Summerabbacat

Succeeding so far. Jake’s wit was borderline acerbic at times; he could give a drag queen a run for her money. He didn’t hold back with Becca; she had no idea. LOL. At this rate I am really going to like Jake as he is exceedingly funny. I suspect he possesses a healthy dose of self-deprecation too.

OMG @Josh Aterovis! Who knew Jake had such a wickedly catty sense of humour. His physical descriptions of Becca, Adrienne, Foster and Slug had me in stitches. I had an image of Becca resembling Sabrina Carpenter and Adrienne resembling Veruschka or Alana Hamilton Stewart. Unfortunately Becca does not appear to have any of Sabrina's sense of humour or irony. Jake's description of Foster and Slug's intellect was also extremely funny, particularly when Foster confirmed his caveman attitude towards women with comments like: "She's, you know, normal. I gotta go. Don't want her to wait for me." Foster looked confused. "Who cares if she waits?" I like this "new" more confident Jake. He did not make a grand announcement to Becca he is gay and a recovering addict and to Foster he is a recovering addict; he slipped the comments in at appropriate moments without a hint of shame or bravado or pretence. He is so much more likeable thus far than in previous stories, and certainly far more likeable than Foster, Slug or Becca. If Jake retains this sense of humour throughout this story @Josh Aterovis I can see myself using the ha ha emoticon frequently.

But it's a Minogue? Are you sure, or is it just Kylie you are not a fan of?

Not just her. I can certainly appreciate an attractive woman from a purely aesthetic point of view, but that is it. Sade is older than us and still looks stunning; Vanessa Williams is still beautiful and is the same age as us; Toni Braxton is a little younger than us and is still very attractive, and although you are not a fan, I think Kylie and Dannii are both still total babes. I just love Dannii's big earrings in this video.

OMG I almost vomited @Mark Ponyboy Peters. I got the e-mail notification you had posted this comment and missed the word "Levi" when I read the comment in the e-mail. LOL.

You notice all the salient points. Anyone would think you're the damn author. LOL.

It's a shame he can't "nail" Brooke.

I am trying to adopt a more positive attitude to our species. It is an uphill battle when everyday I see what is happening to wolves, bears, polar bears, virtually anything that is not human, and in many cases which is human, in a part of the world very close to you @weinerdog. And by no means is the neglect and cruelty isolated; it is everywhere on Planet Earth, and getting worse. I would rather the shark eat Brooke than she eat the shark. She has been a pain in the arse since her first appearance in the story. Even mild-mannered @Paladin commented on her behaviour in this chapter. I just wish she would fuck off and leave the guys alone as she seems to have taken a set against Jimmy and Dan now too.

"Thompsony". LOL. What a great word @CincyKris. Next time I fuck up an e-mail, legal document or something technologically challenging I am going to say I did so because I became all "Thompsony".

"School on Monday felt smaller than usual. Levi, Jimmy and Dan compared notes before pastoral care, while Brooke seemed to just scowl at them. Apparently, they weren’t supposed to be having fun without her." Brooke is so tiresome. Time for her to go @Mark Ponyboy Peters. Teenage pregnancy (not to Levi), alcohol and/or drug addiction, she leaves school and enters a convent, her parents divorce and she moves away from Thompsonville with her mother or father, eaten by a shark, anything to be rid of her. "At some point Levi and Jamie found themselves sitting a little apart from the main group. The younger boy was the one who started talking about the past. He spoke in the same flat, careful voice he had used at the centre – about the bashing, the fear of going home, the nights sleeping rough before the police found him, before the youth workers connected him with Tony’s charity. Levi listened without interrupting, and when Jamie finished he simply sat there, shoulders hunched. Levi didn’t think twice about it. He put an arm around the boy’s shoulders and pulled him into a brief, firm hug. Jamie stiffened for a second, then leaned in, and wrapped an arm around the older boy as well. There was nothing to read into their actions; just one kid caring for another." This is my understanding of "true" Christianity. I believe Father Costas would be very impressed with Levi's comforting Jamie; this display of understanding and care the hallmark of Levi's innate goodness being freed from the chains of dogma and ignorance. A real "hay fever" moment @Mark Ponyboy Peters, so simply and beautifully written. I thought it was too good to be true. Casey is starting to cause trouble again. Hopefully Shane will be able to pin something on him, something which does not require any further investigation of how Matt's car came to be in a location where Casey had the opportunity to torch it. Maybe Casey is not as smart as he thinks. It would be great to see that smug look wiped off his face once and for all.

From salad-tossing to a conventional threesome to double-penetration. Jack has jumped into gay sex boots 'n' all, or should that be butts 'n' all. For someone who was a virgin before his first mating, he appears to have suffered little "wear and tear", displaying great elasticity to move from being fucked by Theodore only to double-penetration without skipping a beat. He clearly channelled his inner-Joey Stefano. Jack, smiling inside and out. Ignore the lyrics, observe the song title. Apropos or what?

I love bananas @Vcs, but they simply must be a little on the green side. Similarly kiwi fruit, once they are ripe they are sickly sweet. But then I love pawpaw (papaya) and hate mangoes.

"Though no one would have thought it possible for her volume to increase more than it had already, Shayna yelled even louder and more shrill, “You sorry nit, son of a bitch, don’t bring that crap to me. I don’t want to be shitting all the way into next Tuesday!” There is no mistaking Dixie Mae is Shayna's mother. Both such good Christian women, with language that would make a sailor blush. And there is no mistaking she is Uncle Buford's niece. The family, at least Uncle Buford and Shayna, have a passion for poop, a fascination for faeces, a shine for shit. First, was Uncle Buford's intimate encounter with horse shit, and now Shayna's attempt to cause Mannly embarrassment at least. Given she has been arrested, I suspect it was not just epsom salts or prune juice she has laced the muffins with. I wonder if any of her forefathers was a scatologist? Shayna, the shit queen of Shelby. 💩💩💩💩

Hopefully she will NOT be a lady, and it will be ladies, plural @dboggs9700. The ironing machine will be a good starting point. Of course the ironing machine will be for Shayna's own good, to remove all that tacky, slopped-on, make up. Melting that make up, much quicker if removed by heat and plenty of it. Think of it as industrial-strength dermabrasion Shayna.

A diabetic's nightmare. I must say I could not stomach these muffins. I don't like ripe bananas, but will use them in a smoothie. Overripe bananas are in a different category all of their own though.🤮🤮🤮🤮.

Hopefully Deirdre's moans will be her usual complaints, and not "moaning" resulting from secret rendezvous' with Jasper.

I think it quite likely Rico will return the favour and then afterwards regret it, or he will "promise" to return the favour and then renege on his promise. Worst case scenario, they get caught by Rico's father and/or mother, who then proceed to blame Kurtis for leading their precious son into depravity. I suspect it was more the case of Kurtis deciding he is not hiding anymore. Given Kurtis' responsible behaviour to date, I would be more concerned about Rico accidentally outing the two gay couples. He is a regular little horndog, and appears to have little in the way of a filter. Another enjoyable chapter @Lee Wilson.

“Thank you for warning me, but I’m not holding my breath. Especially as it might not be as much as he’d like us to think.” Mother’s snort was most unlike her. “Perhaps you’ll inherit his membership of his Club.” “Oh, Lord! I hope not. Could you see me going up there regularly?” She forbore to answer, but I could see her eyes sparkling with amusement at the idea." Most unladylike of Mother, and riotously amusing. You cannot do this @Robert Hugill; I am not ready to say goodbye to Alex, Neil and Mother yet. As with many of your stories, the characters in this story slowly worked their way into my psyche, and before I knew it, I had become very fond of them. I did not dream I would end up liking Neil as much as I do, and his wonderful Hugillisms have continued to charm. The only compensation is the promise of more adventures with Brian and Gordon, which I assume will also include Russ, Toby, Eve and Drew, and perhaps Ralph, Nolan and Morrie. I won't be unhappy if it does not include Deirdre, but I guess it is fun to have someone to bitch about.

Hopefully she is a lesbian and has just not realised it yet @weinerdog, although I doubt it. In a single chapter @Ronyx has already painted a relatively strong picture of the main characters: Jason strikes me as a little full of himself, someone used to getting what he wants by any means; I don't think he will respond well to the revelation Taylor is in love with him as it does not fit with the vision of the future Jason has for him, or his limited view on what a man should be Taylor is a little emotional at present, overcome by his hormones and unrequited love for Jason; he will not cope well with Jason's rejection, which appears inevitable Stephanie is possessive of Jason, demanding she be the centre of his universe; she will not tolerate anyone moving in on her territory and I expect when she learns Taylor is in love with her man, she will be dismissive, taunting and cruel Cynthia is caring and kind; I suspect she will be a true friend to Taylor when he reveals he is gay, regardless of the likelihood her father is a homophobe and a bully; I hope she slaps Stephanie when she, Stephanie, is cruel to Taylor I dislike Stephanie already @weinerdog. I suspect she will be another of @Ronyx's teenage girls who becomes a mega-bitch.

You must have been “inspired” by all those bodice rippers penned by Barbara Cartland you have secretly hidden in your armoire together with all of Bucks Fizz, Toto Coelo and Atomic Kitten’s albums.

I like to flatter myself and think the acknowledgment of top 10 placings is a morale booster for the authors who entertain us for free. It certainly appears Robert appreciates it as he is always so gracious when accepting praise.

It may sound "stalkerish" or a bit "fan girl", but I don't care. I have an Excel spreadsheet on which I record the top 10 "chart performances" of several of my favourite authors, and Sir Robert is one of them. It started out as a bit of fun, but it has revealed some surprises for me e.g Those Left Behind is his most successful with 12 top 10 placings, followed by The Art Of Living with 10 top 10 placings. The popularity of the former surprised me, whilst the latter did not.

An early Christmas present for you @Robert Hugill. Perhaps the first of many. Other gifts may arrive leading up to the "silly season"; one of Neil's Bums, a choral piece written especially for you by Alex, a poem written especially for you by Gray, a skimpy piece of cloth from Morrie's latest collection, a lacquered tray from Charlie, a watercolour from Louis, a villa in Valencia from Russ, a large black and white framed photograph of Brian and Gordon in jockstraps from Brian and Gordon, and a right royal bollocking from Venetia Murray, Norman and Sheila and of course Deirdre. In revisiting your earlier stories just now I note your first chapter of Brian: Taking Courage was posted 3 years ago this month, on 25/09/23 to be specific. For just shy of 3 years you have graced we readers with your talents @Robert Hugill, and our lives are richer for it. Thank you.

Although this story missed out on a top 10 placing in the Most Read General Fiction genre last week for the 4th consecutive month, it bounced back this week with a top 10 placing in the Most Read Romance genre for the month ending 11/09/26. Well done @Robert Hugill, such is your versatility that you have placed this story in two different categories, and it is the 40th time you have had a top 10 placing. I am sure you must be ahead of Sir Cliff by now. That knighthood must surely be one step closer.

Iggy impressed, but what is with the "no sex"? Hopefully that is only temporary.