The neon signages of M&S, Primark and Supercuts and a throng of busy midday customers provide today’s writing landscape. The seat and table acting as my penmanship perch provided by a well known coffee house franchise. For no other reason than ‘because I can’, the dissenter in me spurning use of the cafe’s wifi network…
Category: fiction
A Brotherly Hug
In his iconic love lament ‘If’, US songwriter David Gates started the lyric by poetically inquiring of his beau:- “If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can’t I paint you?” It’s not clear from the refrain’s subsequent lines how his love responded to the question. However, with a little mischief on my part,…
Sandal
My brother Ian will shortly arrive for a two day hiatus at my West Yorkshire apartment. News of my habitually clumsy siblings return to the area of his birth no doubt leading to the flat’s ornaments quaking in their boots. Of course, the ornamental trinkets don’t literally quake in the boots. For one thing they’re…
Four Years On
Four years ago yesterday a life episode played out which, although shaking my being to the very core, became a positive catalyst for significant life changes on my part. Transformations which have enhanced my life immeasurably; subsequently, augmenting my self-worth and esteem. Let me point out this life event, the suffering of a heart attack,…
Family Xmas Traditions
It’s 18th December and the festive ambience in my apartment intensifies apace. To be honest, though, how could GJ Strachan not be flushed with yuletide ardour after the greeting of ‘Bollocks’ from behind door 18 of my Tourettes advent calendar? Augmenting yuletide spirit further, the unmistakable redolence of mulled wine, a bowl of satsumas, and…
Silent Night, Noisy Day
As you’re probably aware, December 2022 arrived early Thursday morning; And, if you were aware, why didn’t you tell me. I only found out today (Friday), meaning the inaugural opening of my advent calendar was delayed for over 24 hours. Actually, that’s not strictly true; I didn’t receive an advent calendar. Instead my Ossett beau…
Rain Didn’t Stop Play
As dusk fell, with heavy precipitation turning my slim fit jeans into a second skin, I entered the camper van to jokingly asking Sarah if she had an industrial size shoe horn. A utensil I’d identified as a useful accessory to ease me outta my sodden denims. My partner and I had just spent an…
He’s Percy & She’s Glad
In lieu of today’s blog I enclose a whimsical short story written for part of writing workshop I attended today. Hopefully it’ll scratch that literary itch:- “For the love of god, can you please turn that bloody central heating down, GG!” An admonishment delivered from inside his battered old bird cage by outspoken parrot Percy….
Staying Alert
You’ll not know this but yours truly is a fan of movie scores. And if you did, as I’ve never really disclosed that snippet biographical info, I’d be interested to know how. Not to mention question what other gossip relating to me is currently in circulation… Oh, and assure everyone the horse story isn’t true….