A word about me.

I was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome in February this year. It explains so much of what has occurred in my life. Work is a big issue in my life at the moment, with my job presently in jeopardy. This with other issues I am suffering are contributing to a very difficult time with regards to state of mind. If I go to bed when I am tired I find myself awake with the dawn chorus, alternatively I stop up until I am absolutely knackered and then pay the price in a different way.

As I have already said, the suspension from work is going to well, and I am beginning to fear the worst. However the people around me have given me their support and encouragement and that makes me more determined than ever to carry on the fight. The more the case goes on the more I am convinced that it has become personal with one of the management team, who because they were implemented in a grievance that was upheld at an earlier juncture, seems determined to exact her revenge. I am not dead and buried yet and will ensure that should I face dismissal then I will go kicking and screaming to the proverbial gallows.

Should anybody who has Asperger's read this , please get in touch and maybe I can benefit from your own experiences. I will continue to write on bits and pieces like my books and baseball, speaking of which, my latest league positions;

Fleckney Flyers 356 overall, 20 in the Jay div'

Nice 'n' sleazy 140 overall 10 in the Jay div'

Players overall 3754 203 in the Jay div' .

This is a picture I received from Kay in Australia. It is of Glady's, so many thanks and if you read this, best of health to you and your loved ones.

"Bogged down" on Marsh?

Well I have to say that "The Greenstone Griffins" was every bit as good as was promised. If this contribution is ranked #8 then I look forward to tackling the 7 books ranked higher. Of course any list like this is only subjective, but one has to start somewhere. What I especially liked about the book was the opening chapters which concerned Jessica Denefield's (The central character in the story) childhood. Although it was set well before my own childhood, I could relate to certain characters and situations which I grew up with.


Dame Beatrice takes over in the second half of the book, which has for me the refreshing change of no Laura Gavin, but George the chauffeur as her assistant. Of course this is a "Hark" back to her earlier books. Laura was first introduced in "Laurels are poison" 1942. There was one little interchange I found particularly enjoyable, this was between Dame B' and her then secretary Miss Cummings.


"I intend to go unspotted to my nuptial couch, " said Miss Cummings, with the turn of speech that so delighted her employer.


" Yes, I agree," said the latter, with a crocodile grin. "Measles and chicken pox are hardly to be recommended as the introduction to a honeymoon."


This book was published in 1983, the year that Gladys died, and when I compare it with some of Agatha's later efforts, I find no comparison.



I have just started reading my 4th Ngaio Marsh book "Scales of Justice" (See left). First published for THE CRIME CLUB by Collins in 1955. Pages 256.
I have found the 3 previous books that I've read surprisingly enjoyable and would certainly recommend any of them, they being: "Colour Scheme" 1943, "Died in the Wool" 1945, and "Opening Night" 1951.

Fantasy Baseball update, again only for my own benefit. The Fleckney Flyers 322 overall, and 16 in the Blue Jay div'.
Nice and Sleazy 200 overall, and 11 in the BJ div'.

Movement.

Had my grievance hearing today at work, and generally speaking most of the issues raised were upheld. This can only be good news regarding my outstanding disciplinary.

My 2 baseball fantasy teams are both, so far, holding up well. My first team "Fleckney Flyers" as of today are joint 10th in the Blue Jay Division and 338th overall with 790 points.

My 2nd team "Nice 'n' sleazy" are 3rd in the same division and 67th overall with 850 points. Considering that there are 193 teams in the Blue Jays Division, and 3625 teams overall, both are performing really well.

Success on e-bay, at long last 2 new Gladys books; Pageant of murder 1965, Dance to your Daddy 1969. The 2nd book is supposed to be one of her best. We will see.

This is my latest addition to my Gladys collection, bought on Abebooks, all the way from New Zealand.

1954, first edition, published by Michael Joseph. 224 pages.

"If an impecunious had not accidentally intercepted a telephone call, the mysterious case of Miss Faintley might have defied even Mrs Bradley's efforts at solution. The telephone message began, "Faintley speaking...." and proceeded with instructions to collect a parcel from the local railway station and deliver it to a somewhat shady shopkeeper. The impecunious author delivered the parcel and was so unwise as to demand payment for it........

Not long after, Miss Faintley was murdered. It seemed at first unlikely that she, a prim, quiet schoolmistress, could have anything to do with gang-work__ or with currency smuggling. Yet it was to these activities that Mrs Bradley's investigations led, and which were uncovered in a climax as exciting as anything Miss Mitchell has contrived."

BACK ON FAMILIAR GROUND

Charlie Chan-Keeper of the keys was finished this weekend, and I have to say was thoroughly enjoyed. As in all good mysteries, every assistance, clue and intimation was given, noted by my good self and employed in my usual vigorous, competent and diligent way in my deduction and subsequent naming of a totally innocent party as being the Moriarty of the book. After incorrectly narrowing the field down to 2 suspects, finding out how wrong I was made me feel more like Clouseau than Holmes. As I have said all the clues are there but the skill is being able to spot them. At the end of the book all is explained, including the title. Marks out of 10, a very solid 7.

Now back to my old favourite, Glady's Mitchell and her book"The Greenstone Griffins. First published in Great Britain by Michael Joseph in 1983. 200 pages.

This was her 4th from last book to be published and was written in the year she died. On Steve Steiner's list (The only one I could find that rates all of Glad's 66 Bradley mysteries) it is given a very high rating of #8.

I have downloaded recently several of the old Charlie Chan films, also Peter Lorre's Mr Moto films. All great fun.

Two more of Glad's books have appeared on e-bay, so funds permitting I will be endeavouring to add them to my library.