There may be a delay in the next few parts, as I am working on a Christmas tale. It is 'Cold Feet at Christmas', which should say all that needs be said for those who read my stuff. There will be music, there will be dancing, and beer, and love.

Some of my stories touched on child abuse and rape. I will spare my comments here, linking to a BBC report on organised grooming, but I will make one comment, in response to a man interviewed on the programme. His point was that the girls should not be out at that time of night, so it is the fault of the parents. Perhaps I am a little naive...but when did raping a child become the fault of anyone other than the rapist?

Sorry, people, but very, very angry.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b017v8cr/Grooming_Every...

No big deal, but I have tweaked the first two parts a little to smooth out some new author's nervousness.

Nancy's current story sent me back to reread one or two of my own, which is an odd feeling. It was brought about by one of my male colleagues, who wanted to read some of my stuff. That brought back my thoughts as I wrote it, and I went looking for some of my memories on the net.

For years and years and years I have been receiving spam. Interesting, sometimes, especially when I realise exactly how many beloved friends I have in West Africa, and how astoundingly generous they are. However, so much of the mail has been woefully misdirected.
Gambling: I don't gamble.
Job offers in the USA: bit far to commute.
Become a driving instructor: I have never, ever owned a car.
Laser eye surgery: I have 20/20 vision.
Beautiful girls wanting marriage in Foreign: er, yeah, a bit off target.
Herbal or counterfeit viagra: REALLY off target.

Well, here it comes again. I shall be away for a while this weekend at the festival that features so strongly in my stories. I shall have instruments with me...but I shall not be writing.

My inner bitch came out today, as I loaded my grocery shopping ready to ride home. A very obvious M2F woman, of mature years, pushed her trolley past me, wearing a dress that was far, far too short. Out came my canine, snarling and sneering in my mind.

Then I thought more reasonably. Here is a girl who has had the courage to get to where she has always wanted to be, to be who she should have been, and if she wants to wear a not-so-slinky* black knitted minidress, who am I to deny her?

Good luck, and best wishes, girl!

This link has some of the finest comments I have ever read on somebody's performancs. Just...I really, really advise you not to buy the record!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whole-World-Katie-Price-Peter/dp/B00...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13611089

I was slightly shocked at the close resemblance to the name of this establishment to the one I invented for "Sweat and Tears"

The images are filtered, but they are still atrocious. Watch with care.

This question is the result of my evening out with the 'original' Ginny and Kate last night. They are involved with a 'Reclaim the Night' group, and had a question that I would be interested in hearing some responses to.

I shall be heading up to see my mother, an invalid, in two days and spending about five days in total with her, for her 77th birthday. I am hoping my brother may come out for the meal, but as he hasn't spoken to me in years those hopes are a bit feeble. As a result I will have no time or link to put up any more of Annie's story for a few days after this weekend.

To state 'the bleeding obvious', I am not going to discuss my employment in detail here, so please think before you reply to this. I have an issue at work regarding what is called an equality assessment. Under UK law, changes in working practices or conditions require an equality impact assessment. This is ostensibly a way of seeing whether a change adversely affects a particular group, such as the disabled, married folk, or TLGB (MY turn to choose the order of the initials)

That is it for Sweat and Tears, Dear Readers. My muse is dormant now, as she has been screaming at me for the last few months and has felt the need for a rest. Thank you for staying the course, those of you who could. I knwo there are some who couldn't get past the unpleasantness, but I trust all understand it wasn't written for any salacious reason. I wanted that part of the story to be as brutal as I could manage while keeping at least some restraint and tact.

I was greeted this morning with the blue screen of death. All unbacked up work, including two and a half chapters of Sweat and Tears, down the pan. Sorry.

Well, there I am after a week's shifts, and listening to music...and what comes onto my stereo is Loreena Mckennitt's adaptation of Tennyson's Lady of Shalott. Now... a better analogy, I can't imagine.