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Mickey Rooney

I saw the movie, the Cruel Sea. It was long winded but I watched it.

Several years later, I found the novel, The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat.
Wow, I thought the film was long winded...

I never finished the book!

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Alice Playten

I could never finish the first book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I tried a few times but kept getting all the characters mixed up.

The same for any Jane Austen novel.

I’m right there with you for Lord of the Rings, I can’t read them at all. I like Jane Austen though.

I tried re-reading Jane Eyre recently because my daughter’s reading it at school (like I did many years ago) but I couldn’t plough through it. When did Jane Eyre become such hard work? I must be getting old... :(

Have to say... I have read Lord of the Rings from cover(s) to cover(s), both as a single paperback and as a hardback trilogy, many times. I love it and once started, I can't put it down. The characters are so well defined that I feel as though I got to know them all.

As an aside, I thought the films were all the poorer for omitting the characters of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry

To save any more worry:

https://www.economist.com/sites/default/files/images/2018/06/articles/main/20160507_blp519.jpg

Looks like someone goofed here.

Why? Doesn't 1843 come after 1842 then? <img src="/images/emoticons/dontknow.gif" alt="dontknow">

True... but where's the picture?

The whole thing is a picture of the NTU Logo.

https://www4.ntu.ac.uk/1843/image/1843.png

Looks like someone goofed here.

Why? Doesn't 1843 come after 1842 then? <img src="/images/emoticons/dontknow.gif" alt="dontknow">

Espresso.

I hope all you fathers had a great father's day. I am grateful I got to spend another one with my dad. He had a good day and enjoyed the dinner I made. He was especially happy that I made him his favorite dessert, lemon meringue pie. I made one pie for everyone to share and one for him to take home.

I also baked some banana bread and chocolate chip cookies. I had a lot of nervous energy today.

I'll be curled up on the couch in the corner doing some reading.

Cheers Everyone!

May I come to your house, please? I love Lemon meringue... and banana bread... and Chocolate Chip Cookies! <img src="/images/emoticons/hello.gif" alt="hello2">

Sweet

Rather than gallop out of the end of the tunnel and risk death after startling my people I halted and dismounted, leading Fleet-Foot slowly through the archway and out into the main cavern, As I looked around a lump formed in my throat and tears welled in my eyes, I had only been away for a few days and now the scene before me broke my heart. The store cavern was full of sick and dying...

Added 15 Jun 2019 | Category Fantasy | Votes 1 | Avg Score 5 | Views 184 | 2 Comments

Rome. September 4 th 1943   Maria stared in horror at the scene of devastation ahead but wasted no time in getting the ambulance to a safe place. Quickly, she jumped from the cab and ran around to the rear to check on her charges. To her distress, Anneliese was still not conscious. “Keep an eye on her,” she told the two airmen brusquely. “Make sure she keeps breathing and...

Added 31 May 2019 | Category Drama | Votes 2 | Avg Score 5 | Views 668 | 4 Comments

The company rode steadily through the dark hours, pausing only briefly for sustenance and comfort. We were not troubled that night and we made good progress and as the darkness gave way to light on the third daybreak since setting out, the mood was good and camp was made before the sun appeared over the horizon. As I prepared for rest I noticed that the Eagles were high in the sky,...

Added 17 May 2019 | Category Fantasy | Votes 2 | Avg Score 5 | Views 423 | 3 Comments

What I saw surprised me, It wasn't very big. It flew around in front of me, Then sat upon a twig.   It didn't 'ave no feathers, It didn't 'ave no fur. And when I looked more closely, It wasn't really there!...

Added 29 Apr 2019 | Category Poetry | Votes 10 | Avg Score 5 | Views 242 | 10 Comments

Rome. July 19 th 1943   The visit to the Vatican seemed to have a profound effect on Hanna. As soon as she passed through the great doors and entered the Basilica, she became calm and appeared to be at peace. Maria took the lead, Katarina not having been inside a church for many years. Taking her arm, she led Hanna to a row of pews immediately opposite the confessional boxes....

Added 28 Apr 2019 | Category Drama | Votes 3 | Avg Score 5 | Views 951 | 3 Comments

Rome. May 19 th 1943   Maria had been right. The camp, a compound comprising of ten, makeshift wooden huts arranged in two rows, was situated adjacent to Ciampino aerodrome for the very purpose of repatriating the more seriously wounded. It transpired that their presence there was no accident. They had been sent there because of their experience in Libya and their training in...

Added 13 Apr 2019 | Category Drama | Votes 5 | Avg Score 5 | Views 971 | 6 Comments

I placed my left foot into the stirrup then, taking hold of Fleet-Foot's snow white mane and with my other hand on the saddle, bent my knee and pushed up, swinging my leg easily over his back, the loose material of my dress spreading out over the saddle. I took a moment to settle myself and adjust my cloak over my horse's back, then looked across at Astrid. She was already mounted and...

Added 29 Mar 2019 | Category Fantasy | Votes 3 | Avg Score 5 | Views 467 | 4 Comments

“No! Get off me!” Bessie screamed as she ducked and wriggled her way free of her abusive husband's clutches. The bar-room was in an uproar, a myriad of drunken sailors guffawed as Tobias Nelson dragged his wife from the room. “If I've told yer once, I've told yer a thousand times about spillin' good beer when yer clearin' the damned tables!” Bessie Nelson's eyes flashed wildly in the...

Added 18 Mar 2019 | Category Flash Fiction | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 516 | 7 Comments

Rome. January 19 h 1943 It was well after midnight when, with a short, sharp blast of the locomotive's whistle, the train signalled it was ready to leave. The carriage in which the two young sisters were sitting gave a sudden jolt and then, with another, began to move. Almost imperceptibly at first, it rolled slowly along the quayside before turning away from the water and...

Added 13 Mar 2019 | Category Drama | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 919 | 7 Comments

There was no point in trying to sleep. I had rested well the night before and my nerves were on edge anyway, thinking about what lay ahead. About me, I could hear the sounds of preparation for battle and wondered what the next few days would bring and, turning my head to the side, I looked across to Astrid who was lying on her back, the sword belt around her waist and the gleaming hilt,...

Added 10 Mar 2019 | Category Fantasy | Votes 4 | Avg Score 5 | Views 520 | 4 Comments

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