Summerabbacat

Many highlights in this chapter @Topher Lydon, none more so than when Jack "bit down on a bandit's shoulder, shaking him like a terrier with a rat until the man's screams turned to gurgles." Gotta love that "devil horse". Sheriff Grady c u next Tuesday, dead from a rattlesnake bite or perhaps mauled by a bear or a wolf. Whatever the cause of death, let's hope it is long and painful.

Perhaps Kylie can ease the Tension @Paladin. Although @Mark Ponyboy Peters is not a fan, Benevetti and some of his colleagues may be, from a purely aesthetic point of view, even Helby may be.

Corcoran sure is one helluva: Let's just hope he does not get to Annie (Adam's drag name) and cause him any harm.

Rory is remarkably mature and altruistic for a 17 year old boy; it is little wonder he does not get along with his immature selfish father. Rory is everything to Audra and Jock that Lachlan is not. Jason and Gavin are feasting on some of the local "delicacies" whereas Rory and Slav are quite content with their standard "fare". Rory's ride to the Czech Republic and back seemed to please both he and Slav greatly, as did Rory's tutelage of Slav in some words and idiomatic phrases in the sci-fi novel he was reading. This resulted in a declaration of "forever love" from Rory, one which seemed to take Slav by surprise, but with which he was very happy. With the boys away, Irma and Matthew were able to have a romp of their own, unimpeded by parents and propriety. The Hugillverse has expanded to rural France and all, both "cast" and readers alike, seem very happy with this expansion @Robert Hugill.

I am so looking forward to the annihilation of Captain Rourke by the Trio, and I don't mean Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, even though I imagine all three could be fierce if the need arose. Perhaps after Jack is finished with Captain Rourke he could be placed into Dolly's little Rosewood Casket.

The marble fireplaces are certainly very beautiful @Paladin, but I would never use one for burning wood in. I don't like the smell of a wood fire and find it difficult to breathe when I smell the wood smoke. I would worry about my cats too.

"Revenge porn". Love it, especially when it is a non-human animal exacting revenge on "human" scum. Jack 1 Bull 0. I am hoping for a trifecta - Jack 1 Bull 0, Jack 1 Cobb 0, Jack 1 Rourke 0, where 0 = death, at least for the latter two. This story provides lineage for some of the residents of Merrickville. Perhaps Rourke is also a descendant, although not necessarily of a resident of Merrickville. Does he have orange hair by chance?

After two chapters Elias appears to have been blinded by duty and the misconception people in positions of power in public service are idealistic, moral, altruistic and just. I daresay there are many Elias' in the world even today, some of whom I would like to think would be appalled by the behaviour of their "leaders".

I am not religious at all and have little regard for biblical text, but when it comes to cruelty to animals, the biblical adage AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH rocks my world. Once caught, I hope Silas Cobb suffers the same fate as the jackrabbit, but death is very slow to come, and it is hideously painful. And I want Jack to have some fun too; perhaps he can taunt Captain Rourke with a few playful nips, some neighs and a few light kicks, before an all-out trampling him, rearing up and bearing down on him repeatedly. Lorelei, a great name for a madam. I guess because of the name I had an instant image of Marilyn Monroe from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but the description of Lorelei was more Jane Russell than Marilyn Monroe. When the residents abandon Silver City I hope Lorelei goes with them. Terrific chapter @Topher Lydon, apart from the murder of the jackrabbit.

I am not a fan of Western movies at all, apart from Calamity Jane (and I only watched it the first time because it starred the fabulous Doris Day, and I love the songs Secret Love and Black Hills of Dakota which are featured in the film). I have never, as far as I can recall, read a book/story which would be classified as a 'Western' as it is a genre which holds no appeal for me at all. I only started to read this story as @drpaladin indicated it gave some backstory to Granny's Got A Plan, a story which I have just read and enjoyed immensely. I am so glad I asked the question which prompted @drpaladin's response as I would have overlooked the opportunity to read this story. And what a story it is thus far; tremendous. The infusion of Jack with a persona, one which is impatient, haughty and judgmental, is as amusing as it is believable. Horses are often very intelligent creatures, and like many other non-human animals, far smarter than we humans give them credit. His protection of Theo and admonishment of the portly Higgins lech brought to my mind Mr Ed from the TV show. Initially I did not like Elias Sawyer one iota. His sense of superiority and the assumptions he made because of Theo's apparent station in life really rankled. He soon changed his tune though, and I have to respect him for his recognition of Theo's intellect and bravery, and his willingness to acknowledge an attraction between the two. I daresay it is Elias who is in the photograph of Theo found by Jon Harding in the brass-bound travelling chest.

So Martha Harding is Kyle, Lydia and Steve's grandmother, and Eleanor Hickey is Steve and Lydia's great grandmother (many times over), which would explain why she looks like "Lids".

“I’m so bored I can feel my hair growing,” Weston Cunnings announced from the windowsill, where he was attempting to balance a spoon on his nose." and "Martha eyed her aged husband, “Don’t teach them about the seventies… we don’t need them getting ideas about Woodstock and my more liberal moments…” “Woman, you never grew out of your ‘Liberal’ Moments,” Jon shot back. “She still tie dies my undergarments the old witch!” he confided to the kids." These three remarks alone have me enjoying this story already. The rest of the Prologue could have been complete crap (it wasn't), with the deadpan humour of the first remark, and the mention of the 70's AND tie dyed clothing, and I am HOOKED. Am I correct in assuming @Topher Lydon Steve and Lydia are half- or step-siblings?

The acceptance and perpetuation of "the heat" between Theo, his butt-munching guardian and the Cinnamon One, should ensure Theo remains cool, calm and collected, laser-focused on achieving his goals Beyond The Veil. Think of it like keeping the guy happy who has his finger on the nuclear button.

A colourful, witty and rollicking tale about a Katz, Alvin affectionately known as Alley Cat by his late grandmother, having to fulfil certain conditions to inherit the dreaded Doily Dungeon from her. Failure to fulfil these conditions will result in the property being transferred to cats, strays in the care of the local shelter. A quirky cast of human, botanical and inanimate "characters" (Granny's heirloom tomatoes and dreaded decorative items, including a plethora of doilies, possessing "larger than life" personas of their own) seduced this reader, until now a "virgin" to the talents of the author, @Topher Lydon. V-card now taken, more lustful encounters await.

Surrounded by a baker's dozen of purring pussies? Does that sound familiar @chris191070? Heating problem solved @Topher Lydon.

Apart from enjoying the warmth of this story immensely @Topher Lydon, I learned what pleather is and what a K-Car is. I can now say I wear pleather shoes, pleather belts and have a pleather wallet (I have always referred to it as vegan leather). Whilst I recognise pleather is not environmentally sound, in my view it is preferable to killing cows, kangaroos, crocodiles/alligators and any other number of animals, to make leather. I have not bought any products made from it yet, but have seen online many such pleather products made from pineapple skin. I have not driven a car for 41 years and have never owned a car, so had no idea what a K-Car was until I googled it. I initially thought it must have been a specific South Korean car, K-Car like K-Pop. I have seen the odd car here in Sydney, Australia, which would likely be considered a K-Car. Delightful from start to finish @Topher Lydon, with plenty of laughter and plenty of tears; the essence of a terrific story, provoking some kind of reaction from the reader, achieved in abundance.

No, that was Chad Douglas.

And a very welcome late stage introduction @Topher Lydon. I am going to imagine Alvin and Tabby Katz welcomed many more strays into their butter yellow cottage, replete with doilies, spoons, ceramic shepherdesses and two new additions, scratching posts and litter trays.

That explains it then @Paladin. I grew up in a warmer climate and we did not have a fireplace, hence no mantlepiece. In fact, I have only ever lived in one dwelling which had a fireplace, and it was not operational.

Indeed @weinerdog. It would be a perfectly understandable question for a lay person to ask; however, as Benevetti is a police officer it appears to be quite foolish of him to have asked this question, particularly given none of the other officers felt the need to ask this question. Is it possible Benevetti has some connection to Corcoran and/or AC Barrett? It seems unlikely, but only @Mark Ponyboy Peters knows the truth. It certainly appears to be the case @akascrubber, although Casey indicated there was some animosity between Corcoran and AC Barrett. Does Corcoran have some dirt on AC Barrett which he used to leverage Rick's appointment to the team? I still think the connection between AC Barrett and Corcoran is far more than a mutual attraction to young blonde surfy types. This is certainly a feasible explanation @Paladin. Rejection is not taken lightly by some, but it is quite an extreme reaction if this is what prompted Corcoran's murderous rage. I have commented before Corcoran may have been the victim of sexual abuse himself, perhaps at the hands of AC Barrett. I still wonder if this might be the case. The basement has clearly been Corcoran's lair for some time. Rick's concern for Brad and Nick appears to have been well-founded. I hope he contacts them and tells them to stay with their grandmother until Corcoran is caught. Rick needs to place Adam on high alert too, in fact, perhaps Adam's apartment should also be under surveillance. I sense the noose is getting tighter around Corcoran's neck and he will at some stage do something careless. @Mark Ponyboy Peters my massage therapist is in an apartment block next door to the Woolpack Hotel in Chalmers Street. I had an appointment there last Sunday. If Corcoran has not been caught by the 8th of February I will see if I can spot him hanging around. He would not notice me; I am so far removed from a young blonde surfy type. Get Rick to e-mail his photograph and I will see what I can do.

Gotta love those Spice Girls - Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Ginger and Turmeric. And the Spice Girls movie, Spiceworld, hilarious. I have to say I did not much care for Wannabe though. Give me Viva Forever. Like the Sweet Transvestite himself, Alvin shivered with Antici-pation when thinking of the imminent arrival of his Tabby. Thankfully, Tabby is a little closer to home than the planet Transexual in the galaxy of Transylvania. Granny's plan for her Alley Cat and Tabby seems close to fruition. For it is written in the doilies, witnessed by the spoons, worshipped by the ceramic shepherdesses, the mating of an Alley Cat and a Tabby. I don't recall the ceramic shepherdesses ever being popular in Australia. Have you ever seen them @Paladin?

Snow. I have never understood the appeal. Bloody awful stuff. The only good thing I can say about it is that it was the inspiration for Kate Bush's 50 Words For Snow. Merrickville farewelled its wandering gardener like a soldier off to war. The reverence of the occasion seems to have had a calming effect upon Alvin, but for how long remains to be seen.

I am from Sydney, Australia and we have very thin blood. Christmas Day it was only 22°C and even people who don't like the heat were complaining how disappointingly cold it was. I like it when it is 35°C + wth 75% + humidity. Bliss.

Tabby heading south in winter to seek warmer weather is a ruse, a complete fabrication. What no one knows, not even Granny knew, is that he heads north, to the North Pole, to visit his birth parents, Nicholas and Alexandra Claus. His real name is Tortoiseshell Claus, and he was "planted" at birth into his family, just like Damien from The Omen. Rather than having 666 carved into his scalp like Damien did, Tabby has the image of holly, mistletoe and a reindeer tattooed on his scalp. He spends the time prior to Christmas helping his father manufacture toys and his mother bake goods for humans the world over. Once Christmas is over he spends additional time with his birth parents, learning more about plants from his father who has a PhD in botany, and more about food from his mother, the original domestic goddess long before Nigella Lawson claimed the moniker. Then again, perhaps he is telling the truth. I can well understand his wanting to escape a Canadian winter. I shiver and shake when the temperature drops below 25°C (77°F), and I cannot comprehend temperatures of less than 0°C. It appears all is well now in the Doily Dungeon, and that Tabby's imminent departure is not as foreboding as Alvin previously thought.

Alvin may have to console himself with Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington, and just maybe this gem from Donna Summer. Is Tabby being selfish leaving Alvin to cope with the winter blues on his own. The rational part of me says no, the not so rational part says sonofabitch needs a good slapping, maybe a Higgins family member can deliver said slapping.