Hello and welcome!

After months of tweeting,  (@robertcragg) building on years of ranting and shouting at the news, I've decided to take the plunge and start a blog. I hope to write about current affairs, politics, natural history, the state of the English language, family - in fact anything that comes to mind.

If you stop reading long before I stop writing, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me. It would also be great if you would like to comment on my ramblings - whether to agree or disagree doesn't matter but please let's be courteous.

So, to start with a bit about me. I took early retirement in July 2010 after a career in local government human resources. I look after my wife Ann, who has Alzheimer's, who used to work as a social work team manager. We have grown up children who live in London and Oxford, teaching and publishing respectively. We also have two cats, Jasper and Willow.
 
I enjoy holidays, birdwatching, cooking (and eating)and I watch too much TV, about which I will also have views from time to time.

I think that's enough introduction. We will learn more about each other as time goes by.

So welcome to 'Mature Reflection'. Let's have an interesting and amusing time together!