This tale was stirred from my memory banks by a friend at Writers’ Circus.

At the time, there was a challenge to write 500 words “To make Sir Billy Connolly laugh.”

In by youth I worked in the same shipyard as Billy and our paths crossed when I asked him to sing at a folk night organised by a church youth fellowship I was involved with. He was very funny and I am sure he would readily agree, so were many others we worked alongside at that time.

Here is the tale, from those long ago days when the shipyards were full of characters larger than life.

(I did try to get it down to 500 words but they could not contain the story and do it justice.)

This is a trilogy of small tales based on a few of my forays into Italy, and the resulting confusion that resulted when I tried to communicate in pidgen Italian.

Thanks again to Kareth Paterson for her editorial improvements.

At least I know one person has read these tales!

Ah, at last a serious note.

In our Italian class we were asked to prepare ourselves to discuss the topic, ‘Nel Futuro’ (In the Future). The intention was that we would think and write a piece, to prepare us for a group discussion using the future tense.

I set out to write a jolly poem, or so I thought.

What resulted was this pontifical piece, which flew onto the screen in a great rush.

I must assume that it is a reaction from my psyche to watching and listening to the news of the ‘immigration crisis’ that we are told will swamp us.

As I understand it, the UK is the sixth richest nation on earth, after Germany.

If I was being bombed out of my home in Syria, or starved to death in Africa, would I not strive to get to Europe, to get my family to safety, and give them a fair chance at a future?

You betcha I would! If was strong and brave enough.

And so would you, my friends.

As you may know I am keen on fly-fishing for trout.

This is how I prepare my trout. Sometimes I smoke them first.

Enjoy!

This is a recipe from the BBC website of many years ago.

Thank you Mary Berry!

I heard it on my Walkman while actually walking, with Fleck.

I was recently retired and after preparing a few meals for Margaret and long-suffering friends, suddenly I was a Food/Cooking Guru!

I made this cake a few days before Christmas. The first edition was burned almost black!

But yet it tasted good!

Under supervision I made another the following Christmas.

And every year since.

Dare I say it is much admired?

Again, thank you Mary Berry!