Colleen McCullough

[Fran]

Thanks, Gannon. At the moment I'm all out of ideas for more Roman centurion adventures. Shame because your alter ego could get up to some crazy stunts, like lava jumping, lion taming, romancing vestal virgins, annoying the Emperor and drinking too much wine. Speaking of liquid over-indulgence, your fantastic new avator looks like a Roman has removed his helmet and is sleeping it off behind a hay stack! Nah, he's probably taking a swim in the river or oiling his muscles for a wrestling match.....phew, it's suddenly hot in here.....whooee.....

I bet he's gone skinny dipping in the Rubicon

[Gannon]

Thanks, Gannon. At the moment I'm all out of ideas for more Roman centurion adventures. Shame because your alter ego could get up to some crazy stunts, like lava jumping, lion taming, romancing vestal virgins, annoying the Emperor and drinking too much wine. Speaking of liquid over-indulgence, your fantastic new avator looks like a Roman has removed his helmet and is sleeping it off behind a hay stack! Nah, he's probably taking a swim in the river or oiling his muscles for a wrestling match.....phew, it's suddenly hot in here.....whooee.....

I bet he's gone skinny dipping in the Rubicon

Oh Fran, that Centurion would be in so much trouble.

[huuan17]

Colleen McCullough is my favorite author. I like her writing

[Maud Fitch]

To Gannon and Colleen, wishing you both a Happy Australia Day!!!!!

[primrose777]

and to you as well Maud I spent mine sitting under a tree by the beach..... and still got sunburnt. Thats my Irish skin for you, the rest of my family take after their Father and tan beautifully.

[Gannon]

Maud, Maud, Maud where are you? Happy Christmas and New Year. Just got the internet back on today, the storms and cyclones took ours out. I really miss you. Hope you can pop in now and then. Hope you are safe, with all the flooding. Come back to us Maud.

-- Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:54 pm --

Maud, Maud, Maud where are you? Happy Christmas and New Year. Just got the internet back on today, the storms and cyclones took ours out. I really miss you. Hope you can pop in now and then. Hope you are safe, with all the flooding. Come back to us Maud.

[Maud Fitch]

Maud, Maud, Maud, Maud where are you? Happy Christmas and New Year. Just got the internet back on today, the storms and cyclones took ours out. I really miss you. Hope you can pop in now and then. Hope you are safe, with all the flooding. Come back to us Maud.

Hullo there, dear Gannon. Belated seasonal best wishes to you, too. Thank you for the enthusiastic greeting! It's good to be back (but for how long?) and I am safe and well. The flood waters raged all around us and we lost a few branches off our old gum tree but fortunately this time we didn't lose essential services and there was no panic buying. Now we have the high humidity to deal with, rather like a sauna. The local Woolworths had a power failure and lost thousands of dollars worth of food stock. Only one refrigerated cabinet was still working yesterday and it was packed with Peters Double Choc Drumsticks at half price. I succumbed; yummy yum.

My reading has plunged down to an all-time low, volume and content. The last book I read had a hero in it called Clay Jannon but I kept calling him Gannon.

Stay safe, my friend.

[Gannon]

Maud, Maud, Maud, Maud where are you? Happy Christmas and New Year. Just got the internet back on today, the storms and cyclones took ours out. I really miss you. Hope you can pop in now and then. Hope you are safe, with all the flooding. Come back to us Maud.

Hullo there, dear Gannon. Belated seasonal best wishes to you, too. Thank you for the enthusiastic greeting! It's good to be back (but for how long?) and I am safe and well. The flood waters raged all around us and we lost a few branches off our old gum tree but fortunately this time we didn't lose essential services and there was no panic buying. Now we have the high humidity to deal with, rather like a sauna. The local Woolworths had a power failure and lost thousands of dollars worth of food stock. Only one refrigerated cabinet was still working yesterday and it was packed with Peters Double Choc Drumsticks at half price. I succumbed; yummy yum.

My reading has plunged down to an all-time low, volume and content. The last book I read had a hero in it called Clay Jannon but I kept calling him Gannon.

Stay safe, my friend.

I really don't like the sound of that, Maud. Fran and I will have to work out some way to keep you here. Maybe we could pool some money together and hire some muscled goons to travel to your house and stand over you and make you post, Hmmmmmm, will talk to Fran and get back to you.

My reading has dropped to an all-time low as well. The last book I read was called "The Bible", it had a hero in it called Lord, but I kept calling him Maud.

You stay safe as well my friend (and post).

[Fran]

@Maud/Gannon
What is going on in the Southern Continent ... no reading being done at all.
Thank God for Primrose - at least she's keeping the flag flying for the intellectual honour of Oz.
Come on guys, get back to the books!

[Gannon]

@Maud/Gannon
What is going on in the Southern Continent ... no reading being done at all.
Thank God for Primrose - at least she's keeping the flag flying for the intellectual honour of Oz.
Come on guys, get back to the books!

Don't worry Fran, I am back reading furiously. I am 3/4 of the way through "Les Miserables" (and loving every page) and also reading Pressfield's "The Afghan Campaign".

[Maud Fitch]

My reading has just taken a detour. On the recommendtion of a friend, I'm currently reading William Boyd's latest novel 'Waiting For Sunrise'. I was surprised to find that he's written quite a few novels which I'd heard of but never picked up, e.g. 'Ordinary Thunderstorms' - about which Stephen King said "Boyd's deft combination of suspense and literature makes it the pick of the litter."

[Gannon]

My reading has just taken a detour. On the recommendtion of a friend, I'm currently reading William Boyd's latest novel 'Waiting For Sunrise'. I was surprised to find that he's written quite a few novels which I'd heard of but never picked up, e.g. 'Ordinary Thunderstorms' - about which Stephen King said "Boyd's deft combination of suspense and literature makes it the pick of the litter."

Howdy Maud. "Waiting for Sunrise" sounds very interesting. Have you read "The Other Child" by Charlotte Link? I found it on the shelves today. I can't remember even buying it. If you have read it, please let me know if you thought it was any good. Also have you read "Les Miserables"? I am slowly getting through it, it really is an amazing book. I can't wait to see the movie.

Have a fantastic weekend, matey (been playing pirates with my nephew).

[Fran]

@Gannon/Maud
So happy you are both back "hitting the books" ... poor Jasper must be wondering what had happened to his dynamic one woman PR machine

Maud .... Ordinary Thunderstorms is a superb read, I think you would also like Any Human Heart (unusual format but a great read IMHO). Can I ask if you've read any of David Grossman? DATo & myself have bit of discussion going on his To The End Of The Land on the Specific Book Forum & I think it might be your kind of book.

Gannon ... I haven't read Les Mis but it's on the everlengthening list. From what I hear, from musical minded friends, the film does not compare with the musical. I have a cd of the musical & I've been playing it in the car for years - amazing the voice I can producte when on my own in the car with the windows tightly closed - I can hold my own with Colm Wilkinson! (Boy would that shock him!)

[Gannon]

@Gannon/Maud
So happy you are both back "hitting the books" ... poor Jasper must be wondering what had happened to his dynamic one woman PR machine

Maud .... Ordinary Thunderstorms is a superb read, I think you would also like Any Human Heart (unusual format but a great read IMHO). Can I ask if you've read any of David Grossman? DATo & myself have bit of discussion going on his To The End Of The Land on the Specific Book Forum & I think it might be your kind of book.

Gannon ... I haven't read Les Mis but it's on the everlengthening list. From what I hear, from musical minded friends, the film does not compare with the musical. I have a cd of the musical & I've been playing it in the car for years - amazing the voice I can producte when on my own in the car with the windows tightly closed - I can hold my own with Colm Wilkinson! (Boy would that shock him!)

Ok, I am adding Ordinary Thunderstorms to my TBR. Fran, you must read "Les Miserables". I have also heard that the musical is much better than the movie. Very different formats, I think if I had to choose I would prefer the musical as well.

[Maud Fitch]

Hang on, I'm frantically writing down "Charlotte Link, David Grossman, Victor Hugo" and trying to get my head around Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean. No, I have not read Les Miserables but I did see a live theatre performance in London years ago - can't recall who the cast members were - and liking the rousing, empassioned scenes even though musicals are low on my list. That appears to be the problem with the new movie, people (critics included) can't seem to get their heads around the singing.

I'm on to "Ordinary Thunderstorms" by William Boyd and it made me think of you, Gannon, with the river peaking on the weekend. Hope the flooding has subsided considerably. I heard that poor Bundaberg (ah, the rum distillery) had the worst floods in its entire history. Still, the sun shines after the storm and today was beautiful, calm and sunny.