Summerabbacat

Me too, although I am not a big fan of carrots, unless they are raw, baked or in a juice. Boiled, yuk.

It sounds as if Carl did not like anyone in his family, except perhaps for Steve. I wonder what prompted such animosity towards them, especially towards Aaron who was but a child. If I also remember correctly he now runs the family farm. Seemingly his animosity was not sufficient to reject inheriting the family farm. I believe Carl is a prick, a good for nothing arsehole (except for breeding because he has children if I remember correctly).

I was a full on disco dolly then (only 26 at the time). It was only later I started to appreciate easy listening (Shirley Bassey, Julie London, Peggy Lee, Doris Day, Perry Como and Dean Martin), country (Emmylou, Dolly and Linda's country stuff) and jazz (Ella, Sarah Vaughan, Dee Dee Bridgewater and the fabulous Cassandra Wilson). Disco and ABBA will always remain my favourites though.

You must surely remember Black Box. They had top 10 hits with Ride On Time #2 in 1989 (Loleatta Holloway's vocals "sampled'), I Don't Know Anybody Else #4 in 1990 (Martha Wash's vocals), Everybody, Everybody #29 in 1990 (Martha Wash's vocals), Fantasy (Earth, Wind & Fire cover) #2 in 1990 (Martha Wash's vocals) and Strike It Up #10 in 1991 (Martha Wash's vocals). You will recognise Ride On Time, which I first heard at the Sleaze Ball in October 1989 and loved it immediately. Loleatta's vocals were titanic.

I knew I liked Helen. Is Taita is a calico tortoiseshell like my Zelda (my profile picture)? Did you know that only 1 in approximately 1,000,000 tortoiseshell cats are male?

Just for you @weinerdog, model Karine Quinol doing rather a good job lip synching Martha Wash's vocals on Black Box's Strike It Up. They were huge in Australia in 1989-1991. I of course loved them, Italo Disco at its finest.

A riveting story from go to whoa from the pen of our Aussie “stallion” @Mark Ponyboy Peters. A story set against the backdrop of the impending annual Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (its formal title). Thrust into the limelight, Rick Cooper, a new recruit in the “gayest police precinct” in NSW (and likely all of Australia), arrives with an emotional wound which has never healed, the murder of his teenage boyfriend some five years prior as they finished high school. What occurs thereafter as his boyfriend’s murderer appears to have resurfaced, leaves the reader speculating and wanting more as the tension rises. Friends from Rick's past and newly made friends, including a new boyfriend, rally around Rick as he relentlessly pursues his boyfriend’s murderer, and coincidentally (perhaps) those involved in a child prostitution ring who have used, and in several cases murdered, young teen boys whose lives have been devastated. A brilliantly written story, which leaves one speculating to the very end, in fact, the Epilogue even has a reveal which surprised me no end, you could have knocked me over with a feather.

I'm hoping for a story centred around the aging disco diva, LOL. I would like to know more of Helen's history as I sensed for quite some time she has experienced a devastating tragedy, one which has "hardened" her exterior, but left her profoundly protective of others she cares about as we saw with Jimmy and Shane in particular, and just quietly with Rick too.

🤮🤮🤮🤮

Just the one @drsawzall? The other three were only genuine to varying degrees. Stephen”s confidence has grown exponentially. He no longer cowers to the bullies. I love his fuck you attitude.

A very difficult story to read more often than not. Devastatingly sad, profoundly moving, puzzling, challenging, unsettling, captivating and all encompassing, so much so I had to stop reading on a number of occasions as it was so emotionally draining. Above all else though, it is a wholly believable, very well written story, one which I had to finish reading even though I knew I was going to hate the inevitable ending. I kept hoping it was all a dream sequence, all the time knowing it was not. I felt like the protagonist Adam at times, having difficulty separating reality from illusion. A superb work @ChromedOutCortex. A harrowing examination of a love never fully realised in reality, but profound in the deluded mind of the protagonist.

A very satisfying conclusion @Mark Ponyboy Peters, with Jarvis being sent to life imprisonment with no chance of parole. Justice prevailed. If he is placed in the general prison population, it is unlikely he will serve very long before he finds himself in the same position as Greg Walls and Peter O'Dea. His mother felt grief for the boys whose lives he had ended or damaged, his wife perhaps felt sorry only for herself. She will no doubt be shunned by all her "society friends" now, and will be unwelcome in Rose Bay. She may find she has to move. Oh well shit happens, bitch. The big surprise was the Inspector's revelation of the nature of his relationship with a young Colin Barrett when they were studying at the Police Academy together. I did not see that one coming at all. Seemingly, AC Barrett has always fancied younger men and believed he could get away with intimidatory behaviour because of who he is. And what was Helen's big reveal? Something tragic I think, something which happened to her as a younger woman, perhaps a child she gave birth to. Is this something which is likely to be revealed in further stories featuring Rick Cooper @Mark Ponyboy Peters? And, I was pleasantly surprised, I really only needed the tissues (which I do not use) when Greg's father enveloped Jimmy in a hug and thanked the boys for helping put Jarvis in prison.

I suspected Carl was an arsehole. I wonder if his motivation was homophobia or jealousy or a combination of both. Aaron's prior portrait of Carl painted a picture of someone who is closed minded and not too bright if I remember correctly. Perhaps he is jealous of Aaron's obvious intellect, but I am almost certain there would have been an element of homophobia too.

I am in agreement with you @chris191070; Liam and Adrian have a deepening friendship at this stage, nothing more nothing less. To satisfy those who want romance, I am prepared to concede this friendship may be a rising romance, one which @pvtguy has remarked will have a basis of friendship at its core. Splendid writing @ChromedOutCortex. Although Kevin's death has left an indelible mark on Liam's life, as it should, there appears to be a "spring thaw" at least being contemplated. Dare I say this is one of your "happiest" stories I have read to date.

Yes it is the real LRB. The real LRB took legal action in US courts against the pretenders but because they had not trademarked the name in the US their suit was thrown out and the pretenders can tour and perform all they like using the name. Howzat for a giant con, shades of Milli Vanilli.

Dolly, Linda and Emmylou got criticised in some quarters for changing one line of lyrics from "And I felt like getting high" to "And I felt like I could cry" which I thought was rather petty, the criticism that is not the lyric change. Amii was, and still is, very beautiful, although it appears she may now be bald, ala Dee Dee Bridgewater. She has lived in your neck of the woods, not far away in Italy since the mid 1980's.

From one bully to another, Thomas Englert aka Franck de Leuw to Aunt Daphne. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Louis is obviously far keener on Charlie than I realised if he is prepared to pay another visit to that odious woman, and eat whatever she puts in front of him. I hope if it is something which does not agree with Louis' stomach, it makes its presence known before they leave Aunt Daphne's home, vociferously, even if it does embarrass poor Louis at the time. An amusing chapter to begin with; Charlie and Louis' discussion on what makes an ideal relationship very funny. Both seem to have very real expectations, which for the most part accord too. Excellent chapter @Robert Hugill. I had a very amusing image in my head of Thomas Englert and Aunt Daphne facing off in a room together. He ran away with his tail between his legs whilst she licked her lips like the cat who swallowed the canary.

And you probably thought I was just a disco dolly @Mark Ponyboy Peters, LOL. There is more to @Summerabbacat than meets the eye, or should it be the ear in these circumstances?

Me too, absolutely beautiful, like their rendition of Mister Sandman from 1980 and Neil Young's After The Goldrush from Trio Two:

She did Gilbert & Sullivan opera(s). She also recorded a jazz album, one of only three studio albums of her's I do not have on CD and/or vinyl. Her repertoire was extraordinary, and now she cannot sing at all because of her progressive supranuclear palsy. She was/is quite politically motivated too, much like Emmylou (who is also an ardent animal rights supporter). Alice Cooper reportedly hates Linda because she is a real leftie and he is not. She is of Mexican descent too, which would certainly not fit well with the current regime, whom she despises.

Trio is wonderful isn't it? Not one dud track. Their rendition of To Know Him Is To Love Him with Emmylou singing lead vocal is gorgeous. I was only playing it a few days ago. I also have Trio II which is not as good, a bit patchy, but I still like it. I also have Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions by Linda and Emmylou, released the same year as Trio II and it is fantastic. It includes a song written by Bruce Springsteen and he performs guest backing vocals and it is stunning. I have heaps of Emmylou's and Linda's solo albums on CD and some on vinyl too. I also have the album Emmylou recorded with Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits (whom I dislike intensely, the band not Mark himself) entitled All The Roadrunning and it is wonderful. His voice is really well suited to that country/roots/Americana music sound. I also have an album Linda recorded with Anne Savoy as the Zozo Sisters entitled Adieu False Heart, which is essentially all cajun music. Very interesting and enjoyable. And Linda's two albums of Mexican mariachi music and her three albums of standards with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, sumptuous delights.

Perhaps a little Diamantina Cocktail might help ease the pain @Mark Ponyboy Peters, and a little Witchery couldn't hurt to ensure he gets Home On A Monday, but definitely not to Raelene Raelene. I did not like them at all as a teenager, apart from the song Emma, but have grown to appreciate their musicianship and harmonies. The first album with Curiosity Killed The Cat, It's A Long Way There and the aforesaid Emma is really rather good.

We know how much you love your country music @Mark Ponyboy Peters, but this better not be Rick's fate: 'Cos if it is, @centexhairysub's warning "Okay, first of all, if Rick dies; you better go into protective custody" may bear thinking about, so much so that perhaps you should follow more words of wisdom from Dolly Rebecca, LOL: This is one of the first album's by Dolly I bought and it is a gem. Not a disco song in sight, but I still love it.

"Everything seemed to be spinning around, and the pain in my guts was unbearable . . . as if a red-hot poker had been shoved right through me and out the other side. With some difficulty I managed to look down at my stomach, where I soon found the cause of my problem . . . the wooden handle of a knife was sticking out of me." I assume the knife still being embedded in Rick's gut has saved his life. Thankfully Joe was at the scene and would have had the presence of mind not to pull the wooden-handled knife out or touch it in any way, or allow anyone else to do so. Both Rick and Joe should receive medals, the former for bravery (at least) and the latter for quick thinking and decisive action. Adam and Nick should receive a tongue lashing from Helen, but I imagine their current state of mind is torturing them enough, and frankly they deserve it. Both so incredibly fucking stupid. Riveting stuff @Mark Ponyboy Peters, the cliff hanger worthy of a "Who Shot JR?" award. Luckily it is the long weekend and I don't have to wait until Monday evening to read of Rick's fate. Luckily for Rick no one followed Amii's request. Love this song and Amii was scorching hot.

What fucking part of stay together, do not get separated, did Adam and Nick not understand. If Rick dies, which I think is very unlikely, Adam and Nick should feel very, very, very, very fucking guilty.