Summerabbacat

I relish these beautifully crafted chapters without melodrama @northie. Simplicity and serenity are a delight to experience in your very capable literary hands. Obstreperous, what a marvellous and apt adjective to use for Eric's interactions with his mobile phone. I have tried to use it myself when abusing my mobile phone for "being difficult". Alas, I have not been very successful. Obstreperous does not "pack the same punch" and relieve stress to the same degree as does fucking, my favourite and frequently used adjective when interacting with my mobile phone. I am looking forward to reading a description of the garden furniture to be commissioned by Eric as a gift for "his lads". @northie this delightful tale has been a little ray of sunshine on a weekly/fortnightly basis during the wettest summer/early autumn on record in Sydney, Australia. It and my beloved feline daughters have helped maintain what little sanity has remained in my mind during this less than stellar weather. Thank you.

Your comments are spot-on @drsawzall. Quality is worth waiting for, particularly in a world obsessed with, and demanding, instant responses and gratification. This chapter was very sensitively written @Andre Delport. You captured the despair and sadness of all those left behind without the melodrama, which so often detracts from such reports on news coverage for example. Your description of the manner to which Nicky and Beth succumbed to death was very powerful because of the simplicity of your story telling. Well done. I am certain my favourite character, Rascal, is going to play a major role in the healing of all concerned, but particularly for Jamie and Fiona. I believe he will be able to provide them with much comfort. Pet therapy has a proven track record for people of all ages, and when a pet is as delightful as Rascal, success is guaranteed.

@northieanother engaging chapter in this delightful tale of a very ordinary man and the impact he has had in the lives of others. I don't see why Eric has to be "coupled" with anyone, least of all, the totally unsuitable (for him) Rob. I like Eric just the way he is (mostly), so thank you for resisting the urge to modify his behaviour to make him more appealing to all. His life may not have been the happiest and most exciting, but there is no guarantee that had he been in a relationship it would have been any better. One only has to look at the lives of his parents, and of Felicity and Oliver, to realise that a being in a relationship does not always equate with happiness and fulfilment. Unlike a number of my fellow readers, I admire Eric's refusal to 'conform' and have a mobile phone. I am significantly younger than Eric and held out having one until I had to get one to be able to work from home. I have no patience with those who seem to think that one must not only be contactable immediately, but also at all times. Some of us like our solitude, and neither need nor desire constant interaction with our fellow humans to feel validated and successful. I also don't need a fucking app to be able to navigate my way through what are the important things, to me, in life.

Once again @northiebeauty in simplicity, joy from appreciation and tears from honesty. A sublime chapter demonstrating once again your talent for less is more.

I echo the sentiments of my fellow readers @Andre Delport who have expressed their delight at the generosity of Andrew and Ryan in assisting Marge and Byron and, an appreciation of the literary skills you have displayed with another beautifully written chapter. I would also like to express my gratitude to you for Andrew's recognition of the livestock who lost their lives as a result of the cycle which devastated Mauritius. Much of the eastern seaboard of Australia where I live has been devastated with flooding in the past couple of weeks. Tens of thousands of livestock, chickens and horses have lost their lives, in addition to the havoc wreaked on the human population. Invariably little media attention is given to the non-human animals who lose their lives, everything being centred on the humans who have lost their lives, livelihoods and/or possessions. It may be a legacy from the devastating bushfires we suffered in 2020 when it has been estimated that 1 billion animals lost their lives that, with this latest flooding there has been more media attention given to the loss of non-human animal lives. It saddens me greatly the loss of non-human animal lives, but it does provide some degree of comfort that they are at least acknowledged as being worthy of human sorrow. In future chapters I hope to see my favourite character, Rascal, playing a big part in the socialisation of Byron. Friendship with a non-human animal can be of such great benefit to a shy child like Byron. In combination with Cameron and Elizabeth, Byron will have very little "choice" other than to blossom.

@drsawzall it was mentioned in a much earlier chapter or perhaps one of the prior books that Felicity brought the money to the marriage. This was one of the main reasons I found her subservient behaviour frustrating. Unlike many women in society even now, she did not need Oliver for financial support. I am very glad she has finally found the courage to leave Oliver, hopefully she will sever all ties with him permanently. I hope Adam knows a good divorce lawyer, not that she will be able to salvage anything from the marriage, and frankly, why would she want to. The final scene between Eric and Andy was heartbreakingly sad (it had the "tears a flowing") and yet also very encouraging. Perhaps the walls Eric has built around his emotions from a very young age may have at last cracked, if not fallen completely. Never has the relationship between Eric and Andy demonstrated such simplicity and beauty. @northie the last scene is my favourite of any scene you have written in this saga. It was beautifully written, not spoiled by melodrama and sparse with spoken word. It moved me immensely with its poignancy. The point which struck me the most was that never has the relationship between Andy and Eric seemed so well balanced. They each derive so much joy, comfort and emotional nourishment from the other.

Cyclones are commonplace in Australia, although not where I live. The ferocity of nature should never be underestimated, especially when coupled with interference from the human race. You captured that ferocity with startling realism @Andre Delport. I am glad all arrived safely at their destination.

I am in agreement with you again @drsawzall. I was particularly disappointed with Rob's reactions when discussions were held around the Harper/Partington breakfast table. Rob was perhaps more hungover than Andy and Adam, but his angry outburst when Andy mentioned the sexual discussion which took place in the library and Eric's possible negative reaction to it, was not the response I expected from him. It was inconsistent with the reaction of a man who wants to help youth struggling with their sexuality too. I am probably as guilty as Rob in my reaction to his behaviour, but my opinion of him and his suitability as a friend for Eric, took a nosedive. Of the three, Andy was the only one who seemed to take Eric's "disappearance" at all seriously. Your observation regarding Brian is particularly astute. Perhaps Eric is more comfortable with Brian because he is heterosexual, and therefore in Eric's mind less likely to "challenge"or "judge" him for his lack of gay sexual experience. I think Andy at least has some idea regarding Eric's lack of experience, however, given his own experience he may not fully comprehend that Eric is unlikely to have ever had a gay sexual experience. A very well written chapter again @northie. Rob pissed me off big time, such that he will have to do some major butt-kissing to "get back in my good books". Andy was his usual kind self, which ultimately melted some of the frostiness between he and Eric. Adam as usual played devil's advocate; his persuading Andy to be patient before approaching Eric was wise words yet again.

Me too @mansexlover; he is my favourite character. I particularly enjoy the chapters when he "takes stage front and centre" as he did in this chapter. @Andre Delportyou write him with such love and adoration, I challenge any human with even a frigid heart not to fall in love with 'Rascie'. I enjoyed this chapter immensely; I particularly appreciated the limited reference to what was eaten at meal time. The last chapter, although very well written (your usual standard @Andre Delport) was at times grotesque (the turducken made me feel nauseous just thinking of what it is). Christmas is murder for many animals literally, a time of year I am ashamed to be human (and I don't eat any of them).

I was very disappointed in Rob and Eric's "two lads" too @drsawzall. Andy in particular should have been acutely aware of the challenges Eric would face at the party, yet he seemed to pay him little attention once the walk through the gardens had taken place. Frankly, I thought of all the party guests, Tommy treated Eric with the most kindness. I am not suggesting Rob and the "two lads" needed to "babysit" Eric, but it was as if he was "out of mind, out of sight" once they got "into the groove" of the party. A word of advice to Eric, if you want a truly loyal friend, get yourself a dog or a cat. Human friends disappoint frequently and their friendship is often at least partially conditional, non-human friends disappoint rarely and their friendship is unconditional. 😻😻😻😻

Well said @Quixo. I admire Eric for remaining true to himself and steadfast in his opposition to some things, whilst slowly changing or adapting when he can see the benefit in doing so. I think to some extent Rob is an even better "influence" on Eric than Eric's "two lads" as Rob is able to better understand the position from which Eric is coming. This comment in no way is meant to devalue the good work that Eric's "two lads" have done for him, nor is it meant to diminish the obvious affection they have for Eric. A delightful chapter @northie; light and without drama. Just what the doctor ordered. There was growth in the relationship between Eric and Rob and more self-reflection by Eric. Eric's fumbling and bashful invitation for Rob to join him at Emily's house-warming was so authentically written I cried and chuckled at the same time.

There is little left for me to add that has not already been stated with great eloquence by my fellow readers. I too enjoyed this chapter @northie. Your description of Oliver upon arrival at Adam's workplace was remarkable. I could almost smell Oliver's booze-laden breath and feel the heat from his toxic mind and body on the back of my neck. My next comment may shock and perhaps anger some of my fellow readers, but I am intrigued as to why Oliver has become the person he has. For all his arrogance and bluster, is he perhaps disappointed in himself for not having achieved more in life? It does not appear he has any strong religious convictions, so what was the catalyst for his extreme homophobia? Did he grow up in a violent household, where one parent abused the other both physically and psychologically? These may or may not be questions you will address, but I have to wonder if some of Oliver's abhorrent behaviour is motivated by some degree of self-loathing and disappointment. Eric continues to delight with his naïveté and lack of social graces. A part of me is at times appalled by his behaviour, but at the same time I admire his honesty and complete lack of pretence. His refusal, to a large extent, to be pressured into embracing technology is one of the things I admire most about him. I find mobile phone technology increasingly frustrating, intrusive and fucking annoying, and frequently have disagreements with many of my fellow humans as to the "absolute necessity" (their words not mine) of such technology. It is invariably the cause/subject of the very worst of my profanity-laced rants.

Whilst I can understand your disappointment in Adam @drsawzall, is there really anything he can do unless he catches his father beating his mother? Adam could report Oliver to the police on suspicion of beating Felicity, but she would likely deny it as is her current practice. She makes excuses for Oliver and his appalling behaviour all the time. I think the best option would be for Adam and/or Andy to persuade Felicity to leave Oliver, but this is not likely to happen either unless she decides to help herself. She has to change her behaviour, stop enabling and shielding Oliver and protect herself from him, because he is certainly not going to change his behaviour voluntarily. Many women in society even today find themselves in a similar situation, and many have far fewer options than Felicity. She can leave her husband, she does not need him for financial security and she has no children. Adam and Andy would almost certainly have her live with them. I am puzzled why this seemingly intelligent woman is behaving so stupidly. Whilst I am sympathetic to her, she is testing my patience; she has the luxury of options which many women don't. Get out now Felicity before Oliver's rage is unstoppable. A very well written story @northie. This type of story strongly appeals to me as it moves along at a leisurely pace, has well written and believable characters and events, and has a quintessentially British sense of humour that I, as an Australian, appreciate and can relate to. The depiction of life in smaller towns and cities in England also appeals, having previously watched many episodes of Midsomer Murders, Marple and Poirot, and countless other BBC and ITV TV shows over the years. Whilst Eric can be frustrating at times, his growth as a character with the assistance of Andy particularly, and Adam and Rob to a lesser extent, has been a delight to witness. He is a character whom in lesser literary hands, may not have been portrayed as sympathetically or authentically. It is a credit to your skills as a writer that he holds the interest of your readers, many of whom like myself, appear to have an "investment" in the continued "expansion of his horizons" and witnessing the joy he is experiencing in a life hitherto denied or unknown to him. Keep up the good work. On a side issue, is there any chance you will continue the Soul Music series? I recently read the first two books and enjoyed them immensely (after reading the first two books in the Never Too Late series). At the end of the second book a comment you made suggested there were further tales to tell in the lives of Geoff and Tony.

Another thoroughly enjoyable chapter @Andre Delport with two standouts, key lime pie and Cameron's obvious love of Rascal. I have only recently discovered the culinary delight of key lime pie, although I had read of it in a number of American stories. On a number of occasions in the past 12 months I have enjoyed a vegan version of the pie. I am not sure how it compares to the "original", but I will happily stick to the vegan version. On two occasions during flights Cameron snuck Rascal out of his carry box under his blanket. Cameron's motive may have been primarily selfish, but whatever the motive, I am certain little Rascal would have enjoyed the closeness of his human companion and the freedom of being out of the carry box. I think Cameron may be the kinder of the twins, not to say Elizabeth is unkind, but she appears to be more self-absorbed than Cameron at this stage of their life. I have wracked my brain trying to remember who is the biological father of each of the twins, but cannot remember (and I am too lazy to revisit book 1 to try and find it). I hope to see Claude feature in the current book soon (hint hint Andre).

Not weird at all. I am tearing up just reading of this beautiful tribute. On 23 June last year my sole male cat, Bassey (my most beloved cat ever) had a heart attack and died in my arms. He had kidney disease and had been battling it for sometime. On 19 July his "sister" Ava lost her battle with kidney disease. I had to have her euthanised as she was deteriorating, and had done so very quickly after Bassey passed away. There is not a day goes by when I don't shed some tears for their passing (as I am as I write this). My only "saving grace" is that I still have four cats, one of whom, Kiki, is now slightly older than both Bassey and Ava (she is 2 months shy of 15). Since the onset of this pandemic she has had a liver infection (idiopathic), been diagnosed with and treated for an overactive thyroid (iodine radiation therapy), eye surgery for trichiasis and dental surgery. Prior to this she had never been sick, which is probably why she h as managed to overcome all and is "fighting fit". I also have 12 year old sisters Frida and Zelda, and my baby, 9 year old Missy (aka Mischief). Life is never dull, especially with the latter.

I will go one step further @Andre Delport, not only do our inteprid travellers eat a lot, but they are so carnivorous. Being a long-time vegetarian, some of the meals had me gagging. I was relieved there was a vegetarian pasta meal available on the flight to Orlando, although I doubt any of our travellers would have partaken of it. I too was so pleased to read Rascal had accompanied his non-canine companions on their journey @mansexlover. He "steals every scene" in which he appears. His contribution to this story and to the lives of the Devlin-Major family should not be underestimated, and it is a credit to you @Andre Delport, that you honour him in such a respectful and treasured manner.

@frosenblum our fellow readers who nominated Billy Connolly as the origin of my statement regarding my "Connollyesque" language are correct. Billy is very popular in Australia. I have not seen him live, but have seen excerpts of performances on Youtube. He is very fond of the word "fuck" in particular, a word which I also find very useful in a multitude of situations, particularly when I am finding my patience tested by technology (this happens all too often, daily at least).

Aunty Joslyn being a lesbian likely explains why Carson's mother in particular has no issues with him being a "two spirit". The breakfast, apart from the watermelon, had my mouth watering @quokka. It is 10.45 AEST and I have just finished dinner with a bowl of fresh raspberries and soy ice cream, but the fruit content of Carson's breakfast would be even more delicious, apart from the watermelon. I liked it as a child when it had seeds in it, however the fruit sold nowadays as watermelon, which is usually seedless, has as much taste as the plastic wrap which often encases it. Yuk. I have been to Darwin once, back in 1997. I remember eating the freshest seafood I have ever tasted in my life there (I was still pescatarian then). It was in a restaurant located on reclaimed wharves; it was as if the fish was caught, brought to the restaurant, cooked immediately and served shortly thereafter. I also loved the weather in Darwin as it was winter in Sydney at the time I holidayed in Darwin. I was only thinking of Darwin again on Christmas Day just gone, remembering waking up on Christmas Day in 1974 (I was 11 at the time) to images of the apocalypse that was Cyclone Tracy. I think I realised then the world was not always a happy and safe place. I think the memories re-surfaced primarily because one of the luncheon guests was named Tracy.

The Ghan trip is one I would love to make one day @quokka, in addition to the Indian Pacific. Retirement beckons in 5-10 years, so perhaps something to look forward to then, unless the virus which "they" object to being named, does not destroy travel forever. I have read a number of stories on both GA and other gay fiction sites which reference the "two spirits" and have read about it on Wikipedia (perhaps not always reliable I know). I find the concept fascinating, and one which appears to be respectful and affirming. I have to wonder if other cultures had not been poisoned by organised religion, if they too would have been more accepting of "two spirits".

Your observations of late have been quite astute @chris191070. I would not hesitate to think your "prediction(s)" may be "close to the mark". You will have to excuse my "stupidity" for the blank comment above. One of those countless annoying ads appeared at the bottom of the screen and "threw me off my game". I tried to fix it, but being the technological genius I am, I only made it worse. I shall refrain from repeating the expletives that poured forth as a result of this; I only have my feline family as witness to my "Connollyesque" vocabulary on this occasion.

A most enjoyable chapter again @quokka with the "mystery" of the story's title seemingly solved. I had entertained a number of scenarios as to the origin of the title, the truth however was not something I could have imagined. I am not sure whether to hate Austin's parents for having sent Edgar away or whether to sympathise with them for not knowing how to look after him. I am leaning a little more towards hating them, although appreciate they may not have been eligible for any assistance, or only eligible for very limited assistance, to look after him in their home. Whatever the reasons, I do not think they should have denied him and his brothers the opportunities to visit with each other. I am somewhat confused as to the subjects of the painting. Austin indicates the artist was his long-lost brother Edgar, with the subjects being Austin on the swing, and his mother watching and holding onto his younger brother - Edgar. Should this not perhaps be holding onto his younger brother - Oscar? I admired the students for their collective approach to forcing the hand of those charged with looking after the welfare of Oscar and other students at his school. There may be some future leaders amongst the students at the various schools which took part in the protests, although my life experience has me believe that some of the future "leaders" may also be drawn from the bullies who perpetrated the crimes against Oscar.

I agree with @Anton_Cloche and @Butcher56, the Orbison brothers are likely Austin's new neighbours. If this proves to be the case, I daresay Mummy dearest will defend them as being "good boys", and somehow try to pin the blame on Oscar and/or Austin. She struck me, in her one appearance in a prior chapter, as being a condescending and contemptuous bitch. I think Mr Masters proved himself in this chapter to be a man who will fight for justice for his client(s), and will not stand for intimidation by others. The Orbison's will rue the day they attempt to mess with him. Another enjoyable chapter @quokka. Oscar must surely "catch a break" soon though. I hope the Orbison brothers' father's name is not Roy.

Aunt Kitty and Uncle Frank are even more despicable than we could have imagined. They must surely be charged with attempted murder, in addition to child neglect and any other number of charges for their mistreatment of Oscar. Hopefully Bubba and his equally sexually voracious and nasty "sister" await Uncle Frank and Aunt Kitty in the "big house" where they hopefully will be a "guest of the state". The new tenants should be evicted immediately. Wilful destruction of property should not be take lightly. I just hope the teenage sons are not like their odious mother, if so, Austin may find himself under attack. I think Mr Masters needs to remind the real estate agency of their obligations to manage the property left in trust for Austin and his brother. It well may be Mr Masters is too accommodating; if this is the case, Austin may need to request that he "toughen up". Another very enjoyable chapter @quokka. The drama which unfolded in this chapter took me by complete surprise I must say. I am particularly pleased with the outcome for Oscar. It is quite apparent that both he and Austin are very much in need of each other in their post-parent, post-Gran world.

I am embarrassed/ashamed to admit @quokka that my first thoughts when Mrs Young disclosed the death of Austin's Gran to his friend George were that she may get into trouble for breaching his privacy. I revisited the prior chapter and noted Austin did not give her permission to do so, but he also did not tell her not to do so. In such a situation I would hope commonsense would prevail and Mrs Young, in her role as the school counsellor, would be given the authority to do what was in the best interest of the student(s). The problem to be faced then would be who determines what is best for the student. I don't know what happens in Australian schools now, I can only but imagine it may have been deemed inappropriate for her to do so in some schools. Nevertheless, I consider she did the right thing as is evidenced by the support Austin's friends are providing to him now that they know of Gran's death. The note Gran left for Austin had me shedding more than a few tears. The note itself is testament to the close relationship they shared, and to their individual characters. I like Austin, adored my maternal grandmother. When she passed away it was a time of great sadness. Now almost 10 years later I often think of her and her kindness and strength of character.