Reggie Tyrwhitt Illustrations

The North Lincolnshire market town of Barton upon Humber has seen many illustrious names over its long and distinguished history. Names such as Isaac Pitman (inventor of Pitman's shorthand), Samuel Wilderspin (pioneer of infant education), Ken Harrison (cartoonist of Desperate Dan fame), and Chad Varah (founder of the Samaritans) are just a few of such illuminaries in the town's annals.

Now, we have another star continuing to keep Barton on Humber firmly on the map as home to men of distinction. Without further ado, allow me to introduce Reggie Tyrwhitt, a man to whom the pencil is but a sixth digit of his right hand; a man who will faithfully portray your family castle (whether it be Georgian townhouse, country retreat, or resplendent folly) in splendid reproductions of lead, ink and watercolour; a man who will capture the idiosyncrasy of your dinner party, the foibles of your shooting party, or the disgrace of your golfing match in less than the time it takes for you to reach for a pencil-sharpener...

Reggie Tyrwhitt, who has the distinction of having exhibited at the Hungerford Gallery, is now available to illustrate (at a very reasonable price) your greetings cards, postcards, book-plates, invitations, menus and letterheads, etc. in a unique style of your choosing.

Take a peak today at his website and start planning your new stationery for 2010!

Reggie Tyrwhitt Illustrations
http://www.reggietyrwhitt-illustrations.co.uk

Now, who do I know who could illustrate my next poetry collection....

Misprint of the Week

The cruise company, P&O, take pride in the presentation of all aspects of their service. However, I thought that the following announcement, printed in the ship's daily newspaper (Horizons) during my recent cruise on Artemis, was taking their concern for the welfare of their passengers just a little too far:

'Lifts
We are pleased to advise that the spare parts for the aft lift has arrived onboard and repairs will commence forthwith. Between now and Barbados all ship's lifts will also undergo survey and safety inspections, which means that all ship's lifts will be subject to interruptions in service from time to time. Every effort will be made to minimise disruption. We apologise for any incontinence caused.'

My imagination keeps conjuring up a picture of passengers attempting to climb the stairs with their legs crossed...

All Things are Relative

Mr Bargewick is not a man known for his sense of humour; at least not by me within the timeframe of the twenty years during which he has been a patient of mine.

I am uncertain as to whether his origins are truly of Lincolnshire descent, or whether, some seventy something years ago, he was hewn out of North Yorkshire limestone and then transported to the territories south of the Humber River. What is very evident is that he doesn't like communicating. Once called from the waiting room, his face assumes the appearance of a foreboding, craggy outcrop of fissured rock. Couple that with his verbal ability to articulate each word as though it was meant to be the first syllable of the next, with the resulting sound drawn out into rambling sentences devoid of punctuation or, indeed, any discernable structure, and all delivered at a volume that makes an earth worm sound positively noisy, and you will start to have some idea of the character of the man I am alluding to.

One thing is for certain: I have never before seen him smile. It took a recent, prolonged cold snap, with snow falling over several days, for me to see that a sense of humour, albeit dour, lay beneath the rugged exterior. However, first I must tell you about the weather.

Like much of the United Kingdom, Lincolnshire has just seen its heaviest snow falls for some thirty years. Over a couple of weeks, each day had seen new layers added to those of previous days, causing considerable inconvenience to everyone, and not least to those living in rural areas. Mr Bargewick is one such person, living in a village six miles from the market town. The fact that he had been able to get to the surgery on time for his appointment was commendable, and I made a suitably appreciative comment.

"Aye," he mumbled. "It's been a long time since we've had such a sharp frost."

Momentarily speechless, I turned to the window, beyond which the wall was surmounted by a layer of snow some six inches thick. Returning my gaze to my patient, I shook my amused head, and replied:

"When I was in Ireland last year and happened to be soaked by a deluge which the locals dismissed as nothing more than a 'slight mist', I thought then that I had heard the best of understatements. However, yours beats that hands down. That, Mr Bargewick," I continued, gesticulating to the view beyond the window, "is six inches of snow...it is not a 'sharp frost'!"

I grinned with incredulity, and an amazing thing happened. Mr Bargewick's face burst into a broad smile and for the first time in twenty years, I heard him give a deep chortle of laughter, as though even he was amused at the dryness of his own wit.

In life, some nuts are harder to crack than others. People are much the same. Some wear their emotions on their sleeves, whilst others have solid defences. It has taken twenty years to find a crack in Mr Bargewick's hard exterior. However, it was definitely worth the wait, as it is unique moments like that which add to the delight of general medical practice.

Epicurea - Our Holiday Apartment in Cyprus

Newly furnished, our apartment in Cyprus is now available for short vacations or for that longer period to escape the English winter!

Idyllically situated in the traditional village of Pissouri, Epicurea is only five minutes drive from Pissouri Bay, and fifteen minutes from two first class golf courses (Aphrodite Hills and The Secret Valley). Photographs of Epicurea and Pissouri can be found at:

www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/pissouri/100324

Book Review - The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler’s Wife
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
Published 2004
Vintage £7.99 ISBN 0 099 46446 2

For doctors who are troubled by the concepts of post viral fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, The Time Traveler’s Wife may present a slight difficulty. However, if the reader suspends disbelief and is prepared to go with the flow, then this book offers an extraordinary tale along the lines of The Time Machine meets Gone With The Wind.

The story is about the relationship between the principal characters, Henry and Clare.

Henry, a librarian, has a rare genetic disorder called Chrono-Impairment. The condition causes him to be repeatedly transported into his past or future, with little warning or control over when it happens or where he goes.

‘It feels exactly like one of those dreams in which you suddenly realise that you have to take a test you haven’t studied for and you aren’t wearing any clothes. And you’ve left your wallet behind.’

For me, that paragraph most aptly portrays the nightmarish condition Henry is subjected to.

As a chrono-displaced person, Henry first meets his future wife, Clare, in a meadow behind her family home, when he is thirty-six and she is six years old. From such a beginning, an extraordinary love story develops and they subsequently marry when Henry is thirty and Clare, now an artist, is twenty-two.

The book charts the complexities of their relationship, with the narrative being alternatively provided by the voices of Henry and Clare as they describe the pain, torment and uncertainty of the unpredictable periods of separation that puts an unfathomable strain on their marriage. The reader is drawn into their story as they relate the desperate quest to find a genetically engineered cure for Henry’s affliction and their heart-rending attempts to have a child.

At first, I found the whole concept disorientating and was left struggling for terms of reference in respect to Henry’s time travel. However, once I stopped referring back to previous chapters, in an attempt to form some type of time-line, and simply accepted each chronological change as stated, then the book became much more enjoyable.

The Time Traveler’s Wife is the first novel by Audrey Niffenegger, herself an artist and a professor of writing in Chicago. The American connection is given away by the spelling of the title. References to various items no doubt familiar to the average American citizen may cause difficulties for many British readers; for example, I still have no idea as to what I would be receiving if I ordered ‘duch wursts and spaetzle’ in a restaurant. However, such references are far enough apart as to avoid causing distraction from the story itself.

I am neither a fan of science fiction or romantic novels. That said, I easily read this over one wet weekend. The success of the tale can be measured by the fact that it sometimes made me laugh aloud, whilst other parts were poignant enough to bring a lump to my throat. It is an extraordinary story, which remains in one’s mind long after the book is finished. I thoroughly recommend it.


Post script:

The film of the book is now in UK cinemas. I saw it last night and found it to be a sound representation of the original book. Normally, I would recommend that a book is read before seeing a film. However, this one does a good job of standing alone on the big screen. Despite being familiar with the story, my emotions were still disrupted as the film progressed, which I guess is a sign of a good tale...

Empty Rhetoric

When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister, I wrote the following poem, based on his own words. I think the verdict is now indeed 'empty rhetoric'!


Choleric Musings
(On the day Gordon Brown became Prime Minister)


‘I have heard the need for change.
…now let the work of change begin.’

Footage of journeys along The Mall;
political metamorphosis by Royal Assent.
Traditional photo-shoot at number 10
of this nation’s primary (Scottish) gent.

‘I remember words…which matter a great deal today:
“I will try my utmost”.’

Forgive a somewhat jaded view
from a veteran of decades past.
Successive governments have promised as much;
will your offerings be the ones to last?

‘I will build a government that uses all the talents.’

Are you capable of bringing stability?
Will your changes be climacteric?
Will patients see improvements they seek?
Are your sound-bites empty rhetoric?


© Copyright 2007 Dr Robert M Jaggs-Fowler

The Magic Flute in Fifty Words

A few years ago I accepted the challenge of describing a named opera in no more than fifty words. It is not an easy task! However, the result is shared below:


The Magic Flute

Romance parallels Masonic ritual.

Through luminary initiation and the assistance of three genii, ophidiophobic, muted, magic-flautist Tamino and lovelorn, tipsy, campanological Papageno rescue suicidal Pamina from the debauched Moor, Monostatos, and unite her with Tamino. Papageno discovers his feathery amour, Papagena; Sarastro is pardoned and the evil Nocturnal Queen banished.


I now challenge you to try your own hand at one!

Happy Easter

A very Happy Easter to you all.

May the Christian spirit of peace, harmony, love, trust and understanding be with you now and for always, whatever faith you profess.

Our World depends on it.

The Late Lord Slynn of Hadley

The former Law Lord, Lord Slynn of Hadley, died on the 7th April 2009, at the age of 79 years.

Lord Slynn was a lawyer with a vast intellect. Between 1981 and 1988, he was Britain's advocate-general at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, followed by four years of being a judge at the same court. He was elevated to the House of Lords in 1992, where he served the English judiciary for several years, being involved in many difficult cases including the debate over whether General Pinochet should be extradited to Spain to stand trial over alleged crimes of genocide; a decision regarding which, Lord Slynn dissented from the Lord's majority.

Lord Slynn was also a gregarious man with a shrewd sense of humour. He went to great lengths to put those around him at ease, and never lost the opportunity to attend a good cocktail party, where he would be a much sought-after guest.

I first met Lord Slynn when he became the Prior of the Priory of England & the Islands of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. Within a short space of time, and true to his temperament, I was made to feel like a long-standing friend.

He will be sadly missed.

The New-Style Musings of a Literary Doctor

Welcome to the fresh new look for Musings of a Literary Doctor.

All the previous posts are still available. However, after three years of blogging, the style was beggining to look a little dated. So, here we are - a new look, with lots of new posts coming soon!

Don't forget to sign up for automatic updates as new posts are added, and please feel free to add comments. It is good to have a debate on some issues.

Travel with James Tusitala

Following a year of travel writing for www.beabritdifferent.com, I have decided to run with my own travel site.

Travel with James Tusitala can be found at www.travelwithjamestusitala.blogspot.com.

Do come along for the journey...there are plenty of seats on the transport!