Over the past year of Covid Lockdown my singing has moved online, mainly in Zoom.
Despite the fact that singing to ourselves at home rather than meeting to sing live is very much second best, there have been some benefits.
This piece offers my reflections on this experience which may be of interest to other amateur singers.
Click here to download the PDF.
This piece was written in response to a request from the son of a dear friend who died in February 2021.
It is linked to another story called “Miriam’s secret”.
It can be accessed by pasting this link into your browser.
https://www.thebuzzinbee.co.uk/updates/2021/03/miriams-secret-1000-words-a-five-minute-read/
“Glue gen” is another, earlier story about our friend, written for her and published with her permission.
https://www.thebuzzinbee.co.uk/updates/2021/03/miriams-secret-1000-words-a-five-minute-read/
Alternative, visit www.thebuzzinbee.co.uk and use the search function.
Click here to download the PDF.
This piece was written for a Writers’ Circus challenge (March 2021) on the theme of ‘a fairy story’.
A few weeks before writing it, one of our dearest friends died of heart failure. This followed a bad fall in October 2020. Her brave struggle to recover was hampered by several underlying medical conditions.
These events played out against a backdrop of Covid and its restrictions.
Following a relapse in February 2021, she was admitted to hospital and died two days later.
Two months earlier, her twin sister had also died of weak heart.
I think these tragic events have imbued this story with a tinge of melancholy.
Click here to download the PDF.
This is a story written in response to the Writers’ Circus challenge for February 2021 on the theme of “a secret”.
The story came easily because it is based on fact, an experience recounted to us by close friends shortly after it happened to them, while events were fresh in their minds.
Of course I have done what tellers of such tales often do, I have extemporised to spin you a confection.
Although not my original intention, I think this story offers an insight of tenement living in a posh ‘wallie” close in Glasgow’s West End of that time.
(wallie = ornately tiled)
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In our Mackintosh Choir Zoom meetings we are asked to nominate a particular song or piece of music which we like and choose a YouTube version to share with those attending.
We are also required to explain our choices.
On 16 December 2020 I chose Still the Night.
This rather prosaic tale recounts my words of introduction.
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This piece is a record of the “Toast to the Lassies” address I gave to the Mackintosh Choir Zoom Burns Supper on Wednesday 3 February 2021.
It is offered as a ‘written’ version in a PDF which is a slightly expanded version of the ‘spoken’ version included as an MP3 file.
This address was confected from a variety of Wikipedia entries and yes, I am able to say I am regular supporter of Wikipedia which, with all its many faults, is a wonderful resource.
This was written for a Writers’ Circus challenge in October 2020.
The topic was “a tenth birthday story”.
It is a bit odd but I hope gives a reasonably accurate insight into the lives of those who are born to a live of ease and those who serve them.
Is there such a thing as a life of ease? Perhaps a story for another day.
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This tale arose from an Writers’ Circus challenge to write about “her heart leapt into her throat/mouth”.
A work of fiction, the main character is loosely based on our local lollipop lady, a true stalwart in our community.
Those of you who live near me will quickly identify characteristics of the main FICTIONAL character and
FICTIONAL location of the main action.
I particularly wanted to be sure this wonderful lady got her place in my archive as she is one of my most
loyal readers.
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This little confection is based on a series of events which happened to friends shortly after they
moved to live in a luxury flat.
Yes, I confess: as written it is an exaggeration of the original but I hope it might make you smile
over morning coffee.
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This is a Christmas story of a kind, an off-beat take on the Twelve Days of Christmas, the challenge
set for our December meeting of Writers’ Circus.
It recounts the lives of two odd, lonely people.
For Glasgow readers, there are many familiar references.
Give it a go, you never know, you might get into it!
Click here to download the PDF.
