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Janette replied to the topic Monthly competition August 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months, 1 week ago
The Woman Whose Nose Pointed North
I had already met my mother-in-law, years earlier, not that I could have known. We had moved onto a still-being-built estate, the house across from ours taken by a large family. So many children were a draw for a five-year-old girl and her brother.
The children, I remember, seemed friendly. Not so the…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months, 3 weeks ago
Well done, Sandra! And thank you for the prompt, Seagreen. As ever, some fine entries.
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Janette replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months, 3 weeks ago
Thank you, Sea, for the challenge and for the kind words. Congratulations, Sandra, your words clearly came from the heart and made you a worthy winner.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months, 3 weeks ago
Thank you for indulging my ‘tearful’ requirement and apologies again for being so late with the results.
@Jill – Good to see you back, and thank you for diving back into the monthly comp with your tale of Lucia. I confess to knowing nothing about Vestal Virgins, but your entry has definitely piqued my curiosity and I’m sure there’s a much larger…[Read more]
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Congratulations, Sandra and fellow entrants. All excellent stories which touched me and brought tears to my eyes. Sandra’s image resonated with my own recent experience and sadness as my husband had to go home alone for nine days, tired and worried when I was in hospital. I chose not to write a personal story as enough personal emotions w…[Read more]
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months, 3 weeks ago
Foolishly, I thought I’d have time on my nightshift to absorb the stories and choose a winner. Ha! The salt mine overlords had other ideas.
I promise it’ll be done today…
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months, 3 weeks ago
A great prompt, Sea – I just haven’t had time to write a story this month. Very enjoyable entries from everyone.
I’m sorry to hear about the cardiologist.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 8 months, 3 weeks ago
Teabreak tells it straight
I have been known to buff the truth a little, just to get a sparkle when a story is recounted. And if that helps somebody see the finer details a little more clearly, then who am I to deny them the opportunity? However, just as experts say we should resist the call of Mr. Sheen and microfibre when rare treasures are at…[Read more]
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John T posted an update 9 months ago
I haven’t been around (apart from a flying visit to Janette last week) but much is happening. I’m still ploughing through the first draft of book three – almost there. And Apples in the Dark 2: Angels and Blackbirds is now out in the wild, and available to order through any bookshop (please – I make a loss on every copy sold through Amazon). Sum…[Read more]
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Janette posted an update in the group
DONATIONS 9 months agoPresuming your details haven’t changed since last time, I hope you will find my £20 donation in your bank. Hope you find the rest.
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Athelstone posted an update 9 months ago
It’s that time again. If anybody feels inclined, please take a glance at the Donations Group. If you aren’t a member of the group, you’ll need to join to see the forum, but that doesn’t commit you to anything.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 9 months, 1 week ago
As you know, Sandra, this prompt came about following the loss of one of our cardiologists and my subsequent inability to write anything meaningful in his Book of Condolences. Faced with Imposter Syndrome because I didn’t know him as well as some of the other nurses, I simply invalidated my feelings and wrote a stiff little sentence that had n…[Read more]
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Janette replied to the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 9 months, 1 week ago
The Last Sense
Curse my tears, dissolving my bold exterior to expose the raw feeling beneath. How dare they come at a time when I needed to show courage? To offer a united support when Mum’s strength had finally crumbled?
And see how the foundations of mine gave way, leaving the sturdier ones to put on the brave faces; carry the weak link of…[Read more]
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RichardB posted an update 9 months, 1 week ago
Finest line of dialogue I’ve encountered for some time. From The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, by Natasha Pulley:
‘What does a clockwork octopus in an elevator shaft sound like?’ -
Athelstone replied to the topic Positivity in the forum Blogs 9 months, 2 weeks ago
William James seems like an interesting man. He’s an example of something less common these days, a polymath. He studied widely across medicine and philosophy, developing expertise in both fields so that he taught physiology, psychology and philosophy (at different times) at Harvard, whilest finding time for an apprenticeship as a painter, and…[Read more]
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Seagreen started the topic Monthly Comp – July 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 9 months, 3 weeks ago
For July, I’d like to be enthralled by your creative endeavours inspired by the following quote:
‘There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.’ Washington Irving…[Read more]
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Competition June 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 9 months, 3 weeks ago
I won’t lie, I logged in last night to find out what the prompt for this month’s comp was going to be, little expecting – in the face of the other entries – that I would be setting it 😂
So thanks, Ath, for the comp and for that WTH!? moment when I got home from work 😃 and thanks to everyone else for inspiring me to try in the first place. I’l…[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic Monthly Competition June 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Thanks, Ath, for this months competition theme, what a great crop of entries it garnered.
Congratulations ,everyone, for the interesting and well crafted reads and well done Sea for being the one taking the lead into the July challenge.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Monthly Competition June 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Well, that’s an unexpected turn of events!
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Janette posted an update 9 months, 3 weeks ago
Thank you, Ath, for an excellent prompt and for the kind feedback. I loved everyone’s stories, and congratulations to Seagreen – a worthy winner.
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly Competition June 2025 in the forum Monthly Competition 9 months, 3 weeks ago
That’s such a fabulous story, Seagreen.
I enjoyed everyone else’s entries too. Thank you Ath for the prompt and all your comments.
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