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Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you. Why on earth would I have a favourite pair of shoes? I mean, really? I have good boots, sensible shoes, yes. I’ve walked thousands of miles and one pair of walking boots did over a thousand miles, probably 700 miles on the […]

Share one of the best gifts you’ve ever received. Some gifts aren’t measurable in the usual ways, and a gift can encompass many aspects. Gifts are sometimes associated with a special day, a birthday or religious festival. Other gifts are more esoteric and intangible. The ability hear music and faithfully reproduce it—sometimes years later, is

Write about your approach to budgeting. Easy really. Rent first, electricity/gas next. Food if I’m still solvent. It’s what I was taught and it seems to work ok for me. I’ve got this far….. It’s surprising how easy that makes things, provided you have an income of some sort.

Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you? I served my country, took the Queen’s shilling and did 15 years. Went a lot of places and saw some weird shit. Did I feel patriotic? Not really. To my mates yes, but the country as a whole? Not really. I used to feel safe

Have you ever unintentionally broken the law? Yup! Thousands of times! Laws are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men. Come and catch me, copper! Latest was Face-ache, you know, that archaic social media app. I’m back on there now after mucho grunting and carrying on!

If there were a biography about you, what would the title be? An acquaintance once said over a beer in a bar far, far away: “Mike you’re not wired right.” I’m not. In a crowded room I’m alone. I’m not interested in the conversations or socialising. My mind is elsewhere—on a dusty trail in Morocco

What were your parents doing at your age? I’m 70. My mother is still alive. My father died at 93. We tend to live disgustingly long lives in my family, At 70 they were doing exactly the same as me, enjoying retirement. Unless I fall under a bus, I expect to enjoy a few more

If you had the power to change one law, what would it be and why? To be honest, our judicial system is still one of the finest in the world. It’s a shame that politicians are allowed anywhere near it. It seems that any idiot with a silver tongue can creep in now. It should

Write about your dream home. I’m not sure if that’s what they’re called, but I would love a tiny home like the one Bilbo Baggins lived in. It’s not vast, it’s cozy with lots of wood and nooks and crannies. I was always fascinated by the cave houses of Guadix, in Spain. Apparently they are

You get some great, amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do? There’s a good chance it will arrive on social media first as I live in the middle of nowhere! Lily the dog will be the first to hear it, but unless it’s a lifetime supply of bones, I doubt she’ll be overly