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First of all, let me reassure you, I have not got the virus!
A little while ago, I was delighted to be invited to write a guest blog by writer, blogger and podcaster, da-AL. Then, just as she was preparing to publish my piece her husband came down with Covid! Thankfully he’s on the mend, and so is she, having also fallen sick subsequently.
Talking of masks, as she does, you can see one of mine on my desk in the photo of Luna, next to my ‘Pride and Prejudice’ mug. Looking at that messy desk, I could write a whole post about that. But I didn’t.
Instead, here it is, my guest post, in which I explain how my new novel came to be…
Note: Earlier this week, my husband became feverish and unwell. Turns out he has COVID-19. He’s doing his best to get well while I feel healthy and am awaiting my test results. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been super careful. I’m letting you know this as a reminder that one can never be…
Today’s stop on our literary journey through my novels takes us back to Liverpool, to Sefton Park where a little piece of the action in You’ll Never Walk Alone plays out.
I lived within a short walk of Sefton Park for more than 15 years, moving from one bedsit, to three different flats and eventually my own house. We only have a fleeting glimpse of the park in the book, but the location gives the narrative a sense of place, particularly to anyone familiar with the city.
And now, as I imagine myself back in the park, I’m engulfed by a huge wave of nostalgia, which threatens to stay my fingers while I wallow in memories… but no, we must press on!
Sefton Park is a huge and glorious public park; a green island set amongst row upon row of terraced houses dating from the early 1900s, and encircled by impressive old mansions, once the homes of rich merchants, civic dignitaries and even a foreign embassy or two, although many of these have been converted into rather desirable flats. Over the years I spent countless hours in Sefton Park, wandering its paths, feeding the ducks on the lake, and on occasion, watching my friend’s husband playing cricket or, more accurately, sitting in the sun gossiping over a glass or two of wine (sorry, Jim, you scored how many?).
In all the time I lived there I don’t think I ever took a photo of any of the wonderful aspects of the park, so let me hand you over to another ‘tour guide’ whose blog I came across the other day. Take a moment for a spin around the park to see why it’s such a special place.
I hope that gave you a little flavour of a true Liverpool gem.
And now, we’ll take a tiny detour into Lark Lane, which is just across the road and where, if you’d met up with friends in the park of an afternoon, you’d be sure to end up.
Lark Lane was, and still is, a lively little street, full of trendy bars, ‘proper’ pubs, well-priced eateries and quirky shops. It’s popular with students and locals alike, and perfect for a Sunday lunch or a weekend night out. Needless to say, my friends and I spent a fair amount of time hanging out here over the years.
Now, back to the book. The house in which my principal characters live in You’ll Never Walk Alone, is based on a very similar house, also with a Chinese landlord, where I rented a room, back in 1984-5. Just a stone’s throw away from the northern edge of the park it’s a pleasant 15 minute walk over the grass and along the paths to Lark Lane where we join Gary and Bob for a lunchtime pint. Of course they choose The Albert, a traditional ale house, over one of the poncy wine bars (as Bob would, no doubt, say).
Excerpt from You’ll Never Walk Alone
Bob looked up from the Echo he’d found on the seat next to him as Gary put their drinks down on the scuffed wooden table.
“Cheers mate,” said Bob as he picked up his pint. He swallowed some of the golden liquid. “I keep thinking about that Pierre guy. Why would he have a load of Chinese thugs after him?”
“Who knows? Maybe we should ask Tony?”
Someone switched on the television. The highlights from the previous day’s football were showing. Bob and Gary turned their attention to the game. Neither of them noticed the three smartly dressed oriental gentlemen who’d just entered the pub.
The match highlights had finished as Gary and Bob drained their second pints. “Better get off then, I suppose,” said Gary putting his glass down on the table. Bob nodded.
Gary glanced towards the bar as he picked up his jacket. He grabbed his friend’s arm. Bob looked at him: “Wha…”
Gary put his mouth close to Bob’s ear: “Don’t look round, but there are three Chinese guys at the bar. “D’you think they’re watching us?”
Bob frowned and started to turn around. Gary jerked his sleeve. “Don’t look…”
“Don’t be daft, what would they want with us?”
“The thing with Lucy,” Gary hissed, raising his eyebrows.
“Look, you’re just being paranoid. C’mon, let’s get off.”
Gary let go of his arm. “Alright, but maybe we should get a cab?”
Bob rolled his eyes and put on his jacket, glancing across to the bar as he did so. The three Chinese guys were busy chatting and didn’t even look up. “Okay, let’s go.”
As the door swung shut behind Gary and Bob, the three men finished their drinks and headed after them.
Bob and Gary crossed the road into Sefton Park passing a queue of noisy children by an ice cream van. As was usual on a warm Sunday afternoon, the park was busy with families, couples and dog walkers. Bob sometimes went fishing in the central lake, not that he’d ever caught anything. Few people did. Gary cast a look over his shoulder, but there was no sign of the Chinese guys. Bob was probably right, he was being paranoid. They plodded across the grass, skirting around a football match between two teams of random players, before reaching the edge of the boating lake.
Suddenly they were aware of someone running behind them; there was a shout. Both turned to see one of the Chinese guys from the pub. The other two weren’t far behind.
“Shit,” Gary muttered under his breath.
“Look, we’ll just have to face up to them. There’s loads of people around. It’ll be fine, no-one’s going to attack us here in broad daylight,” Bob muttered back, flexing his fingers ready to fight if need be.
The Chinese guy slowed down to a walk and approached them. His friends had caught up and had fallen in just behind him. The guy in front reached into his jacket pocket.
You’ll Never Walk Alone is available from Amazon in paperback and ebook and on Kindle Unlimited
This time, on our literary journey through the pages of my books, we’re back in South Africa to explore a little more of the beautiful west coast, where Song of the Sea Goddess is set. My imaginary little town isn’t a single place, but an amalgam of different locations, all quite close to each other, but brought together so as to satisfy the needs of the narrative.
Today’s visit is to a key site for the story. So pause, feel the African sun on your back, breathe in the salty sea air mixed with the sweet, spicy scent of the fynbos under your feet, and join me in the West Coast National Park, where the flora and fauna are protected and visitors now step lightly on the land.
I first visited the park on a day trip with my cousin and her husband, while they were visiting from the UK. It’s a lovely place for a walk by the lagoon, a little bird spotting and a pleasant lunch.
These attractive yellow birds are weaver birds, whose nests fill the trees above the outdoor seating area. The males painstakingly weave their intricate nests out of grasses and the fussy females make their choice. If they don’t like them they destroy them and start again.
Better than a day trip is a couple of nights spent in the self-catering accommodation in the park. Some of the cottages are very isolated so that once the day visitors have left, it’s just you and nature and the night.
On one such visit, the sun had slipped beneath the horizon, not long after the photo above was taken, and we were sitting contemplating the dying embers of the braai (barbeque). Suddenly we were roused by a strange clicking sound. Lots of clicking. There was something around the other side of the cottage. Slowly we crept around the building.
What an amazing sight! One after another, a long ribbon of eland were walking past the cottage between us and the lagoon, no more than 20 yards away from where we were standing. There must have been about 50 of them, knees clicking as they walked, apparently so they can keep in touch with one another in the dark, or so I was once told by a park ranger.
Listen carefully. My increasingly arthritic knees can relate!
And now we come to the specific location and its role in the story. In the excerpt below we meet Jannie, one of our main characters, and catch an early glimpse of a mysterious, mythical figure who dives from the ‘looming headland’, which is a key part of the local landscape.
This is the ‘borrowed’ location, Kraal Bay, on the Langebaan Lagoon in the National Park. This is the place where Eve’s footprint was discovered: a set of fossilized footprints left in the sand some 117,000 years ago by one of the first people to walk on this shore.
My imaginary headland is possibly a little more whale-shaped, but that is the writer’s mind at work. Knowing the paths of the ancient people ran through this place, what else might be eventually be discovered beneath this domed hillside?
Excerpt from ‘Song of the Sea Goddess‘
Jannie stretches out his legs and breathes in the warm sea air, which is laden with the smell of diesel and freshly caught fish. He smiles to himself. This is the life, he thinks, far away from all his cares and responsibilities. It’s been a stroke of luck that his brother, Robert landed a two month contract working up-country, and asked him if he would like to come and mind his little house on the coast while he was away. Robert, a long-time widower, lives alone now his family’s grown up and moved to Cape Town. He didn’t want to leave his house unoccupied. People are for the most part honest in the little town where he’s settled, but with more mouths to feed and fewer jobs, no one’s property’s safe for long.
Jannie has his own problems back home. Much as he loves his extended family, it was all becoming too much. What with his own grown up children, their children and assorted aunties, nephews and nieces constantly calling upon him for help, he’d really had enough. It wasn’t as if they couldn’t manage without him. It would be good for them, especially his four sons, to stand on their own two feet for a change.
He casts his eyes over the small harbour, looking out for Sam in his little fishing boat, Porcupine, which he’d helped him repair over a week or two when he first arrived. Jannie likes to keep busy, and was pleased to be able to use the skills he’d gained during his fifteen years at sea. But there’s no sign of Sam or little Porcupine. Perhaps they’ve gone further up the coast for a while, he thinks. Sam might be turning a better profit for his catch at one of the other busier harbours up the coast.
Remembering the past, Jannie chuckles to himself and closes his eyes. He’d run away to sea with his friend when they were just twelve years old. Carrying a little bag of warm clothes, he’d snuck out of his mother’s shack while she was sleeping and met his older sister up by the highway. She had a job in a bar next to Cape Town harbour, and she knew an officer on one of the deep sea fishing boats who would help them once they were on board. Jannie recalls standing in the almost pitch black on the quayside, his body swaying, thinking it was the ground under him which was moving, when in fact it was the looming steel hull of the ship in front of him. And oh, they had been so sick once the ship was underway…
Shouts and running feet jolt Jannie back to the present. The harbour master, jamming his peaked cap on his head, rushes past him towards the southern end of the harbour, where a small group of people have gathered. Jannie stands up and shakes himself, then hurries after the harbour master to join the gathering crowd, jumping up onto the harbour wall to get a better view of what’s caught their interest.
A tall, slender woman in long skirts is standing on the edge of the headland across the estuary. Her arms are held out in a welcoming gesture as dozens of whales break the surface of the waves before her. She lifts her head skywards, spreading her arms out widely, in a pose that reminds Jannie of the statue he’d so admired, long ago in Rio de Janeiro.
The woman opens her mouth and a loud, ululating song resonates across the bay. Suddenly the whales take to the air; wave upon wave of them. Jannie blinks and shakes his head. What’s going on? The woman’s song grows louder. The whales are flying! Jannie pinches himself.
The sky darkens, filled with the huge beasts. Then the song stops.
A close up of the woman’s face appears before Jannie’s eyes. She smiles revealing a row of pointed teeth. A selkie! He’d heard talk of these when he’d been sailing in northern waters. Jannie feels the harbour wall ripple beneath his feet.
Her face disappears. Up on the headland he watches her dive into the ocean. Her silver seal tail flaps once above the waves, and then she’s gone.
Jannie looks around. He’s alone on the harbour wall. A man passes close by him, he glances up and smiles, tipping his broad-brimmed hat in Jannie’s direction, while behind him, people are going about their business as usual. Jannie sits down on the wall and rubs his eyes. He looks up, the headland is deserted. Far out in the ocean he sees a solitary whale breaching.
Jannie returns to the white plastic chair that he’s claimed for himself and sits down. He rests his head in his hands, his thick brown-black dreadlocks spilling over his shoulders. It’s been more than ten years since he gave up the booze. So what kind of strange vision has he just had?
Hot off the UPS delivery truck all the way from the USA via Dubai to Johannesburg to Cape Town to me! At last, the author copies of my new novel have arrived. They seems to have been on a little book tour of their own since I ordered them from Amazon on 6th December.
But never mind. They’re here now and I’m very pleased with the look and feel of them. And the smell. Don’t you just love that when you open a brand new book?
I gave you a little opening excerpt from the book to whet your appetite last week, but today I have something special to tempt you with. It’s the recipe for Auntie Rose’s vegetable curry, which she uses to fill her famous rotis. I took a tiny peek over her shoulder when she was last making them.
Auntie Rose is always cooking up a storm. Maybe she’ll bring out her own recipe book some day!
In the latest stop on our literary tour through the pages of my novels, we’re taking a trip up the west coast of South Africa to a small town called Laaiplek, situated where the Berg River meets the Atlantic Ocean. This is the spot where my latest novel, Song of the Sea Goddess was conceived.
A visit to Mike Harvey’s lovely River Tides guest house just after New Year has become something of a tradition for us, although sadly our sundowners with Mike have had to be postponed this year with beaches and rivers out-of-bounds and travel between ‘hot-spots’ actively discouraged. But we will return.
Here I am, back in January 2019, sitting on the shady bench on the right hand side of the photo, busy with pen and notebook, during our customary short summer break. I might well have been writing the very words that eventually evolved into the first chapter of the book, which started as a short story involving Sam the fisherman and his little boat, Porcupine.
Sitting by the banks of the broad brackish Berg River, fishing boats periodically put-putter past. It was easy to start to imagine a story about one of them. A little blue-painted fishing boat, which I watched throttling past the old fish-processing factory as it set out on an evening voyage, captured my imagination.
I know from reading Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals, that night-time is the right time to catch octopuses, using a little olive oil to ‘calm troubled waters’ and a light to attract them. But then, once Sam had caught his two octopuses, I desperately wanted to save them because, as we all know, they are at least as intelligent as dogs, and I really couldn’t bring myself to let them be despatched. And so the fantasy was created and the adventure begun.
Some of you might remember the original short story from when I put it up on my blog almost exactly two years ago, although it has undergone some reworking and refinement since then. But the essence of the place remains unchanged, for who could fail to be inspired by a location like this?
“Many ghosts of ships and men haunt Laaiplek. A place of adventure and romance.“ ‘Coast of Treasure’ by Laurence G. Green (1932)
Excerpt from ‘Song of the Sea Goddess’
Sam casts off from the jetty in his little fishing boat, Porcupine. The last orange and gold sunset slivers are disappearing behind the blue-grey hills on the far horizon as he pushes the throttle forward and eases little Porcupine out into the broad brackish river that leads to the ocean.
Gulls wheel noisily overhead, their keening cries eerie in the twilight. The twin lighthouses blink at each other on either side of the bay. Sam pushes the throttle forward another notch against the growing sea swell. He runs his work-roughened hands around the little boat’s steering wheel and sets his course along the coast, inhaling the sharp sea air.
Sam grew up on the Cape Flats. Life had been hard there; it still is. But he’s escaped. He had to. On the run from members of an opposing gang, he got on the road and hitched up the West Coast. He slept rough; got work, casual stuff; then things started to look up. He found a broken-down little boat one day when he was exploring the shoreline for salvage. Slowly he fixed it up with the help of a retired ship’s engineer called Jannie, who spends his days giving advice and watching the activity in the little harbour by the river mouth.
Sam and Porcupine make a great team. He’s brought the little boat back to life and in return she gives him safe shelter and a means to make a living from the bounty of the ocean. Tonight he’s fishing for octopus, which is best done at night with a lamp and a little can of vegetable oil to make a window in the waves. He rounds the coast to his favourite cove and drops anchor.
Night comes quickly, and within half an hour Sam has two good-sized octopuses in his fishing bucket. He shifts a little on the makeshift perch of his old sleeping blanket, propping his back against the wheelhouse. Sam has been busy helping out in the harbour all day. He feels the stiffness of a hard day’s work; he’s tired. Lulled by the bobbing boat, Sam slips away into a glorious slumber.
He is awakened by the sound of voices. Someone’s on the boat!
‘Concentrate,’ says the first.
‘I am concentrating,’ says the second, rather indignantly.
Sam holds up the lamp. ‘Who’s there?’ He stands up and turns around sharply. There’s no one. He walks around the little deck, holding up the lamp and peering out into the inky ocean. Then he hears them again.
‘Over he-re,’ the voice calls in a sing-song voice.
‘Over he-re,’ joins in the second voice in a deeper tone.
Sam spins around. Where are the voices coming from?
‘Coo-e,” calls the first voice.
Suddenly a jet of water spurts out of the fishing bucket, wetting Sam’s feet. A tentacle waves at him. ‘Coo-e.’ It waves again.
Sam crouches down by the bucket. The two octopus heads bob up, their eyes fasten upon his. ‘What the…?’ Each of them winks at him. ‘No!” Sam stands up and takes a step backwards. More tentacles appear, waving at him. Sam shakes his head.
‘Let us go!’
‘Please, mister fisherman!’
Sam approaches the bucket again. He squats down. ‘No man. Fish don’t talk.’
‘We’re not fish,’ says the first voice indignantly.
Sam rubs his eyes; he pinches himself.
‘You’re not dreaming, you know.’ A tentacle extends towards Sam’s arm and prods him gently. ‘This is real.’
‘Tip us out and let us go,’ sings the first voice.
‘And lots of treasure you will know,’ choruses the second.
It’s as if someone has taken over control of his body. Sam picks up the bucket and steps over to the side of the boat where he gently inverts it. As the two octopuses slide into the sea, a huge wave breaks over the boat, knocking Sam flat on the deck. The empty bucket lands next to him with a clatter. Porcupine bobs about like a cork, and suddenly dozens of octopuses appear above the waves. As Sam tries to find his feet, a vast tentacle reaches onto the deck and grabs the bucket, swiping Sam across the head and knocking him out cold.
We all know what a strange and troubling year 2020 has been and I understand that for some people the trouble and turmoil has prevented them from reading. Not so me. Books have always been my escape. From that first year in high school when I turned to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s ‘Little House’ stories to get me through, I’ve buried my nose in a book to remove myself from reality.
The same goes for my writing, although I find that grappling with a novel is harder when my mind lacks a certain level of tranquility, but once immersed in that special writing zone, I am completely transported. And so this year, I have one novel on the point of publication and another one already up and running.
The final quarter’s books
Since the end of September, when I completed the #ArmedWithABingo challenge, this is what I’ve read.
I read even more widely this year, partly due to the Armed with a Bingo challenge and partly in response to the recommendations of others. I continue to try to support fellow indie authors and twenty of the books were written by indies, including four volumes of poetry by writers I’ve come across on WordPress.
Contrary to previous years, more than half the books I read this year were physical books. This is mainly because I told myself that before I bought any more, I should read some of the ones that had been sitting unread on my shelves, which are mostly acquisitions from second-hand bookstores (a favourite haunt of mine). But there were a few new releases that I just had to buy as paperbacks. In particular, Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende and The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (my two most favourite authors). The latter was absolutely the best book I’ve read this century!
Onward to 2021 then. My TBR pile is tottering, but I’m happy to take more recommendations if you’d like to offer them. Drop them in the comments below!
Today’s stop on our literary tour through my novels takes us to a specific location in South Liverpool. Grade 1 listed Speke Hall has a fascinating history, and a whole novel could have been constructed around a number of events associated with the house and its inhabitants. However, it purely serves as a backdrop to my story.
My familiarity with the building is connected to the tea-rooms there, and not just for the coffee and cake, although as any writer knows, that would be reason enough. It was, among a number of venues, where I used to meet with members of my team to conduct their appraisals. We were all home-based workers, probably some of the first back in the early noughties, and following a remark from one of my neighbours about the number of ‘gentleman callers’ I’d had to my house, I realised that having home-based meetings was probably not such a good idea. Hence I came to know the nearby tea-rooms at Speke Hall rather well. Not all the meetings were easy, but the lovely setting made the whole business a little less stressful, and allowed my reputation to recover.
Speke Hall is a beautiful old manor house, with parts dating back to Tudor times, and it’s just the kind of place that wicked Lord Childecott, the antagonist in Following the Green Rabbit, might have lived, although I had to whisk it away to the next county for the purposes of my story. In addition, the estate’s former farm buildings, which were converted into the tea-rooms, could quite easily have served as one of the outbuildings in which Mr Eyre was imprisoned by the evil Lord, if you picture them without windows and with a thatched roof, as they probably would have been in the past.
I was deliberately vague about the time-period in which the novel was set in order to avoid becoming embroiled in too much historical research, but we’re somewhere in the late sixteenth century. Like William Norris, a Royalist, who lived in Speke Hall at the time, Lord Childecott would be suspicious of both the French and the Jacobites. Of course, my antagonist is suspicious of any stranger, but to tell you more would give the game away if you haven’t read the novel.
I had in mind the Great Hall with its grand fireplace and oak paneling, as the setting for the scene below.
Excerpt from ‘Following the Green Rabbit‘
Up at the Manor House, Lord Childecott was getting nowhere with his new prisoner. Despite his best efforts, Mr Eyre was failing to co-operate. True, he hadn’t resorted to violence yet, and that was always a possibility. His chief enforcer, Smiler, so named because of his lack of teeth, was a dab hand with the thumb screws and other less than dainty tools. However, he had a feeling that such methods would only work if Eyre was to watch them being applied to someone he cared about. If local gossip was true, then he knew just who that would be.
Lord Childecott paced the room while Mr Eyre sat patiently on the chair to which he had been bound. Since his capture that afternoon, he’d been locked up in a dusty outbuilding. He had tried to find a way out, but although he’d succeeded in freeing himself from the ropes which tied his hands and feet, escape from the building had proved impossible. Now it was evening. He was hungry and thirsty and he was facing his captor and his questions.
“I’ll ask you again, Eyre, where are you from?”
“And I’ll tell you again. I came from the other side of the wood.”
“You were on my land and that’s forbidden.” Lord Childecott glared at him. What do you want here?” He strode over and fingered Mr Eyre’s jacket. “And why are you so strangely dressed?”
Had his hands not been bound to the chair, Mr Eyre would have raised them in a gesture of exasperation. “If I told you where I’m from, you wouldn’t believe me.”
“Try me,” Lord Childecott snarled, an inch from Mr Eyre’s face. Mr Eyre tried to avoid grimacing at the stench of Lord Childecott’s rotten-toothed breath.
“I believe I’ve come from the future. More than two hundred years in the future, judging by what you’re wearing and the style of the buildings here,” Mr Eyre replied glancing around the room.
“Don’t trifle with me, Eyre.”
“I’m not. Look, you say I’m strangely dressed. This is how gentlemen are accustomed to dress in the first decade of the twentieth century. Look in my pocket” he indicated his jacket pocket. Childecott didn’t move. “Well, go on, look.”
Childecott reached into Mr Eyre’s pocket and brought out the Box Brownie.
“That’s called a camera. It’s a new invention. Something from the future,” said Mr Eyre. “It takes pictures, likenesses if you will.” Mr Eyre thought for a moment. “Like an automated artist.”
Childecott turned the camera over in his hands. He put it to his ear and shook it. “In this little box?”
“Do be careful with that,” Mr Eyre pleaded.
Childecott tossed the camera onto a nearby couch where it rolled over and came to rest on its side. “I don’t believe you. Some foreign toy, no doubt,” he sneered. “Now, who are you working for? The Jacobites? The French?”
“I’ve told you. I’m not working for anyone and I’m not a spy. I’ve told you what I believe has happened.”
“Enough! You are trying my patience.” Lord Childecott thought for a moment, then turned to one of his men who was standing by the door. “Lock him up again and fetch Martha Stebbins, I’m sure we can give you an incentive to talk once you see what Smiler here can do to your friend Mistress Stebbins.”
Two of Lord Childecott’s enforcers untied Mr Eyre, then taking him firmly by the arms, frog-marched him from the room.
“No! No!” He struggled against them wildly. “You leave Martha out of this. I…” At Lord Childecott’s signal one of the guards stuffed a grubby piece of material in to Mr Eyre’s mouth and he could speak no more.
As the two enforcers dragged the struggling Mr Eyre across the courtyard and back to the barn, he noticed a flash of movement behind the Manor House. The guards, however, were too preoccupied with trying to manoeuvre their resisting captive to notice the two boys watching from the other side of the yard. Mr Eyre was manhandled through the barn door, all the time protesting through his gag. One of the men yanked it out of his mouth.
“Go on, you can yell all you like out here. No one will hear you.” He laughed and heaved the door closed, dropping the heavy wooden plank into place and barring the door shut.
Mr Eyre got to his feet and started to hammer on the door with his bound hands, bellowing at the top of his voice to be released.
“Right then, we’d better go and fetch old Martha,” the guard said to his companion as they stomped off, leaving Mr Eyre cursing and yelling and banging on the barn door.
Following the Green Rabbit is available in paperback and ebook from Amazon at a discounted price for the month of December.
Next on our literary journey through the pages of my novels, we’re going to hop over to the Isle of Man, a small island in the Irish Sea, which lies between northern Great Britain and the north of Ireland, where we’re going to catch up with Pierre, our handsome leading man from You’ll Never Walk Alone, who’s treating Lucy to a little break away (although, if you’ve read the book, you’ll know he has another agenda).
I have fond memories of the Isle of Man, even though I only ever visited as part of my job as an insurance surveyor. I used to go there for three or four days at a time a couple times a year, but unlike Pierre and Lucy, who travel on the Isle of Man ferry, I used to fly over from Liverpool on a little Shorts 360 airplane.
Although I was working, I still managed to see quite a lot of the place between appointments. The island is probably best known for the notoriously hazardous annual TT motor cycle race. On one occasion I drove my hire car around the famous circuit, although at a considerably more modest pace than the TT competitors, of course. During the initial draft of the book, I’d been planning for Pierre to take part in the race, but the logistics became problematic. Maybe he’ll return to the island to do just that in a sequel to You’ll Never Walk Alone that my characters are still begging me to write.
I was also tempted to take Lucy and Pierre on a grand tour of the island, but it would have got in the way of the story, so I contented myself with a brief interlude in which they drive out to Peel Castle on the west coast of the island. It’s a partially restored Viking ruin, and a pretty, peaceful location where once I sat overlooking harbour to dictate a report. My typist (yes, it was that long ago) told me she wondered why she could hear seagulls in the background.
Lucy and Pierre stay in the fictional Royal Hotel, where Pierre ‘has a bit of business’ to attend to. It’s loosely based on the Palace Hotel and Casino, one of the places I stayed in during my visits to the island. It made a fine and fitting backdrop to the story, although I never went to the casino itself where much of the action in this part of the book is set. Nor did I visit the ‘back of house’ areas in that particular hotel. Trust me, it’s not always a good idea to stay, much less eat, in a place where you’ve inspected the kitchens. However, my knowledge of hotel security did come into play.
Excerpt from ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’
Pierre crept along the second floor corridor. He’d left Lucy sleeping. As far as she was concerned, they were just going to help Verushka get away from the abusive Russian. Pierre hadn’t mentioned the jewels again. He decided he was going to make sure he got his hands on them himself, and since he still had the passkey and d-lock, what could go wrong? Provided he was careful.
He counted off the room numbers until he reached 287. Even from outside the door he could hear the Russian snoring. Pierre took out the passkey and ran it through the slot next to the door handle. The indicator light changed from red to green and the lock clicked open. Pierre paused and listened again; satisfied, he opened the door gently and slipped into the room. He closed the door quietly. The room was shrouded in darkness. The Russian snored on. Pierre could also hear Verushka’s slow, quiet breathing; she was also asleep.
Pierre moved silently over to the wardrobe and took out the pen torch he’d borrowed from behind the bar downstairs. As he opened the door, the Russian spluttered and muttered something. Pierre froze and killed the torch beam. He heard Denisovich turn over. Minutes passed. He heard the Russian breathing heavily again.
All clear, Pierre thought. He switched the torch back on and fitted the electronic device into the lock of the safe. The little door swung open. Pierre reached in and drew out a thick, velvet covered jewel case. He eased back the little golden clasp and opened it. There was the necklace, with the matching earrings and a brooch; the complete set.
As Pierre stood up he felt the cold, hard barrel of a gun press against the back of his head. ‘Turn around slowly and give that to me,’ said Verushka softly.
You’ll Never Walk Alone is available in paperback and ebook from Amazon at a discounted price for the month of December.
Returning to our literary tour through the pages of my novels, let’s pop over to the romantic city of Paris, where we’re going to join our main character, Laura and her boyfriend, Greg from The Silver Locket. The city of Paris is rather special to me, being the first overseas place to which I travelled with my husband, when we were very young, back in 1985. In a similar way, Paris is special to Laura, being the first place Greg took her for a weekend away.
Specifically today we’re going to tag along with them on their visit to Père Lachaise, the largest cemetery in Paris and the most visited necropolis in the world. You may remember from the first stop on our tour that I share Laura’s fascination for old graveyards. You can’t get much more fascinating than Père Lachaise with its catalogue of famous decedents including Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Gertrude Stein and many, many more, so naturally Laura would choose to visit the place during her weekend away with Greg.
It’s a fascinating place where you can wander for hours amongst some of the most incredible funerary monuments. I’ve been drawn to the cemetery during several subsequent visits to Paris, which was an easy hop from Liverpool on Easyjet by the late 1990s.
The narrow lanes and twisting paths are the perfect place for another eerie encounter with the mysterious woman in the brown coat, whom Laura first meets in the Rufford graveyard, although on this occasion, Laura’s mistaken and it’s someone else. Greg’s reaction to her erroneous confrontation and, a little later on, to the silver locket with its naively-drawn picture and odd little talisman inside, show us how dismissive he can be of Laura. We start to see that he’s on different trajectory to her, scorning simple pleasures, like picnics by the river, which Laura continues to enjoy (as do I, provided there’s a nice bench to sit on).
I have to say that I’m in rather good company with this particular choice of setting. Alexandre Dumas references the famous cemetery in his novel The Count of Monte Cristo as being ‘alone worthy of receiving the mortal remains of a Parisian family…’ and the protagonist of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is buried in Père Lachaise. More recently, in the film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the eponymous dark wizard convenes his followers at Père-Lachaise towards the end of the film.
Excerpt from ‘The Silver Locket’
Laura and Greg stood together poring over the plan of the famous Parisian cemetery, Père Lachaise.
“Okay,” said Greg, “we’ve seen Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, the Belgian poet who’s climbing out of his grave…”
“Yeah, Rodenbach, who else do you want to visit?” Greg looked around at the lines of gravestones and monuments stretching off in all directions. “We don’t want to spend all day here do we?”
“No, but can’t we just wander around for a bit? Oh, but we should see the wall where the communards were executed, that should appeal to you,” Laura laughed. “Round up the anarchists and shoot them.”
“Mmm, very amusing,” said Greg consulting the plan. “The Mur des Fédérés, as it’s actually called, is along here,” he said pointing to the map. “We can go there and then loop back along here towards where we came in.”
They wandered along in silence, Laura veering off the path to take a closer look at some of the more intriguing or quirky-looking tombs. A large ginger cat was happily curled up on the step of Rossini’s tomb. Laura stopped to stroke it. It purred loudly.
She looked up; Greg was already some distance away further down the path. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw a movement. At first she thought it was another cat, the cemetery was full of them, but then she saw a figure emerge from inside one of the tombs. It was a large woman wearing a brown coat. It was her, Laura was sure. And this time she’d followed her all the way to Paris. Laura moved stealthily towards the woman. She wasn’t going to get away from her a third time. Laura crept as quickly as she could after the woman, keeping out of sight. The woman was on one of the main pathways now, heading towards the gate. Laura broke into a trot. She was almost on her when she heard rapid footsteps catching up behind her. She ignored them as she drew level with the woman and caught her by the arm.
“Got you,” Laura cried triumphantly. “Now you can tell me who you are and…” Laura’s voice trailed off. It wasn’t her. “Oh, sorry. Pardon, madame,” she said, letting go of the woman’s arm. She continued her apology, explaining in her fluent French that she’d mistaken her for someone else. Laura stepped back and bowed her head. “Pardonnez-moi.”
“What on earth do you think you’re doing, Law?” It had been Greg behind her.
“It was a mistake,” Laura said to Greg, then turning to the woman: “Une erreur, Madame.”
The woman brushed her arm in an exaggerated fashion, snorted, and headed off towards the gate.
“Do you think I should go after her?” asked Laura.
“No, I don’t. Just leave it. But what in heaven’s name were you doing? You virtually assaulted that poor woman.”
“I know, I feel awful. But this woman in a brown coat keeps following me. First I met her in the churchyard in Rufford. But then she was in Preston, and then I saw her by the park in Liverpool and then at the train station there too.”
Greg rolled his eyes. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” said Greg. “There was a café near we came in, let’s go and have a drink and maybe you can explain what this is all about.”
Laura did her best to explain, but under Greg’s critical gaze, it did seem that her bumping into the mystery woman a couple of times was probably no more than coincidence. Laura took out the locket and handed it to him, telling him where she had found it and showing him how it opened.
“What’s this scruffy bit of paper?” he said, pulling out the little drawing. Laura was only just quick enough to stop it blowing off the table where Greg had dropped it in disgust. “And this stamp inside, it doesn’t look like a proper jeweller’s mark to me. Is it worth anything? At least you’ve not been tempted to wear such a naff little object.”
Laura snatched it back from him and carefully replaced Thomas’s drawing over the little talisman which still looked up at her imploringly. There was clearly no point in explaining anything further about it. As for the dreams, she decided she should keep those to herself. It was all very well trying to find out about the history of the house she’d inherited, but to try to get Greg to understand that she’d been trying to trace the existence of someone she had just dreamt about, however strangely and vividly, was really not a good idea.
The sun was high in the sky; it was past noon and people were leaving their offices for their customary long lunch breaks.
“Come on,” said Laura. “Let’s get a picnic from the boulangerie over the road there and take it down by the river.”
“Wouldn’t you prefer to go to a nice bistro somewhere?”
“Not if we’re eating tonight. Oh please, Greg, let’s have a picnic. It’s what we always used to do.”
“That’s because it was all we could afford. But okay, if you like. I’ll leave the choice up to you, as long as you promise not to attack any more old ladies.”
The Silver Locket (written under my pen name Holly Atkins) is available in paperback and ebook from Amazon at a discounted price for the month of December.
This is the novel I started to write during NaNoWriMo last year. I’d already discovered a few of the key characters early on that year in a handful of short stories I wrote, set in a fictional town located somewhere on the beautiful west coast of South Africa.
Some of you might remember Albertina, Auntie Rose and Auntie Grace, Jannie, Sam and the Professor from those stories; some of you also know that my characters have a habit of plucking at my sleeve, reminding me that they more of their stories need to be told.
And so now, it is with the greatest pleasure that I can tell you that Song of the Sea Goddess is ready to share with you via the ARC: simply click here to download your copy and get started.
Here’s the blurb:
Sam thinks his problems are over when finds his fishing bucket filled with gold coins. There’s a problem though. The gold burns the fingers of anyone who touches it. His unlikely find coincides with the appearance of a mythical sea creature on the headland overlooking the town and the resumption of quarrying up in the mountains that is poisoning the streams and contaminating the town’s water supply.
Determined to keep his coins hidden, Sam goes up-river to bury them. There he encounters a beguiling young woman called Shasa, who lives by one of the tainted springs and just happens to have a fish’s tail.
As the blasting continues, the discovery of a series of recently-made drawings in the cave under the headland reveals a terrifying prophesy that will result in the earth spilling apart. Fearing for Shasa’s safety, Sam sets out find her again, only to meet the danger head on, as nature takes its revenge for the damage being wrought by humankind.
Will Sam and Shasa survive?
Set in a fictional location on the West Coast of South Africa, this moving story blends the charm of small town life with the threat of ecological disaster at the hands of a powerful force beyond human understanding.
Come the New Year the ebook and paperback will be available to buy on Amazon and I’m already excited!
Now I must get back to writing the so far untitled sequel… be right with you, Albertina!


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We suggest that there are three degrees of change that individuals and organizations can engage in when striving to improve performance:
- Degree 1: Continuous improvement: Consistently upgrading your ability to get results.
- Degree 2: Renovation: Performing a refresh in order to make a meaningful leap in performance.
- Degree 3: Reinvention: Totally rethinking your business and your ability to compete, perform, and drive results. Nothing is off the table in Reinvention.
My book primarily focuses on Degree 3: Reinvention. The principles we espouse, however, are also applicable to the first two degrees of change, just in smaller doses and with a narrower scope.
The following table better defines the three degrees of change.
What about you? How about the team or organization you associate with? Or the leaders you team up with? Is there a willingness to gather the facts and then confront the most brutal ones in an honest and urgent way?

domain: psychology


Xperia T Rooted and CM Ports, NVFlash on TF300, OTG + Charging for Xperia – XDA Developer TV
Want to keep track of all the wonderful development news that happened over the weekend here at XDA? XDA Developer TV Producer Jordan covers all the news you need to know to keep up to date on mobile phone developments. Jordan mentions that the HTC Radar joins the Windows Phone 7.8 ROM club. Jordan mentions NVFlash for the Asus TF300. Jordan mentions simultaneous USB OTG and changing on some Xperia devices.
In CyanogenMod 10 news Jordan mentions the unofficial release for the Samsung Galaxy S. Also, three flavors of CyanogenMod are available for the Sony Xperia T. Pull up a chair and check out this video.
Links to stories mentioned:
- Unofficial CM10 Port for the Samsung Galaxy S Plus
- Unofficial AOKP Lands on the Galaxy Tab 8.9
- Root and Recovery for the Sony Xperia T
- CyanogenMod for the Sony Xperia T in Three Different Flavors
- HTC Radar Joins the Windows Phone 7.8 Ports List
- NVFlash for the Asus TF300
- Simultaneous USB OTG and Charging on Certain Xperias


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One of the must sees in this often overlooked city. It is very close to the Triumphal Arch of Galerius and so there is no excuse for seeing one and not the other.
The Rotunda is not surprisingly round and dates from early times (about 4th century). It was built either as a temple or as a mausoleum to Galerius.
It's worth reading, at least a little, of the history of the building before visiting as that way they will appreciate it better.
Once inside we found it peaceful and away from the hustle and bustle of the city - it also helped that we visited when there were no organised trips visiting so I'd suggest you go during mid to late afternoon.
Admission charges are extremely cheap about 4 euro I seem to remember.More

domain: geography


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October sixteenth of this year, new and up-coming artist Hollyn released a six song EP self-entitled Hollyn.
She was featured on TobyMac’s latest album This Is Not A Test (on the songs: Backseat Driver and Light Shine Bright) and my sister and I were really, really impressed with her voice and then looked her up – but were disappointed to find that she hadn’t done anything else before that. 🙁
So we were super excited when we found out that she had released an EP. Our whole family has been enjoying it for months now and can’t wait till she releases her next album. 😀
Track 01: Alone (feat. TRU) is the most popular of all the songs (according to iTunes) and I must say that it is my favorite as well.
In the song she talks about how she has strayed away from Jesus saying, “Fell for You first day that I met You, never dreamed that I ever could forget You— but black and white make a mess when it turns to gray.”
She is asking Jesus to come back to her telling Him, “Don’t leave, leave, leave me alone, bust down the door of my heart like it’s Your home— don’t need no keys, I’m on my knees begging You please, I gotta settle this thing once and for all You got my heart, my soul You can have it all.”
TRU’s rap says, “I thought I had You in my heart but I guess I relaxed like I’m living for the wrong reasons through the seasons.”
It’s all about how we stray, sometimes without even realizing it and then go back to Him begging Him to not leave us alone.
It’s a hip-hop song, has great lyrics, TRU’s rap in the middle is awesome and well, her voice is just dang gorgeous.
[Video via YouTube]
The song talks about how all we need is Jesus and it’s a really great song.
“You ain’t gotta question my allegiance, the way You love me I could never leave You, I need You. By my side, thick n’ thin, highs and lows, don’t let go.”
The song is hip-hop rap and she did a really good job covering it – she can rap, man. She’s got so much talent – her voice is to die for and she’s using it so well. This song is one of my faves on this album.
Track 03: Hey Mama is a song about being far from home and having a hard time and just wanting to talk to your mom.
“Hey, mama, so many questions on my mind and if I could go back, oh I would hold the hand of time. Hey mama, never thought I’d lose my way but all I really want right now is to hear what you would say. You’d say ‘Baby hold on, after the dark comes the dawn and there’s a new sun risin’, a new sun risin’.”
This is a slower song, dedicated to her mom and it really captures the mood and tone of the lyrics– slow and kind of blue. Sometimes we feel blue and just need a nice long talk with mom.
Track number four: Nothin’ On You, is a song that samples a little bit from Amy Grant’s song Baby, Baby (on her album Heart In Motion) and it has the sound of some old school Christian music like what my mom used to listen to when she was my age.
“When we get together we pop off like 4th of July, and when we’re apart I can still see the lights in the sky. Oh, I’ve been around and around the world and I’ll never find, anything better – ‘Cause they ain’t got nothin’ on You.”
I think that this song is about how Jesus has always been with her and how she’s never found anyone like Him.
“We’ve been kicking’ since before pre-K and until now You’ve always stayed with me – every day with me.”
Since she asked Him into her heart until now He has never ever left her. It’s a wonderful testimony, a good reminder on how He never leaves us and is all around a great song.
[Video via YouTube]
She’s got so much talent – her voice is to die for and she’s using it so well.
Track 05: Steady Me (feat. Aaron Cole) is another slow song and it talks about how she just needs Jesus to steady her.
“I’m ready in my heart for everything that’s coming my way, help me trust that You’re ahead of me goin’ before my view with every step I take.”
Looking towards the future can be very un-steadying and we need Him to steady us because after all, He goes ahead of us.
“Only You can calm the storm and only You can restore me when I’m wan, steady me, only You can steady, steady me, me, me.”
She finds that only He can steady her truly and fully. Life overwhelms all of us at one time or another and it reminds us that He’s there (thank goodness).
Track 06: Mine is one of my other faves (who am I kidding, they’re all my favorite, LOL).
“You brushed me off and called me love, showed me I am Yours and You are mine, Jesus You are mine. I know that I’m unworthy, completely undeserving, I’m amazed, I’m amazed that I am Yours and You are mine.”
I love the lyrics of this one, full of wonder over His love for us. We’re unworthy but He “brushes us off and calls us love.”
Hollyn is now a recording artist with Gotee Records and will hopefully continue making great hip hop music.
She just finished her first tour, the This Is Not A Test tour with Tobymac, Colton Dixon, and Britt Nicole. She will be back on tour next Spring and in February she will be doing concerts again, you can check out her schedule here.

domain: artistic


The Y33 generation Q45 isn't a bad looking executive sedan, and its chiseled features speak of a sporty nature that you won't find in the blob-styled Lexus LS. Regrettably, the multi-link front suspension and quick ration steering from the previous generation was tossed for a strut setup tuned for comfort. On the plus side, this thing should be great for soaking up the miles.
The Q45 (despite its optimistic badge numbers) is powered by a 4.1 liter VH41DE V8, that is rated for 266 horsepower and 278 ft-lbs of torque. The Q45 will take 7.5 seconds to reach 60 mph, which wasn't great for 1999, but what do you expect with a 4-speed automatic transmission geared for economy.
The inside of the Q45 is a nicely done combination of faux wood trim and plastics that have survived the years with minimal wear/tear. It would be tempting to remove the strange analog clock and original cassette player, but I'd leave them for the novelty.


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The Courtauld Collects!
20 YEars of Acquisitions
17 June – 19 September 2010
Joshua Reynolds's Cupid and Psyche
The Courtauld Gallery is proud to unveil Sir Joshua Reynolds’s late masterpiece Cupid and Psyche after major conservation. It forms the centrepiece of the Gallery’s new temporary display The Courtauld Collects! 20 Years of Acquisitions.
Cupid and Psyche before restoration The painting entered The Courtauld Gallery under HM Government’s Acceptance in Lieu Scheme in 2004. Having been in the same private collection since 1923 it hadn't been on public display for 85 years and its condition had deteriorated. The canvas had buckled and had started to detach from its stretcher, and the composition was obscured behind many layers of heavily discoloured yellow varnish.
The cleaning of works by Reynolds is notoriously difficult, given his use of experimental media and techniques, but painstaking conservation lasting three years has now revealed the full subtlety of Reynolds’s achievement.
The story of Cupid and Psyche tells how the god Cupid is enraptured by the beautiful mortal Psyche and makes love to her in his palace at night so as to hide his true identity. The following evening Psyche secretly creeps into her lover’s bedchamber where she finds him asleep. However, Cupid is awoken by a drop of oil which spills from her lamp. Enraged he flies away and it is only after a series of arduous trials that the lovers are reunited.
Cupid and Psyche after restoration
Cupid and Psyche was one of three large history paintings which Reynolds exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1789. At that time the Academy occupied the premises at Somerset House which, since 1990, have been home to The Courtauld Gallery. Reynolds was the Academy’s founding president and in 1789 he was a senior artist at the height of his fame. Cupid and Psyche met with great acclaim and the free and confident manner of its execution and graceful composition were much admired by contemporary reviewers.
Peter Paul Rubens Landscape by Moonlight, c.1635-40 © The Courtauld Gallery, London
The painting makes rich references to the art of the past, including the 16th century Italian artist Correggio. However, it also reveals Reynolds’s deep interest in nocturnal effects.
He owned Rubens’s celebrated Landscape by Moonlight, now also at The Courtauld, and used it as an example of night lighting in one of his celebrated Academy discourses. Reynolds was an advocate of painting by candlelight as a ‘practice very advantageous and improving to the artist’.
The painting remained unsold in Reynolds’s lifetime but it was the highest priced lot in the artist’s studio sale selling for 230 guineas to the collector Samuel Rogers in 1802.


Music from the Future — Mind Trips
((Not on label) no#, 1999, MC)
Music from the Future — Random Noise Generation
((Not on label) no#, 2000, MC)
by Jim Chokey, Published 2001-03-01
Music from the Future is the recording name of Marcel Peelen, a Dutch native who now resides in the United States. A certified therapeutic recreation specialist who seeks to use synthesized sounds and music to help stimulate learning and overcome depression in children, he also composes and performs music for its own sake. Although Peelen cites Keith Emerson as his greatest influence, his music — at least on these two cassettes — has little in common with ELP or symphonic rock. Instead, it stands firmly the tradition of German electronic music such as what was pioneered by Tangerine Dream, Cluster, Klaus Schulze, Krafwerk, et al. A 90-minute cassette, Mind Trips has eight songs, including two short pieces at the end of each side that are labeled as filler. The first song, entitled “Frantic,” is aptly named. Its club-like percussive beat (synthesized electronically, of course) drives forward relentlessly, while futuristic bubbles, whistles, and R2D2-esque squeals convey a disturbing sense of urgency. The remaining tracks are slower paced, generally falling halfway between late-70s Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, with layers of repetitive percussive lines and sequenced pulses used to create throbbing eddies of swirling sound which are in turn layered between shifting low-range drones and incidental high-range sound effects. There are also a few moments in “S’99” that evoke the spacey ambience of Ozric Tentacles' Strangeitude, intermingling it with a synthesized simulation of whale-song. Overall, the compositions are engagingly developed, although the 34-minute “Experiment 23” does meander a bit.
Random Noise Generation is a deceptive title. Although there are swoops and bursts of seemingly random sounds interspersed here and there, the eight tracks on this 60-minute cassette are, for the most part, structured compositions. There is more variety here than there was on Mind Trips, which does suffer from a bit too much stylistic sameness among its tracks. Cassette opener “Echoes” comprises multiple layers of electronic percussion, woven together so as to create a pounding, rhythmic tribal dance, while the three tracks that follow are in the spirit of pre-Phaedra Tangerine Dream. The 14-minute “Sonar” shares the high-speed trancedom of the previous album’s “Frantic,” the title track is spacey and minimalist, and album closer “Birthsong” is a short, melodic piece in the spirit that perhaps owes more to Jarre or Vangelis than to the German electronic artists. As electronic music has never really been my favorite cup of tea, these cassettes are probably never going to get heavy rotation in my tape deck — but I still find them to be interesting and competently done. Folks who appreciate the genre more than I do, however, may well find Music from the Future to be a real treat.
Related artist(s): Marcel Peelen (Music from the Future)
Alex's Hand Seeks Spa Treatment – American / European band Alex's Hand has a new album in the works called Hungarian Spa, which looks to be their biggest and best yet, featuring a large roster of guest musicians. They're seeking funding to take the project on the road, and are looking for help from the crowd of wisdom. » Read more
Legendary Co-Founder of The 13th Floor Elevators Passes Away at Age 71 – Sadly, Roky Erickson passed away on May 31, 2019. Known as the father of psychedelic music and co-founder of the ground breaking 13th Floor Elevators, Roky had a profound influence on music from the 60s to today. Plagued by his own personal demons, Roky had a difficult life and is now free of these burdens. » Read more
Help MoonJune Bring Great Music to Life – Like many music lovers around the world, we’ve been thrilled and amazed to hear the recordings that have been released by MoonJune from sessions at La Casa Murada in Spain. Such label stalwarts as Mark Wingfield, Markus Reuter, Asaf Sirkis, Tony Levin, Dusan Jevtovic, Vasil Hadzimanov, and many more have gathered in various combinations at the studio to produce some of the most creative music in recent years. Now, label head Leonardo Pavkovic is offering a compilation, La Casa Murada - MoonJune Sessions, Volume One, as a fundraiser for upcoming sessions. » Read more
The Pineapple Thief to Tour North America – November and December of 2019 will see The Pineapple Thief bringing their music to Canada, Mexico, and the US, and famed drummer Gavin Harrison will be on board. The band has been touring extensively in Europe, but North America will be new territory for them. » Read more
Scott Walker RIP – Noel Scott Engel, better known as Scott Walker, was one of the most intriguing and enigmatic musical figures in the second half of the 20th Century. His strange career started with The Walker Brothers, an American pop group that featured no one named Walker and no brothers. After moving to England in 1965, they had a series of hit singles. Scott's solo work started with Scott in 1967. Starting in the 80s, his work took an increasingly avant-garde turn. » Read more


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US airmen and the Royal Australian Air Force have been working together at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, to complete part one of Exercise Talisman Saber 2007, reports TSgt. Chris Vadnais. Their focus: planning and taking action on contingency missions from the Pacific Air Forces Kenney Headquarters Air Operations Center at Hickam. US Pacific Command hosts the exercise every two years provides an opportunity for the two allies to share tactics and techniques. “You really need to get together earlier—far earlier—and make sure that you’re fully integrated,” to cover the immense Pacific region, said Australian Air Vice Marshall Mark Binskin, Combined Forces Air Component commander of the exercise. Part two, the operational part, takes place in Australia beginning in June.
NORAD Boss Asks Congress for Better Domain Awareness, Faster
March 23, 2023
NORAD boss Gen. Glen VanHerck stressed the need for over-the-horizon radars and other capabilities to bring homeland defense in line with threats from Russia and China.

domain: news


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Waterways Safety Council to Meet in Columbus March 18
COLUMBUS, OH - The Ohio Waterways Safety Council will hold its quarterly meeting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18 at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Fountain Square headquarters located in north Columbus, 2045 Morse Road, Building A. The five-member citizen advisory council, appointed by Governor Ted Strickland, provides input on boating issues to the ODNR Division of Watercraft.
The meeting is open to the public. Council members will be briefed by the Division of Watercraft on the status of ongoing projects and issues impacting recreational boating in Ohio. Persons interested in attending the council meeting should contact Janet Wolfinger in the Division of Watercraft's Columbus office at (614) 265-6476.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.


Tree Limb Disposal
All information regarding the Tree Debris Disposal Pick-Up Program and the Tree Debris Disposal Center will be posted at https://www.cityoftuttle.com/Tree-Limb-Disposal.
Tree Debris Curbside Pickup Ending
Tree limb debris removal update—Red highlighted streets and neighborhoods are in progress and scheduled to be completed by April 30, 2021. Any areas not highlighted in red have previously been picked up. Crews will NOT be completing a 2nd pass. The tree limb debris disposal facility located at 2670 E Silver City Ridge Rd will CLOSE on April 30, 2021. Citizens who have previously been picked up and have any remaining debris are encouraged to do one of the following: 1. Transport debris (tree limbs only) to the collection facility prior to April 30, 2021 (or) 2. When safe to do so, burn debris after calling the Tuttle Police Department non emergency line at 405-381-4467 to report a controlled burn. DISPOSAL FACILITY HRS of OPERATION: Mon -Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Closed daily from 12 pm -1 pm. Saturday 8:30 am - 2:30 pm. Sunday - CLOSED
Tree debris must be cut into no more than six-foot sections and must be placed within 10 feet of the curb or edge of roadway of the residence. Please do not block the drainage path of bar ditches if possible. Do not pile debris on top of or block water meters, gas meters, electric facilities, mailboxes, fire hydrants, irrigation systems, or sight triangles.
Tree Debris Disposal Center
For Tuttle and Northern Grady County residents and businesses wanting to dispose of debris sooner, they will be able to drop off at the City of Tuttle’s temporary Tree Debris Disposal Center beginning Monday, November 9th (we believe all federal and state approvals will be in place by then). There will be no charge for City of Tuttle and Northern Grady County residents, businesses, and property owners. Drop off services will be Mondays through Fridays between 8:30 am to Noon and 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm (excluding holidays), and Saturdays from 8:30 am to Noon. (Note: the site may be closed due to weather conditions). All tree debris must originate from the resident’s or business’s Tuttle property (commercial tree limb cleanup businesses may not use this facility). Residents and businesses will be required to provide their address when accessing the Tree Debris Disposal Center. It will not be necessary to bring a current utility bill. Tree debris must be cut into no longer than 6-foot sections.
The address for the Tree Debris Disposal Center is 2670 E Silver City Ridge. This is 0.3 miles west from the intersection of E Silver City Ridge and N Cemetery Road, as seen on the map below.
***The Tree Debris Disposal Center is scheduled to close on April 30th, 2021.***


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Here comes summer – a great time to shake up old routines and take a fresh look at Food Optimising with Slimming World! In our new Taste the Sunshine recipe book, we shine a spotlight on deliciously satisfying and slimming dishes that will help you live it up and lose weight.
This bright and brilliant book features more than 60 Free and low-Syn delights, showcasing barbecue sizzlers, sparkling salads, alfresco feasts, and fruity puds – all fantastically Food Optimising-friendly. Snap up your Free copy between 29th May and 18th June 2022, to make summer slimming a cinch!
How to get your slice of summer
New and existing Slimming World members who commit to a 12-week Countdown course will receive a FREE copy of the new Taste the Sunshine recipe book (worth £4.95/7.95), plus get 12 weeks for the price of 10.*
Your local Slimming World Consultant will be happy to tell you more.
The FREE book offer is also available to Slimming World Online members. This includes new members who sign up to our Gold membership package and existing members who resubscribe for three, six or 12 months.
Sample the sunshine
Yes, it sounds quirky but trust us, the coffee adds a divine smokiness and really enhances the steak’s flavour
Baked on top of tasty veg in a smoky aubergine and tomato sauce, this is a delicious new way to get your squeaky cheese fix!
Swap a sad ‘slimming’ salad for these filling, thrilling Greek-style chicken kebabs to send hunger packing.
Our Latin-inspired pasta salad serves up a fiesta of flavours and works just as brilliantly as a side dish or a main meal. It’s Free Food at its finest!
Ripe tomatoes, cool cucumber, juicy melon, salty olives… everything we love about summer is right here in one colourful bowl (although this salad is sublime any time of year!). And the sourdough croutons make it all gorgeously crunchy
Where can I buy Slimming World recipe books?
Taste the Sunshine is just one of the Slimming World recipe books in our gorgeous collection, available exclusively to members in their local groups or from the online member shop. Whether you’re looking for the perfect pasta dish, a slimming-friendly pud or your favourite comfort foods, you’ll find a Slimming World recipe book to satisfy your taste buds and help you achieve your dream weight loss. Here are some of the others you’ll find in the Slimming World bookshop:
- Fast & Free
- Comfort Zone
- Free Food A to Z
- Passion for Pasta (and Noodles!)
- Take 5, Second Helpings
- Happy Days
- Ultimate Curry Cookbook
- Va Va Vegan
When you join Slimming World, you’ll also get access to more than 1,700 slimming-friendly recipes, our fantastic collection of recipe books and a handy Food Search tool to help you achieve weight loss success without ever going hungry.
* Price shown is RRP. Free book offer available in participating Slimming World groups and on Slimming World Online.

domain: hobby


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The 11th episode of MCS Live and our seventh Faceoff pregame show brought to you by Beast from the Northeast!
Co-hosts Justin Soderberg and Greg Celona will touch on UMass Lowell River Hawks hockey and preview Saturday night's contest between the River Hawks and the University of Vermont Catamounts at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts.
In honor of UMass Lowell Hockey Senior Night at the Tsongas Center, Justin and Greg will touch on the four-year careers of captain Zack Kamrass, alternate captain Jake Suterand Terrence Wallin. The senior class is the all-time winningest in UMass Lowell history.
The Hockey East playoffs are just around the corner and MCS Live will talk about wherethe River Hawks may end up when they get underway and who they will play. Additionally, Justin and Greg will discuss (with help from Mike McMahon of College Hockey News) UMass Lowell PairWise ranking and if the River Hawks will return to theNCAA Tournament for a fourth-straight year.
MCS Live Faceoff will air from 5:00-6:00pm live from the Tsongas Center lobby. Justin and Greg will take questions and comments via Twitter and Facebook.
Our next broadcast of MCS Live: Faceoff pregame show will during the Hockey East playoffs. If the River Hawks are unable to clinch a first-round bye, we will broadcast on Saturday, March 7 at 5:00 p.m. eastern. If UMass Lowell clinches the first-round by, we will broadcast live on Saturday, March 14 at 5:00 p.m. eastern.
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Live out of Washington, DC and DMV Area......... Prophetess Dr. Tamiko Stewart? and the QINAO TV & Radio Show?! Saturday, February 28th at 6:00 PM! Topic: "Don't Marry The Wrong One!!!!!!!!!" It's going to be Explosive!!!!!!!!!! Call in live - 646-200-4777. Don't Miss It! Invite Every Single Woman You Know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #WashingtonDC #DMV #QuittingIsNotAnOption
Welcome to Independent Underground Radio LIVE (IURL) - MICHIGAN'S TOP POLITICO PODCAST - Aired each Tuesday & Thursday at 9pm ET.
Welcome to the Number 1# Progressive Talk Radio Show on Blog Talk Radio!
Host Monica RW is an owner/writer for the popular Independent Underground News website, media consultant for ROJS Media LLC, a experienced grassroots and elected local political leader, and brings her researched Independent opinions to the political issues of the day.
With Our FIFTH YEAR on Blog Talk Radio, syndicated by Tune In, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iTunes, Learn Out Loud and Player FM Networks, Independent Underground Radio LIVE (IURL) have received over 1.5 Million downloads since 2010!!
Call into the show with your thoughts and opinions at 347-934-0185 or tweet us @IUNewsTalk.
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In the infamous voice and words of the late great commedienne Joan Rivers,
"Can We Talk?"
There is so much to catch up on! We've both been away! But we're back!
And we missed you!
So sit in tonight, take alisten, or call in! We'love to have you!
The celebrity news has been all abuzz lately, from Grammy buzz, to Oscar buzz. Who wore what? Oh no she didn't! Oh we could go on!
Back in studio this week, your hosts!!!
Betty Lewis & Diamond Ryan
Let's Get Live!!! After Dark!
Live: Essential oils and Jamaican herbs - its use in illness and cooking
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant.Essential oils do not form a distinctive category for any medical, pharmacological, or culinary purpose. They are not essential for health.
Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation, often by using steam. Other processes include expression or solvent extraction. They are used in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps and other products, for flavoring food and drink, and for adding scents to incense and household cleaning products.
Essential oils have been used medicinally in history. Medical applications proposed by those who sell medicinal oils range from skin treatments to remedies for cancer and often are based solely on historical accounts of use of essential oils for these purposes. Claims for the efficacy of medical treatments, and treatment of cancers in particular, are now subject to regulation in most countries.As the use of essential oils has declined in evidence-based medicine, one must consult older textbooks for much information on their use.
Interest in essential oils has revived in recent decades with the popularity of aromatherapy, a branch of alternative medicine that claims that essential oils and other aromatic compounds have curative effects. Oils are volatilized or diluted in a carrier oil and used in massage, diffused in the air by a nebulizer, heated over a candle flame, or burned as incense.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_oil.
Get caught up on all the latest boxing news on Raging Babe Radio every Saturday at 5pmET/2pmPT. Popular segments include “Hot Topics,” in which host Michelle Rosado, the “Raging Babe” delivers her own unpredictable, honest and authentic take on the most talked about headlines in boxing and “Ring Walk,” in which she opens the lines to talk with boxing fans and get their official fight night predictions. Call-in number is 347-857-1525.
Raging Babe Radio is the provocative, must-listen radio show in boxing. Taped live in Las Vegas, listeners will delight over Rosado’s distinctive, entertaining personality and her spirited sense of humor.
Visit www.ragingbabe.com for upcoming fights and shop the store for boxing apparel!
Show Title: The Fall of the Nation
Tonight, Freedom N Survival Radio will have a "Round Table Discussion" on - "THE FALL OF THE NATION," highlighting various headlines and executive orders, and the farce called "CONSERVATIVISM" and this weeks CPAC. The show is from 9-11pm Eastern Standard Time, and a link will be provided at QARLive.com and my wall before the show.
Tired of Church as usual? Missed church on Sunday? Want to get a jump start on Sunday's message? Then you are where you need to bookmark and thrive.
Join us right here every Saturday morning at 10:30AM EST with DrFaye and The Global Church Live!
The Global Church is a multi-media ministry with outreaches in the UK, Africa, Trinidad and other points of power. Call your cousins and listen in as the Word of God comes alive right here on internet radio!
in Self Help
This Saturday on Rock the World Radio we will have special guest CEO and Founder of Survival Radio Network Mr. Klarque Garrison. Listen in as we discuss The Power of Vision, how he has built Survival Radio Network into one of the largest online radio platforms in the country and a few explosive projects he has on the horizon.
“Rock the World Radio, dope music, exclusive interviews with todays hottest game changers and inspiration for every dream!”
On this episode of Patriot Nation Radio we will be Talking with Saad Kooza Solman Live! About what it was like to live in Iraq back in the day,as well as Islam,and The American dream of Freedom and Citizenship.4pm eastern time, and 1pm pacific www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnation
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During JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO, Tom Hanks’s head took out a restraining order on his hairstyle. His head won the case, which is why halfway through the film, Hanks sports a halfway decent ‘do – the old hairstyle finding a home on Whitney Houston’s head, of which Houston is still unaware.
Diagnosed with a “brain cloud” which leaves him only months to live, Joe Banks (Hanks) is conned into leaping into a volcano to appease an island god. Under this surface premise, there is political intrigue and other such overwhelmingly inane minutiae – purely McGuffin, as the film stabs at philosophizing over Life itself. I’m afraid I might have fallen asleep, but I’m more afraid that I might have been awake and only thought I was asleep. Philosophy, I can appreciate; quirky, I can appreciate – add “romance” to the mix and skew everything with irrationality over repressing bodily fluids.
Meg Ryan has three different hairstyles in JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO, playing three separate characters, all of whom run across Joe and make him want her and make us want her – to stop. Though it alludes to her talent, each character is only a variation on the ingratiating coquette persona we have all grown to grimace over.
Long before CAST AWAY, Tom Hanks finds himself adrift on an endless ocean with nothing but a mindless entity for companionship – Meg Ryan.


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He was determined to find a western route to Asia, but wound up discovering the New World. But despite his accomplishments, he died a broken, largely forgotten man. Christopher Columbus wanted to find a new route to Asia, but became the first European to set foot on the New World. Evidence now proves that the Vikings were there long before him, but even in his own time later explorers usurped his glory! BIOGRAPHY uses period accounts, rare art and artifacts and interviews with world- renowned historians to tell Columbus's often-reinterpreted story. See how he convinced Ferdinand and Isabella to fund his journey and how he never gave up believing that he had reached Asia. Discover how his fortunes and reputation sank so quickly that by the time of his fourth voyage Spanish officials would not let him anchor in their waters.From the dream that led him across the horizon to the fortunes that deserted him and the ongoing controversy over his true place in history, this is the dramatic story of Christopher Columbus."
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
(No Available Copies)
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domain: literature


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Free event Family friendly
Now - Sat 11 Sep 2021
10:00 - 14:30
St Giles Church
A FREE drop in with guides highlighting areas of interest, military parts, St Oswald Chapel, tower, ringing chamber, and café refreshments. A new video on stained glass windows is also being released by the church.
There has been a church building on the site since at least the 12th Century, when a chapel-of-ease, St Mary's in the market square, was built by the Norman de Lacy family. The original building was enlarged over the centuries and the name changed to St Giles.
St Giles is a dominant feature Of Pontefract's Market Place and is sometimes referred to as 'The Church at the Heart of the Town'. The church is a Grade II* listed building, which became the parish church in 1789 (taking over from All Saints) and is situated within the Market Place Conservation Area; there is no churchyard attached to the church.
30 minutes is suggested to discover the heritage of the church, then you can relax with refreshments in the café.
The ground floor main body of the church has full wheelchair access and there is a lift to the mezzanine, however the ringing chamber in the bell tower does not have wheelchair access.

domain: history


IN STOCK Complete purchase by 3pm CST and order will ship same business day.
Handle Adapter allows attachment of Top Handle with fixed 36mm center to center screw spacings to any screw spacing up to 36mm. Slotted design allows use of Wooden Camera Top Handles on third parts accessories and cages.
Ideal for use with:
Top Handle (Cheese)
Top Handle (Leather)
Top Handle (Rubber)
Cheese Handle + Extension - two needed for this item
(2) 1/4-20 x 1/2" button head screws


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Kovacica & Babka gallery
Kovacica is a village in the south-eastern part of Vojvodina, near Belgrade. It is a multicultural village in Serbia, that is inhabited by four different nationalities. The village is famous for its special Naïve art, which is characterized by a colorful childlike painting, inspired by the cultural mixture.
Naive art from Kovacica is the name for the school of naive art that developed in the village of Kovacica. Kovačica has great importance for the world of naive painting. Kovacica is often considered a metropolis of naive art. For more than forty years, Kovacica has delighted the world with its works of art, especially in naïve painting.
The traditions are beautiful and worth cherishing. One of the most beautiful traditions comes from Sirogojno a Zlatibor mountain village where the tradition of wool knitting has been cherished and passed down through generations.
Sirogojno is a village in Serbia located on Zlatibor mountain. There’s an open-air museum, or “ethno village” known as the Old Village Museum. This “ethno village” is covering nearly 5 hectares with authentic elements collected from all over the Zlatibor region from the 19th century.
Drvengrad (lit. “Timber-town”) also known as Küstendorf is a traditional (ethno) village that has been built by the famous Serbian director Emir Kusturica. It was built to make his famous movie Life is a Miricle from 2003 and 2004. Drvengrad is located in western Serbia, near the village Mokra Gora. Drvengrad is a part of the administrative area of Uzice. This cute little village received the Phillipe Rotthier European Architecture award.


text: Micaela grew up in beautiful Northern California, before eventually migrating north to Seattle. She has spent much time in Europe, and Asia and looks forward to exploring Mexico much deeper. She is an eternal traveler who’s decided to settle down in the vibrant, international community of San Pancho, Nayarit. Micaela found herself in Mexican real estate as a totally random COVID life pivot, which still makes her smile with gratitude. Professionally her background is in tech, hospitality, consulting, online travel agencies, and now real estate. Personally, she is an honest, hard-working, humble & self-made young woman. Her communication style is New York-direct, goal-oriented, and authentic to a fault. She is thoughtful, sincere, and vulnerable when it comes to her clients. She has a beagle named Bagel, a kimono collection, and is a sucker for Nayarit fish tacos.


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Get your best friend involved in all the Sharks game day action with this performance pet tee. Made of ultra-soft polyester to make sure your four-legged fan is comfy, this tee boasts a bold 3D team logo atop a team-colored graphic with the city name on the back so everyone will know that just like its master, your pet is a die-hard San Jose fan! Measure your dog from base of neck to base of tail for sizing. Small= 12"-13", Medium= 14"-15", Large= 16"-17", X-large= 18"-20".
Category Archives: San Jose Sharks
Your furry family member loves watching Sharks games with you. Sometimes your four-legged friend even beats you to the chair and you have to establish your place as top dog to get it back. Reward that San Jose spirit and keep tabs on your four-legged fan with this team pet ID tag. It features a Sharks logo on one side, and space to write in your pet's name and contact information on the reverse!
365-Day No Hassle Returns! Sometimes you get the feeling that your fourlegged pal is a bigger Sharks fan than you are. Before every game begins there's your buddy sitting before the wide screen. Your friends thought it was a joke until one of them showed up wearing the rival team's colors. Big mistake. Give your pet the best gift in the world with this adorable Bone pet tag. This metal tag features a colorful team logo on one side and plenty of room on the other so you can engrave your best friend's name!
365-Day No Hassle Returns! You and your little buddy share a lot in common like your love for the San Jose Sharks and sometimes your mattress. Just like team-spirited sheets adorn your bed your pup needs a Sharks slumber pad of his own! This pet bed features a heat-sealed team logo and plush backing so your furry friend can exhibit his fanaticism and stay comfy. With a fanatical bed of his own your pet can stop shedding all over YOUR Sharks sheets!

domain: pet


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According to THV 11, Mighty Earth, an environmental campaign organization, has started a campaign targeting Tyson Foods Inc. The organization...
Six employees have been fired from the Toronto's water department following complaints to the city's fraud and waste hotline.
Another four employees have been suspended without pay, and the results of an internal investigation have been turned over to Toronto Police, city manager Shirley Hoy said in a statement Thursday.
"The Auditor General has also been apprised of the results of the investigation, disciplinary actions, and the corrective action the city has taken, including new training programs for supervisors, transferring staff, and reassigning work where appropriate," Hoy said.
City officials did not release details Thursday about the alleged actions that led to the dismissals and suspensions.
Mayor David Miller would only say that the employees were fired for violating conflict of interest rules and other city policies.
The investigation began following hotline tips that city employees were advising private contractors about sewer pipe work required by homeowners.

domain: sociology


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Audra Wolfe, PhD, is a Philadelphia-based food educator, writer, and editor. She learned food preservation techniques growing up on her parents’ farm in Southern Indiana and chronicles her adventures in growing, making, preserving, and eating food on her blog, Doris and Jilly Cook.
Most Popular on BlogHer
April 13, 2015 - 3:00am by Rita Arens
March 6, 2015 - 7:00am by Julie Ross Godar
February 17, 2015 - 1:41pm by Lori Luna
Recent Comments on Conferences
By Rita Arens
By Sarah Day

domain: food


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About this game
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator is a crazy physics-based strategy game.
Experience accurate warfare over the centuries, TABS uses state-of-the-art physics-based simulation to give you an unparalleled look at the greatest battles in our history.
- "It doesn't sound like a real story at all."
- "At least the helmet looks good."
- “What are you doing in my office? LEAVE "
TABS, one of the most revolutionary games of 2020, has achieved what no other game can dream of. The level of accuracy that players create in this game is so overwhelming that even the units themselves cannot take their eyes off the fact that they are confused by the effort involved. Turn such a game into such a masterpiece so that their bodies dance when they leaping in the air as if they were soaring in the clouds of perfection and precision. Landfall has accomplished what the mortal mind cannot imagine, because the knowledge gained in this game will instantly crush and blow your brain to your being. Your mortal beings disappear from existence and go to heaven, where you will look down at the weak bodies of death and laugh at those who will never go to play this game and gain divine powers. St. Petersburg.
You can buy this game in here: Totally Accurate Battle Simulator.
Notice when installing
- Extract files
- Crack if needed
- Play games (have fun ^.^)
Link download game free
- OS: Windows 7
- Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 @ 3.1 GHz or AMD FX-6300 @ 3.5 GHz or equivalent
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 or AMD R9 270 (2GB VRAM with Shader Model 5.0 or better)
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 4 GB available space
- Additional Notes: Only runs on 64 bit systems

domain: entertainment


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There really is no better way to celebrate the talent of our students than by linking music with social commitment and global vision, the foundation of our education project and the values of Globeducate.
Agora Sant Cugat International School became the epicentre of an exceptional cultural event, the XII Globeducate International Music Festival that was held in Sant Cugat del Vallès from Tuesday 30th January to Friday 2nd February 2024.
The four-day event brought together more than 250 students from twenty-three Globeducate schools from eight different countries and two continents who stayed with host families from ASCIS and created the largest school orchestra and choir in Europe. The central event was the Solidarity HEAL THE WORLD Concert on Friday 2nd February in the Sant Cugat Theatre-Auditorium. Students, accompanied by their music teachers, created a large symphonic orchestra and choir with a repertoire inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDOs) with the music of Michael Jackson, Diego Torres, REM, Macaco, Bob Dylan, Phil Collins and Bon Jovi.The Concert had a solidarity and educational objective to raise money to build a school in the Turkana region of Kenya with the EMALAIKAT FOUNDATION TAMAISAN PROJECT and 12,750€ was raised.
The Solidarity Concert was a celebration of music and culture in Sant Cugat with the presence of Josep Mª Vallès, the Mayor of Sant Cugat and other representatives from the Town Hall, Globeducate CEOs and School Directors as well as staff, families and friends from the Agora Sant Cugat International School community.
The whole experience was truly memorable and we are certain that all those involved will remember it for the rest of their lives.
We invite you to watch the Concert via the following link: XII INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL // CEREMONY


Maine Gov. Paul LePage said he misspoke this week when he said the U.S. needs someone like Donald Trump to demonstrate “authoritarian power.”
Speaking at a rare press conference on Wednesday to clarify his comments, LePage said he meant to say “authoritative.”
“Sometimes, I wonder that our Constitution is not only broken, but we need a Donald Trump to show some authoritarian power in our country and bring back the rule of law because we’ve had eight years of a president, he’s an autocrat, he just does it on his own, he ignores Congress and every single day, we’re slipping into anarchy,” LePage said Tuesday in an interview on Maine radio station WVOM, according to CNN.
LePage, a Republican, said Wednesday that he thinks the government is broken, praising Trump’s style of leadership and calling President Barack Obama a “dictator.”
“I think he has failed the American people, he has not worked with the Congress and what he has done, he has used the executive office to put regulations on our country that is going to take us decades to get out of,” LePage said Tuesday, according to the Portland Press Herald. “Donald Trump on the other hand is a very powerful personality and he has a very authoritative persona.”
“Let me explain what I mean by that,” he added. “When he is in a room people notice. He does not have to go behind closed doors with community activists to get things done and hurt American people, that’s really, what I really meant.”
LePage is supporting Trump for president, though he admitted the Republican nominee was not his first choice. Asked about his favorite policy of Trump’s, LePage said he didn’t know.
“I don’t know enough about them,” he said. “I am just campaigning.”
- How to Help Victims of the Texas School Shooting
- TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2022
- What the Buffalo Tragedy Has to Do With the Effort to Overturn Roe
- Column: The U.S. Failed Miserably on COVID-19. Canada Shows It Didn't Have to Be That Way
- N.Y. Will Soon Require Businesses to Post Salaries in Job Listings. Here's What Happened When Colorado Did It
- The 46 Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2022
- ‘We Are in a Moment of Reckoning.’ Amanda Nguyen on Taking the Fight for Sexual Violence Survivors to the U.N.


text:
You Searched For "family"
4 Sep 2022 8:53 AM GMT
Sonali Phogat`s family had met Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in connection with the case and had demanded a CBI probe
Nadiad girl Vidhi Jadhav visited the family of martyr Harishsinh Parmar of Vanzaria and sent her condolences24 Oct 2021 2:51 PM GMT
Gives financial help of Rs. 56,000 to the family of the martyr, also gives 5000 each to the martyrs of poonch district
9 Aug 2021 2:56 PM GMT
Put allegations on school for not being taught as promised


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Date Added: 15th September 2018
Want to keep forever? Try looking for 'Inside The Freemasons' on Amazon.ca (paid link)
Explore the history and future of the Freemasons, a fraternal order steeped in both secrecy and tradition.
Certificate: Parents strongly cautioned. May not be suitable for ages 14 and under.
Duration: 1 Season
Audio: German, British English, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese
Subtitles: German, English, Spanish, French, Italian
This title is available on Netflix in Canada

domain: library


text:
Beat the egg whites until very stiff. Add the caster sugar and whisk again until stiff and the sugar is dissolved. Bring the milk to a simmering point in a wide flat pan. Shape the egg white mass into a round flat cake and poach this gently in the simmering milk for a few minutes, turn it carefully with a fish slicer or long spatula and poach the other side. Leave to drain on kitchen paper or a clean cloth.
Beat the egg yolks and half the sugar into the melted chocolate and pour the slightly cooled milk over the mixture. Place over hot (not boiling) water in a double boiler. Cook stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to the consistency of thin cream. Pour into a glass bowl and place the egg whites on top. Chill.
Ten minutes before serving, caramelize the remaining sugar in a heavy saucepan and pour over the egg whites.


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Holiday rentals in Bridalveil Falls
Find and book unique accommodation on Airbnb
Top-rated holiday rentals in Bridalveil Falls
Guests agree: these stays are highly rated for location, cleanliness, and more.
- Entire chalet
Newly built, chalet-style log home featured in both Cabin Living and Log Cabin Homes Magazines. Sweeping mountain and sunset views. Modern, Scandinavian decor. Generous front deck and covered porch for sunbathing, stargazing and outdoor dining in the summer and fall. Soaring stone fireplace makes for a warm, fully-appointed ski lodge in the winter months. 5 minutes from Cannon and 20 minutes from both Loon and Bretton Woods. Miles of National Forest trails out the back door.
- Private room
Our old home in the shadow of Cannon and Kinsman Mountains is, as one guest said, “as comfortable as your old slippers.” We await your arrival. Come in the winter for skiing, snowshoeing or hiking. Summer finds guests exploring the area by foot, bicycle, or car and sitting on the front porch as the sun sets. And of course in the fall, Mother Nature paints our trees glorious shades from her palette for all to see whether from the mountain tops as you hike or the valleys as you drive.
- Entire chalet
The Cedar House is the ultimate mountainside escape. Nestled inside of Franconia Notch State Park, the home provides endless sunsets, stargazing, and panoramic views of the North Country. In the fall, it's surrounded by peaking foliage. The chalet is walking distance to the Mittersill trails of Cannon Mountain as well as a 5-minute drive to Echo Lake Beach and countless trailheads in Franconia Notch. The Cedar House is perfect for couples, adventurers, leaf peepers, and families (with kids).