Summerabbacat

Bugger. I got it wrong @Robert Hugill. The General Fiction top 10 “charts” are published the first Friday of each month, therefore we should see another top 10 next Friday.

Some sensible suggestions for a compromise, but I don't think based on the displays of affection Levi observed, Tim and Guy should be asked to compromise. Perhaps Levi can discuss his discomfort with Father Costas as he seems eminently rational and open-minded. He can address the religious objections Levi has with more conviction and authority than Luke, Matt, Tim or Guy as he has far greater biblical knowledge than they do.

Or Gazza? In Australia you could well be addressed as Gazza, just as Barry is Bazza, Darren is Dazza and Sharon is Shazza. I would never do this, and it is perhaps a stereotype, but stereotypes are so often based on a significant sample.

"Faith isn’t always easy, especially when the world changes faster than some of our old teachings. But I’ve learned that God is much bigger than our fear and discomfort. He meets us where we are." Your experience with organised religion @Mark Ponyboy Peters has clearly not soured you, as you are capable of writing such profound and comforting words as those spoken by Father Costas to Levi. The words themselves entertain the existence of a deity, but I think leave sufficient "room" without condemnation for those who doubt or deny the deity's existence, to have that doubt or denial. I am not expressing myself well, but essentially what Father Costas said to Levi impressed me tremendously, even if I am full of shit and have completely misinterpreted what he said.

Abso-fucking-lutely not. They are equal-share owners of the home in which the four of them live. It is Levi's problem, not theirs. As you have correctly stated @centexhairysub, Tim and Guy's displays of affection were hardly overt. If the situation was reversed and Tim and Guy visited a home owned by Levi or one in which he lived, which had statues of the Virgin Mary on display, crucifixes affixed to the walls in every room and Sister Janet Mead singing The Lord's Prayer on repeat on the stereo, would it be "fair" if they asked Levi to remove all the religious imagery and silence Sister Janet Mead because they were offended. No it would not be fair, and they would more than likely just leave and never return, as would I, although I must confess I rather liked Sister Janet Mead's version of The Lord's Prayer. She was from Adelaide and it was a huge hit on the Aussie pop charts in 1974. I will concede Levi is being very mature about Tim and Guy's relationship, specifically their displays of affection, rationally stating it bothers him and that he is trying to address it. Many adults in his shoes would likely have been abusive, demanding Tim and Guy cease their ungodly behaviour and repent, or face the fires of hell. Utter nonsense from the Old Testament, where a man lived inside a whale.

Texting, maybe not. Sexting, hell yes.

You would need a strong stomach or a case of temporary blindness. Remember, once seen it cannot be unseen.

Fuck. First I get Lilibeth's name wrong on several occasions, now I have named Paco as Paolo on several occasions. I am usually good with names. I will have to try to remember by associating him with Paco Rabanne. The first time you mentioned him by name was when you referred to him as your 'Joan' after one of your earlier stories. I had never seen that name for a man before, but have seen it several times since for Spanish "celebrities". Joan I would likely remember because of Joan Rivers and Joan Jett. I guess it could be worse. I could keep referring to you as Harry, Larry, Barry or Greg.

I thought Paolo must have lived during these times @Gary L because it does not read like an historical account of what occurred in Francoist Spain from a purely objective viewpoint. The story thus far, particularly the latest chapter 5, reads as an intimate account of events experienced during this time. I cannot imagine the horrors, even footage of mass exterminations and mass burials of Jews and others in Nazi Germany, does not fully convey the magnitude of the horror I don't think. You are doing a fine job in conveying even a fraction of the terror and horror.

Only some @Robert Hugill? And Some Mother's Do 'Ave 'Em. That show was massively popular in Australia, just as it was in your homeland.

It is no wonder Almodóvar hates Franco so much. I have just read a little more about him, Franco that is not Almodóvar, as much as I could stomach, and he appears to have been very much like Hitler and Mussolini, not the least being antisemitic and anti-gay. He was in power for much longer than the other two so had more opportunity to ruin the lives of many for a lot longer. He may not have been responsible for as many deaths, but the number killed under his dictatorship was still estimated to have been in the 100's of thousands. His economic policies benefited the likes of Ximo's mother's family, who given her most recent behaviour, would likely have cared nought for the harm which was caused to many who were not just like her. Hopefully before this story ends she and her odious parents get their comeuppance. Hopefully Ximo's father will at least divorce her and throw her away like the trash she is. A despicable bitch, something which I believe Ximo's father is becoming increasingly aware of. Ximo and Gerardo are taking a huge risk and they are to be admired for doing so. I doubt I would have been brave enough to do what they are contemplating doing, certainly not by myself anyway. With this chapter this story moved to a whole new level. As noted by @pvtguy, the anxiety level is increasing exponentially, testimony to your story telling prowess @Gary L. A story worthy of at least 2.5 "Hugills" (similar to michelin stars for restaurants).

Nature's capacity to provide healing never ceases to amaze me @Vcs. Likewise, our species dismissal and/or corruption and/or destruction of nature's capacity to provide healing never ceases to amaze, or perhaps I should say disgust, me.

I presume both rhyme with snout?

Ableard is the obvious attacker, but is it too obvious? The stomach bug sounds like a ruse as no one else has it, and I imagine such a bug would likely spread in such an environment. Anton grows more tiresome and predictably loathsome with each chapter. He appears to be the least trustworthy of all the students, which may be why Ableard is his bitch. The two make an ugly pair. The dynamic between Felix and Ali. Is it genuine or is it also a ruse, concocted to dupe others, and if so, who. Hopefully the contents of Lukas' diary may reveal something which will point towards who it was that murdered him. Another riveting chapter @Laura S. Fox.

“Now, while he’s washing up, I’m going to spread some more Chaga mushroom salve on your skin. It’s full of good healing properties, and I believe you’ll enjoy the scent.” and “Next, I’ll be putting dreamcatcher balm with lavender on your face. The dream catcher is to calm nerves, and lavender is for pain and discomfort, headaches mostly, and I imagine you still have a monster one.” Wow. I neglected to comment above on these natural therapies for Mannly's injuries. I am mightily impressed; treatments made from fungus and plants, no animals harmed in their manufacture or testing, and any left overs returned to the earth without harming it. Even if these treatments are a figment of your imagination @Vcs, they sound as though they are nourishing and healing.

What a delightful way to describe it @Gary L. I have often felt as if I was present unobtrusively observing the interactions between Neil and Alex. Such is the power of the word of Sir Robert. @Robert Hugill Neil has of late often used the word nowt, but I don't recall him using owt before. I cannot recall ever seeing either of these words in printed form before, but they do sound vaguely familiar. I have likely heard them used in some English TV comedies before. They sound like words someone like Jim Trott from The Vicar Of Dibley may have used. Speaking of Neil, I am finding his continuing awkwardness and shyness discussing or initiating sex, and to a lesser extent his dismissal of his obvious artistic talent, rather endearing. I don't believe for one moment he does the latter because he is fishing for compliments, I believe he is genuinely humble. He certainly appears to be enjoying the sex with Alex, and is obviously doing something "right" because Alex keenly returns for more. I hope to see another top 10 placing for this story for the month ending 26/06/26 when I wake tomorrow morning.

So true. LOL. I leave mine upstairs when I am downstairs or downstairs when I am upstairs quite often, and when I return the call later, if the person is a twenty something or younger (or sometimes even older) they are horrified that I have left it out of sight. I also don't share photos of my latest bowel movement or what I ate for dinner on Facebook or Instagram.

"The suit was already laid out. My mom had done that. Navy blue, white shirt, the tie my dad had picked out for me two years ago that I’d worn to every Donnelly & Sons event since. Funerals, viewings, memorial services, the annual dinner with the Ohio Funeral Directors Association. The tie was dark gray with a thin stripe. Conservative. Appropriate. The kind of tie that said “I am taking this seriously” without saying anything else." Owen should have driven himself to the funeral home after his parents left, quickly changing his suit for something with a little more life in it, something Lil Nas X or Billy Porter might wear to the Met Gala. Perhaps a little "disrespectful" for the viewing, but for the Ohio Funeral Directors Association annual dinner? Surely these people don't always cultivate the image they are also dead themselves.

Or better still leave it at home.

A startling revelation, perhaps. Ryder is not the uber-confident, super-cool dude, he initially presented himself as. He too has his insecurities, insecurities which appear to have resulted from prior interactions on dating apps. This will only enhance his appeal to Owen I believe. The leather clad, motor cycle riding, butch construction worker has an Achilles heel.

@TimeTraveller and @NDrewRndll I share your assessment of Margot's behaviour, which essentially amounted to demands, regarding the lavender relationship she and Owen have. You have both expressed this assessment in a far more eloquent and restrained manner than what I could have though. Sorry @weinerdog, @NDrewRndll and @mastershakeme, I take back what I said about Nora. I would like one of the other children to throttle her, perhaps Ellie might become disgusted by her bossiness and unexpectedly slap her face or push her off a swing.

I did not expect humour @Vcs, but that is what we got in this chapter, and in spades. The embarrassment "suffered" by Jake exacerbated by Shirl, Doc's initial reaction to the hullabaloo (what a marvellous word, so descriptive) created by the other cowboys (is that the correct word to use?) when they learned Mannly had an appetite, and Doc's subsequent delight upon learning this. I was not sure what a horse ranch @Vcs was until I just Googled it. I am wondering if this horse ranch has a similar ethos towards horses as it does towards humans i.e. they rescue horses from unsuitable circumstances, rehabilitate them and either sell them to a suitable human companion or retain them for the term of their natural life. If this horse ranch does rescue horses it earns significant "brownie points" from me as I have been involved in the rescue of cats for almost 20 years now and have never found anything more rewarding in life than this.

I am not a country music fan for the most part, apart from Dolly, Emmylou and Linda. Growing up as a teenager in rural coastal Australia in the 1970's/early 1980's I always liked Linda Ronstadt, and was familiar with a couple of Dolly's and Emmylou's pop hits but little else. I "discovered" Emmylou in the late 1990's after she released Wrecking Ball which was my second favourite album of the 1990's, an absolute masterpiece. I then revisited her back catalogue and in doing so came across Trio, which prompted me to start listening to some of Dolly's albums and found I liked them too. Between the three of them I have 55 albums on CD, and some of Linda's and Emmylou's on vinyl too. I also admire Emmylou greatly for her animal rights activism and all three for their support of the LGBTQ community.

I imagine the dulcet tones of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt either singly, or together in any combination, would be very soothing to the troubled mind of Mannly. Shir is an interesting character, the quintessential tough old broad with a heart of gold. I daresay an unhappy or difficult past has brought her to Two Spirits Horse Ranch (I just read the Prologue @Vcs, which I had somehow completely overlooked before reading chapters 1 and 2). Whatever brought her to the ranch, she has been welcomed with open arms, and for good reason to it seems.

A skunk or a skank @drsawzall? I hope she is merely taking advantage of a bad situation @VBlew. Whilst many at Two Spirits Horse Ranch are presumably two-spirit persons, Shayna is two-faced. Hopefully she will be found out sooner or later. Hopefully Little Man has not suffered any brain damage. He does not appear to be in coma, but it is concerning he has still not regained consciousness.