby or pastime? After all this time, my favourite pastime is playing my saxophone! I’ve managed to make a living doing it too, so I’ve been paid for doing what I love! Jazz sax is my number one favourite genre, but soul, funk, blues are also great fun…

Don’t panic! What would you do if you lost all your possessions? Losing everything is not pleasant. Some put more value on possessions than others. Myself? Things have no hold on me thankfully. I lost everything the first time in an acrimonious divorce. I came home from work one evening and my…

The misinformation age What's a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind? We’re constantly bombarded with information in our modern world. The smartphone has seen to that. No subject is taboo and few secrets are hidden now. With a few swipes we have almost any information we need. We…

50 subscribers! Thank you for subscribing to my blog page! 50 subscribers is a big thing for me, at least! I try to write from the heart and be honest, sometimes what I write is painful both to me and you, but it’s truth. I feel that’s important since there is so much deception on the internet.…

I’m continually lost Tell us about a time when you felt out of place. I have always felt out of place. I always feel that I’m not really part of anything. I may be present at an event but not included. Everybody else looks to be engaging and linked in, but I feel like I’m on the outside. I often…

The quiet life Your life without a computer: what does it look like? Fifty years ago the office had a fax and a telephone with a dial. Forty years ago the office had a fax, a telephone with a dial and a small television screen that spewed unintelligible green digits out. Nobody really knew what it…

Piano virtuoso What skill would you like to learn? As a student I studied music, and one of the things that was essential at higher level was a basic knowledge of the piano. Why was this? Well, the structure of chords and what makes them up, and how classical music is, quite literally, built. The…

Socialising What details of your life could you pay more attention to? If there’s one thing guaranteed to bring me out in a cold sweat, it’s socialising. Mixing with people is the toughest thing for me to do. An event, such as a fundraiser is nigh on impossible for me. To mingle, make small talk,…

I want to wake up! What's your #1 priority tomorrow? When you get to a certain age, waking up is not always a certainty. Waking up dead is a distinct possibility as one gets older. We all talk glibly about how we want to die when we’re younger. Go out in a blaze of glory, or skidding sideways into…

Gosh a difficult one… In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled? The only hard work I ever do is gardening. Physically it’s the only work I do. I haven’t worked hard ever, if the truth be known. Playing music and entertaining certainly isn’t hard work I’ve said it before, if you’ve got…

I’m comfortable with myself What’s the trait you value most about yourself? I’m perfectly happy on my own, I don’t crave company. I certainly value that trait. For as long as I can remember I’ve been like that, right back into childhood. I never had friends for very long as we were always moving…

Work, a dirty word. List three jobs you'd consider pursuing if money didn't matter. I don’t think I’ve ever done a job I’ve not enjoyed doing. Well, except the night shift security guard at a long term airport car park. That sucked, I lasted a week. It was the snakes, the place was crawling with…

Once we were a great nation What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in? A mere 300 years ago Britain was Great. We had a Royal Navy that commanded every sea around the world. It seems astonishing that our tiny island held the rest of the world in its sway. I’m…

A new concept for me What brands do you associate with? If you use social media or are involved in any sort of business venture then this is something you will be acutely aware of. Branding is big money. One that always springs to mind is the humble vacuum cleaner. In the UK we don’t vacuum the…

Playing music I’m always looking for more opportunities to play paid gigs, especially this time of year when things slacken off. As a professional musician it’s a fight against open mic nights and venues closing daily in the UK. I decided during Covid that it was time to stop playing…

Shut up and listen! What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? Probably the only advice I ever took on board. As a jazz player, listening is as important as playing. It’s interactive music and the gaps between notes are as important as the notes themselves. Listening to the other…

A good night’s sleep Without a doubt, a good night’s sleep is the thing which recharges my battery. I adopted the medieval practise of a first and second sleep many years ago, waking in the small hours for around an hour before sleeping until sunrise. In the summer I also have a siesta, since the…

Led Zeppelin 2 What's your all-time favorite album? I was probably 15 or 16 when I heard this album the first time. My hair stood on end! Yes, I had hair back then in the 70’s. It was raw, exciting and totally different to anything else I had ever heard. In my opinion they have never been…

What on earth? Anyone know what this one is? 6 ins diameter, yellow gills. Found on a Xmas Tree nursery in Lincolnshire UK.

I’m interested in many things! Which topics would you like to be more informed about? I’ve got many interests. If you follow my blogs then you’ll know I’m a musician and entertainer, writer, dog lover and general pontificator on a lot of subjects. One I would like to be better informed on is…

No music, no life. What would your life be like without music? No music, no life. Simple as that. Without music I would cease to exist in this world. I’ve held a musical instrument in my hands since before I can remember. I started playing recorder some time before my memory recalls, then around…

My new book coming soon! Set in 13th century Spain on the Camino Frances. I am Guillaume. a Franciscan Friar trying to evade the Templar Knights who hunt me. Waking next to a murdered man I am assumed guilty, alongside my travelling companion Rashid. We escape capture and meet a woman guide who…

Same old thing How do you celebrate holidays? I usually work on holidays. If you can call doing what you love, work. Music and holidays often go together so the only day in the year that I don’t work, is Christmas Day. This year I have two jobs on Boxing Day and I’m playing in the New Year with my…

Ashes to ashes….. Write about your most epic baking or cooking fail. I’m fortunate enough to live in a remote part of England, not unspoilt, but off the beaten track. We have water and electricity but no sewerage system or utilities. Our heating is run on either propane gas, stored in a large tank…

Don’t waste time! Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life. I was only talking the other day to friends of a similar age to me about this very thing. We agreed on one thing, that it seems that time has speeded up as we have aged. When we were younger, time seemed to drag, we were…

Porridge and soup! What are your favorite types of foods? Every morning I have the same thing for breakfast. Yes, I’m boring but the same thing for absolutely donkeys years. Porridge with salt, a dob of honey and dash of milk. Occasionally a few sultanas if I’m feeling radical. I remember making…

A daily walk is good for you! How often do you walk or run? You don’t have to do crazy stunts like I did, 20 miles a day for 5 weeks on the Camino Frances, but a daily walk is good for you! I love walking, it’s mental and physical therapy. My faithful hound Lily loves it too! We only do a couple…

I’m on Threads Too! I'm on Threads as @marcusgoldworthy. Install the app to follow my threads and replies. In fact I'm all over the place like a rash! Have a look!

Leaders and followers. Do you see yourself as a leader? I do a bit of dancing, I’m only a beginner, started this year, so there’s a lot to learn, In most dance styles which involve a couple of dancers paired off there will be a leader and a follower. Traditionally, the leader is male, follower is…

Inmobiliaria! What's your favorite word? A few years ago I lived abroad in Southern Spain. I had grown tired of overcrowded England, so I hopped on the ferry from Plymouth and sailed down to Santander and a new life in Spain. One of the things I got to grips with fairly quickly was the language. I…

Absolutely nothing…except a bit of scribbling! What are you doing this evening? Here we are again! I just took this selfie of Lily and I in front of the ancient Rayburn stove in the farmhouse kitchen. As Summer bows out and Autumn steps onto the stage, this becomes more of a focal point in our…

Take Cover! What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you? I must confess to finding it difficult to socialise; as much as I enjoy entertaining and sharing my thoughts, the thought of a party or meeting people in a social group fills me with dread. I’m fine one to one, but more than…

A balanced week! Describe your ideal week. As a pensioner, I get to pretty much choose how I spend my week. I play in a couple of bands and help train search and rescue dogs, so there are usually 3 set routines in the week, nicely spaced out. Oh! And there’s dancing on Tuesday evening too. The…

Professional Road Cyclists Name the professional athletes you respect the most and why. Terrifying! At 16 years old, as a schoolboy entrant in competition circuit racing, my first race in a bunch of other racers was daunting to say the least. I had shown promise on the road with good times at 10…

Webpage and links working? https://true-steps.com Give it a click…..if you like/dare!! After 3 Zillion photos and chats with an AI, my rudimentary website is up and running! There’s a long way to go, but now 3 of my better books are on there with clickable links….well they work from here! It’s all…

Ahh….relax! How do you relax? Although many consider me a very active person, I actually spend a great deal of time relaxing. It depends on how one defines relaxation: “the state of being free from tension and anxiety.” So says my dictionary. I can be active and relaxed simultaneously. So…

No, no and thrice no! If you had to give up one word that you use regularly, what would it be? Well you learn something every day! Quote: ‘No, "No no and thrice no" is not a famous quote but the title of a specific story mission in the video game Red Dead Redemption 2. In the mission, the…

Me? Hold a grudge? Are you holding a grudge? About? I don’t hold grudges, so here’s a picture of a Morgan Motor Car…..made in England! The waiting list for these hand-made cars is loooong! If you hold a grudge you are a victim! Think of all the productive time you lose grinding your teeth over…