Part 20

Here's to a happy end to 2013, and a glorious start to 2014. Begin as you mean to go on ..... last bit for this year, please leave comments and thanks for reading.

20

Petar had been told to take the Rock with him, why he was uncertain, but he had done as bidden. He had expected to awaken in 2189 with Davi by his side. No Davi. And this did not look like 2189, although he could be wrong of course, he felt it was much later. Earlier than where he had just left. Dates were plain confusing and he shook the thoughts out of his head.
This was somewhere new. A machine of some kind, rows, walls of blinking lights and dials. Power level indicators? Was this THE machine that the rock alone could control?
Noises outside. He hid trying not to shake and give away his presence. People entered, not happy people. He could just make out faces and feet, he dared not move even an inch.
Davi! No, that was NOT Davi. He looked very much like Davi though, but the hair was different, whiter and styled haphazardly. And another, also with similar features. Both were under armed guard.
“Where is it, Doctor Grayson?” The voice was icy. Petar knew that voice, he had to risk a look to see the far figure. Mike! How? …..
“Where is what? I don’t know what you are talking about, Mister Mitchell.” A bitter laugh. “Which Doctor Grayson are you talking to anyway?” A grunt as the man was brought up straight, a tie around his neck tightened.
“Either doctor will do, David or Daryl. And don’t push my patience any further. The colonel won’t be happy if you don’t hand it over and I intend on seeing him happy.”
“Go disappear up your own a**e, Mitchell, like the good parrot that you are!”
Daryl Grayson lay on the floor, head reeling from the sudden beating. He saw Petar out of the corner of his eye, and rolled over to face him, groaning to cover the move.
“OK, Doctor Dave Grayson, where is it? Want to see your brother suffer?”
Daryl was frantically trying to tell Petar something, what he did not know. Petar carefully opened his pocket and showed the Rock to the man. His eyes went wide; then to the drawer underneath the nearest bench. Petar’s fingers worked overtime miming the one rock to the other; he was rewarded by the faintest of nods.
Daryl screamed as a foot slammed into his kidneys, and his legs involuntarily lashed out at the hiding place. Petar jumped up, knocking Mitchell sideways in surprise. Several beams of energy from guns flew across the room, ricocheting back to hit two guards. Daryl lay hit by the last.
Dave ran to his brother. “No, Dave. No time. Give Petar the Rock, he knows what to do.”
Petar barely had time to think. This man KNEW him? He would never understand the confusion!
Dave shoved the Rock from this time into Petar’s hand. Mitchell rose and made a grab for it. Another white flash and Davi appeared, knocking over the few guards that were trying to stand again.
Petar grabbed the rock firmly in one hand, upercutting Mitchell at the same time.
“I’m sorry, Daryl, truly sorry.” Davi looked at the man who was nearly gone. He nodded at Davi, mouthing the one word, GO.
“In the machine with it NOW Petar!”
Petar needed no encouragement and slammed the rock into the space built for it. White light flooded the room. When it dissipated only Daryl lay there. He staggered to his feet and saw the rock had gone with the others. He had just enough energy left to pull the main energy wiring from the thing. More military men burst in to see the grinning figure pull the final connection. He fell before the first energy bolts hit him. The lab exploded taking them all to heaven or hell, but not back.

Story part 19

19
“I repeat, I will take that, Mr Grey.”
The two whirled, features contorted in their anger.
“Who are YOU to demand our colleague hand over ANYTHING to you, Colonel?”
The military man smirked. “I am head of the Primal Rock Project, Professor Slongur, Professor Lagarto. That Rock is therefore MY property.”
Lagarto spluttered, outraged. “YOU are head of NOTHING. This is OUR project…..”
“Tsk, tsk, Professor. I assure you YOUR project has been OURS, from the very beginning. We do not fund research of this calibre without keeping overall control.”
He motioned two of the troopers with him to take hold of the academics.
“Come, Mr Grey, you at least do not require, ah, persuasion?”
“Indeed not, colonel. I shall be the model of cooperation.”
“More than you have been with these two, I hope.”
He turned slightly as the two were led past under escort. “Your security, professors, does have flaws. The sudden increase in surveillance was more than enough to draw immediate attention. We learnt a lot that you have kept to yourselves. More than enough to justify taking complete control over the operations from here on in.”
Walking with the colonel, Dave wondered exactly how much the military knew. “You have been very - trusting - of my friends the professors, colonel.”
“Not at all, Mr Grey, not at all. We just gave them a little bit too much freedom as it were.”
“Give an inch and take a mile.”
“Exactly. But never totally out of sight, never. Visitors are never out of sight.”
“Ah, you know.”
“We knew as soon as they appeared, Mr Grey. They are not friends, ours or yours. Your arrival has proven a long awaited catalyst. Now your real work begins.”
Work did indeed begin. Early daylight flooded the main laboratory, and a small group watched in fascination as Dave placed the rock in the machine.
Nothing happened. No movement. No lights.
A few groans of disappointment rose. Dave quietened them with a wave of his arm. He had not expected anything; there was nothing to be disappointed about - yet.
A twist to a dial there, a check of power levels here, only a date was missing.
“Colonel, it’s ready. What date do you want?”
“2010. You can do it?”
“Yes and no.” Brows wrinkled in confusion. “THIS is the date controller, in alien language I can’t read.”
Slongur clapped his hands. “Yes! OUR project is still OURS until we tell you how to translate the controls!”
“Not quite, professor. You already told me what the other controls were.”
“And you still don’t remember enough to know. We have a bargaining tool.”
“Maybe.” The colonel thought quickly. “Meet you more than halfway, gentlemen. You translate; I let you continue with whatever you had in mind for the thing - with surveillance of course.”
“You consider THAT halfway?!”
“More than. You could both be out of here, now, permanently.” He grinned maliciously. “I have other projects gentlemen, I could hand both of you over to some equally single minded medical people who have already expressed more than mere curiosity about you.”
“Check and checkmate, Profs. Help ME at least?” Dave smiled at the suddenly deflated and small looking men.
They smiled at him, more trusting of their ‘colleague’ than anyone else there. Setting the date, Dave laid a hand on the rock. A white flash!
“What the nether hell?!” Mike stood on the small pad where the two had been trying to materialise objects for so long.
My machine works! He thought. Now where indeed in the nether hell had that thought come from?
“Welcome back Mitchell. How goes it?”
“Sir?” He drew himself up. “Sir! Special Agent Mitchell is sorry to report things do not go well in 2010. The leader of the project there, Davi Grayson, rumbled me. Sorry sir. You will find a record of the disappearance of prisoner Mitchell from Site Double Zero. I take it this is 2189? Sir.”
“Never mind Mitchell. Yes, this is 2189. We have secured the Primal Rock here. We have the means of sending you back to retrieve the 2010 one. Clean up now, you go back aysap.”

Story part 18

Still going here, extra posts all the way to the 31st. Please please PLEASE comment! Or are your minds just too confused???!!

18

“Mike was WHAT?!”
“A military agent Petar. Lordie knows how they got word of the Primal Rock, but it seems they have been chasing it through the eons. I had my doubts about him for long enough but let them be without proof of wrongdoing. I caught him with a copy of the stone transcription - way out of time - together with bits that weren’t even on the stone.”
“Exactly how was that possible, Davi? I thought WE were the only ones ‘travelling’ - ‘chosen’ as you put it on the disc.”
“That’s the worrying bit. He says he was specifically SENT to Bear Camp 2010, to retrieve the Rock from a time when it was easiest to pick up.”
“Sent from when, Davi?”
“Approximately 2189. He said the military took over the project then.”
“And our task?” He felt a shiver of cold, guessing exactly where they were headed next; but he did not see HOW.
“You look like you already know Petar. We go back to 2189 to retrieve the Rock from the military. Oh yes, we can do it, from HERE. The Rock is at its most powerful here I told you - IT can send us where it wants, back and forward at will - now we have both absorbed enough of its latent energy to reach it across the ages.”
“And Mike was - ‘relieved of duties’?”
Davi laughed. “He was indeed, taken into police custody then hauled out by some highly shadowed military unit.” He sobered. “I heard he went missing from his friends as well. I have a nasty feeling we may meet him again in 2189.”
“I don’t think I am looking forward to my next travel, Davi, not at all.”
They spent the rest of the day talking, exchanging ‘notes’ and laughing frequently. Through the night they dreamt long, knowledge flooding their unconscious minds.
They rose early, Petar anxious for his first view of the Rock in this late era. He was not disappointed. It seemed to radiate an unseen power that was unearthly in the very intensity of the thing.
Petar looked at Davi as thoughts flooded his mind that were not his. Davi smiled and nodded, just pointing to the Rock. This was the thing speaking to them!
Light gathered around them like a cloak. Petar was suddenly told what to do and grasped the Rock hurriedly before they vanished.

Story 16 AND 17

As these two chapters are so short, you get them together. Please let me know if you are enjoying this.

16

Petar woke to the grinning face of Davi. The air felt fresh, more than fresh; almost living in vitality and energy. He looked around. The land was green and lush, small clusters of round domes, towers showed where people now resided. Bear Camp longhouse still lay off in the near distance.
“Welcome to the far world of the 32nd century, Petar. Mankind is finally at peace and living in a Golden Age of revelation. We have a long task ahead of us.”
“Davi! This is the place spoken of on the disc?”
“The same. The Primal Rock has much more power here than the place of the jungle, it TOLD me how to heal and transform. The result is what you now see. Cool, or what?!”
“And you arrived just as I have?”
“I have, and not far ahead of you. I have been busy over the eons as have you Petar. Those you knew in the 21st century miss you, Oriana not the least.”
“Ahhh, I too miss her Davi. What of the others? Mike was an enthusiastic deputy, has he taken the reins so to speak as you have taken your travels?”
Davi’s face clouded. “Mike has not. Long story, so come, make yourself at home. Bear Camp is still there for you my prehistoric friend!”


17

Dave did NOT want to do this, but he knew he had no choice. Take the bull by the horns he thought and translated the final markings on the stone to the two.
“Well I never! Thank you, Dave, thank you! How soon can we go and look?”
“Now, if you want Prof Slongur, but there is no real hurry is there?”
The two roared in happy amusement. “No, no hurry Dave. We have only waited so long already it seems. Come, show us.”
“OK, but be warned - it will be claustrophobic and dirty down there. And we don’t even know that it WILL be there, remember; but this is the best guess we have from the puzzle pieces we have.”
The outer places were quiet; most had gone home at the end of the working week. They strode in quick eager file through the long corridors to the elevator that led to the lower levels, pressing the button marked ‘Museum’. The lighting still worked. The place was actually kept relatively clean; ‘special’ items were stored here separate from the usual store rooms in the basement above.
They entered the great exhibition hall in excited anticipation, like schoolboys entered a candy store just opened. Running, they approached the stone pedestal and the enigmatic spherical stone that sat calmly waiting for them.
Dave picked it up in almost spiritual reverence, turning to display it to the two.
“I’ll take that, thank you Mr Grey.”

Story part 15

Hope Santa was as good to you all as he was to me and that you had a wonderful day. More turkey for dinner here, a re-run in fact lol

15
Dave was well aware he was now watched more closely than before, he just did not realise how closely.
The game was up. He was shocked to see the pair waiting as he exited the service tunnel back into the restricted area.
“An interesting night, Dave, most interesting. You know where the rock is?”
“What, Prof Lagarto? What are you talking about?”
Slongur snarled a truly feral sound. “DON’T TAKE US FOR IDIOTS! Nightly visits to the ancient place, hidden research about the Primal Rock: NO SHARING OF THE DISCOVERIES!” He calmed and gave a slimy smile. “As agreed, long ago, Dave. We have kept our promises, have you?”
“No, he has not, Slongur. He has been underhand and devious and scheming.”
“And the pair of you have NOT?!” Dave reckoned attack was his best form of defence. Never mind they were right, he knew enough to recognise a threat to his world when he saw it - now.
“So what, I’ve an interest in the Bear Camp. I DON’T REMEMBER! Things keep coming back at random. The machine is familiar and unfamiliar. OK, the rock thing seems to be connected somehow. I DON’T KNOW HOW! If you had any sense instead of suspicion you would realise I wouldn’t talk about it until I had something concrete to give you.”
Lagarto stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Which does not explain your visits outside in the dark and exploration of the area, Dave.”
“OK. I need fresh air. This place is claustrophobic. I LIKE THE VIEW AT NIGHT. Explorations are interesting, I need something DIFFERENT to do than work in here. Come on, cut some slack. IF I find the thing, I PROMISE to tell you. I don’t believe I am that far from it now anyway.”
He knew full well if the thing was where he thought it was, he couldn’t keep in safe in any case. It would be in full view of their surveillance equipment.

Story part 14

As promised. Back Boxing Day I hope.

14
Petar was pleasantly surprised when the replicator produced several perfect metal digging shovels at his first request. This itself told him he was expected to take others to join the dig.
They left as soon as the nightly force field came down at the barest ray from the rising globe of fire. There were four shovels, so Petar anticipated some hard digging at least at the beginning. A guard of another six accompanied the diggers, leaving twenty in the camp.
The way into the maze like building was easy enough, doors either fell at one touch or disintegrated into clouds of musty dust. Petar had only his vague memories of where the building had been in relation to the camp and now drew a hasty line map that the others agreed with on checking the outside angles and turns. Light filtered into the mainly unroofed building on this level. They followed signs to basement storage areas. At the furthest part of the storage area were signs for parking. Even flying vehicles had needed storage and parking places. The parking place however had clearly suffered, and was half filled with debris from above.
Petar took a headlight (that the replicator had produced again much to the amusement of the others) and headed off into the dark distance. He soon returned. The far place was in front of a small elevator, which had a level below this - labelled MUSEUM. A small stairwell was to the side, filled with rubble. This was the digging needed. Four shovels? This would take a good week if not a month to dig out.
Danny thought of the logistics. If they could break a hole big enough in the wall of the elevator shaft, they could just pitch the debris straight down instead of having to bring it back up the stairwell as they dug. The four struck at the wall together with the handles used as staves, plaster crumbled, brick moved. They hand dug the brick to the level of the rubble. And proceeded …..
How long later they did not know, but they dug until a door was shattered at the end of the stairwell. Realising they were thirsty, hungry and covered with plaster and brick dust, they climbed back the several levels. Day light filtered through the missing roof. Several others had come from the camp looking for them, they could hear the shouts in the distance.
Moving tiredly out, they waved. Whoops went up as they were spotted. The guard party looked sheepish. They had run to the camp in a hurry as a second field had formed within the ruin, between them and the diggers, only just arriving at the camp in time as the field formed behind them. The diggers had worked all day and night. It had not taken the foreseen days.
The worried camp members had brought both food and drink with them, which the diggers ate with relish and appreciation. Petar felt refreshed as if he had just taken a full eight hours sleep instead of digging. He immediately returned to the dark space below, all else but the find of the stone was blotted from his eager mind.
Head lights and torches lit the high vaulted ceilings. Picture signs were nearly unseen as they had faded to shadows. But he knew this place and swiftly led them to the exhibition room. Exhibitions had come and gone, but this one had been missed so much that it had become a permanent fixture. The carved stone lay at the far end beyond the miniature Bear Camp. There was the rock in its place on its pedestal.
The others crowded together as Petar approached alone. Laying his hand on the familiar object, it felt warm to his touch. The room lit suddenly as if the sun had entered the vault.
The others noted he had gone as the light faded.

Story part 13

LOOK OUR FOR PART 14 LATER TODAY, BOTH CHAPTERS ARE RATHER SHORT.

13

Dave had finally come to the point where he could no longer cover what he was doing. Lagarto wrung his hands together in greedy anticipation.
“So, something, whatever, a secondary power source, resides here? That much we already knew. But what is it!”
“I think, well guess I suppose, it is obviously spherical by the shape. My memory is still gone, I can’t read the controls. Any help, guys, might give me a sharper guess?”
Slongur nodded. “We can tell you what the controls are, but the original controls were different; that knowledge lies lost on our home world systems.”
“That much makes sense. I think the thing is some kind of - rock. Pure guess, bolt out of nowhere type of thing.”
They did not get, or like, the cutting comment.
“Anyway, Dave, I noticed you had another project of your own going on the other day.” Slongur spoke maliciously. “Something about a stone? With writing on it or similar? I hope it isn’t taking up too much of OUR valuable time?”
Dave did his best not to either stiffen or turn red. He tried to sound icy. “It’s not taking any of YOUR time, Prof, unless I don’t have time to myself at all?”
“No, no, that’s fine, Dave.” Lagarto placated. “Of course you have your own time. We were just curious, you know scientific types, forever curious. It was only noticed because you had not said anything, that’s all. It doesn’t have any, bearing on the project at large, does it, um?”
Slongur watched closely. “Not at all. It’s just something I came across while looking for something referring to spherical objects. I don’t know why, I just find it fascinating. Helps me relax and think.”
“Good, good. Then we will call this an early day, shall we? You can go and relax with your symbol writing and return refreshed in the morning.” Slongur gave a strained smile.
As Dave left the two lowered their voices so he could not hear.
“He is LYING, Lagarto, I know it!”
“I agree brother, he is not only lying he is playing us at our own game. I think it is time for total surveillance, don’t you?”
“As I TOLD you long ago, brother mine. We shall see what ‘David Grey’ does in his own time.”

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY HEALTHY PROSPEROUS 2014 TO ALL

Story time part 12

My Christmas present to you all - a week of story posts (but not Christmas Day itself, that is a strictly no computer day).

Part 12

Bear Camp was a sanctuary and safe harbour in the encroaching jungle that seemed to encompass everywhere else.
Petar almost laughed in disbelief as figures armed with spear and arrows, not guns or futuristic weapons, stood in line at his approach.
“Stand, stranger! Come no further! You are human?”
He stood, hands out palms forward. “As human as you, as it looks. I am unarmed in any case. I know this place, Bear Camp. What year is this?”
“Year? We do not count any more. Our miracle machine has figures that may be year. You know this place?”
“I am Petar. Stupid as it sounds, I used to live here. Would you believe I just arrived on a light beam from the very beginnings of the place?”
The weapons were lowered as one. Amazed, astonished and delighted smiles rose in their stead.
“We know the name Petar. If you are he, we are willing believers!”
He was quickly ushered into the place, plied with food and drink before being shown the only technology that would work. Records on the screen ended abruptly at an unbelievable date of 2690.
“The stuff on the screen is not the end, Petar. More portable, individual systems were created for information and knowledge then. Come and see our library!”
A wall of what looked like CD’s loomed behind a marked stone on a plain pedestal. His stone! And there were many more marks carved than he had ‘just’ made.
“Has the stone been translated, erm?”
Embarrassed looks and coughs ensued. “See, we are true believers Petar, much too impatient to show you NOW than introduce ourselves! I’m Danny, ‘my woman’ here is Lyn. Come on guys, do your own thing, please.”
The few behind gave names and Petar knew he would never remember most.
Danny turned back to the stone. “The stone has been translated, the translation is on the screen records. The most important point there is that the screen records have MORE than on the stone, with dates. Funny thing, it comes up on a search from this terminal, Bear Camp, it didn’t come up on any other even before the Big Shower. Seriously encrypted.”
“Now that is news, Danny. I never put anything on electronic records, anywhere. I got a crash course in basic computing, school of Bear Camp, circa 2010.” He grinned. “But did you know that I carved the original stone back when Bear Camp was founded?” He became serious. “The stone was pedestal for something far more precious. What happened to it?”
Danny gave a grim laugh. “If further proof were needed of who you say you are, it has just been given Petar. Your answer lies on the first disc.”
He laid a thin metal plate on the stone and spun a disc vertically on it. Pictures formed around them in the ether, and voices spoke.
Petar heard Davi’s and gasped in surprised shock. The Primal Rock he said was hidden to keep it safe from those who wished to use it for harm. Petar would know where to find it in his greatest need.
I would know? He thought, no, he obviously did not.
The voice continued, almost laughing at him, as if the disc itself were speaking only to him. The place would be searched thoroughly it said, so he had taken it briefly himself, as far as it would take him. He had used it to help heal the world of the year 3310 before returning it to the Third Dark Age of the Earth. Petar would find it in its place wherever the light took him.
“The light has brought me here, the rock is not here.”
“The rock is here, somewhere, Petar. Keep listening to the disc.”
Davi’s voice came from the ether. The rock was an energy source of unimaginable power. That power had grown slowly over the eons. It SPOKE to Davi he said, in that far future time; he and Petar were its chosen Guardians. The fate of the race of man was at stake and it would help them overcome those who wished man gone.
The rock’s power waxed and waned according to the era it could be found in. It would be source energy for any technology of requirement in a radius of one square mile. Petar suddenly thought the ‘park’ around Bear Camp in 2010 amounted to that space. The rock was, indeed, near.
Davi’s voice was nearly finished, for this disc at least; if the rock was not in its place ‘here’, Petar, look to the place of the past. The voice and pictures faded and the disc tumbled flat.
Place of the past? Where he taken it from the river? He focussed elsewhere. “Technology of requirement? Some things work, some don’t?” Petar queried.
Chuckles arose. “Yes in a nutshell. The discs work, that one screen works; the replicator gives food and water only if we haven’t made a successful hunt!”
“Yeah, Danny. The force field works in darkness but not otherwise. And the replicator won’t oblige with clothing and such until we have made a few decent attempts at our own. Talk about MAKING you self sufficient!”
“You honestly didn’t expect it to give you old fashioned nylon stockings, Lyn, did you?!” She threw the only thing to hand playfully at him - a small figure of Dam that had lasted through the eons.
“Honestly, Danny, you will really make me mad one of these days! I ASKED for ‘tights’ not ‘leggings’. If it wasn’t available in the earliest times, it won’t produce it anyway. Petar, Bear Camp is blessed. We live well and thrive in this small area. Outside is jungle. REAL, nasty jungle. We asked if you were human, remember?”
He nodded, wondering where she was going.
“There are people and beasts galore in the jungle. There are some that, well, might well be mixtures of the two. And others who are that inbred they are practically insane. We are more than grateful that the replicator does work on occasion, hunts are perilous.”
“Lyn is being very kind in description, Petar. We live like our most ancient ancestors, in a world of terrors unimaginable then. Even the weather - our protective force seals the camp with the field when the stinging and deforming rains fall.”
“I understand, Danny. I am fortunate to meet people in any era that believe and help me. It is a wonder I have not gone insane myself. I think I am here now to learn again, in a hurry. Show me where I will sleep, please, so I do not disturb any when my eyes have had enough of the screen.”
He studied and studied, learning much from the additions on the screen. He would like to meet this ‘Dave’ who had made the breakthrough and continued the history.
And he realised where the rock would lie, in the place of the past. In the ruins of the museum below the modern ruin.
Would the thing extend its protection for them to dig? It would take more than the few hours of light in one day.

Christmas ligh-hearted poem

CHRISTMAS TIME IS NEARLY HERE

Christmas time is nearly here
It comes faithfully every year
Bringing cries of joy, just what I wanted –
Or groans of disbelief, not socks again!

Christmas time is nearly here
Celebrated with even more beer
And wine by the bottle, who wants a glass?
And never the cheap stuff, now that is class.

Christmas time is nearly here
Remember to give the poor some cheer
What, no cards in the post?
Very next day, six can I boast.

Christmas time is nearly here
School kids sing carols nearly bringing a tear
To those families and friends smiling and hoping
That Santa has finally found the right gifts and coping

Christmas time is nearly here
Where did I stash the wrapping , ribbon and bows?
Where is the bag of tinsel and bells?
Find me find me – right under my nose!

Christmas time is nearly here
Oh dear oh dear oh dear
Those forbidden chocs were so appealing
Not all made it to the wrapping and sealing.

Christmas time is nearly here
And I will copy words so dear –
“Christmas is Love, Christmas is Peace.
A time for hating and fighting to cease.”

What a day

What a day, last writers' group for the year, last minute stocking filler shop, dress up like an eskimo to dish out festive sweeties for 'Mr Santa Lollipop', and actually have the computer work wonders. Wow.

Just as well the glove things I looked at in October went off the shelves - they are now back £2 cheaper. Knowing last year's liquid drinks have not been long emptied, I opted for the choc-chip cookies in the fancy tin for hubbie. Son gets the gloves.

And I still have a LONG shopping list - much of which will be bought Sunday and Monday. If we havent got it in by then we are going to do without it! The fridge and freezer both need a reshuffle/fling out before we can get anything in as yet.

The comp worked well - mini drive given attached and took info seemlessly and also detached without problem. I was half afraid I would fry it after this week's mess around.

Reminder, you can still get Kindle books all the way to the 24th. I am not doing the usual Mon plug this late, I shall give you a small poem instead.

What a panic

Oh yes, what a panic ..... Word opened with no toolbars, just a blank document and nowhere to open/close/save anything. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found documents on search, but what a pain to have to open from there and close to save new stuff! Yet another timely reminder to back up everything new to external drive before closing for the day.

I spent the day trawling through support pages after trying the most obvious remedies. Not until son came for dinner did I get relief. He went to control panel (a place I would never have thought of to find support!) and clicked support there. Nice little page came up - "toolbars missing?" Hooray! Well, so I thought. All the measures suggested didn't work (apparently not the problem anyway). I gave up and clicked the 'fix it for me' link. Lo and behold, Word as normal again.

Don't ask what it did, it just worked. And I have bookmarked that particular page in case the mystery problem occurs again.

some thoughts on news and stuff

At last Nelson Mandela is laid to rest, now Peter O'Toole has followed him. Today Ronnie Biggs is news. That one should not have been news, just my opinion.

Locally, local government workers are singing 'carols' (with very changed words of course) in protest at pay and job cuts. Good luck to them!

I am inclined to agree with the cynics who point out that the death of a British doctor in a Syrian jail is unlikely to help the refugee fundraising, what a mess the country is in.

Roma coming here next year? Good luck, we have more than enough rough sleepers and beggars of our own already in this neck of the woods.

What a grumpy old woman I am becoming. Now son has left his Xmas gifts for me to wrap for him - first year he has left the wrapping paper to go with them. I shall have to dig out the post-it notes to tell him what is what though. I cannot move in the bedroom for parcels all waiting to be eagerly unwrapped and set aside with short grunts. At least I hope hubbies main one will go down well - '12 days of Christmas' small vouchers for favourite pub chain so he can have 12 free breakfasts or lunches on his travels.

Lastly - nice try from the phisher who tried to get me to give away secret questions and answers. I politely said well if you don't already know them, who am I to be reminding you! Yep, already reported to the bank.

Storytime part 11

Dave returned to the restricted area before he would be missed, waving the new chip at the two who looked for his return; satisfied he had found someone to give him a new chip quickly. He certainly wasted no time rebooting the equipment. He wanted an in depth look at the stone inscription. Something was missing there, too, he was certain.
He was right! Rubbing eyes almost too tired to stay open, he spotted the elusive mark on the edge of the worn thing. What were obviously numbers made no sense. Adding the elusive ‘1’ to the front made a DATE stand out. He was immediately alert again, he was near it, he was certain. What had happened in that year, so long in the past?
He laughed out loud. No wonder no one had deciphered it! A 19th century ‘language’ appearing on a prehistoric stone? Maybe the inventor from the 19th century had seen the thing and copied the symbols as part of his truly unique idea. And a full review of the language proved more than enlightening. He could READ the stone. The tiny symbols formed into words as he scribbled it down. It was fascinating … and frightening … The two must NOT know of this.
Dave was suddenly certain he was NOT one of them. This language no longer used was part of his longer heritage, of THIS world. Their language was NOT his. The language used in this place WAS. And they obviously had ear translators as did he, but they did not see this in their myopia. He would try to keep his discovery to himself for as long as possible, but it was difficult to judge just how much they knew or guessed even from his body language.
Further, he realised he understood the machine fairly well now, just not the alien parts. He MUST be part of the machine project in THIS world, only how many hundreds of years ahead of where they were now?
How had he come here? The machine, that was blindingly obvious, at least now it was. But they could not control it. What was missing? Had he come here randomly?
Grinning, he turned to the language translation tool. He would add his own lines to the end of the original ones. If anyone else could translate they would have a real mystery to solve!
And the stone had given him a chilling insight into what might fit into the not quite complete complex mechanism …..
Time passed. He worked on his ideas alone, whilst seeming to do otherwise as the two watched fascinated at his different approach to the thing. Even they were learning more.
And the military men came again, with sacks of jewels and gold and platinum ingots. The two seemed neither to trust banks nor cash. These things could still be exchanged freely for money or goods if you knew where to do the exchanging. And they were placed in a vault that would have made even the best robber despair and give up quickly. The place was more than half full with a planet sized ransom fund.
Dave knew what was missing. He knew where to find it. The others must not know. Return home? He doubted this very much. Their ultimate goal was still hidden and sinister, he had NO doubt there. He ached to just go and retrieve the thing and try the machine for himself. He found it hard to keep himself under control as time went on. If only the two were not here he thought, he would have all the time in the world at his fingertips!

Hope you are all still well intruiged ..... there are many more twists and turns to come lol

Plug time again

So here we go again. Thank you again whoever bought the one single book. Come on folks, time is really short for inclusion in Santa's sack! How many of you will need a different read for a new Kindle or tablet?

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00957PD92

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00957PD92

Don't forget - Gosammer Threads - Time Jumpers - The Magical Wall - repeat after me, lol

And let these shorter books lead you on to the totally different Tales From Another Reality.

Happy Reading! Happy New Week to you all.

shivery Sunday

Brrr, I am feeling cold. It was semi frosty when we came home from Saturday night out, now it is dry but blowing gales. Brrr. And I want (or wanted) to go shopping before the supermarkets become one big traffic jam. We need a pile of stock cupboard stuff and the list is all ready to go. What was that? Put a hat on? Are you mad? Well, I suppose it is nearly Xmas, I could put the little 'elf' thing on with the Xmas flower ..... Yes, I will, I need to be able to see through the hair lol

Back to plugs tomorrow. Thanks whoever you are for buying a print book. At least I can say I have made a sale.

Friday again already!

Where ohn where has the week gone? I can't remember Monday at all ..... I had a pleasant stroll around the town centre shops, not as packed as I had feared for once. Bought new card holders for wall, now we will find where I hid the last lot from last year. Finally heard from my pal in ARizona, I was worried for quite a while. Hi, and waves to you if you are looking in!

Had a jolly afternoon

Time of the week to visit mum again, this week she was in dining room participating in the bingo. Bingo with a difference. The cards were marked with song titles and a tape was played with snippets. Mum won a packet of buttons. Out of the whole room , 12 or so, only three were capable of 'marking' their own cards even if half were singing away merrily with the snippets!

I was a bit worried to see mum apparently crying, but the carer said she had been like this for the whole day - weeping over nothing and then cheery as a button the next. She was happily 'lala-ing' when we left.

My sister in law had two bags to exchange with me - both light. My one heavy bag barely fit into the car boot. I am now anxious that she likes the quilt.

The family cards are now pride of place over the fire, whilst the few others arrived will have to wait for me to renew the card hangers. I will find the old ones as soon as I replace them I know.

How is your shopping doing? I only have the store cupboard and fresh stuff to get. Need to clear the cupboard first though, I dont think the half jar of mayo will be 'fresh' enough after lounging hidden and not in fridge!

Part Ten, bonus for u ...

I am being generous, just because I having nothing else to report/say lol Comments would be appreciated, let me know if your head has started to spin yet.


Bear Camp was built and its first residents were happily celebrating the founding of their new home, named after the lone bear seen fishing in the rapids a day’s journey up the riverbank.
Petar and Dammi had an almost brotherly relationship Denal thought. For all the time the two spent together, Petar could be contemplating becoming Dammi - laughingly denied by both.
The rock had a place of its own, a small niche next to the statue of Dam. Both noticed it seemed to shake of its own accord in rhythm with the storms now heralding the approach of the Cold. This Dammi had also said he understood why Petar would not go out in the storm and watched the stone closely.
Petar was moreover beginning to feel strangely connected to the thing; something about it bothered him at a deep subconscious level. The tiny piece of the same rock that had chipped from the thing at its arrival was now in his amulet and he often absently minded figured the few things in it. He knew also that he was overdue a ‘jump’ and was unhappily anticipating the next storm. One day he took a square stone from the river and began carving intricate symbols into it, as deep as possible; he wanted the tale to last for the eons it would pass through as the base mount for the rock. He told Dammi the symbols were something known in the cycle called 2010, rarely used; they had been invented in the cycle called 1873.
And as a final crowning celebration Dammi asked for a Mother Festival. The smallest children were given a small drink of sleeping potion, the older ones would shyly watch or not. Petar danced languidly with a young woman named Camelia, she reminded him very much of Oriana - he now realised he missed his main ‘tutor’ very much.
As he led Camelia to the furs, he knew he would never let her know he was making love to another woman he may never meet again. But both still found great pleasure and delight at the Pleasuring.
The following night the camp was in uproar as he failed to return from the final late latrine visit as promised to Camelia’s own furs.
This Dammi also returned to his tent alone, renewing the small light in front of the figure of Dam. “‘May Dam guide your way, Petar, and no harm befall you.”
Petar awoke by the side of a small clearing in what looked like jungle. He had never known jungle proper, but had learned with Oriana and Robin. Was that railing hidden in the trellising vines? And great gates?
He walked carefully through the opening; the gates were held with well worn posts and would have already fallen if it were not for the twining vines, flowering with small trumpet shaped creamy white blooms. The museum had gone, a crumbling large off white building of curious design stood in its place, windows long gone.
But the Bear Camp was still there behind the unknown ruins …..

Story part nine

9

Dave had come to the conclusion that what was missing from the marvellous machine was something that would fit in the spherical empty space on the side by the - to him - undecipherable controls. What, he did not know, along with who he REALLY was. He reckoned he must have known the thing in the past; he was making far too much progress to be called lucky guesses.
This was also noted by the two and they kept close watch over him. Dave did not mind, as long as they let him work. He had continued his now almost nightly sojourns, only staying indoors when the wet would have given his absence and travels away.
Bear Camp was an enigma to him. The people of the time were so primitive, and yet not. The replicated articles showed great workmanship and sophistication. To have lived and thrived when all your tools were necessarily made from crude rock! He looked closely at a rock carving with strange symbols that had been faithfully copied through the eons. Did he recognise this one? That one? He had returned to the small office and looked up the thing on the glowing screen. Something told him this was important, the thing had never been translated over the time - this he would try to do.
Worryingly, the two and he now had doubts over who he was. He had enjoyed much the same food as they, not realising how different it was from that of the other people with labs in the huge place. The two times he had been out of the ‘restricted’ area he had discovered a completely unknown menu in the general cafeteria and self service replicator areas. He found he liked an item labelled ‘fish’, which came in a large variety of kinds. There were no kinds of fish available on the lab replicators. He programmed his two new favourites in.
The two had been horrified to find him appreciating the very thing one day.
“Do you know what that is that you are consuming, Dave?”
“It is called fish, cod I believe. There are lots of kinds on the replicators in the outer areas. I tried it and liked it, Prof Slongur. Why, anyway? There a particular reason it wasn’t available in the restricted area?”
Lagarto coughed none too gently. “We do not eat our own ancestors, Dave.”
Dave gave a blank stare at the two. “Ancestors?”
Slongur sighed, sadly. “We have forgotten you came to us with no memory, Dave. It is perfectly obvious you still have not regained much, especially basics.”
“Ah, yes, I had forgotten, thank you, Slongur, for reminding me. Dave, our ancient ancestors that we evolved from were a form of giant predator that did indeed eat many of their own kinds. We have not eaten these for millennia, it is not, seemly. On our, your home world, you would be considered a cannibal.”
“OUR HOME WORLD?”
Lagarto went a shade of purple, and Slongur stiffened. The long pretence and cover were torn apart.
“Of course, Dave, you know us well enough to realise we have not told all. The fact that we are visitors to this world would have confused you even more. You speak our language as your own - it is undecipherable to those native to this world. That we are from the future, be it here or there, is without doubt in any case. Our technology, what we work on here, is far, far beyond what those of this time can envisage.” Lagarto sighed himself. “There is not much more for you to know, Dave.”
“Indeed there is not.” Slongur spoke. “The machine is a hybrid between the future technologies of this world and ours. We wish only to return.”
“Thank you, gentlemen. What knowledge there must be, tied up and stored in this sorry brain of mine. I think I have suddenly ‘gone off’ fish.”
It was days later, as he worked on his own translation project, that he felt an itch in his ear. Clearing a build up of wax, he felt a miniscule object further in and curiously brought it before his eyes. Wondering suddenly, he rose to fetch something, anything, from the small lab with the broken communications light. Low babble was heard coming from the main secure lab - totally unintelligible to him. He placed the tiny thing back in his ear and he suddenly understood the technical talk going on. His curiosity was infectious now.
Rushing, but not running, running would raise the two’s curiosity or suspicion, he took a tool from the lab and returned to his own. He quickly proceeded to disable a vital part of his communications system.
Entering the main lab in a hurry, the two looked at him in surprise.
“Sorry to butt in, Professors’, but my lights just went out. The whole thing has shut down. Any chance of looking at it?”
The two looked and quickly found the offending component. No, they did not have a replacement in the restricted area; he would have to see someone in the general area. He grinned as he ran down the long sterile looking corridor to the greater spaces.

Of course they didn’t have a replacement - the only replacement miniature circuit chip was already in his pocket!
He headed for the smallest communal sitting area where he knew people gathered just to talk and have a drink or snack. Reproducing a cup of coffee he scratched his ear calmly taking the thing out. Talk went on around him quietly, and he understood!

Monday blues

I have been out delivering cards. Guess what? nobody in of course, that much I rexpected. I realised as soon as I had posted one through an unfamiliar door that it should have been through next door. Duh! Now I have found the address book, and also discovered I have posted another two to wrong house numbers as well! Oh, save me from this early senility, please.

This is part of Magical Wall beginning.
Holly’s bedroom was the smallest in the house, right in the eaves. No wallpapers would do for dad when he could paint whatever his children wished. Her two brothers’ rooms were decorated with medieval and ship scenes, battles in the main for the cheeky tomboys. Hers was a true mixture, from fairies to castles to dragons and everything magical and mystical in their own special forest of trees that wavered gently in the light. The eaves above her were a light blue in the day and velvety dark with small shining drops of silver stars at night. When dad had added the short posts to the bed and mum had draped the ‘tapestry’ sheets around she was in seventh heaven. Everything a near ten year old could wish for in fact. Holly had a SECRET. A marvellous secret.

Your kids will love this book, and the follow on one. Your older kids would appreciate Time Jumpers, excitement and mind boggling time jumps finding and daving the primal rock.

ALL on Kindle, maybe last chance for print books.

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00957PD92

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00957PD92

Cards through the door

Oh, damn, whoever has run fast. One of my sister in law's, d*** again in triplicate. I wanted to catch her. I have a calendar very tongue in cheek for her, pic of her two brothers in a pub. Guess what fell out of her card - a pic of one brother with her! Shall have to mark calender 'great minds think alike'.

Also just realised I didnt get all the cards done the other day, **** (yes, I am in a sweary mood). I shall have to join the queue at the PO during pension day, oh the joys .....

Otherwise, a very happy Sunday to all. Time to turn on fairy lights, cheer myself up.

Oh happy day

I got up early this morning (practicaly unknown for a Saturday) to go into town to post my cards. Lo and behold, the Post Office is on a one day industrial action, now why had I had no prior notice of this! I was in a queque of 5 or 6 people moving from stationers to newsagents to get stamps, when I finally got them they had run out of 2nd class of course. I bought 1st anyway and stood in freezing cold balancing cards on top of rubbish bin pasting stamps.

Got home to find tree lights would not work, so into town again. Nice new set of green holly with berry lights, but if they go off they go off, no replacements possible. Oh well, at least the candle bridge and manterpiece swag work. Now waiting for other half to come home and try the new lights up a height. They might have to wait until tomorrow though - it is freezing and I want to fire on. Fire on, no lights can be put up of course.

That aside, the tummy is playing up again. I am in for yet another Saturday night on. Bah Humbug. Hope you are all having a much happier day.

And get your printed books NOW! please please please please please. cheer me up .....

Ow, writers cramp ...

I have been extremely lazy this year, my cards are normally out by 3rd December, never mind not written! Now the 6th, and my wrist is aching from feverish writing. It does not help that I have to write mother's as well, not that she knows the difference anyway, but there are still people out there that need to know she is still with us.

Hubbie does not know it yet, but he is getting the decorations down from the loft when he returns from work. I am saying darn the dust, it is going up anyway. Rooms need a good dusting down when it is time to return decs to the loft!

Wrist apart, I am starting to get into the Christmas Spirit. But I am putting off opening the Baileys bottle until Christmas Eve. Apart from the fresh stuff, I am all ready. At least I am giving up on the stocking fillers at last. You can go on forever if you dont call a halt somewhere!

Windy Thuirsday

Breathing sighs of relief, the storm passed over us overnight early morning. It sounded really wild and we were grateful to be tucked up in bed. Now mid-day and there is weak sunlight, but blowing a gale. It is far better than the driven wet though. Hubbie had to go out on early shift with wrist protectors to help hold the lollipop upright. Those lollipop people dont look rolypoly because they are fat you know, oh no, they are wrapped in several warming protective layers underneath the canary yellow and orange coats.

Anyway, I shall make you laugh (or groan) here. Yesterday, I went into town to put order in for pills, didn't wait for the chemist coming back from lunch. I went to do the rest of the browsing instead. Three full bags later, got on bus half exhausted. No pills in bottom of any bag! Oh head,where are you at?! Back on bus, sheepishly returned. The girl laughed and said not to worry - there were another six bags under the counter that others had not waited for waiting for collection. Phew. Am turning into a real senior, bah!

Remember there is only another week to get book stories in before the Big Day. But Kindle can be downloaded immediately, and the prices are reduced there. Links down the page.

Great dream

Well, a weird dream, or a brill idea for another story? A century ago, a group of cowboys men and boys were trapped somewhere, food had run out. So the youngest boy started idly banging on his drum. They heard a faint echo, that slowly grew louder and the cavalry rescued them. Twist is, the 'cavalry' were soldiers from modern day who were scouting a canyon and came across this old hut where no one was known to have been before. Inside the place the walls were lined with dates, years, 500 years back to the present. And a dum stood on the table, the only furniture there. Picking it up, the modern day equivalent of the boy banged away, to hear the echo. A date flashed out on the wall, and the whole troupe now wore cavalry clothes. The hut vanished and they were riding to the rescue! I woke up before anything else happened.

Yup, my mind does the crasiest things when it wanders overnight! Filing this one for the future at least lol

Attention .....

Thought that would wake you up .....
I hqve just reduced all prices on Kindle, please look tomorrow to check them out. Hopefully will make sales, I live in constant hope .....

Anyone else dismal at seeing near total dark at 3.30pm? Cutting into the writing time no end.

Welcome to story time

Thanks for letting me know this is being followed again. Enjoy part eight.

Petar was glad he had changed clothing. This place looked more like his own, where the Bear Camp should lie, but no camp was in sight. He moved off quickly to keep warm. Yet again, he needed people. The next valley held a small camp of tents and he approached gladly, hands outstretched in greeting and peace as spears rose and fell when they saw him unarmed.
“Hola, stranger! Welcome in the name of Dam. Where have you appeared from with no weapon or aught else it looks?!”
“I thank you also in the name of Dam for welcome which I much need. I come from far north of here, on the far bank of the great river. I lost boat, pack, everything to rapids and then hungry bear! I have only the sleeping clothes I wear; I did not wish to argue with the bear for my possessions.”
“No more would I,” the figure chuckled. “You speak our tongue well, stranger. Are you well travelled?” Petar bit back the grim laugh that rose - he would never have to learn another tongue again!
“More than you can know. I am Petar, one of the travelling traders of Elk Camp. I made a grave error of misjudgement taking to the boat by myself for a solitary journey. I am sure I am days south of home.”
“I think you are, Petar, we are not aware of an Elk Camp but are pleased to hear of it. I am Denal, Leader of this small camp. We left our overcrowded home many moons east of here, moon cycles. We would found our own camp but have found nowhere ‘right’ in our travels. I digress, Petar, welcome again, come to our Mammoth Hearth - which is but the largest tent - Dammi will welcome you.”
The entire party welcomed him. Tales told over the central fire, Petar was careful to be evasive and vague whilst not saying anything too far out of place. His challenge was remembering his early days again and fitting his story around this time. He hoped none would go looking for ‘Elk Camp’ early; he had no idea when his own home had been founded.
The party were alive with excitement and anticipation when he told of the perfect spot for a permanent camp, over in the next valley. He would help build and establish the place, and hoped they would welcome him as one of their own. He deprecatingly brushed off talk of his possible return home - he could not find the way and had not fixed probable landmarks in his mind.
This time, however, he noted the quickly hidden look of disbelief - or suspicion - in the Dammi’s eyes. He would talk to this one sooner than later.
The chance came even faster than he would have thought possible. They were camped now in the place where Bear Camp was going to be established, half gathering the plentiful large bones that lay in a small ‘bay’ where the river had washed them, half digging a carefully measured foundation. Night had fallen and most had gone to their furs, tired but happy with what had been achieved so far.
Petar wandered the river bank, looking to the stars for inspiration as to what to tell the Dammi. As if by coincidence, Dammi approached with a quiet greeting. Both looked at each other, trying to judge the other’s thought; then suddenly at the sky as a star appeared to fall to earth leaving a glowing trail of bright embers that swiftly quenched in the dark waters. Eyes raised in joint question, they ran to the spot. A new curved depression had been formed further up the river bank and the glowing hand sized rock was darkening quickly as water entered the small crater. They could reach it easily.
“What in Dam’s name? …” Petar began.
“Dam only knows the answer my new friend. I feel … SOMETHING … here, I know not what. My mind tells me it is both sacred and special, to be kept to ourselves at least for the moment. He gave a frank look and a motion for Petar to sit with him by the crater’s edge. “My mind also tells me that you need my guidance and that this is in some way connected to you.”
Petar grinned. “And so you followed me tonight to speak of such things!” He laughed easily. “This, I genuinely have no knowledge of Dammi; but I WAS looking for an early opportunity to tell my tale - my TRUE tale - to the only one in any camp who could believe and comprehend.”
“You are not what you seem. I was correct.”
“Yes and no, Dammi. I am what I am. And I do come from a place somewhere north of here. Just, this is difficult without sounding mad, not in the NOW?”
Dammi rocked, bringing his heels close clasping his arms around his bony knees. His eyes shone with curiosity, anticipation and belief, a tale for a Dammi indeed! He nodded for Petar to continue.
“This place, here, we are starting to build is known to me as Bear Camp. I know every inch of the place intimately. I know of ‘other’ Bear Camps, in cycles far ahead of this present. All are of this pattern and unchanged.”
“This, time, Dammi, though ‘now’ to us as we sit, is a mote in time beyond comprehension. Can you imagine say, a span of 30,000 cycles?”
Dammi’s eyebrows raised in wonder. He was one of the few people of the time that could envisage the large, mind numbing figure.
“That far, Petar? And the camp is still there?”
Petar’s eyes shone back at the spiritual man. “The camp is still there, rebuilt of course, but on this very spot and correct in every detail. Dam has given a strange destiny to me, Dammi. I travel on beams of light, or lightning, to times that far ahead and back. ‘Here’ is ahead of my own time, I think, it is rather confusing. My first travel was to Bear Camp, which was then well established and thriving. I saw no difference in clothing or technology …”
“Tek-nol-ogee?”
“Sorry, Dammi. It is a word from that world of 30,000 cycles ahead. It means skills and knowledge - I saw the same flint tools and methods of doing things that I was familiar with. Even you, Dammi, would not believe the world of that far time. Bear Camp there is a ‘living museum’ - a museum is a place where items from past cycles are kept to be viewed by many - people come to the living museum to learn of THIS time, and many pay money - there I go again! - give goods is the nearest without long explanation - give goods to stay and ‘live’ for a while as you and I and the peoples of this time do now.”
“I think … no, I KNOW … after this small part of long, long tale - you ARE connected to that which lies in the small hole before us. My heart agrees with my mind. It has been sent by Dam to you. We must guard it for you.”
“Whatever you believe, Dammi. I am no Dammi, I do not have the calling, but I am content to follow your guidance.”
“That is well and good. All good camp members follow the word of their Dammi!” He rose, stiffly. “I am cold, my joints will not move as they should. We will continue talking when we may. I am more than content to know our new camp is well blessed even before it is built! Bring the rock, Petar, if that is what it is. I will keep it safe with the sacred lamp.”
They walked slowly back to the Mammoth Hearth tent. Entering, Dammi suddenly grinned. “My guest, Petar, you are more than fitting to share the sacred place with me!” He quietened a little. “And if Denal or any other wishes to look for Elk Camp I also shall dissuade them. You are already doing well enough on your own to ensure Bear Camp will be built as it should be. I shall meditate on a reason for it to be named such.”

Another parcel!

Oh dear, I am ashamed my preparation is lagging behind this year. That's two parcels arrived, and I hadn'd even got mine wrapped never mind posted lol The late blog is blamed on frantic searching for spare wrap and boxes and two trips into town. (First one to collect parcel, second to post one). I looked a right dork balancing full shopper on arm and large pressie bags under the other, but glad to say not the only one overloaded on the bus.

Not looking forward to true shopping, ie the food. Everywhere is so frantic already, some people need to chill I think.

Anyway, enough moan. Plug time!
Remember - Gossamer Threads, Time Jumpers, The Magical Wall books - take a look at the rest as well, but looking for small sales of small books this time round. All available print and kindle as well.
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00957PD92
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00957PD92

And story time again tomorrow.

Nearly wasted trip

Oh boy, yet another postie card through the door, missed you again - well, yeah, I was lolling in the bath at the time lol Went down to post office this morning, just caught the parcels office - but my parcel has been delivered to the main PO not the parcels one, and they were just shut. Rats. Here am I with a huge shopper bag ready for a parcel and nothing to put in it. But - I did manage to remember to take the disposable camera out to get developed. So, two places to visit on Monday. Rain, you can stay away, please.

Yesterday's night out with the girls was lovely, it was great seeing the folks I used to work with again. And the food and the show were equally excellent. Now to arrange another not so dressed to the nines night out mid January to stave off the blues.

Ready yourselves for more plugging (do not groan!) Monday.

Edited - oh boy am I the world's worst proof reader, didnt even get title right!

In a rush

In a rush, I overslept, and in a panic as the hairdrier died on me. Frantic search for the travel one, and hey presto I was at the writers group only ten minutes late. Phew. Hair looked like I had been dragged through a bush as I would not put a hat on top. That was bad as the wind swept the hair every way but where it was meant to be.

That aside, tonight is big night out, girls night that is. We are going to an Abba tribute night with meal at a classy hotel. Last time I was there (years ago) I had left my keys at home and didn't discover this until in the taxi back. I spent overnight with one of the girls, hubbie was in a huff for the week. Well, I blamed him for not waking up to the knock in the middle of the night!

So - I need to sort my pills for the week first, then sort what I will be wearing, then run a deep bath. Oh, and make something to eat and drink before all that. Isn't life exciting, lol

Ah, yes, first Xmas card today! Yes, honestly, relatives in Canada. Hope I put their address in with the Xmas list ...

busy day

Apologies for spelling errors (typos basically) yesterday, shows you what my eyesight truly is like.

Today I have been 'shopping' comparing prices, now I need to make a list of what I will buy where lol Big differences in places, but it is very trying on the feet!

Also been to see mum, awake for once after just finishing lunch. Didn't stop her munching on the small aero bubbles though. Still not making sense, but chattered away merrily. I tried not to notice the falling face when we took her to the lounge on time to leave, but over an hours worth was a very good visit time wise. Now we are debating what to do for her Christmas - it will all depend on the weather for the other half of the family to visit of course. I said that if it wasn't possible Christmas week, I would take stuff down as a whole. That depends whether it is icy or not as well. Apart from the decoration that are just beginning to go up, she does not know what day it is never mind time of year anyway.

Writing coming on in dribs and drabs, where story is at timewise has dried up for now, so I am concentrating on bits further on that are fairly fresh. What a way to write, but it works as long as I remember to fill in the holes later on.

Successful ahopping day

Took a well needed break out of the house today, up to city south of us for a change. Got hubbie a nice coat with lots of pockets at half price and will leave the full price tag on it to see the look on his face when he opens pressie! Also another bag full of choccies for son's 'goodie bag'. Confession time - two small packets were replacements for those I have eaten over this last week, naughty me.

Thanks for the comment Sarahandbella, nipped the depression in the bud! Glad you like the story so far, it gets kinda complicated .....

I nearly didn't get to go out as well - a frantic search for the bank card I know the pin number for, phew, wrong hiddie place. Having lost a card once, I won't take them out unless I need them now.

quick acknowledgements

Well, without knowing who you are -

Hi Have A Nice Day to those across 'The Pond'
G'Day how ya goin' mates
Guten Tag, wie gehts
et Bonjour mes amis, comment ca va
Not forgetting my very own UK friends, have a coffee on me, all of you .....

Story time again

Wot no comments on the story even? I am disappointed and depressed. Here's instalment chapter 7 anyway, enjoy, I hope .....

7
Dave was filling his mind with knowledge, most seemed to be relearned when he thought about it. Exactly how much SHOULD he know? He still had no idea of his true name or identity, where he had come from.
The two had been true to the offer and he was happy with his own little space. They had scoffed at the equipment, primitive to their own, lost, and though he could not remember Dave agreed. He thought he should be used to something even more sophisticated than that he was faced with. He obviously knew his way around systems he quickly found out. There WERE small signs in inconspicuous news articles of disappearances and it did not take Dave long to find enough to convince him that the machine HAD been working.
The two paled as they reviewed the list of incidents Dave presented. Dates, times even, matched precisely when they had powered up the machine and achieved peaks.
“OK, I got your attention. Am I behaving enough to be allowed to study the machine itself at last?”
“What do you think you can achieve by that, Dave? Without memory, you could cause serious harm.”
“Not if I’m just LOOKING and not touching buttons or dials, whatever, Prof Slongur; you can do a close supervision thing if you are that worried.”
“That is an excellent idea, Dave. Slongur - I think we should allow our COLLEAGUE access. As he said, no touch no harm. We can go on from there if he comes up with something we have overlooked. Not that I think we have,” at his partner’s look of annoyance, “but it cannot cause any harm to see things from another’s perspective.”
Dave was happy to see the machine up close for the first time. Some looked vaguely familiar, other bits looked - alien. What the heck, he thought; I can’t tell anyway, I don’t know what I’m doing here to start with …..
Slongur and Lagarto were delighted to see the careful observations he made and several ‘assumptions’ he made were proven correct. This convinced the pair more than ever that Dave was one of their own, sent to them, somehow. But for what purpose they did not know - to help, or to SPY?
Enough for the one day, Dave thought, and told the pair he was tired and would take a longer evening than usual. Once he was sure the pair had retired themselves, he took his own ‘secret’ route to the outside world. They were not the only ones keeping their cards close to their chests he thought as the ancient idiom came to mind.
Sat on a grassy bank overlooking a wide river, several ruins and buildings carefully conserved from the past in the longer distance, he mused. A transport lit from within flashed slowly overhead. He was not interested in exploring further, not yet at least; all he wanted was fresh air and a feeling of freedom from the indoor spaces.
The night was the most beautiful of all to him, hiding the blemishes of the sun lit world. And the moon hid most of the stars at the full, its cities themselves invisible as the sun glanced off as they both continued the great dance through the heavens.
Returning, he planned his next sojourn into the outside. He would turn the other way around the laboratory buildings, and visit the truly ancient site that was called prehistoric, and had been rebuilt and rebuilt times beyond count in the long years.

Here we go again ...

,,, all good friends and jolly good company. Hello readers I mean. Yesterday was dismal so I am happy to say I feel much more buoyed up today. And it's Monday again. Only thing Monday is worth is the plug lol so here we do go again .....

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00957PD92

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00957PD92

Plugging: Gosammer Threads - Time Jumpers - Magical Wall 1 and 2
Take a look at the Amazon pages, gives you good ideas what the books are like.
They are all available in Kindle as well, but I still prefer the paper version.

Christmas is a-comin' fast, please don't leave the orders til the last ...dont want to be a thing of Christmas past ...

More story post tomorrow. Please COMMENT if you like it. Please COMMENT if you don't like it, but be kind with it.

G'Day Australia, Guten Tag Deutschland ... and Howdy to the States. Happy future reading to you all.

Big day in town yesterday

It was a very special day in town yesterday, Prince William came to open the new pool and leisure centre. No, I didn't join the crowds, it was far too cold and my ankles were seized up a bit. I am slowly (or not so slowly nowadays) into an old lady. Still waiting for the pension though. Anyway, I saw plenty on the news later on. He is very good with the kids dont you think.

Big day today as well, tv wise at least. Dr Who's 50 anniversary. But I shall be watching the repeat tomorrow - not even Who stops my Saturday night out, unless I am under the weather. My son asked me who 'my' Doctor was and I said Tom Baker. No he said, your first Doctor. I laughed and said that as I was 10 at the time it started, the original had to be mine then but I didnt remember much - save I liked his grand-daughter, same name as me lol Nowadays favourite is choice of two, Tom is neck and neck with David.

I need another coffee, inner warmth aside from keeping hands warmed up by the fire. And it's not even winter yet! Need to find where I buried all that thermal stuff last year.

Don't forget your stocking fillers, Santa can't wait for the postie too long lol
amazon.com/author/susanhenry

It's Friday already!

Yet again, the week has flown into oblivion. I have managed to get several more pages of Thorn completed, the story is progressing slowly but surely. Ideas for Magical Wall 3 have however come to a grinding halt. Oh well can't have it both ways I suppose. Now small story I wrote for the writers group has me thinking along another storyline ..... I need to concentrate. Very hard to do when sunlight much too bright and wont let me see the screen - light on, curtains shut. What a waste of sunlight!

How is everyone doing weatherwise? (what a typically inane British thing to natter about) As said, bright glorious sunlight, but cold. Fire is on and I have the fleece on top of jumper. My fingers are semi numb, the computer station is in the corner out of the direct warmth.

Yes, I do have the ever present hot cup of coffee on the go lol

I might have even tried braving the seafront chaos had I not been feeling shivery. We have a royal visitor this afternoon to open the new swim pool/leisure centre. I just know I will see a lot more of him on the later TV than I ever would get the chance on site. Not my idea of fun, shivering on the seafront, no matter who the celeb was. What a grump old woman I am becoming .....

More general natter ...

Well, better think up something to say, eh? Sorry my brain is sluggish - I am cold. Sneezing a lot, nose running oin and off like a dripping tap, par for the course this season. I feel guilty putting the fire on, but the room needs some background warmth even though I am sat in several layers of wooly stuff.

Went out earlier this week, a bus ride to go to the 'outlet' village where stuff comes at half the normal retail price. I came home with one purchase, wow. See, still being careful ahead of the festivities. So much for the dry forecast, it sleeted and was very unpleasant.

I congratulate myself also for not mentioning Dr Who - great Whovian that I am, I have been relishing the run up to the 50 anniversary thing. And who will be out as usual Saturday night when it airs, um? It's repeated on Sunday folks, yay!

Oh, and take a look at my author page, spare a thought for this cash-strapped old woman and buy one or two of the little titles, please. Thanking you very much for your kindness. http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00957PD92
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00957PD92

story time part six

An extra bit for you this week, just because I am feeling generous lol - but mainly because I am mind blank about natter at the moment ...

Petar had become a fully fledged citizen of the twenty first century. The women found themselves reviewing the current ‘knowledge’ about early humans - Petar could have been ‘thick’ without the schooling modern people undertook, but he was both ingenious in every sense of the word and extremely well tuned to others moods. He also served as additional security to the place - refusing accommodation elsewhere shared or otherwise. Bear Camp was ‘home’ in this world as well.
The small ‘family’ of scientists and researcher that lived at Bear Camp, not to speak of the small growing ‘army’ of volunteers who wanted to escape the ‘rat race’, now turned automatically to the expert who clearly knew more of the time and surroundings of the original camp. He had seemed uncomfortable to leave the Camp after his arrival, but now moved around freely and happily. He was never too busy to give advice when asked, or ask it for that matter.
And although uncomfortable at sleeping elsewhere it seemed, he welcomed overnight guests. After one long day out with Oriana visiting several differing religious centres, she had stayed long in discussion. Oriana had been fascinated by Petar’s description of the Mother Creator, Dam, and deeply amused at his polite description of mother festivals. He had wickedly grinned, and told her he did not know of the equivalent in this time; save she had briefly touched on ‘parties’ and the like when people let their hair down. Women had literally and figuratively let their hair down at mother festivals with the intention of enticing the men to their furs in his time.
It was late indeed, and Petar asked her to stay - he would cook, they would drink and talk and then sleep in the furs. Never mind the food she countered, only one drink to slake a sudden dry throat; the talk had made her hungry for something much more interesting …..
Petar had blissfully shown her how a woman was treated in his time to Honour the Mother.
Wrapped in each others arms in the fur, she teased that if that was how men treated women back in the Stone Age, modern man could relearn a thing or two. He retorted if that was the way modern women treated their men, they were indeed more than remiss in these matters.
The rest of the camp ‘family’ noted that Oriana spent at least one night a week ‘overnighting’ from that night forward.

Petar took a longer ‘field trip’ with Davi to see ‘the BIG city’, the nearest huge conurbation to the smaller place where the Bear Camp was based. This was north, a full day’s journey by rail.
Davi noticed Petar stiffen as they neared. The train slowed to begin the approach to the centre.
“Petar? …” he ventured, curious.
“I don’t know, Davi, something … I feel I should know …”
The feeling increased as the train led into the station across a bridge over a large lazy river. Davi led the way to a bus that would take them back across the river and the Iron Age remains he wanted them to visit.
Petar stood transfixed as memory took him back to his ‘roots’. His camp had stood here, on the hillock, with the hint of a ditch; not the deep moat it had become much later.
“Home, Davi, home. My first home, where I grew up. I know it. Dig much further than this and you will find signs of burning, maybe even tools, small bones. I could show you where the fishing boats were kept by the riverside if the buildings were not here.” He carefully paced out a short way from the entrance to the place, post holes in evidence.
“My home stood here, exactly here. Later people built on the ruins of my time. Much as Roman’s did, Davi, and others will once this time is long gone.”
Both were lost in their own thoughts, silent, on the way back. Davi said goodbye for the night as they approached the camp, and turned to go to his home. Petar entered the great lodge and changed into the comforting hide vest and leggings he was wont to wear when in the Camp, taking a quick walk to the long drop latrine, smiling at the wheeling stars overhead. A white flash and he was gone.

Part Five

Sat in the visitors’ lounge that was never in fact used by visitors, Dave found himself almost unbelieving. The machine they were working on transported things, people, across TIME? And they had all come from the far future?
The problems had arisen when the machine transported WITH them; contact with base had been irrevocably lost. There was something missing, but they did not know what - YET they stressed. They could not focus on time or space SPECIFICALLY without the missing item. It must be another power source they thought.
And the military thought this ‘weapon’ would let them simply remove people and machinery and place them wherever they wanted, out of the theatre of conflict at least.
How did they know the machine was not working though he stressed. Because nothing had materialised where it should, in the lab. It was not working. He shook his head, how could the pair be so DENSE. They KNEW they could not focus specifically, but this was exactly what they were expecting. Things and people COULD be moving through time and space at each and every ‘bolt’, just because they did not appear there did not mean it was not happening.
The two looked at one another, as if realising this for the first time. Look, Dave said, let me out in a library, a good library with news sources from around the globe, and he would find any anomaly he could.
There was no need of a library they said, they would give him a small office further along from the lab, with access to the complete database of electronic news and more that was what was once called The Internet. And they could provide links and paths to places that the authorities thought hacker proof. Use these they said and no trace would remain in the systems. Their technology was far superior. Oh, they wished they could link up with their own systems in the future …..
They did in fact enjoy books and had libraries in their world, but these were a novelty mainly used by the super rich or academics of the time who wished time to contemplate instead of being sat at a dull screen or spinning disc all day. Paper of whatever kind did not last long over time, but the more modern the people were the more they looked back at ‘simpler’ times and methods with longing and regret for things vanished.
Dave was hooked, how could he leave this place with that kind of knowledge at his fingertips? He still had no memories of before, but it was no handicap. He would help, but he hid his mistrust well. They were holding a lot back. Must be their very nature that made them suspicious, even of their own.

Twitter is being good to me

Twitterites are indeed being kind, multiple retweets of the Gosammer Threads plug. Great going guys, thanks a million, now turn it into sales lol

Plugging, as you all know by now, my four shorter books. Gosammer Threads, heartwarming tale of friendship and mild adventure through the war - Time Jumpers, a whirlwind trip of intrigue and mild menace from primeval to far future times - The Magical Wall and The Magical Wall 2, Holly and friends have amazing adventures when the pictures on her bedroom wall turn into portals to the land of Eternia.

Visit
(US) http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00957PD92
(UK) http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00957PD92

All are suitable for the whole family, would make great gifts for readers who like something different. My main series, Tales From Another Reality, is definitely different and hard to place in genre. It could be called AU, prehistoric, spiritual, fantasy, adventure, I could keep going. Try one and let me know where you would categorise it!

Signing out, I need to thank the folk on twitter itself .....

peaceful Sunday

Just a quick note to say hello to my overseas readers, thanks for popping in. Have you noticed there is a translation tool enabled? I thought it might be useful.

I hope your weather is warmer than here, not down to freezing yet but on the way. I am sat in fleecy gillet already. And hope your Christmas preparations are coming along OK. I have started the big tidy up already, it may well take that long to get it to perfection that I want ..... nah, never does get to perfection. My home is lived in, and looks it!

Oops!

Yes, oops, exactly. Where was I yesterday? This was the ONLY website normally visited that I ignored yesterday. Bad. bad, blogging! Not helped by the fact I had nothing to say lol

Still not much to say today either. This gets very hard at times. I did some more window shopping after the writers club, not many there this week either. Well, I did see exactly what I wanted for my mum for Xmas, nice cardi with huge buttons and small fur collar. £79! NO WAY! I want something for a third of that! No, I am not deliberately trying to be stingy, but I am trying to stretch the wonga as far as I can ..... it aint gone far yet either.

Hope everyone has done a bit better than I have so far, and haa cards ready to write and post. Needs must - if I don't write the overseas ones in the next week they won't get there before the new year. And a written card with a short note is still preferable to an email. I am still old fashioned.

natter, natter

Yesterday was a dismal day, not just weather wise. Very little sun, but plenty of wind. We attended a funeral midday, a very popular man from the club passed away and the crem had standing room only.

We then went into town for a coffee which turned into a meal, yum. I did my best to do some shopping after that, but shops did not have what I was looking for. What was on sale at £6 couple of weeks ago when I had no money had disappeared, replaced by £8.50 similar with no packaging! Talk about a rip off, well the stocking won't have that particular item in them after all.

I had better luck today, replacement tree lights for much less than I had feared, and a liquid present for hubbie that didn't break the bank either. Hey, am I doing well or what! I wouldn't buy any more sweet stuff for fear of eating it far too early lol

Lovely ham and pease pud stottie sarnie as well, definitely a cheat on the diet but what the heck. I have seafood stirfry for dinner so not feeling that guilty.

Story part 4

Sorry it is so late in the day, will update you on happenings tomorrow.

Petar was led through a large park surrounding the museum, with ruins he could not recognise to a final large field and the familiar stream running to the side. The Bear Camp stood in all its glory! People moved around inside and out, dressed as he knew, but yet not. The clothing was, different, made out of something that was neither leather nor fine weave of hairs and plant.
Still in a state of confusion, he quickly pointed out to Davi that the latrine should be, HAD been, much further back from the stream and partly sheltered by the trees to the rear of the building at the furthest end.
“I thought as much!” Davi laughed. “Did we get the rest of it right, Petar? And will you share your knowledge with us to make the place what it once was? Of course it is but a replica, the original now lies far under the museum foundations. This is as near as we could make it from excavations.”
“Excav-ations? What is this, Davi? And how do you speak my tongue?”
“Come, sit at the Hearth with us and we will tell you. We are FRIENDS, Petar, never forget that. I will try to guide you.”
Sat, feeling much more at ease in familiar surroundings, Petar was shown a tiny instrument that fitted inside the ear unseen and did not hurt. The others showed theirs.
“This is how we know your tongue, Petar. And it is how you will know ours and others as if they are your own.” He fitted the microscopic translation device in his ear and was amazed to find himself taking in another tongue.
“This … marvel, Davi. How many more shocks do I have to go through?!”
The company laughed. “Many, many more, friend from the far past,” Davi said, “first we must introduce ourselves and then try to explain exactly where you are, no, more WHEN.”
And Davi introduced his primary assistant in the Bear Camp Project, Mike: followed by three young women students in final year of their advanced degrees - Oriana, Robin and Beth. There were a few more attached to the project but they would be introduced later.
“Bear Camp, as you know it Petar, was founded in what is known as the Pleistocene Era, The Great Ice Age of the planet. Bear Camp as you see it today, reconstructed, now, lies in the year AD 2010. That is approximately 30,000 to 36,000 thousand years in your future.”
Petar looked up, dumbfounded. HOW many years????? He did not count in years, just cycles of seasons. How many was this?
“I cannot comprehend this, Davi. Why am I here?”
“Why indeed, Petar. I arrived in a similar fashion as you did - on a great bolt of lightning or light. I can only say that I myself come from a time frame several thousand years into this future. It has been far easier for me to integrate here than it will be for you.”
“Yes, you must go through school, Petar,” Oriana spoke, “And we women will be your teachers. Be prepared for some crash courses!”
School? Crash courses? His mind ran in circles. “But, I do not know ‘thousands’, counting is done with the fingers, or maybe toes if need be. I do not have words for more than a ‘great’ herd. And what is school?”
Beth laughed. “School is a place to learn, Petar.” She looked ruefully at the others. “Crash courses are not entirely appropriate Oriana. I at least did not appreciate the task - you will need to learn from extreme basics what our children do from the age of five, and school does not end until they are at least aged sixteen, usually into their twenties if they are bright.”
“Nor I Beth,” Oriana spoke. “So you have some numerical knowledge in simple form, Petar. Numbers are counted from ones to tens. tens to hundreds to thousands. Ten tens make one hundred, ten hundreds make one thousand; each multiple, or stage, adds another figure called a nought to the equation, or the whole.”
Petar was astonished to realise he was understanding, but he could not ‘see’ the number. “And 30,000 is - how many noughts?”
Oriana smiled at him. “You will be a fast learner Petar. 30,000 described as I just said is three tens followed by three noughts.”
He smiled back at her. “I cannot imagine this figure, Oriana, it is too … big.”
They all laughed softly. “The figure is too big for most people to visualise easily, Petar. Where I come from, numbers are worked by vast machines in noughts far beyond what people can make sense of. Thankfully you do not need this kind of skill to that level. I let the machines do the calculus while I concentrated on the method.”
“People, not mind you come from the future Davi?”
“Lordie, heavens NO. No-one knows but you and these four. And they know purely because I arrived right under their noses! And that’s the way it stays. You and I would be proverbial guinea pigs if it were known. The girls will explain that to you. School used to be a big bore even in my time, and it was high tech compared to this era. Learn, my friend, and learn QUICKLY.”
The rest of the day was spent tackling basic literacy. He could not progress until he understood letters and numbers. Petar’s head spun dizzily as he finally lay on a familiar sleeping platform covered with a familiar fur blanket. His dreams were those of an infant - symbols of letters ran round in confusion.
For all his ‘home’ lay so far in the past, Petar proved an excellent fast learner. Several months later he could pass outside without problem or notice. He enjoyed ‘field trips’ into the wider community immensely, but was careful to take one of the women with him in case problems arose. Many lessons were conducted this way and it was far more productive than plain books.
When tours had been taking place around the camp, Petar could be seen studying THIS world in the small anti-chamber that had been a storeroom, making ‘housekeeping’ lists if he was asked.
Davi had visited a friend ‘in high places’ as he called it, and Petar was now known to the system at large with a believable past and documents to prove it. He was officially seconded to the Project as a paid specialist and researcher. Anyone who wanted to know more about him was referred to ‘records’ in the town university.
Bear Camp, with minor adjustments made with Petar’s knowledge became a major tourist attraction long before the exhibition closed and another opened. Funding was granted indefinitely by overjoyed town officials who saw the potential of the place with greedy eyes.
This was even more a money spinner than the Roman ruins.

Plug time again .....

Well, someone bought a book, thank you. Time is quickly running out for Xmas delivery. These four honestly make really good coffee table reads, and the Magical Wall are particularly good for bed time stories.

STOCKING FILLERS AND STUFFERS!
USA
http://tinyurl.com/ksuxmzz Time Jumpers, dawn of earth to far distant earth, the Rock must be saved

http://tinyurl.com/k6pftsd Gossamer Threads, friendship, intrigue across the years

http://tinyurl.com/lsl2gpn Magical Wall, Holly has a marvellous secret

http://tinyurl.com/mkw2fhs Magical Wall 2, Kimi disappears, Holly and friends must find her

STOCKING FILLERS AND STUFFERS!
UK site
http://tinyurl.com/p63slvm Time Jumpers, dawn of earth to far distant earth, the Rock must be saved

http://tinyurl.com/nj59x79 Gossamer Threads, friendship, intrigue across the years

http://tinyurl.com/p28wjnr Magical Wall, Holly has a marvellous secret

http://tinyurl.com/ndzqnej Magical Wall 2, Kimi disappears, Holly and friends must find her

Horrible weathr today, so now concentrating on writing. Back tomorrow with another story post. Have a good day whatever your weather is doing.

Changes already

Hi again, just a note to say I missed the normal comments button and have changed it back to what it was. I am still waiting for your comments lol

Sign in again Monday, have a good weekend.

Friday again, already ...

Doesn't time fly when you are having fun, or not. I do not know where this week has gone, and barely remember most of it. Hope that isn't early senility!

Spent my lasttenner on salad for sarnis and edible stocking fillers for the younger generation. Been a good girl, I have handed them to hubbie for safe keeping. The first lot of maltesers didnt make it, so ensuring this lot do. I still have a sweet tooth, and two or three of whatever is never enough, so I pay with stomach ache the next day for over indulgence. At least the wintery weather has got me thinking healthy home made broths and soups, trouble is you have to have the crusty bread with them lol

Christmas is fast approaching, dont delay in perusing books and selecting at least one. I have to wait until nearer the end of the month for money to go in bank again before I can splash out. It's a long wait!

Don't know where my comments button went, but please, please, talk back to me. Might get me thinking of something else to bore you all with .....

shopping, shopping, cancelled ...

Well, I got all showered and dressed in glad rags to undertake a wonderful Xmas shopping spree - well, a small one - but wshere was the money? After last week's holiday, I am down to my last tenner. Drawer where readies should be is empty. Hubbie is out of house and unobtainable. Sigh. Made another coffee and sarnie and settled down to comp as usual. Hope he has some money left when he comes home.

Still no comments. Even bigger sigh. Anyone care to say about changes to layout? I am unsure of what I have allowed myself, and promise I wont have any ads. I dislike ads myself and will not inflict on others instead.

On the plus side, I actually have got some writing done this week. Thorn is slowly moving on ...

Windy Wednesday

Yes it sure is windy, windows and doors are rattling if not firmly shut. Also cold, but no good turning fires up as heat blowing straight up the chimney! Sat in three layers already. Yes, I AM a hot house flower, but you should have already guessed that!

Mother visiting day. Sigh. I always come home depressed, whether she is cheerful or weepy, it does not matter. She makes no sense, although we do sense she is trying to tell us tales of what her daily routine is it is impossible to unravel. It is very hard work for us all. At least we know she is cared for and certainly not starved or mistreated. I do wonder if she makes sense to herself inside her head, but she does not scream at us in frustration for our lack of understanding. It is something we will never know. I am not looking forward to getting this way myself.

I noticed the one Australian viewer, so - Hi Joy! Spread the word and give your friends a laugh, I do try to keep this humorous in the main. Apart from the plugging, and the serial story, well, thats what the blog was really started for lol

Waves and hugs to everyone looking in. PLEASE comment, just to say hi if nothing else.

storytime 3

3

Life was good for Petar, he had just participated in yet another successful hunt and was bent over a stream taking a drink and cleaning blood off him as much as possible. He straightened to return to the others who were shouting to him to return, they were loaded and were moving off to the camp.
A Bolt came from a sunny sky and he vanished.
The others looked and looked; no sign of him was to be found. Dammi looked at a tiny scrap of fur that could have been from a hunting cloak.
“Where in Dam’s name has he gone, Dammi?” The hunt leader queried, worried and perturbed.
“Where he came from possibly.” Dammi answered cryptically, hoping this was the case. He had barely seen the white flash out of the corner of his eye, and would not say more. Petar was gone where he was bidden. ‘May Dam guide your way, Petar, and no harm befall you’ he whispered as he held his amulet.

Petar was disoriented but knew who he was and what he knew. But he did not know this world! Strange tall angular buildings that shone with light, wide ribbons of hard material with even stranger carriages moving at speed along the ribbons.
And a great noise came to him as he lay hidden behind a moveable barrier of some sort. People of all shapes and sizes came towards him around a corner, garish costumes, some dressed as animals, drums and something like flutes playing loudly.
“Come on man! No point layin’ there in the dirt while the Carnival is on!” And two men came from the throng, helping him to his feet. He did not understand the language but grinned and joined them doing a slow dance along the ribbon with them. His clothing was perfect for the carnival, light leather vest and leggings with a calf length cape of fur. The others did not see the pockets of the cape and leggings full with carefully crafted flint objects and bone darts.
What mad place is this, he thought, as they passed a long set of railings of - rock? He did not know what metal was. There was a large poster either side of great gates, open, inviting people inside. The poster showed tools - his kind of tools - and pictures of men that could have been straight out of the cave. He slapped the two on the back and ran through the gates before they could drag him back into the pulsating parade.
The place bore a name - ‘Museum’, whatever that meant. A lone guard stood at the entrance doors up the fine hewn stairs, who laughed as Petar approached, “Y’all dressed in part today, go on in - free for the festival - and enjoy!”
Petar did not understand a single word, but the beckoning motion to go inside was clear enough and he grinned with a small head movement towards the man as he ran inside. Silence reigned and his feet - still covered in slightly bloodied leather sandals, slapped noisily sending soft echoes around the lofty halls.
Just as well the exhibition was laid out for an international audience; he found his way to the main display following pictures. He could not read the little cards with symbols on them outside the great coverings of invisible hard substance, but knew the exhibits well. There were tools identical to the ones in his pockets, as fresh as if they had been touched out of the rock yesterday. And the great double headed axe - he stopped in shocked recognition - he knew this, he had left it to the side as he drank and was about to pick it up - the tell tale tiny notch on the left was where he had nearly ruined the great blade in the original knapping.
The great central invisible casing held a scale model of Bear Camp. Tiny figures were placed here and there. He wanted to tell them they had got some detail of placements wrong; there was no way they would have built the latrine that near the stream! No one was in sight and he could not tell them in any case. The whole place crowded around him suddenly and he ran in confusion and panic.
One of the figures could have been him - what, where was this place?!
Running outside to the bright sunlight, the guard nowhere in sight, he looked around not knowing which way to turn. A man appeared up the ribbon of gravelly stones, hailing him with arm raised.
“Petar! There you are! I had expected you earlier, but it seems you have seen the exhibition before the real thing!”
He stopped short, wide eyed. The man spoke his tongue! He stood, rooted.
The man ran to him, embracing him in a bear sized hug before holding him in front of him, hands on his shoulders.
“I understand you are disoriented, Petar. This jump must have been an ordeal for you. I am a friend, Davi, and I will help you.”
Petar found his voice at last. “Help, Davi? That is most welcome.”


Dave tried his best to winkle out the secret without seeming too keen in case he raised the two’s suspicions.
His fears were nigh confirmed the day the men with bright boots and buttons marched in insolently. This was a military project then, and he knew he HATED all militia with fervour. Militia caused war, they did not stop it.
The colonel nearly interrogated the two on the spot. Why was no progress being made? Did they need more funds? Was the whole thing beyond their knowledge?!
The two made placating noises, assuring him everything was progressing, yes slowly, but progressing nonetheless. No, they could not explain further, it was far too technical for the colonel and his aides to understand. More funds of course would be appreciated …..
The colonel left as abruptly as he had entered. Further funding would be on its way shortly, let them know how they wanted it paying this time.
The two saw the black brooding look Dave gave at the men’s retreating backs.
“You recognise anyone, Dave?”
“No. All I do know is that I hate military men with a vengeance, don’t know why.” He rose and faced them. “I want no part of this - thing - if it’s military, of any kind. I’ll say goodbye to you now.” He turned to go.
“Dave! Don’t be so hasty. Besides, where will you go? What will you do?”
“Dunno. Anything I guess. Menial if I have to.”
“There’s no need for anything so drastic, my friend. You are doing well here, stay and learn again.”
“You reckon, Prof Slongur? I don’t know I CAN learn any more without both of you letting me in on the inside. Cough up, at least a little, and I’ll stay.”
The two looked at each other. They would have to let him ‘in’ to keep him there - and they did NOT want him wandering out of their control to talk to anyone he wanted to. He had seen too much already.
“OK, Dave,” Lagarto said reasonably, “We’ll let you ‘in’ so to speak. But that makes you well and truly tied to us whether you like it or not. This must not get out.”
Slongur laughed. “Even to the military idiots that are funding us. They THINK they have a weapon to end all weapons. They don’t, not quite. And it is OUR project, NOT theirs.”
“Just as well then. Fine. Lets go sit in the parlour as it were with a good drink while you spill the beans.”
It was not until much later that Dave realised the colonel had spoken in another language and he had understood it. The language Lagarto and Slongur used was not of this place.