Watford Columnists - Watford Observer

Oliver Phillips moved to a small village in France in 2005 after he retired from the Watford Observer. “Oli” worked for the newspaper for nearly 40 years and, as assistant editor and formerly sports editor, became the oracle on the affairs of Watford FC, writing the definitive book on the club’s history. During later years with the newspaper he also specialised in the history of the area, writing a series of extremely popular supplements and editing the newspapers’ weekly Nostalgia pages.

Being hip to an everyday story about growing old

French red-tape can cause a delay in obtaining even a priority operation

Imagine the inconvenience of having to wear socks for the first time in six months

After driving over 3000 miles from New Orleans, it was time to chill out for a couple of days in a town we had been to before. But they say you should never go back.

We kept just half an hour ahead of the snow as it fell on Bryce Canyon

The prospect of being locked in by snow on the plateau above Bryce, threatened our USA tourist schedule.

They have names for every gulch, canyon and butte so we added a few more

We just mapped a route in an effort to find a different way to getting to Bryce Canyon and it proved to be the most memorable 48 hours in the USA

Strange to see a school bus picking up children where John Wayne caught that stagecoach

Reflections on a trip to Arizona and Utah, taking in the magic of Monument Valley.

I have been involved in a six-month war with a very cussed opponent

Groves of bamboo look very pleasant in your garden but they are an entirely different proposition when you seek to remove them.

Left, right or center will not change the fact the world will never be the same

Will they be after our bank deposits next -that's the fear but we know those who follow will truly never have it so good

The lottery of health as you head for retirement or old age

Is this a national scandal that somehow has been overlooked after the figures were released indicating that 1.5 per cent of the population have withdrawn claims for a disability benefit.

Knowing what went before, may not be hip but it is useful

There seems to be a marked lack of general knowledge among many school leavers nowadays and anything before their life-span is either dismissed or unknown.

We have had many visits to hospitals and consultants - at our age we are in that territory

Watford general have long since charged for parking but now they are including the handicapped in the scheme.