More podcasts to listen to, especially now, while being in lockdown!

Passenger List

This is an incredible podcast series, which is hopefully going to have a second season. I listened on a weekly basis when they came out but my husband binge listened to them, when season one had fnished. It's a suspense thriller, with twists and turns in every episode.

Backlisted, giving new life to old books.

Some incredible episodes from these two English fellows and their various guests, discussing books that were published previously and are worth checking into.

BBC World Service Book Club

I love this podcast. The author is interviewed by Harriet Gilbert, usually in front of a studio audience, and questions are asked by members of the audience but also from people world wide who have sent their questions in.

These are just a start...

I get good podcast recommendations from my kids. A few years back I started a forum thread about podcasts. It was not very successful, but maybe now there will be more interest. I'll post the link.

https://forum.storiesspace.com/yaf_postst4512_Podcasts-Am-I-the-only-one-who-listens-to-them.aspx

Larry, a lot of appointments are being canceled around here. My mammogram and follow up with my doctor about a previous surgery were canceled. Nothing that can't be postponed but it is unsettling. I hope yours can be rescheduled soon.

I'm looking through my pantry to see what I bake next. I have several cans of sweetened condensed milk. I'm thinking of coconut macaroons and fudge.

Sarah, I'll take a few cookies to snack on while I determine what's for dinner tonight.

Stay safe everyone!

Larry, Gill, so sorry to hear your appointments have been cancelled and put off to a later date, it is quite unsettling. Fortunately, nothing was urgent. Larry, I sympathise with the shoulder pain, although at least I don't have the occasional stabbing pain. It's just constant pain with peak and low periods of intensity. I hope your other appointments are kept and go smoothly.

I'm going to reboot that podcast thread, Gill, thanks for bringing it up again. If you have any new and interesting ones from your kids it would be great to know about them.

Also, for the yeast problem - have you considered making your own sough dough starter? I did this many years ago, when I was into making pizza once a week, but it went by the wayside at some point. There are plenty of places on line that give directions on making the starter, this one seems thorough and has good instructions and pictures.

How to make a sourdough starter

Stay safe and well, everyone, we're all in this together, but apart. Seems weird but that's how it is, eh.


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Lock down!

Here in France, since Tuesday: non essential shops are closed. Food stores, bakeries, pharmacies, gas stations, medical centres and a few others are open.

To go out, one must fill out a form and sign it, attesting to the reason for being out - see above, and so far, short walks are still permitted.

All my necessary and long awaited medical appointments have been cancelled until further notice. This includes an allergy test to aspirin and other NSAIDs.

This further complicates things as my appointment with an orthopedic surgeon for problems with my shoulder which require surgery have also been cancelled, but I am limited as to what pain medicine I can safely take.

The hospitals and clinics have priority, rightly so. I remind myself of this regularly. Doesn't dampen the pain, but at least I can lecture myself on it.

We are basically in lockdown. Yet people are disrespecting this. As though they are exempt and not concerned or affected. They are. We all are.

We have friends in the medical profession. They anticipate they will become infected, due to the their profession and commitment to their work.

Hearing that from them is chilling.

I have family in Italy, they are fine but have been in confinement for eleven days and counting now.

Myself and my husband are in the high risk category for severe complications should we contract the Covid-19 virus. He had a bout of bacterial pneumonia last fall, when an ordinary head cold turned into pneumonia. It was really terrifying but in that case, antibiotics worked. With viral infections, they are of no use.

It is one day at a time, for so many reasons, including enduring the lockdown.

We try to keep a sense of humour and remain active as much as possible. This includes being creative in whatever way is feasible.

We are all in this together. So everyone, stay safe.

In respect of the covid-19 pandemic: The French government has closed day cares, schools and universities among other measures. Restrictions are placed on gatherings of over 100 people.

The photo exhibition I was invited to participate in from 28March to 5 April has been cancelled but rescheduled to September. I have been ready, with my matted and framed photos set to go for some time now.

This decision was not a surprise and honestly, it is a relief. We would have gone ahead with it quite happily, but also with apprehension. This annual exhibition draws large crowds, which is great, but in these times, is also a concern.

I have family in Italy. They are in a region that is relatively unscathed so far by clusters of people stricken with the virus. But they are in confinement, can work from home, are healthy and all right, but!!! It is a drastic but very necessary change and imposition of these health and public safety rules.

My god-son lives in Shanghai, so he was already affected, concerned and confined in what now seems like a very long past age - January, February of this year.

What's my point?

We're all in it together, all are or will be concerned in some way or another. Follow public health advice about avoiding infection or infecting other people.

Look after yourselves and those around you and still find joy in life. Go for a walk, talk to a friend, write to a family member, help a person in need.

Don't isolate yourself out of fear - life is SO much more than that!

Eat treats and laugh.

And wash your hands!

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It's International Women's Day today, I'm thinking of all the women in my life who have inspired me, helped me, criticised me, befriended me, laughed and cried with me, and the list could go on and on.

But I'm also thinking of all young women and girls, the challenges they face in the world, and the strengths they have and will develop. They, like all of us, are facing and will continue to face challenges in life, but there are many of them who are being nurtured and who KNOW their worth! Thinking of my nieces and young girls I know, they are inspiring and wonderful.



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More - Mire

Thanks Bill!

It's coming along, six excellent submissions published so far, and what's really cool is the takes and interpretations are all quite different. Two poems, two musings, one memoir and one flash fiction to date.

So for anyone hesitating, here's a hint and a nudge: hint hint, nudge nudge, this is fun and you'll be in good company.


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The first post in this thread is updated to include links to all the Love&Affection Challenge entries that have been written so far, check them out!

Morning and a happy Valentine's Day to both lovers and the loved. Coffee's on and it ain't that bad, honest.

Sara, just occurred to me that it might be fun to work up a story where Vic visits Scamp and company.

Curvy, hope you didn't take too many cookies, last night. (checks jar) Whew, plenty left. ;)

Y'all don't forget the writing challenge and have a great weekend.

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What da man said, especially...

wait for it...

breathe, dang it!

"Y'all don't forget the writing challenge and have a great weekend."

<img src="/images/emoticons/hello.gif" alt="hello2"> <img src="/images/emoticons/hiding.gif" alt="hiding"> <img src="/images/emoticons/hello2.gif" alt="hello1"> <img src="/images/emoticons/dontknow.gif" alt="dontknow"> <img src="/images/emoticons/angel7.gif" alt="angel7">

And... my contribution is awaiting approval from a mod!

Edited to add, my story is posted. Love & Affection: Visiting Hours

Visiting Hours Some thirty years ago, my mother was diagnosed with cancer and was in hospital for treatment of it. She was closest to the door in a double room on the gastro-intestinal ward of a large teaching hospital. Her chamber mate was about sixteen or seventeen, getting treatment for a painful, chronic auto-immune disease. The only thing separating the two beds was a privacy...

Added 07 Feb 2020 | Category Memoirs | Votes 13 | Avg Score 5 | Views 158 | 10 Comments

Remembrance My maternal grandfather served in the First World War. A mining engineer, he enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Forces in 1915, at the age of 28, and served as a sapper in the north of France. By the time he was discharged in 1918, he had been wounded by shrapnel, subjected to gas attacks, and developed tachycardia. At the end of the war he returned home, married...

Added 08 Nov 2019 | Category Memoirs | Votes 8 | Avg Score 5 | Views 253 | 6 Comments

"Start random playlist," he said, waiting expectantly, unseeing eyes turned straight ahead. Two guitar chords, loud and clear, shook loose a memory. He knew what was coming. Singing, she entered the spotlight, her clear, powerful voice pealing out: cheated and mistreated, when would she be loved. In his mind's eye he saw her, young, beautiful, sure of herself and of them. The music...

Added 27 Jan 2019 | Category Micro Fiction | Votes 12 | Avg Score 5 | Views 704 | 12 Comments

  Dear Alan, It's been a while since I wrote to you. Did you know there's a story competition in your name? I had an idea for it, started to write something. It was clever, funny, titled Jankowski's Lost'n'Found . The story got lost, but it goes something like this: Jankowski and Al were old friends, co-owners of a cab they took turns driving. They had a flat rate, 4.20, due to the...

Added 28 Sep 2018 | Category Flash Fiction | Votes 21 | Avg Score 5 | Views 615 | 20 Comments

Come with me, come here, We'll fly away soon, Give me your hand, And a hug Then settle on my rug Hang on tight, tuck arms and legs in, Are you ready to take off? Let's go for a spin! The altitude's no problem, We've plenty of air, As you will soon know by the wind in your hair. We'll swoop and soar Above earth and its cares - - Tedious, boring, Gloomy and drear! - Before landing quite...

Added 05 Sep 2016 | Category Songs | Votes 8 | Avg Score 5 | Views 877 | 8 Comments

Random rhymes: punchy, munchy scrunchy, bouncy, jiggly, hunchy, Loosely, widely, funky, Stinking, rotten, clunky * Save it. Saved. Is it any good? Unlikely, so... Don't get your hopes up - The answer is no * Not much is likely to be salvational - side note, is that even a word? - side reply, It is now, get used to it. * So... Continue as before With doggerel words ...

Added 29 Sep 2018 | Category Poetry | Votes 5 | Avg Score 5 | Views 432 | 5 Comments

“You don’t have to do this, you know. In fact, you shouldn’t be doing it.” “Yes, I know, but it’s all right, I’m going to do it.” “I really don’t think you should, and would prefer you didn’t.” “I’m still going to do it, it’s the least I can do for you. You shouldered me as a burden often enough, in the past.” “That was different, you weren’t old enough or big enough, and needed to...

Added 22 Jul 2016 | Category Flash Fiction | Votes 7 | Avg Score 5 | Views 772 | 6 Comments

Chances, Taken without regret, Embraced, Without hesitation or doubt Like that time When you dove Into an ice cold lake Not on a dare But because it was there And to do so affirmed that you existed Those chances, No regrets, As you sank Stunned with shock by the bone chilling reality of the water - So cold So clear So intransigent yet so welcoming, Heart pounding, Adrenalin coursing,...

Added 30 Jun 2016 | Category Poetry | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 816 | 4 Comments

I make my point by tossing him out a window, He'd been warned when he entered the room, "You found your way in, you can find it back out, And if it isn't done quickly, From me you'll get a good clout." I repeated my warning twice over, Was he hard of hearing or just buzzing about? At any rate my threat was put into action, With a fly swatter I rubbed his life out. * Author's note: I have...

Added 23 Jun 2016 | Category Poetry | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 646 | 6 Comments

So here I am waiting, And biding my time, For a shipment that was Ordered From a store that's on-line. Their products are alluring, Like snacks to consume, The virtual basket's expanding There is always more room For specialty items, Things new to the store, Best deals of the day, And more, so much more! I wasn't enticed - Well, maybe some of the time - But the items I needed Remained...

Added 15 Jun 2016 | Category Poetry | Votes 7 | Avg Score 5 | Views 624 | 7 Comments

  MARTIN HANDED A MUG of fresh coffee to Jane and slid into the seat opposite her at the breakfast table, pausing a moment before he spoke. “Jane, I need to ask you something.” Caught off guard by the statement, she slopped a little of the steaming liquid. “You always do that when I’m holding a drink,” she chided gently, dabbing the spill with a napkin. Her lighthearted tone belied...

Added 13 Sep 2018 | Category General | Votes 12 | Avg Score 5 | Views 392 | 7 Comments

  THE CALENDAR TAUNTED JANE, its little yellow-highlighted square outlined in a bold red stroke mocking her lack of progress. ‘You’re going to miss the deadline, you know. I’m just six weeks away now,’ it scoffed. ‘Whatever made you apply for that fellowship anyhow, and what could the panel have been thinking when they gave it to you? You’re no writer; you’ve proven that over the past...

Added 12 Sep 2018 | Category General | Votes 12 | Avg Score 5 | Views 514 | 7 Comments