Summerabbacat

I had wondered if it might be Zack too @Ivor Slipper and @Mark Ponyboy Peters but concluded, after much pondering, the timeline was wrong.

Love those Pointer girls @weinerdog.

Gorgeous @Ticklishboy30. Zelda sometimes did this to me if I did not get up at a reasonable hour to deliver her breakfast.

You have probably been there more often than me even though I lived on the coast. Is it the Newell Highway than comes down from Armidale through Walcha out onto the Pacific Highway via Wauchope?

I don't remember Fantasy Glades, where was that at? I vaguely remember Timbertown, was that at Wauchope?

I like this song by DSB @dboggs9700 but I chose the video for the gown more than anything else. It would make a fabulous gown for a drag queen. Perhaps Trinity and the girls could do a show at The Big Banana @Mark Ponyboy Peters; the gown the perfect colour for such a venue.

You have spoilt us with these 'slice of paradise' stories @Mark Ponyboy Peters. As you know, I grew up not far from where these stories are set and have never had any real desire to return, other than the occasional visit, in the last 42 years. There are times though when reading these stories I feel a little nostalgic for my home town and the far simpler life I led back in the 1970's to early 1980's, without the responsibilities of adulthood.

It is "kinder" than fag hag as it does not have any negative connotations as to the appearance of said fag hag.

I had a good old chuckle at the reaction of poor Jasper @Mark Ponyboy Peters. I have to wonder if he is Pippa's boyfriend or if he is a gay classmate whom she has decided to take under her wing, educate and introduce to Patrick, Kevin, Jack, Kieran and Charlie at least. Is Pippa a fruit fly in training?

Long admired by older gay men and drag queens alike for her powerful voice, fabulous gowns and dramatic flair, a connoisseur of camp. Often lip synched by drag queens in years gone by, I can imagine Trinity and her girls may have included this more recent offering of hers from 2007 when she was 70 years of age and still magnifique.

My speculation in the previous chapter that Patrick may move back to Macquarie Harbour and complete the baker's dozen of gay men is on the cards. Jack appears to have been accepted into Kevin's family, with the comments made by his mother very affirming, but it was the comment made by Kevin's father Leo, which brought me completely undone. "Trish stood up immediately and pulled Kevin into a tight hug, then surprised Jack by hugging him too. ‘You boys were holding hands out there,’ she said, eyes shining. ‘I’m so proud of you both. So proud.’ Leo stood more slowly. He shook Jack’s hand firmly, holding it a moment longer than necessary. ‘We’ll have a proper yarn sometime, son,’ he said, his voice gruff but not unkind. ‘When things aren’t quite so crazy." More than anything this chapter was a celebration of family. The family of six gay couples who will shortly be joined by the doyenne of drag, Trinity de la Creme, who will no doubt share her wisdom with the younger men; and Kevin's immediate family who welcomed Jack into its fold. In honour of this chapter's "message" @Mark Ponyboy Peters, a disco classic, performed by a family of sisters. A monstrous hit with titanic lead vocals by young Kathy Sledge who was only 19/20 at the time. No expense spared for the video and unfortunately the song has been severely edited and the sound quality is mediocre at best. A masterpiece from the pen of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. I daresay this song may have even featured in the show as it is anthemic.

The penultimate chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters, and I wept from go to whoa. I hate to think what I will be like when you post the final chapter. I am going to allow the chapter to settle in my psyche before I write any chapter relevant comments. In short, it was a joyous chapter, so the bucket of tears were happy tears.

Or from the great man:

Benny and Dick were more like Frankie Howerd and Are You Being Served I think, lots of sexual double entendre and pure smut if I remember correctly. LOL. Of course, Benny, also had his #1 smash hit single in 1971/72 with Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West).

He was on the ABC on a Saturday night if I remember correctly. I liked him too as he used to criticise religion mercilessly, which my father did not like, plus he drank on TV, which my father also did not like. My grandparents liked him and my grandmother also liked the Val Doonican Show too, so we always got to see both at their home in Macksville. We watched quite a bit on the ABC as we only had the ABC and one commercial channel which was based in Tamworth I think. I suspect we had the same TV channels as you. Countdown was my favourite and I liked Bellbird too.

I quite liked this song, much more so than Down Under by Men At Work. It was the biggest selling single of the year in 1983, bigger than Flashdance (What A Feeling) (#2), Gloria (#3), Billie Jean (#4) and the hideous Every Breath You Take (#10).

I don't think any of them could platypus.

How much can a koala bear?

A light-hearted tale centred on Gran (Alice) and her grandson's foster son, Caleb, whom she also affectionately refers to as her grandson. Gran books a cruise to Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, aboard the Oceanic Princess and Caleb accompanies her. Along the way we meet some interesting characters, the three Z's, Shaz, Raz and Maz, bogan cougars on the hunt for some male flesh; the Barracudas, a gay water polo team, who befriend Caleb; Rodney and his granddaughter Olivia, the former who takes a shine to Gran; and the unsavoury Kevin, who takes a shine to Caleb. There is action aplenty, particularly involving Caleb. The action continues when they return home, the closing chapter, a dinner party at the home of Craig and Justin, Caleb's foster dads, the former who is Gran's grandson. A dinner invitation is extended to Daniel and his wife, Rani, who once again does not "disappoint" with her nasty, bitchy comments. The fireworks are ignited because Rani has never met anyone like Gran before, and Gran does not mince words.

A weekend of sun, seafood, sightseeing and sex, of the Clinton/Lewinsky variety. The departure was sweet sorrow, but I am certain Martin and Nathan will reconnect again soon. Until then, they can "console" themselves with The Three Degrees and some hands-on home "therapy".

The playful and humorous banter between Alex and Neil continues to grow. Neil is still a little hesitant at times, testing the waters with questions like the one in this chapter. "Oh Neil, polish my wood baby". "Oh Alex, sing a song of semen, I's gonna spray those tonsils". A natural progression, with no pressure or unrealistic expectations. What a delight it is to witness the growth in the relationship between Alex and Neil @Robert Hugill.

The fake wisdom tree is like a religious zealot, a spitfire full of bluff and bluster. It appears Vince may have managed to curtail it, but unfortunately the entire Black Forest is on the march like an army of religious zealots, hellbent on enforcing their ways/beliefs as the only ones which are "true". It is possible Jack's taunting of the fake wisdom tree and his exposure of its lies, may have been enough to convince young Theodore to tell his father the truth about his theft of the flint for the Embercasting. If this be so, it is likely the future will be altered such that Theodore's pack will not perish in its entirety. A whirlwind chapter @Laura S. Fox. I had an image of the evil trees of the Black Forest resembling whirling dervishes, chanting mad Mansonite nonsense like Tex Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, Susan Atkins and Leslie Van Houten.

It appears to me they are well and truly rooted @drpaladin, but never fear Jack will prevail, whether by design or luck remains to be seen.

"Gran these are our friends, Daniel, our travel adviser and his wife Rani” Did Daniel actually marry Rani or are they just domestic partners @Wombat Bill? Her put downs of Daniel in this chapter, which only she seemed to find amusing, rang true. I remember well she behaved like this towards him in the past, so I am surprised he would have been desperate/stupid enough to have actually married her. Gran's admonishments of Rani were delivered with class and wit, neither of which Rani possesses in any capacity. She may have a pretty exterior, but her interior is ugly and toxic. Her dismissal of Rajani's journey does not augur well for Rajani; I very much doubt she can count on any support from any of her biological family. Rani is a product of her upbringing, but she has been afforded a great deal more freedom by her parents than what Rajani has been afforded. Hopefully Daniel will divorce Rani and send her back to her parents in Harris Park, and they will marry her off into a more "acceptable" situation to them. This will not sit well with Rani, but I say "suck it up sister".

I read this chapter last night about the same time as you @dboggs9700 i.e. about 13 hours ago. I thought it felt like the end of the story and now note it has been 'Completed'. Although I am somewhat disappointed there was no confrontation with Sam by his mother, James and Evan, like @Davide, I think his having vanished into thin air is a realistic scenario. I can hope he encounters the three cars as "speculated" by @Lee Wilson, but I suspect a more realistic death is one by drug overdose. Prior to his death it would not surprise if he has hooked up with a single woman of means or a wealthy widow and conned her into supporting him with a sob story of how his family abandoned him. A story well told @ChromedOutCortex.