I opened the door to find.... the cat was away.

In the case of the Writers´Circle, our particular cat, Nik Morton, is away for two weeks doing what comes to us all sooner or later - entertaining visitors.

So, Rob once more glided (relatively) seamlessly into the role of Chairman. He does a pretty good job and keeps Nik´s mice under reasonable control. We do play a bit though but he keeps order through a judicious balance of coaxing with cheese and threatening occasionally with the mouse trap.
On the whole everyone kept to the point (ish) and another good meeting was under way.

Maureen opened with some info.
She reminded us that the Lions Club is holding a Race Night in Quesada next Wednesday.
There was also a general invitation to a party at her place on July 31. As I won´t be in Spain then, my concentration wandered a bit so if you are interested, contact Maureen for the details.

A new member, Gerry, turned up. Ex-teacher, permanent resident, very keen to pick up tips and get down to some writing.

Today´s subject was: I opened the door to find....

Quite a few members were inspired by this.

Mary S described her first day as a special needs teacher in a prison.
Aided by a Fletcher-from- Porridge clone, she survived the experience and went on to enjoy the teaching there. Well-written and very interesting! More please!

Mary K also described a first day at a new job when a woman goes to the right floor but the wrong block and walks in on a scene of heaving breasts and a bare bottom. Quickly retreating and eventually finding the right place she discovers to her horror that her new boss, who arrives late and rather dishevelled, is the bare bottom encountered earlier. Very amusing!
Lisa suggested that it could be scripted and sent to Channel 4 for the series "3-minute Wonders".

Jenny continued the theme with a short poem beginning "I opened the door to find a man with a bare behind" and followed it up with one of her limericks which ended with the words"What a bummer!"

Chris wrote a short poem called "Dumped" about a woman left at the altar and her subsequent revenge.

Brian´s story was a sequel to the Walter de la Mare poem"The Listeners". It was interesting but he assured us that reading the poem first would make his piece clearer.

Joy doesn´t often read stuff to us as she is a bit nervous of doing so. (It´s the Olympia Bar, Joy NOT the Coliseum!!) She is a harsh critic of her own work and doesn´t do herself justice!
Come on Joy!!You write very well indeed and we want to hear more from you!!
This poem, called"Falling Apart", was hilarious and listed all the things that start going wrong at a certain age - pert bits taking a dive, firm bits going floppy, noisy, clicking knees, gout.......
Lots of places were suggested as possible sites for publication.

The remaining members wrote a variety of things.

Maureen continued her novel about a mother travelling with two children. Quite a lot of discussion took place as to whether or not her device of using a diary to bring in the daughter left at home actually worked very well. She agreed to go off and have a think about it.

Norma read another of her Spanish experience pieces. It touched a chord with everyone who has tried to get a workman to arive on time/at all and do the job properly. Very well observed and written.

Our new member, Gerry, read a poem about a school trip to Holland which he thought was wonderful in almost every way but "The only crap thing was the 41 kids". Hmm. I think he´s quite glad he´s retired from teaching.

Our valiant Deputy Chairman, Rob, had fished up a poem he wrote a while back about the Writers´ trip to Benidorm, which ended in "The cabaret from Hell".
Wish I´d been there. Or do I?

Ian´s poem, "The Conman" was about someone who falls for the hard sell and buys a "a flat that may never be built". A shiver went around the group. There but for the grace of........

Brenda had said that she´d wait till the end to read hers but when the end came, it was the end! So she has to start next week.

And that is the end!

Chris J