Minutes of Meeting at Coral Star Taverna on 21st March 2024.

Venue: Coral Star Restaurant, 10.30 to 12.30

At venue: Rick, Mike, Patti. Irene, John E, and Glen.

On Skype: John G, Bob, Bobby and Jordi, 

Bobby – Wings, chapter 18

Trixie’s owner realises that her husband assisted the cat’s ‘disappearance’, then she spots a newspaper story with pictures about the animals that stowed away on a flight from Glasgow. She sees that one of the animals is Trixie and contacts the editor for more information. He tells her of a sighting in Kent and she makes plans to go and find her…….

 

John G – Magnetic Poles.

Scientist Vicky, who is working on the reversal of poles theory, makes her way back to her parents’ house for Christmas, wondering if it may be the last one.

David, head of the project, is working overnight when he gets a call from Elsa, his teenage daughter, wondering where he is. He tells her to come to his office, where she meets up with Vicky. The glass revolving door jams, with Elsa trapped inside. Why? Vicky comes to the rescue and frees her. Up in the office, he is running over unusual natural events that seem to be occurring all over the world. David sends them both off on a shopping spree, then calls a colleague to come in right away. What is happening?

 

Rick – Stane Street Chapter 9

The journey along Stane Street continues, and we reach Epsom, where a spring line exists where clay and soil meet. Sheep will not touch the water, and on investigation, it contains Epsom salts, which are beneficial to human health. Also, there is a racecourse where horse racing has been run for over two hundred years. There are the remains of Nonsuch Park, a huge mansion gifted to a mistress of the king, who knocked down the mansion and sold off the masonry for building materials to pay off gambling debts.

 

Mike – The Irish Nectar

A true account of Mike’s first business trip to Ireland and a different way of life. He is wined and dined by a flamboyantly gay interior designer and introduced to Guinness, which he still drinks thirty-five years later.

 

Irene – St Patrick.

There are various known facts about Patrick, who was born in Wales and taken to Ireland by raiders. Irish traditions in the U.S. include dyeing the river green in Chicago on St. Patrick's Day. The historical fact is that there were Irish slaves long before the African ones in the southern states. Then her personal Irish experiences of a day trip where, after a long picnic, they almost missed the return ferry. Her long friendship with an Irish girl who visits her in Cyprus now.

 

PattI-Molly Malone

Mary Mallone, 1662–1699 A fishmonger’s daughter sold cockles and mussels from a wheelbarrow in Grafton Street, Dublin. She died quite young from a fever. The words of the song tell the story. Patti relives the tale as the ghost of Molly Malone coming back to present day Dublin.

 

John E – The Incident

A true account of what happened to John when an exercise with the Royal Marines on the Isle of Skye went wrong and the vehicle he was driving overturned. He is doused in petrol and on fire. He dives into a river to put out the flames. A helicopter lifts him to the ship, and from there he is transported to Fort William. He is put on morphine to ease the pain before being transported by train to Plymouth via Glasgow. There then follows a nine month course of plastic surgery and skin grafts until rehabilitation back to active duty. The whole time is interspersed with parties with the nurses and his mates. A very punchy and direct story.

 

Glen – The Goody Bag

A veteran serviceman, Jack, recalls his life since 2003, when, as a tank driver in Iraq, they hit a land mine and were airlifted to Dubai for treatment for their injuries. He discovers a room full of gifts sent from the UK for injured servicemen—goodybags! On his return to the UK, he is discharged with a small pension. He drifts into a drink-fueled existence and ends up living on the streets. Charity workers bring them food and clothing—goody bags again!

 

Both of these stories were very moving about personal traumas and how they are dealt with. Very good.

 

Jordi – Blurb for his book.

Jordi put his blurb up for discussion. Bob offered to go over it with him and give advice.

 

Bob – Megan Crane A.I. image.

Bob is investigating what A.I. imagery can come up with from his descriptions of his characters in his books. Megan Crane was the first, more next week.

 

Next week’s theme: Back in the day, What was it really like?