Below Jilly’s Friday Haiku
arched stone, centuries old
gateway to the time before
cascading beauty
🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁
And here is mine.
cascading
water drip by drip
wears out stone
J-Dub Friday Haiku #21.
Song Lyric Sunday : Say Goodnight and Go.
This week our host for Song Lyric Sunday is the host with the most, Jim Adams. Jim has set us another interesting post. This week Jim asks us to “Find a song that mentions abandoning, departing, deserting, exiting, leaving, resigning, or retiring! Jim as always give a top notch briefing on the Rules and the Prompt. You can read all about it here!
In 1986 I had all three boys and was busy as could be… having Hubby working abroad a lot ..the boys were, the eldest ten, the middle one eight and a new born…. it was hard and lonely. I was doing okay then one day after getting the boys to school, ( having , fed, bathed and dressed baby, put him in the pram and walked the boys to school)…. I was back home and was putting nappies away …it hit me after ten years I was back to the baby days! I cried for two hours…. then I fed the baby, prepared food, did the housework… walked back to get the boys from school and just got on with life. So this version, of No More I love Yous, the original, always reminds me of that day!
“No More ‘I Love You’s’” is a song written by British musicians David Freeman and Joseph Hughes and recorded by them as the Lover Speaks. It was released in June 1986 as the lead single from their self-titled debut album.
The song was covered by the Scottish singer Annie Lennox and became a commercial success for her in 1995, reaching number two on the UK Singles Chart. Lyrics in the video.
So nine years later when the older two were older late teens and the babe was nine this version came out! …Well I had survived full circle! …No nappies. no crying babies..it was goodbye to baby days I had survived!
No More ‘I Love You’s was the first song which David Freeman and Joseph Hughes wrote together as the Lover Speaks in 1985. The song originated with Freeman, who came up with the chorus and the bassline, and Hughes then had the idea for the “do-be-do-be-do-do-do” hook. Freeman had the lyrics for the chorus completed at an early stage and wrote those for the verses later on.
As with each track on The Lover Speaks album, “No More ‘I Love You’s'” is based on a concept in Roland Barthes‘ book A Lover’s Discourse: Fragments (Fragments d’un discours amoureux). In 2015, Freeman recalled of the lyrics, “When you say to someone ‘I love you’, it could be to your kids, your lover, your parents, usually, you hear, ‘I love you, too’. And then one day you say, ‘I love you’, and there’s silence because that person has reached the ‘no more ‘I love you’s’ stage’. They cannot say ‘I love you, too’. It’s as simple as that. All I did lyrically, I think, was put it in Gothic terms.”
The song was first demoed on a portastudio during a rehearsal studio session, with Robert Farrell on guitar, Barry Gilbert on keyboards and Pete King on drums. It was then demoed again at Pathway Studios in August 1985, with Farrell on guitar, Ian Thomas on drums and Hughes’ ex-girlfriend, singer June Miles-Kingston, on backing vocals. The Lover Speaks signed to A&M Records in early 1986 and began recording their debut album with Jimmy Iovine as co-producer. The Pathway Studios demo was used as a guide for the studio version of “No More ‘I Love You’s'”. Freeman later released the Pathway demo, with additional recording in 1992 and 1996, on his fifth solo studio album, Apart & Together (1996).. You can read more here.
Happy Sunday everyone and as always thank you Jim for the great prompt. 💜💜💜
The Friday Prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Typo.
Ping went my phone … Yes it was LindaGHill with this week’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Here is what she had to say . “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “typo.” Use it any wya way you’d like. Have fun!“
Typo
Fingers too fast
Can make mistakes that last.
A rushed message can cause offence
Leaving you embarrassed without defence.
I meant to say you’re but your appeared
And there are plenty more I fear!
I could go on all day
But life will get in whey!
“Typo” by Discrete & Sistek (featuring Tudor & Voss)
This is part of LindaGHill’s Stream Of Consciousness Saturday.
Book Review : The Museum Murders. By Dan Antion.
I was delighted when a copy of the new Dan Antion Masterpiece,”The Museum Murders” arrived at my house via Amazon! Yes I was lucky to receive an early copy to review! I was not disappointed. So here is my unbiased review.
First up let’s hear what Dan has to say about his main protagonist Rachael Todd.
For those who don’t know who Rascal Todd is, this is what Dan says about her in the series blurb:
We met Rachael (Rascal)Todd — plucky reporter at The Courier-Reformer — in the final book of The Dreamer’s Alliance series when she sought to unravel the unsolved murder of a corrupt FBI agent but ended up becoming a target. She has been solving mysteries ever since — cases that the police and others have given up on or not considered crimes. She is aided and supported by friends and family, including her boss, Bernie, her parents, her boyfriend Terry, and a curiously perceptive tuxedo cat, Bonkers.
Dan also goes on to say. “If anyone wonders why I chose to spell Rachael this way as opposed to the way(s) more acceptable (to Word and other spell-checkers), it was my maternal grandmother’s name.”
For those who are familiar with Rascal Todd but remain curious about this book, here’s what it says on the back cover of the paperback. Actually, there’s a little bit more here because space wasn’t an issue:
The blurb
This time, Rascal has been given an assignment in the Arts & Entertainment section of the paper. She attends a public meeting at a niche museum where she overhears a heated discussion that piques her investigative instincts.
The Skylark Museum is housed in a mansion that once served as a stop on the Underground Railroad, near the entrance to a tunnel that was part of the Pennsylvania canal. The trustees argue over the value of the connection to slavery and the canal, the necessity to retain the building, the long-rumored Skylark fortune, and the untimely deaths of several members of the board. Some people consider those deaths to have been murders. The police either don’t agree or don’t have enough evidence to act. Rascal can’t shake the idea, and she can’t ignore several encounters with a man she considers to be the prime suspect. In addition to the activity at the museum, her boyfriend volunteers her to help Hildegarde Barsan, a woman whose sister has gone missing and is presumed dead.
Is Henrieta Barsan dead? Did Walter Phineas Skylark pass down a fortune? Did Theodore Skylark keep the fortune hidden in the Skylark Museum? How many trustees have been murdered? Who’s next?
The Museum Murders is a mix of historical fiction, suspense, and mystery. It’s a character-driven story with rich and often humorous dialog. There’s also some troubling emotions on display in reaction to a complex series of clues, all pointing to murder.
For those who have followed Rachael and her friends since we met them in Secrets Held Against Evil, rest assured the bulk of the Pittsburgh and Chicago based characters are all represented. There’s even a cameo appearance by a well-known, albeit fictional author in Rochester, NY. If that scares first time readers, don’t worry, there’s enough explanation to bring you up to speed, and you don’t have to read these books a specific order. However, don’t blame me if you find yourself wanting to know more about these people.
Here is my review
Well this book certainly does not disappoint. It is peopled with characters who if you have read the previous books you will know and love. I can also assure you that if you are a first time reader you will soon get to know and love these people. They are the main stay of the story and of the stories before this one. Consistency is the key to Dan’s writing and these people are lovable and real and having read all Dan’s books, and even having contributed to one, I can say he has a real talent for people.
The story is fast moving with many a twist and tern and a few cleverly strewn red herrings! It certainly keeps you interested and at times scratching your head. There is so much going on, missing persons, murder, subterfuse, history and legends, slave escape trails and even buried treasure! But no pirates unless I missed them in the melee.
I enjoy this fast moving book and read it in three sittings . I was satisfied with the ending though I could happily read more. I guess I will have to wait patiently for the next Rascal Todd Mystery.
Where to buy The Museum Murders
Kindle US link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HJQXLT5Y/
Kindle Universal link: relinks.me/B0HJQXLT5Y
US Paperback link: https://www.amazon.com/Museum-Murders-Rascal-Todd-Mystery/dp/B0HJRQ2RG9/
Paperback Universal link: relinks.me/B0HJRQ2RG9
The Museum Murders, as well as the six previous books, are enrolled in KDP Unlimited. Audiobook format — yes, yes, created with Amazon’s virtual voice since I can’t afford a voice actor, don’t hate me — will be available soon.
About The Author .
Dan Antion was born outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up and attended college in the area around western Pennsylvania. Dan has written and published the popular No Facilities blog since 2011. A lifelong interest in writing became a reality after he retired from a successful 42-year-long career in information management. His first book Knuckleheads was published in June 2022 the rest is history.
Dan lives in Connecticut with his wife, a few pets and all the wildlife they can feed.
One -Liner Wednesday: We’ll Take That.
Last week whilst out walking in town with my friend we jumped out of our skins as we passed a car playing very loud music, it was stationary in traffic.We both looked at each other, then we were going to tell the driver off but when we looked at him he disarmingly smiled and waved and shouted… “Hello 👋 Pretty Ladies” Well what could we do …we smiled and waved back… Totally disarmed! I said to my friend… “Well we’re in our 70’s let’s take that that at face value” She laughed and said “yes let’s take that”
#TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge No. 82, Celebrating Heritage! – 9/15/26
Today for Tanka Tuesday our host is Yvette ! She tells us that today marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States. This year’s theme is “Unidos Somos Mas: Together, We are More.” The purpose of this celebration is to honor the history, culture, and contributions of American citizens with ancestors from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Today is also the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Yevette thought we could focus our poems on the theme, Celebrating Heritage. Since our poets come from all over the world, she wanted to expand the theme to include any heritage we want to celebrate, though virtual bonus points will be given to anyone who includes Hispanic heritage. 😉
Our prompt this week is :
For this week, write a poem about celebrating one’s heritage. You could focus on Hispanic heritage since we are beginning National Hispanic Heritage Month in the USA, or you can write about your own heritage. Use a syllabic poetry form that works for you, and let your inspiration flow. Need help finding a form? Click here.
I am of mixed heritage , Celtic on my father’s side and Saxon on my mother’s side. They were not only from two different countries but worse still from two different religions and classes. My Mum from a middle class Protestant English family,my Dad an Irish immigrant from a poor Catholic family. ..This was back in the days when these things were insurmountable barriers. My Dad was low on the lists…signs in windows would read… No blacks, no travellers, no dogs, no Irish. My Mum lived in a nice house and owned her own hairdressing salon. When she married my Dad her family disowned her for years. … So my mixed heritage is of two nationalities and two religions and two classes. I have written a rensaku about this. A rensaku is more than one Tanka on the same subject.
MIXED BLOOD
Two bloods flow through me
The Irish Celt wild and free
Mixed with old England
A mixed breed often at odds
Like sun and moon opposites
Red hair and blue eyes
Proud of who I am, dual.
My parents love, conquered all
Why can’t the whole world unite.
We are all one race
Be proud of your heritage
Be kind show some grace.
Remembered we’re human
All children of the planet
Orange and Gold.
Terri Webster Schrandt over at Sunday Monthly Colour Stills has asked for photos from our Library of Orange 🧡🍊 and Apricot! Here is a mixed from me … the photos of the grands are very old ones but I love them. to… they are very grown up now!
© willowdot21
All that talk of glorious Gold and Apricot put me in mind of Halloween… here is a throwback story about Merlin and Morgana..from the days of K.L.Caley’s writephoto.
For visually challenged writers, the image shows an orange pumpkin in its patch.
The pair landed back in the Lab, Morgana still giggling and Merlin hanging on to his box of skulls.
“What are you going to do with those old bones Hun” Morgana asked mockingly.
” None of your business” was Merlin’s terse reply as he headed off to his room Morgarna’s laugh ringing in his ears. As he entered his room he heard the click and smelt the smoke as Morgana lit up another cigarette and poured herself a Bacardi and Coke, shutting his door he thought “she’s an alcoholic chain smoker ” shaking his head he heard her shouting back,in his head “Yes and proud of it’ .
After they had finished dinner Morgana waved her hand casually and the table cleared itself and the dishes put themselves into the dishwasher.
“What are you playing at” asked Merlin looking a tad surprised. “The rules were no un- necessary magic”
“Well Hun I made the rules and as it’s ‘All Hallows Eve’ I thought I would treat myself to some saucery feel free to join in just for tonight.”
At about 7pm they both dressed up in their finest, Merlin as a grey wizard and Morgana as a sorceress. A black dress with an apricot sash. They’d not worn these clothes for years and were delighted to find that they fitted perfectly.
It was a cold dark night and as they stepped through wall of their lab on to the street they gave a gang of young lads the fright of their life’s.
“We need a nice pumpkin” Morgana announced, “Come on let’s get over to the allotments and see if there is a nice one there.” Laughing like children as they ran across the road their feet only just touching the ground as though they wanted to fly they had decided not too draw too much attention to themselves! There were children running around dressed up as all-sorts, some traditional, some contemporary but none as good as Morgarna and Merlin.
“Over here Morgana I found the perfect one… Not too large nor too small”
“Yup that one is perfect” Morgana took the pumpkin and ran her nails over it producing a terrifying face then lighting a cigarette she also produced a lit, tea light to make pumpkin man more scary!
They found a cane and attached the head to it and marched off towards the nearby housing estate to “scare the bejesus out of as many unsuspecting children as possible.
“Oh I need a drink” laughed Morgarna “That woman’s face was a picture when you turned her horrid little boys into three sprites”
” Not half as bad as when you turned them back and told her to take more water with it” chuckled Merlin, “pour me one while you are at it , I’ll have whatever you are having”
Morgana and Merlin both slumped down on to the sofa, Bacardi and Coke and fish and a chips supper on their laps. “Anything good on box” asked Merlin.
“Halloween” Morgarna smirked.
Do check out Terri’s and everyone else’s entries at Terri’s place.
Song Lyric Sunday: Let the music flow.
Good morning all! It’s time for Song Lyric Sunday 🎶🎶.This week our Gallant host Jim Adams has asked us to find our favourite segues in music. Well that is a huge subject and there are so many great great segues .. Beatles, Pink Floyd,Killers, Queen,Van Hallen the list goes on…. I am going back to 1974 , we were in the process of moving back to London from Devon with hubby’s job. He was working in London so I only saw him at the weekends…he was tired from work and travelling back and forth and I was tired from being a single parent of a baby (as good as)… things were not easy.. I was also pregnant….. The Diamond dogs Album was a great distraction…. along with Queen and Pink Floyd…I believe I educated our elder boys well in music !
I don’t think I will be alone in picking the two opening tracks on David Bowie’s Diamond Dogs Album. But here goes.
About the segue.
The Transition: “Future Legend” sets a post-apocalyptic, dystopian tone with spoken narrative and a chilling wolf howl. As it ends, the track blends straight into the screeching guitar riff that opens the title track “Diamond Dogs”
The Hidden Exclamation:
Tucked into the sampled audience noise during the start of the “Diamond Dogs” guitar intro, you can hear Rod Stewart shout out the exclamation, “Hey!”
About the Album
Diamond Dogs is the eighth studio album by the English musician David Bowie, released on 24 May 1974 through RCA Records. Bowie produced the album and recorded it in early 1974 in London and the Netherlands, following the disbanding of his backing band the Spiders from Mars and the departure of the producer Ken Scott. Bowie played lead guitar on the record in the absence of Mick Ronson. Diamond Dogs featured the return of Tony Visconti, who had not worked with Bowie for four years; the two would collaborate for the rest of the decade. Musically, it was Bowie’s final album in the glam rock genre, though some songs were influenced by funk and soul music, which Bowie embraced on his next album, Young Americans . Read more Here. Believe me it’s an interesting read!
Lyrics in the video.
Happy Sunday Everyone 💜💜💜💜
The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS September 12, 2026
Ping went my phone … It was LindaGHill with her prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Here is what she says :”Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “reason.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!”
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
“Reason! what reason could you possibly have for doing that behind my back”
“You are not listening to me are you …let’s reason this out“
“Why there is no reasoning with you , you know it all! You have an answer for everything!”
“There is no reason to get aggressive, I was just trying to surprise you”
“Well if that was your reasoning why did you use my credit card”
“I had the perfect reason for that mine is maxed out”
“That’s a shit reason…. if you don’t have the money you don’t spend it”
“I reasoned that you’d be pleased that I used my initiative”
” What? how could you reasonably think I would not get annoyed”
” Well I think you are being unreasonable about this!”
“What me? being unreasonable… really?
Yes indeed you are! Give me one reason why I should stay with you?“
“One reason? …. you love me”
” That’s no reason, I loved you once”
“Now who’s being unreasonable “
” Me? Your reasoning is way off! I have had enough. I am off now!”
” Why what reason do you have for saying that?”
” By my reasoning you are taking me for a fool… Give me back my card now I am off”
“Be reasonable… I was reasonably sure you’d be impressed”
Haiku Fridays with J -Dub#20
Here is Jilly’s Friday Haiku Prompt for this week.
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
shadow to the right
les mis or morton salt girl
beauty in asphalt
©2026 Jill Witherspoon. All Rights Reserved.
🌻🌻🌻🌻
My Haiku.. Nature’s Determination
determination
its against all the odds
nature wins the day
willowdot21 