Alan Russell
Bio
When you read my words they may not be perfect but I hope they:
1. Engage you
2. Entertain you
3. At least make you smile (Omar's Diaries) or
4. Think about this crazy world we live in and
5. Never accept anything at face value
Stories (207/0)
Omar's Diary to 9th March 2024
I could hardly believe it earlier today when Ticker, my personal turf accountant, popped by to remind me that the 2024 Cheltenham National Hunt Festival starts this week. We offered him a generous lunch and some libations but he refused. He excused himself on the grounds that he had to collect some rather large outstanding accounts from some 'faces' around his 'manor'.
By Alan Russell2 months ago in Journal
Coddiwompling around Whitechapel
After a tube journey from Waterloo to Whitechapel in dreary yellowy half-light we came to the surface like moles breaking out from their underground tunnelling. Wide eyed and blinking, our eyes adjusted to the bright spring sunshine and kaleidoscope of colours around us. We had surfaced into the middle of one of London’s richest multicultural environs. It felt like changing from monochrome TV to colour.
By Alan Russell2 months ago in Wander
Well, I didn't know the ferry was moving
For one of my birthdays my wife gave me a day’s yachting experience sailing out of Lymington, across to the Isle of Wight and back. After a champagne and pasta lunch anchored off of the Isle of Wight it was my turn to take the helm and as there was no wind we had to travel under power.
By Alan Russell3 months ago in Journal
Having a quiet walk in Coventry and swimming pigs
By the time I checked into a hotel on the outskirts of Coventry I had been travelling and working with the same group of people for about four weeks. Travelling together in the same car, working in the same offices, staying at the same hotels, and sharing meals. Sometimes, for me at least, it is just essential for the preservation of my own sanity to break away and do something on my own. A chance to take in some fresh air, stretch my legs, look back on the day and think about home.
By Alan Russell3 months ago in Wander
A masterpiece of a car book to enjoy
While staying at the DoubleTree Hilton at Milton Common near Oxford I found this glamorous looking book in the library. It was not a difficult choice to make between Macauley's History of England Volume 1 or this glamorous tome. How could any car lover not be tempted by that front cover picture of an Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato? I was, and enjoyed sitting in a quiet lounge at the hotel with a glass of malt doing just that.
By Alan Russell3 months ago in Wheel
Bracklesham Bay in Sussex
Bracklesham Bay has not prostituted itself to the plasticised consumerism of larger seaside resorts. That is in the form of of buckets, spades and arm bands. The beach might be something to do with this consumerist understatement. It is one steep bank of grey shingle and only when the tide is out is there any sand which is not golden but a dark brown.
By Alan Russell3 months ago in Journal
Omar's Diary to 31st January 24
Christmas and New Year are well behind us as well as the month of January. My most memorable present last year came from one of my Servants' friends. Bearing in mind my sophistication, knowledge and ability to turn a good phrase every so often, I think it was chosen extremely well. I will let you decide if it is suitable or not. It has pride of place above my dining area here at Omar Towers.
By Alan Russell3 months ago in Journal
A vintage motor magazine from 1968
I saw this magazine in a charity (thrift shop) this weekend and was immediately drawn to it because of the cover. For those of you not familiar with the car shown it is a Ford GT40. Although I do not own one it is my favourite endurance racing car whose development was started in the very early 1960's. I also had the chance of a lifetime and drove one around the Goodwood Circuit for three laps.
By Alan Russell4 months ago in Wheel
The Michael Parkinson Collection
Regardless of how hard a giver tries to it is next to impossible to disguise the gift of a CD as anything else but. The recipient knows it is a CD once they are holding it. The true Christmas surprise only comes with the unwrapping. This happened to me twice over Christmas 2023 when my wife gave me two presents which were definitely CD’s that both had a connection to many memories and to music I enjoy.
By Alan Russell5 months ago in Journal
Omar's Diary to 20th December 2023
Since my last diary, 26th November 2023 passim, the rhythm of life here at Omar Towers has been somewhat distracted. Most recently Man Servant has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. This came as quite a shock to everyone here and to family and friends as this news spread. Needless to say, there have been some very down days but those downs have been ameliorated as he has undergone various tests and scans. All of these so far have confirmed it has not spread from where it should be and will be manageable with regular check-ups, no play on words intended, and medications. He was at the hospital yesterday for a procedure to obtain some samples and once they have been cultured for a few weeks we will know if it is an aggressive form of cancer or not. Hopefully that is the last procedure he will have the indignity of undergoing for quite a while.
By Alan Russell5 months ago in Journal