Activity

Thank you, Athelstone for setting the thought provoking theme and now for your considered and kind comments in judgement.  I enjoyed each of my fellow writers’ entries and it is a good feeling to be amongst such talented people once more.

Last but not least (sorry!) I extend huge congratulations to the worthy winner, Seagreen.

That’s such a fabulous story, Seagreen.

I enjoyed everyone else’s entries too. Thank you Ath for the prompt and all your comments.

Oh, hooray, and congratulations @ Seagreen, but similarly to all for a varied and thought-provoking selection of ‘last times’. Thank you too Ath  for the prompt – a subject which I ponder increasingly  frequently.

Bumper crop springs to mind, but the cliché is wrong because these stories didn’t just spring up, they were all lovingly made by hand.

Janette’s story reminds us of the way that roles are exchanged as age demands. More than this, it reminds us that life is full of last moments each important and deserving of attention and memory. There is a wist…[Read more]

Any more takers? Last chance today. That could be the subject.

Moving On

The elderly man picked up a landline receiver. On his desk lay an open, glossy page of Country Life. The man underlined a phone number and dialled.

“Hello, my name’s John Tucker,” he said. “I’d like to sell my house. Could you send a valuer?”

He gave his address. A distant phone voice burbled.

“Two valuers?” said John. “This aft…[Read more]

Just pulled the last bit of candy floss from my brain, looked at some famous last quotes “Julius ‘Groucho’ Marx and Noel Coward.” Played with some authors and their book titles, used some well know sayings and came up with this bit of fluff.

<u>The last question</u>

I was surprised when the invite appeared mysteriously on my lap.

F…[Read more]

The Last Divided Island (approx 300 words)

The mini heatwave in England in June slowed down Stella’s physical activities and afforded her more time for reflection and remembrance.  Almost fifiy-one years previously she and her parents had been forced to flee to London from their Cypriot home amid the mayhem and sufferings of war.

The woman she w…[Read more]

UNTITLED (149 WORDS)

Contains an obscenity

Today is the last day I will beat myself up over this.

It’s the last day I’ll say sorry for hurting you, as if I haven’t said sorry a million times already.

It’s the last time I’ll try to make amends for something you will never forgive me for.

It’s the last time I’ll go to bed and wonder how di…[Read more]

Jill, it’s so good to hear from you again, in spite of what you’ve been, and are, going through.

I think any response that isn’t on a level with your own experience of positivity is likely to sound trivial, or at least less significant. But it is a fascinating topic. It’s often said that realists have a less positive expectation of outcome, but…[Read more]

Two fabulous stories and still half of the month to try your hand. What luck!

The First Steps and the Last

‘Come on, Mum, two more steps and you’re there. I’ve got you …’

Why was she raising her voice? I wasn’t deaf.

My mind wasn’t the disabled part of me. And what was the rush?

Hold your tongue, old lass. It’s all said through care, not to mention a familiar tone of worry that she might slip or let go.

It took me…[Read more]

You’re not actually the person I was referring to when I said I knew I was preaching to the converted. Quite often people reply to these Literary Byways blogs saying they’re going to read the book concerned on my recommendation, but this is the first time I’ve had feedback on that, and I’m delighted that you share my enthusiasm for Pavane.

As for…[Read more]

It was, and still is, a very good blog indeed. I remember it well, and on the strength of your recommendation I bought Pavane. It is a unique book, with an extraordinary atmosphere. Since reading it I’ve returned many times to check on parts and to reread. It really is remarkable that it isn’t better known. It’s somewhat depressing that a book so…[Read more]