This piece was penned during quiet moments in April 2022 on Tenerife as celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary with our family. Our group comprised Margaret and me; Stuart and Debs with Matthew (11), Zac (19 months) Rory (3 months); and Craig and Lee with Ethan (8) and Drew (6).
Our accommodation and weather were perfect and we had a great time, a slice of Paradise!
The tale itself recounts parts of my life brought to mind when I think of the bikes I have owned and the adventures I enjoyed on them.
This backdrop also enabled me to add some family history as it came to mind while tapping away on my iPad, information which may be of interest to family and friends and, in later years, to our grandsons.
Many thanks to Margaret for proof reading this piece and guiding me to a better result.
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This little tale was written in response to a challenge on the topic of “Laugh out loud”.
The backdrop is based on a family circus we visited in the Cotswolds when our eldest grandson Matthew was about 4 years old.
During research I came across an amazing YouTube link of an equilibrist performing on a slackwire.
https://youtu.be/zjT8Rqk05Ms
Enjoy!
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This little tale was penned in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge set by me!
My topic was “anything suggested by listening to “Only in Sleep”.”
Here are two You Tube addresses.
https://youtu.be/fvPynMI6Umc
https://youtu.be/rGvh9weuDhE
The first is my favourite version, as referenced in the story.
The second I love because it is so atmospheric.
Try both, why don’t you!
Then read my tale, please.
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This tale was spun in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge entitled:
“It’s not how your start out, it’s how your end up.”
I suppose the content and style will not suit everyone. It is certainly dark in places.
It comes to you unread by anyone as I have self-edited, using the Read Aloud function in Word.
At a rough estimate these 85,000 words have taken around 600 hours to scribe.
Can it be free of errors and missing logic? Probably not! For these faults I apologise. Do let me know if you spot any.
So, dear readers, at the end of my journey, here it is for your at last.
Go on, download the PDF and give it a go, why don’t you?
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This short story was written for Writers’ Circus, on the topic of ‘Snow’.
Reach for your tissues!
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This is a short story sparked by a Writers’ Circus challenge on the theme of ‘Climate Change’ as it was set just after the COP26 event held in Glasgow in November 2021.
Although I know the intention was to lead us to discuss climate change per se, my mind did not take to the idea; from the outset I was off on a different tack, albeit our protagonist has green and organic tendencies.
Read on. . . .
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This story was written in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge on the theme of friendship.
Once I started tapping the keys, the story kept kept coming at me, relentlessly, and I was on track for submission on the due date of Tuesday 14 September 2021, the second Tuesday of the month.
However, its completion was delayed as an other tale took priority (see “Smugglers’ Cove”) which I posted to this website a few days ago.
The central idea of the Glee Club is based on fact. In the story the hero called Jimmy Shaw is based on an equally lovely man called Jimmy H who came to see me down through many years in business. He was a technical rep whose firm provided pumps and pressurising systems for buildings.
Some of you reading this may recognise Jimmy H, a man whose pockets were always filled with sweeties. As far as I knew him, Jimmy H was a non-smoker, teetotal and never once used foul language or the like. In my mind’s eye he was a true Christian gentleman. And yes, Jimmy H was indeed a BB Captain. I did not know him socially and know next to nothing of his family background.
However, before I knew him through business, I had met him several times during my time at the YF at Forsyth Memorial Congregational Church in Govanhill. Jimmy H was the star singer in a small Glee Club group who came to entertain our church audiences many times, singing a repertoire of songs old and new.
Now, please, I ask those who read this story to keep in mind that what you are reading is a work of fiction. Jimmy Shaw and his wife Irene and the other characters are from my imagination. Read on.
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This is a story about a couple called George and Linda and their dog called Bella.
In May 2021 we visited Silverdyke Caravan Park at Cellardyke in the East Nuek of Fife, a favourite haunt most years. Alongside us in their motorhome we encountered the exuberant, tail wagging bundle of energy called Bella, a brown and white spaniel.
We chatted about this and that and I took the opportunity to pass Linda my contact card, inviting them to visit www.thebuzzinbee.co.uk to access “Rosemarkie Remembrances” and “Doodle and the Dolphins”, old stories involving caravans and dogs.
Last week, September 2021, we found ourselves alongside the delightful dynamic trio again. Linda was quick to remind me I had promised a story featuring Bella.
The next morning I started tapping the rough outline on my iPad and by the end of our short break, the tale was ready for transfer to my laptop to be edited and checked.
As they were about to leave to return to their home in Peebles, I told them to expect Bella’s story soon and asked their indulgence regarding my invented dynamic for their dialogue, crafted to create the story duly published herewith.
Be assured that Caiplie Coves and Kilrenny Church with its cemetery and the tomb of the Lumsdains do exist.
The rest is fiction.
Or is it?
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This is a little tale about a cat called Tishala.
It was prompted by a Writers’ Circus challenge, “A day in the life of a cat”.
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This tiny tale was penned in response to a Writers’ Circus challenge entitled, “There was a time. . ..”.
Ah, yes, as regular readers will suspect, there is another longer tale on this same theme, a story still in the making. However, as the deadline approached, I knew the longer offering not be ready.
Then, while awake in the night, ‘Never Again’ came to mind, almost fully formed.
Read on, why don’t you?
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