In belated honour of Burn´s Night , plus the fact that we have a Scottish Deputy-Deputy Chair and this week we had a Scottish prospective new member, Nan Holcroft, I searched high and low for an inspiring photo from over the border.

I feel this picture says what the Writers´Group is about. The true spirit of seeking new inspiration, pushing the envelope, as the modern parlance goes and, despite being at times set back on your heels by what you discover, having the courage to go forward, undismayed.

We showed our True Grit on Wednesday when, despite our Guiding Light Nik being brought low by a fiendish bug, our valiant Deputy Leader Rob led the group through the horrors of a HOT PEN.

The word was Chest. After the initial stunned shock when all eyes were focussed for some reason on Glyn, everyone set to work and ten minutes later, the fruits of our labours were revealed.

Lisa, Gerry, Rosemary, Jane, Ann F, Mary M, Mary K, Rita, Alan, Christina and Rob all wrote pieces centering on wooden chests found in attics or cupboards and which contained a variety of interesting things. Gerry´s and Ann F´s were both thought to have intriguing follow-up possibilities.

Pat, Chris, Ann B, Douglas, Glyn, and Heinke all went more physical, with interesting results.

Despite it being a Hot Pen Day, nine people had written pieces to read out. Since there wasn´t time for everyone, Ann F and Gerry are to have first go next week.

Mary wrote a piece called Bosom Friends which was uncannily on target for the Hot Pen word, about her girlish Tackle arriving too late and too little.

Heinke´s Toilet Seekers described a true incident on one of the Monday Walkers´ outings.

Glyn read out part of a screenplay set in a British Legion club with 2 members discussing the proposed closedowns of the military stations at Aldershot and Shrewsbury.

Alan gave us another episode in the life of Spike the dog, where Spike goes through his Rites of Passage with Mabel, a bit of a trollopy bitch renowned for putting it about.

Rita gave us more of her cruise diary, this time from Odessa.

Douglas surprised us all with his description of an attempted robbery at the charity office he was working at, which he managed to foil with a well-aimed kick.

Finally, Rosemary asked for suggestions for a sub-heading to her diary about learning Spanish as an adult, Out of the Learner´s Mouth.

Since it was a cold, windy day, very few customers turned up to the car boot and they were gone by the time our coffee break began so all-in-all, we weren´t disturbed by them.

Thanks to Jane for her generous ( desperate? ) distribution of lemons from her tree.

To the next time!

Chris J