The CBB :: View topic - A September Afternoon

#1: A September Afternoon Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 10:14 pm

Had the best day at work today that I've had for ages - really relief-full! - consequence being that I've allowed myself to write this episode which has been teasing me for ages. Two posts.

“May I have a word, Miss Wilmot?”

Nancy Wilmot, sitting in the staff garden, turned her head in surprise. This was the one part of the school grounds where interruptions were generally few and far between. Her expression turned to amusement as she saw her great friend Kathie Ferrars standing at the entrance to the shrubbery.

“Good heavens, Kathie, you did give me a start!”

“Might have known I’d find you here,” the younger woman vaulted lightly over the gate to the garden, “Isn’t this the third time this week I’ve found you lazing in that deck-chair?” Dressed in a bright red summer frock that complemented her shining brown hair and dark eyes, Kathie was a picture of energy at that moment compared to her fair-haired companion.

Nancy cast a placid smile at her colleague. “Just making hay while the sun shines, my dear. By the time October comes there’ll be little enough time for sitting in the garden, after all.”

“Well, I don’t see how you can call this making hay,” Kathie commented, coming across the grass to spread-eagle herself at her friend’s feet. “If you put this kind of effort in on a farm, old thing, your horses would be hungry very long before winter!”

Nancy chuckled at this image. Then, seeing that her friend’s face was alight with fun, she closed the novel she was reading and set it down on the grass. “Well, go on then” she prompted, “I can see that you’ve got something up your sleeve. What is it?”

Kathie shot her a grin. “Lacrosse!” she said succinctly, “You and me. Coaching it!”

#2: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 10:20 pm

Glad to see them back, Cathy!! I do hope you decide to make it longer than two posts though!

#3: Author: Rosie, Location: Huntingdonshire

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 10:32 pm

Unless the next post is a very long one....

#4: Author: Mora, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 10:56 pm

*bounces up and down with excitement at a Nancy/Kathie drabble* Very Happy

*goes back to actually read it* Embarassed

ETA: Having got over my excitement enough to read I echo Rosie's suggestion. A verrrrrrrrrrry looooooooong post would be nice Catherine. Pretty please?

#5: Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:07 pm

Long enough?

“Wha-at?” Nancy sat bolt upright, causing her deck-chair to fold itself around her in a most undignified fashion. She reasserted her control over the offending object with a huge effort, “Kathie Ferrars, may I ask what on earth you are talking about?”

“Just what I say!” Kathie sat up and regarded her partner earnestly. “I was talking to the triplets yesterday, and apparently someone is suggesting we revive lacrosse. I think it’s that new girl, Ruey Richardson, who’s behind it, but all that crowd seem jolly enthusiastic. Well,” she warmed to her subject, “it stands to reason that if the idea gets taken up they’ll need someone to coach them. I’ve volunteered myself - and you, my love, are going to do likewise.”

“You must have taken leave of your senses!” Nancy regarded her in disbelief. “For goodness’ sake, I only played for a couple of years when I was a complete kid – back at St. Margaret’s, before the Fawn moved us to Austria.”

“The Fawn?” her younger colleague was distracted for a moment by this name.

“Oh, Miss Browne – our old head at St. Scholastika’s,” Nancy said abstractedly. “It was called St. Margaret’s before she moved us to the Tiernsee. But Kathie,” she returned to her point, “I was only thirteen or so - it must be almost twenty years since I’ve even picked up a stick. There’s no way I could coach anyone!”

“Nonsense,” her friend dismissed this briskly. “All you’d really need to do is demonstrate the basics of passing; after that, it would mostly be a question of running up and down as Umpire. And even if you can’t recall all the rules, I’m sure that nice mathematical brain of yours would absorb them quickly enough,” she added.

“Hmmm!” Nancy regarded her partner quizzically. “Are you trying to tell me something, my dear? Perhaps that I’m getting - fat?”

“Oh, no!” Kathie replied hastily. “Darling, you know I think you’re perfect,” she reassured her partner, “But we both had rather a lazy summer, didn’t we? In all honesty, no one could say that the Scandinavian cruise I took with my aunt and uncle was exactly energetic – nor the month you spent with Ida. Don’t you think it would do us both good to take a bit more exercise?”

There was a long pause as Nancy considered this question.

“And what if I say no?” she asked, at last.

“Oh, that’s entirely your decision,” Kathie said truthfully. She eyed her friend for a moment, before adding casually, “Of course, if I get fitter than you and want to go on more demanding hikes, I might have to accept other offers of company. That new doctor at the San, for example -”

“Dr. Raworth?” Nancy only just managed to prevent a repeat of the deck-chair episode at this remark. “He asked you out?”

“Oh yes,” Kathie returned innocently, smothering the laughter that was bubbling up inside her at her friend’s look of outrage. “We met at Freudesheim last weekend, you know; Jo seemed particularly keen to acquaint us.”

“She would be!” Nancy muttered darkly. There was another pause as she digested this information. Then – “Oh, all right, all right, I’ll do what you ask.” She regarded her partner through suddenly narrowed eyes, “but you be warned, Miss Ferrars. I’ll have my revenge yet!”

#6: Author: Marianne, Location: Bournemouth

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:09 pm

hurrah
sounds good

#7: Author: Mora, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 11:11 pm

Eeee! *giggles at the doc and Joey* Those two are just so luffly. Thank you Catherine. Very Happy

But is it really only two posts long?

#8: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:54 am

Catherine - there's got to be more there (I know, I used the damn word!).

Want to know Nancy's revenge!

*Giggle over Joey's attempt with the doc!*

#9: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 1:19 am

Yay, a new episode Very Happy

*agrees that Nancy has a right to revenge, though*

#10: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 9:06 am

Yippee!!!!! Theyyyyyyyy'rrreeee back!!
popper

Well, you can't stop there!!
Definitely need to find out about Nancy's revenge ..... Very Happy

(also love Joey's attemtps at matchmaking Rolling Eyes

)

Thanks, Cathy!
Good to see you on form! Very Happy

#11: Author: Lula, Location: Midlands, UK

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 9:32 am

Oooh... *likes this*

*hopes there's more to come*

#12: Author: caz, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 9:43 am

Excellent, thank you!

#13: Author: pygmy, Location: glasgow

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 10:42 am

hope there's (lots) more very soon

#14: Author: Xanthe, Location: London/Cambridge

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:33 am

Cathy this is FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABULOUS... (and surely there must be some more to come Wink

)

#15: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:38 am

Hehe this is wonderful!! Especially Joey's attempts at match-making Very Happy

#16: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 12:00 pm

Hooray!!! They're back!

And you definately can't leave it there! It fact i'd say that last line certainly implies that there will be more!!!

Love Joey's attempts at match-making! Forgot for a moment that she would not know - too much RCS! Laughing

Wonderful - thanks Cathy!

#17: Author: Rebecca, Location: Kendal/Oxford

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 1:34 pm

Come on - there's got to be more than this! (though it's very much appreciated anyway)

#18: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 3:59 pm

MORE!

...please?

#19: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 4:08 pm

This looks promising, so a further episode would be gratefully received.

#20: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 5:51 pm

Yay! Thank you!!!! Very Happy

More please!!

#21: Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough.......

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 6:26 pm

Oh Cathykins.............
Please please please write some more of this!

*sends bunny food to Cathy's house........*

#22: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 7:01 pm

Oh Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantastic!

*happy*

#23: Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 10:12 pm

Thanks for the flowers everyone Embarassed

I wasn't planning to write a full drabble, just wanted to explore why Nancy had become one of the lacrosse coaches, given that they didn't play at St. Scholastika's - it had always seemed somewhat inexplicable to me - until I realised who else was coaching!

If I find inspiration for Nancy's revenge I'll continue with this, but it won't be until next week as I have to read a dozen article on labour economics & teach a class tomorrow morning, also teach a class on statistics, go to Brussels, do lots of lobbying, come back, write reports on my students, pack all my belongings into boxes & move them into storage, see my parents, move house... and all by Sunday!! Shocked

However, I am blissfully aware that term ends in JUST ONE WEEK and after that I will be completely freeeee (apart from a little day job) and have serious plans for writing Alternative Challenge - so watch this space! Cool

#24: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:54 pm

Wonderful Catherine, but surely that isn't really all of it?

#25: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:38 am

Sounds like you are going to have rather a lot to do in the next few days Catherine!

Looking forward to more of this as soon as RL lets you and hope the trip, move, reports etc all go OK

#26: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 4:51 am

Alternative Challenge, hurrah!

(*sends anti-collapse bunnies to help get you through this week's agenda*)

#27: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 10:08 am

Ok Cathy it does sound as though you might have a little excuse for not adding to this at present....however look forward to more of this or Alternative Challenge later on!

#28: Author: pim, Location: the place where public transport doesn't work properly!

Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2004 7:17 pm

*giggles and hopes that there just may be some more of this at some point...*

Thanks Catherine, it's great!

*sits down to wait*

#29: Author: Ella, Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:01 pm

Fabulous! Thank you!
Nice to see a Kathie-and-Nancy drabble! (I've only just caught up with everything, so I know I'm a bit out of date!)
Hope real life isn't too hectic, Catherine.
*Following Pim's example, and sitting comfortably to await Alternative Challenge or some more of this.* Smile

#30: Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:17 pm

Sorry for the delay!

“Now this,” said Nancy with satisfaction, “is a very special house.”

Her audience, a couple of dozen Middles and her colleagues Miss Moore and Miss Ferrars, turned in surprise towards the white Basel town-house indicated. They had seen several historic sights during their half-term excursion, but to their knowledge this building was not on their itinerary. Indeed, they had only taken this route back to their guest-house at Miss Wilmot’s suggestion that it would be more pleasant to walk through the small park at the end of the road. Now Kathie turned to her partner with curiosity, “Miss Wilmot, why do you say that?”

The Head of Mathematics smiled. “Can you read what it says on the plaque beside the door?”

“I can!” Dilys Edwards, a Welsh girl who had recently joined the school, piped up earnestly. “It says -” she translated rapidly to herself, “In this house in 1707, Leonhard Euler was born.”

“Exactly.”

“But who was Leonhard Euler?” Jose Helston, a shining light of Lower IV asked expectantly. “I’ve never heard the name, Miss Wilmot.”

“Ah! Well,” Nancy shook her head with feigned sorrow, “That is because mathematicians don’t always get the attention that they deserve! But Leonhard Euler certainly should - he was one of Switzerland’s greatest thinkers in the eighteenth century.”

“What did he do?” Thyra Lund asked practically.

“The question should really be, what didn’t he do?” the maths mistress laughed. “For one thing, he invented the mathematical symbol ‘pi’,” she shook her head as a chorus of disbelief arose at this statement, “No, it’s quite true! Until he used it in his own publications in the 1730s, there was no standard notation for it.”

Her listeners looked puzzled. “But Miss Wilmot, surely it was a Greek invention?” Jean Abbott, Lower IVB's form prefect, objected.

Nancy nodded her fair head. “The Greeks certainly knew about pi – you’ll know that from the geometry you’ve studied, as most theorems involving circles come to us from the Greeks. But they didn’t have a symbol for it as such. In fact, they mostly used a fraction to approximate the true number. Twenty-two over seven was their usual estimate.”

Kathie was rapidly calculating in her head, “That’s 3.143, or as near as makes no difference. Correct to three decimal points.”

“Very good,” Nancy shot her a grin, “Leonhard Euler would have been proud of you! You know, girls, he had such a gift with numbers that his friends nicknamed him ‘Analysis Incarnate’, and it was said of him that he ‘calculated without apparent effort, as men breathe…’”

Dilys stood on tiptoe to regard the house again, “It doesn’t look a very grand house, does it? Not where you’d expect a famous person to be born!”

Nancy nodded. “His father was a Protestant clergyman, and his son was expected to follow in his footsteps. But while he was studying theology and Hebrew at the University here in Basel, he attracted the attention of another great mathematician, Johan Bernoulli, who was so impressed that he convinced Euler’s father to let him become a mathematician.”

“Did he live in Basel all his life?” Thyra asked.

“Not at all. He worked at the Academies of Science in Berlin and St. Petersburg, where he died. He also had a rather extraordinary life – he had thirteen children, for one thing,” she laughed at the exclamations that greeted this statement, “and for the last few years of his life was completely blind. Yet he still kept going with his work, and just before his death he worked out a set of equations that describe the movement of the sun, earth and moon – all in his head.”

Her listeners looked suitably impressed.

“Yes,” Nancy said contentedly, “Switzerland should be proud of him. As indeed of a number of other mathematicians -”

“Who else?” inquired Adrienne Didier.

“Oh, well, there was the Bernoulli family, of course, who produced eight famous mathematicians over three generations. They were based here in Basel. Then there was Argand, who lived in Geneva -” Nancy gave a slow smile, and cast a smug look at her partner, “You could almost make it a geography lesson of Switzerland, actually. But I don’t think we’ve time -”

“Oh, can’t you tell us more now?” pleaded Jose, who loved history and geography, though she had never thought to care for mathematics before.

Miss Wilmot shook her head, seemingly oblivious to Kathie who was regarding her with a suddenly awakening suspicion, “No, I’ve taken up long enough, and we have to get back for Abendessen. But if you’d really like a thorough survey of the geography of mathematics…” she paused for a brief second, revelling in the upcoming revenge for the daily lacrosse training that had worn her out since September; the moment proved her undoing, however, for before she could continue -

“… Then I’m sure Miss Wilmot will be delighted to give a talk on it at the next meeting of the Geography Club!” Miss Moore, who had witnessed this exchange, interposed crisply.

#31: Author: caz, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:35 pm

That was great! Informative, just like EBD, but with a fantastic ending!

#32: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:42 pm

Lovely thank you, and very informative - I never knew maths could be so interesting! Wink

Great comeback to Kathie!

#33: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 10:22 pm

Very interesting, and very EBD.

I love the maths that you bring into your work, it is new to me and so informative.

#34: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 10:46 pm

Miss Moore Laughing

#35: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:13 pm

Oh poor Nancy - bet she wants to strangle Rosalind!

Thanks Cathy!

#36: Author: Rebecca, Location: Kendal/Oxford

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:18 am

Thanks, Cathy! Unfortunately that's just reminded me of the maths revision I should be doing, but it was much more enjoyable!

#37: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 11:55 am

Wonderful! Poor Nancy though, very funny!

#38: Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 12:21 pm

That was great

TY Cathy

I love Maths Laughing

Ohhhh I'm looking forward to this summer ROFL

#39: Author: Marianne, Location: Bournemouth

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 1:03 pm

looks fabulous, can't wait to see MORE!

#40: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2004 1:10 pm

Eagerly awaiting lots more.

#41: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 10:49 am

LOL!!

Good for Rosalind!

Nancy was definitely hoist by her own petard there!!

Thanks, Cathy
*settling back and looking forwad to lots more now that you've got a nice new home and term's over .... Very Happy

#42: Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 12:51 pm

I'm afraid it gets worse for Nancy!

The silence that followed was broken by a muffled yell from a group of girls who had strayed further down the street.

“Oh, bother them!” Nancy exclaimed. She glanced at her colleagues, “We’d better sit on them good and hard, else heaven knows what kind of impression we’ll be leaving behind us! Shall I go on ahead?”

The Head of Geography shook her head, “March on, girls! No, I think – Kathie, would you mind going? You’ll be faster than either of us,” she turned to their younger colleague, who proved the truth of this remark by nodding briefly and then disappearing to hunt out the troublemakers.

Her partner gone and the other girls out of hearing distance, Nancy regarded Rosalind with a humorous twist of her mouth. “I say, what possessed you to pitch on me for that talk? That wasn’t at all what I’d planned!”

Rosalind didn’t return the smile, thereby providing Nancy with her second shock of the afternoon. Making sure that they were out of earshot of their charges, she glanced at her colleague consideringly for a moment; when she spoke, her tones were cool. “As one of Kathie’s Heads of Department, I’d say she has enough work to do without giving out of hours lectures.”

“You – what?” Nancy came to a very abrupt halt. “Rosalind, I admit I was angling for that to land on Kathie’s desk. But it was only a joke – a payback for her signing me up for lacrosse!”

Miss Moore raised one eyebrow, “And don’t you know how much preparation Kathie puts in for lessons?”

Nancy stared at her, “Of course I do!” The staff, unlike the girls, had no limits on their preparation time, and Kathie was always one of the last in the staffroom each evening. A relatively new teacher, Kathie found it took her longer to plan her lessons than most of her colleagues, a fact that Nancy was well aware of, both as that young woman’s partner and as her immediate superior in the maths department. “I – oh!” she flushed suddenly, “I think I see what you mean. She does work awfully hard.”

“Quite!” Rosalind continued inexorably. “Yet you think that abusing your position as her Head of Department to give her extra work is justified, in the circumstances?”

“No,” Nancy was scarlet, “No, I don’t.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” The geography mistress surveyed her colleague for a full ten seconds, then, satisfied that she had made her point, continued in a softer tone. “Nancy, I know you and Kathie are great friends. But you’re also in a position of authority over her, whether you like it or not. Whatever else is going on between you, don’t you think you should leave it outside the classroom?” Seeing the distress remaining on Nancy’s face, she put a hand on her friend’s arm, “I’m sure you wouldn’t appreciate it if someone else increased her workload, would you?” she added gently.

“I – No, I most certainly would not!” Nancy said with sudden fervour. She glanced at her colleague and saw that this comment had broken the tension between them, “Oh God, Ros, I feel like a complete worm!”

A wry smile began to illuminate the Head of Geography’s face, “Well, maybe you needn’t be too hard on yourself. You’ll have plenty of time to atone for your sins, after all.” Her eyes began to dance as Nancy gazed at her in astonishment, “I’m looking forward to hearing all about the mathematicians of Switzerland!”

And to the surprise of the few Middles for whom their - usually dignified - Heads of Department were still in sight, first Miss Moore and then Miss Wilmot unexpectedly doubled up in laughter.

#43: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 12:57 pm

Oh poor Nancy!!! Laughing

But she did deserve it and I'm glad Ros is making her think!!!

#44: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 12:58 pm

Ouch, that brought it home didn't it, and yet you did it in such a friendly way that they were laughing together minutes later, very well done. Thanks.

#45: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 3:23 pm

A great post, Catherine.

#46: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 5:10 pm

Another lovely post, thank you Very Happy

Aaww poor Nancy, but she did deserve it!

#47: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 6:56 pm

Good for Ros! Laughing

#48: Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 1:19 pm

Last post on this drabble - will be starting Alternative Challenge in the next couple of days!

Nancy let herself in quietly to the room which she and Kathie were sharing for the weekend. The girls were resting before Abendessen, and Kathie had excused herself to do likewise, leaving her two seniors to chat downstairs for a while before going to freshen up for the evening meal. Now, as she entered the small twin bedroom, Nancy saw a small curled-up figure on the furthest bed. Her partner was fast asleep.

Walking softly to her own bed, the woman looked at her companion’s face with some concern. Though Kathie was earning herself a reputation as one of the jolliest mistresses at the Chalet School, Nancy knew that there were days when her partner still found teaching an exhausting occupation. The two talked often about their work and Nancy knew that she helped the younger woman as both a friend and colleague, but some things could only be learnt with time and experience. Seeing the shadows under Kathie’s eyes, the Head of Maths was deeply thankful that Rosalind Moore had frustrated her original, thoughtless scheme.

The eyes flickered open for a second as Nancy sat down on the bed opposite.

“’lo Nance,” she heard a quiet murmur.

“Hush, darling. Get some sleep.” There was still plenty of time before dinner, and Nancy knew that her partner would be better off resting. She sat back quietly on her bed, looking at Kathie’s slight form. A surge of penitence overcame her as she realised how she might unwittingly have increased her lover’s burden at work. This awareness was doubly uncomfortable, as Nancy knew just how much she owed Kathie in other respects. It was the younger woman whose patience and determination had kept their relationship going in its initial rocky stages, and whose personal courage had helped them both maintain a cheerful and optimistic outlook on life despite their circumstances. Nancy knew that if she was only dimly conscious of the difficulties and prejudices that surrounded their friendship, it was largely because Kathie had shielded her from them, choosing their company carefully and never letting her partner be exposed to suggestions that their relationship was undesirable or second-class.

It was funny, Nancy mused, that she should be the one to be more easily upset in that regard. In general Kathie was much more volatile, and she the placid and unflappable one of the pair. Yet when it concerned their relationship, the younger woman had always been a pillar of strength, while she herself had always been exceptionally thin-skinned. Nancy gave a slight smile. Though she had ceaseless admiration for Kathie’s ability to shut out external criticism, and knew that their relationship would never have survived without it, she could not regret taking negative comments personally. In its own way it was a sign, she reflected, of the depth of her feeling for Kathie. There was only one person in the world who had ever moved her beyond her habitual good-nature; that was the woman in front of her, and Nancy was more thankful than she could ever say for having found her.

The brown eyes opened once more. “Time to go, Nance?”

“Not quite,” Nancy shook her head gently, “We’ve still got quarter of an hour before Abendessen.”

“Good!” Kathie murmured. Then, seeing that her partner was watching her, she gave a little stretch. “Don’t you want to rest too?”

The elder woman smiled and crossed over to her friend’s bed. “Well, if you insist. Just for a minute though.” She lay down at Kathie’s side, and relaxed as two small arms entwined themselves around her in an embrace.

“You know what, love?” her partner remarked sleepily after a few moments, barely smothering a yawn, “I reckon all that lacrosse has done you good!”

Nancy merely smiled.

#49: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 1:23 pm

Catherine, that was beautiful! I can't wait for Alternative Challenge!

#50: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 1:43 pm

Aww, that was really lovely, Cathy!

I love the way Nancy is analysing the relationship and able to thank Ros for giving her a nudge rather than feel she's interfering - and that she realises how instrumental Kathie has been in protecting her through some of the more difficult aspects of their relationship ...

You give their relationship such warmth and depth and make them so real

Thank you!

BTW - Love Kathie's last line - LOL!! Very Happy

#51: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:55 pm

Awww all warm and snuggly! Beautiful Cathy!

Love the depth to their relationship and the thoughtfulness of Ros and the way she made Nancy aware of what she was doing!

Look forward to Alternative Challenge!

#52: Author: pygmy, Location: glasgow

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:59 pm

Great! Am now eagerly anticipating Alternative Challenge. Can't wait!

#53: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:04 pm

Aaww that was lovely, I'm so glad Ros's comments gave Nancy a chance for reflextion.

Also cannot wait for Alternative Challenge!!

#54: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September)

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:13 pm

Loved this drabble Catherine - Ros telling Nancy off was classic Smile

Looking forward to Alternative Challenge!

#55: Author: Vikki, Location: Possibly in hell! It's certainly hot enough.......

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:46 pm

*settles down with popcorn and a big bag of peanut butter M&Ms to wait for Alternative Challenge........*

#56: Author: caz, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:55 pm

Awww. Thank you, catherine.

*brings Pringles and joins Vikki in waiting for Alternative Challenge*

#57: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 5:35 pm

That was a lovely ending. Now joining everyone else in waiting for Alt.Chall.

#58: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:50 pm

Beautiful, Catherine! Kiss

Don't be too long starting up Alternative Challenge!

#59: Author: Donna, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:55 pm

awww, that was lovely Catherine - thanks! I hope I manage to find time to re-read Alt-Romance soon but even if I don't, I look forward to Alt-Challenge!

#60: Author: Ella, Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 8:24 pm

Lovely!

Thank you Catherine!
*Joining everyone else in settling down to wait for Alternative Challenge. Wondering how much popcorn I can get through.*
(Don't worry, Vikki, I did bring some of my own!)

#61: Author: pim, Location: the place where public transport doesn't work properly!

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:04 pm

Awwwww, that was lovely.

*joins the others waiting for Alt. Chall., brinigng extra goodies*

#62: Author: shoe__gal, Location: St Andrews, Scotland

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:09 pm

That was great - a really lovely ending Smile

#63: Author: Angel, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2004 11:08 pm

oooh
lovely.

#64: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:44 am

That was just fabulous Catherine - can't wait for alternative challenge so joins Vikki, Caz and everyone else on the sofas with popcorn, pringles and chocolate

#65: Author: Mora, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 2:22 am

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! So beautiful. *sighs happily*
Looking foward to Alternative Challenge Catherine Very Happy

#66: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2004 10:18 am

Lovely, Catherine, I'm eagerly awaiting the new drabble.

#67: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 4:59 am

Echoes everyone else!

#68: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2004 11:40 am

Loved the story Catherine, now I ahve finally caught up with it.

Also looking forward to Alternative Challenge.

Last edited by Susan on Thu Jul 01, 2004 11:42 am; edited 1 time in total

#69: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2004 11:37 pm

I agree - a lovely story, thanks for adding to the original two posts.
It's the first of heard of Alternative Challenge but I'm looking forward to it immensely.

#70: Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 1:46 pm

Just wanted to say that this will be on hold for a week or two, despite my earlier promises. At the moment I feel unable to write a story that is realistic for the period and not completely depressing. Sorry.

#71: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 1:47 pm

Is it anything we can help/offer support with, Catherine?

#72: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September)

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 4:21 pm

No problem, Catherine - your writing is more than good enough to wait for. Smile

*echoes Jennie's post*

If it's anything that we can help with, or that you want to talk about, you know that we're here. *huggles*

#73: Author: Catherine_B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 4:26 pm

Thanks for the moral support Kiss

It's not me but my closest friend who has been going through a really difficult time with her local church recently, just made me think about Nancy & Kathie and wonder whether anything I was writing was remotely realistic or whether I was seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses.

Well, obviously I am (that's why I read CS!) but just found myself unable to suspend disbelief for a while. Hopefully will be back in nice CS alternative world again soon.

#74: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2004 7:24 pm

Always there for you Cathy Kiss

#75: Author: FionaW, Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 2:36 pm

Well, if you were responsible for Alt Romance, then I considered it to be a very realistic love story! And you didn't make it at all easy for them, making them fit themselves into the margins of what is/was permissible. OK, so it did have a happy ending, but... one does need role models who do manage to get it right.

There are harsh people everywhere, even in religions that preach love and tolerance. I hope your friend is able to find a community that gives her support, rather than more difficulties. Best wishes to both of you; glad you can be there for her.

#76: Author: Ella, Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2004 10:34 pm

Hope things look brighter for you and your friend soon, Catherine. Smile

#77: Author: Mora, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 4:22 pm

Also hoping things look up for your friend and yourself soon, and NOT just cos I want more story.

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