Once again it’s Groundhog Day; all is quiet on the good ship, AnnieWriter. Well, not quite totally silent. That bloody crocodile in our wake is masquerading as the Mad Hatter, accentuating Captain Annie’s disquiet with a scaly cacophony of tick tock, tick tock. If you knew Time as well as I do, you wouldn't talk about wasting it. I know, I know! Of course, like clockwork, this competition story had begun the usual way. A...

If you’d think the shock and awe of four Pulitzers would mute a granddaughter’s proclivity to be a smart ass you’ve not met Jenna. Though, this Christmas, she’d decided to observe her first seasonal ceasefire of banter. Neither she nor her mother moved a muscle as my arthritic fingers struggled with the reindeer wrapping paper. Perhaps they understood their Dylan Thomas; there’s no helping the stubborn raging against the...

Savour the day, embrace the warmth in life’s fire. Look, dervishes magnetically swirl in bridal pale, Rise, my friend; dance, dance till the embers expire. No future-fretting; it's shrouded, that ending you admire. Let fingers trace life’s pattern, morsels even lurk in braille, Savour the day, embrace the warmth in life’s fire. Take it from me; its new found tastes that inspire. Imbibe the draughts and dregs in existence’...