Category: General

Brave Monty Mouse and the Damsel in Distress

Collecting seeds in the forest on a much needed holiday, Monty heard a voice.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair.

Well to be fair, this was the closest Monty could come to a translation because his German was almost non-existent, and the destination was a last minute deal he’d found on the internet only two days before.

Intrigued and to be honest at a bit of a loose end, he edged forward to see what was happening.

He was too late. All he saw was the back view of someone disappearing into the window of a high tower. He settled down with his phrase book, nibbled on some snacks and enjoyed the sunshine.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair.

Monty woke with a start. How long had he been sleeping? It was dark now but the  tower was clearly  visible in the moonlight. Moving into the shadows, he edged his way closer, and stood up on his hind legs. A stunningly beautiful girl appeared at the window, shook out her long golden braid and a young chap shinned up the gleaming tresses and disappeared from view. Monty did a quick circuit of the tower but couldn’t find an obvious entrance. He headed back to his lodgings and thought he would have another go in the morning.

Continue reading “Brave Monty Mouse and the Damsel in Distress”

For Fellow Writers

I notice that there are several writers on this site, some of whom might, like me, have tried to get published by conventional publishers. That process can be quite wearing and demotivating. For those who are interested, I have recently discovered a new digital publisher. So new indeed, that the site is still under development. I have put some of my stuff on it. If you are sceptical about digital publishing, as I was, note the news that Amazon in America now sells more books digitally than the paper type. Have a look at the website, which is now open to receiving material:

http://www.writersreadersdirect.com/home

(Link fixed S)

Best of luck.

An American bleat – I see his point

“I’m 63 and Im Tired”
by Robert A. Hall

I’m 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but job-hunting every day, I’ve worked, hard, since I was 18. Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks, and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.

I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought McMansions at three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I’m tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing millionaires like Continue reading “An American bleat – I see his point”

Scottish Civil War II

A wee favour to ask everybody and, of course, Boa in particular.

It’s almost a year since JW and I fell out seriously on MyT and decided to settle it with a game of ‘Battleships’.

http://my.telegraph.co.uk/jwilson/jw/11615111/Scottish_Civil_War/

Given our Jockish nature, we just cannae let it go. I’ve being doing the naked triumphalism bit (no pictures available) since then  and he’s been sulking big style. Continue reading “Scottish Civil War II”

Last Call for the Creative Writing Thingie

Just to remind you that you’ve got until midnight tomorrow BST (and relevant variations thereof) to be in it to win it.

So far, I believe that we only have five contenders. That’ll be my fault then and the whole competition is probably doomed, which, being a Jock, cheers me up a wee bit.

The roll call is, as far as I can determine and in order of insertion:- Continue reading “Last Call for the Creative Writing Thingie”

Goldtrail Holidays

Yesterday I checked my emails and discovered that I was a victim of the collapse of Goldtrail Holidays.

This is the first time anything like this has happened to me. I always thought that this kind of misfortune only afflicted other people.

I booked the flight online through Airflights.co.uk, as I did last year to the same destination, and thought nothing of it when I heard about the failure of Goldtrail. Unfortunately Airflights used Goldtrail as their agents.

But all should be well and I am now booked on the same flight as before. All that now needs doing  is to complete the hideously complicated claim form to be submitted to the CAA. This will most likely take all day.

I loathe all forms. They are the invention of the Evil One.