@squidge
Active 1 month ago-
Athelstone posted an update 4 years, 5 months ago
Half way through the month. Time to dig deep and enter the monthly competition. You know you’ll enjoy it.
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly comp – November 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 5 months ago
Failed on the basics.
I’d been riding pillion on a BSA since my teens. Clandestinely to start, because my parents forbade me, but by 2004 I was well past that, and three years past my first BSA rally, which had taken us to Australia. Being one of 200 bikes wending our way across rolling golden hills an unforgettable experience. Even so, that…[Read more] -
Newbie replied to the topic Monthly comp – November 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 5 months ago
Hi Ath, I’ve got my thinking cap on so hopefully something will light up.
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Janette posted an update 4 years, 5 months ago
Can anyone help me with my book research? I’ve come across a fatal flaw in my book and need to age up a character a little (otherwise it’s a full book rewrite, which I’m trying to avoid).
Did anyone (or anyone you know) leave school in Summer when you could have/were due to leave in the Easter break?
My MC leaves at Summer, but I need to add…[Read more]-
I can’t think leaving at Easter would’ve been that likely, because of ‘O’levels.
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Hi, Sandra,
I was one of the ones who had to stay on an extra year and leave aged 16 (in June 1974 – oops, showing my age!), which I was pleased about because I wanted to sit exams and my parents wanted me to leave to earn a wage. It was a common thing then, that some kids were expected to leave the earliest opportunity to ‘bring home a wage’, and…[Read more]-
I was 16 at Easter 1963, so can’t help you there, sorry.
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Steve says school leaving age was 15, but you could stay on. Also see wikipedia Raising_of_school_leaving_age_in_England_and_Wales
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Thanks, Sandra. I’m trying to find someone who could have or did leave at Easter. Better still, someone who remembers if it was mandatory or whether there were exceptions. My MC wants to stop on, but her parents are insistent she leaves asap. However, if something meant she couldn’t or shouldn’t leave at Easter …
It’s a long shot, and I’m fast…[Read more]
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I don’t think it’s ever been mandatory to leave at Easter – short of expulsion. You are required to choose your subjects for a full year well in advance of Easter, so that staying on is the default position, even if it’s obvious to all that a specific student is going to leave. In theory, I could have left school at Easter in 1972, but at that…[Read more]
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Thanks, Ath, that’s very helpful. My MC is being pressured by her parents to leave school and earn a wage, but the employer/employment route might be the way to go. Pity I didn’t think of this when I drafted the book.
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Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 5 months ago
I really enjoyed your story too, Newbie!
Thank you Raine, for being a wonderful comp host, it was funfunfun like I knew it would be 😃🦇🎃👻
Couldn’t agree with Ath more, we duh best 🥳✨
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Daedalus posted an update 4 years, 5 months ago
Recovering from Covid. It’s no joke. Be careful out there people, the risk is real
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Sorry to hear you caught it. Did it break through jabs? Hope you recover quickly and fully x
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Take care of yourself and take time to recover.
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Thanks. Difficult with all the work I have on, unfortunately
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Yes, double jabbed, last one in July.
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Ugh Daeds, as if you needed an extra thing to deal with now. Hope it doesn’t linger & hope you are able to treat yourself gently & get extensions if needed. x
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Newbie replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 5 months ago
Congratulations, Athelstone. A well deserved win. 🙂
Love your story too, Knicks. xx
Thank you Raine for organising the comp. xx
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Athelstone started the topic Monthly comp – November 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 5 months ago
OK NaNoWriMo: this month I’d like you to write just 50,000 words on anything that strikes you as appropriate. No, on second thoughts, I’d like a maximum of 500 words on the topic of something difficult, a target that would take a great effort to achieve, that was either met or missed.
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🤣🤣🤣
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 5 months ago
Awwww!!! Thank you Raine, I really enjoyed the comp.
I love the other entries. We are the best! -
Raine replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 5 months ago
Hi all! Thank you so much for entering this month – sorry I’m not the actual winner of last month but I’ve had fun being undeserved organiser anyway!
@knickylaurelle, I loved the dark, shadowy atmosphere to this. Lost boys and forests and witches – *chefs kiss* Some utterly beautiful imagery in here, my favourite has got to be ‘a cackle can be…[Read more]
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Thank you Raine for so topically filling the breach, setting and judging (always the hardest part) the monthly comp. I am making good progress after stroke + surgery so hope to be back to full-strength participation soon
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*giant hugs*
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Oh my goodness, Sandra, I had no idea you were going through such a hard time. Pleased to hear you’re making good progress. Take it easy. Best wishes to you and yours. xxx
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Thanks, Newbie. I count myself lucky to have come through it with minimal side effects – and a huge warm glow from the quantity and breadth of caring messages which have come my way from friends and family.
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Seagreen replied to the topic The world, her dog, memories-dot, dot, dot. in the forum Blogs 4 years, 5 months ago
On the phone so I’ll keep this short…
I’m not the same person I was ten years ago (or even five years ago) and the things that impacted me then are not the things that impact me now.
I see it as growth ☺️ -
Bella replied to the topic The world, her dog, memories-dot, dot, dot. in the forum Blogs 4 years, 5 months ago
Interesting. I’ve used writing as a way to process the emotions linked to some pretty unpleasant episodes in my past. I know that a lot of therapists advise one to write a letter (never meaning to send, a la Nights in White Satin). I’ve tried that, though the letter format doesn’t work for me, whereas more of a blog style recounting does.
I’ve…[Read more]
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Athelstone started the topic The world, her dog, memories-dot, dot, dot. in the forum Blogs 4 years, 5 months ago
Read some blogs I wrote about 10 years ago that recalled events of 30 years before that. Curiously, unable to connect directly to those events anymore, in that I remember them and can recount the details, but much of the emotional impact that was there when I wrote about them is no longer available. I can remember that there was an impact and can…[Read more]
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Raine posted an update 4 years, 6 months ago
One week left to get your spooky flashes in for the October comp. Come unnerve and delight me. 🙂
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 6 months ago
=)
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Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 6 months ago
Ath that creepy as hell, man 😭😭
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Athelstone replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 6 months ago
Hallowed Evening
The Bakers have lived over there for nearly fifty years now. I recognise the car in the drive. They bought it just before I arrived here. Then there’s Helen Smith’s house. I know she’s still there because I saw her heading out an hour ago. She’s changed a lot over the years, but I’d recognise her anywhere. Not sure who the neigh…[Read more]
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Newbie replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 6 months ago
Headline (397 words excluding heading)
I’ve spent the last 17 months recovering from a particularly horrific Halloween party and I’m reluctant to accept this invitation to another one.
Still, if you have to face your fears, where better to do it than with a group of thrill seekers who think nothing of taking ‘daring’ to its limit?
Yes, I know it…[Read more] -
Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 6 months ago
All done! Lost the ending I wanted to word count woes lols, but this was very fun none the less 👻🐱👤
Lost
Tall pines creak in the eeriness of night, blown by a sudden, fierce gale. It tears through the forest like a spectral fox hounded by wild and ghostly dogs, and the darkness feels alive with power and invocation. Two, small boys stop running…[Read more]
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Knicks replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2021 in the forum Monthly Competition 4 years, 6 months ago
oooOoOoooooh!! I love it. This is going to be funfunfun 🎃👻🦇
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