As Colin mentioned in his last post, it’s time for Merry Mischief! For anyone who has read the blog since it began, you may recollect that we wrote a Christmas story to celebrate the launch of this very site. It’s short, only six chapters long, and tells the story of an obtuse (isn’t he always?) and determined Mr. Collins, Elizabeth’s attempts to fend him off, and Mr. Darcy’s scheming to take Mr. Collins’s supposed place as Elizabeth’s suitors. After a…
The weatherman was finally correct, unfortunately: The image at the top of the page is twenty-four hours earlier than the second picture. Snow started here two days ago and is forecast to continue until morning. To date (and I realize winter doesn’t begin for another four weeks or so), we’ve had more so far than we had all of last winter. The first major winter snowfall of 2024 happened in spring! Of course, it was closely followed by another and…
Image by Pexels from Pixabay I seem to recall mentioning my intention to rewrite and improve one of my earliest publications, “Hidden Desires”. When I began, I thought, foolishly it would seem, that I could finish the modifications and get it published in time to mark the new year. Today, I want to announce that I am fully committed to fulfilling that promise—twelve months later, but still in celebration of the dawn of 2025. I’ll spare you the reasons for the delay. Let’s…
Photo by Chris Sansbury on Unsplash I confess to feeling a little morose on this particular Monday. November 11 or “Remembrance Day” as it’s called here in Canada, is a day of reflection and gratitude for me and my family, as it is for many across the world. The day brings somber memories of my father, who passed away in November 2011. Dad served in the US Marine Corp during WW II. He spent the war in the South Pacific, and was on…
https://www.themusicman.uk/voiceplay/I As I’ve said before, ad nauseum, I love music. With few exceptions, my interests vary, from fifties country to sixties pop and emerging heavy rock to classical masterpieces both old and new. A beautiful and harmonious blend of instruments, with or without voices, has been known to bring me to tears. A cappella, though, occupies another level of musical splendor. Many of us can carry a tune when we have a melody to follow, but few can do that…