Do Mum-n-Maude, know you hang about in that dive?!! 
‘Confessions Of An Aussie Opium Eater.’ hmmm, 's gorra familiar ring to it
Mum AND Maude? No.
Maude? Yes. Who else could get me in? The bouncers took one look at her, mumbled muted apologies for something they did somewhere, sometime, while trying to avoid her eyes and simultaneously shine their boots on the back of their legs. Maude didn’t say a word, just made the slightest gesture of her head towards me—barely a twitch—and walked in. They nodded, looked at me in a way that seemed to suggest fear and pity at the same time, and waved me in.
Inside was very dark, but surprisingly comfortable. It was a kind of lounge bar with leather booths and couches dividing it up into discrete spaces. I was surprised to hear Miles Davis’s Birth of Cool, or something of that era, playing. It was loud enough that you could listen to it, but still quiet enough that you could hold a conversation without straining. If not for the company I was in, I’d say it was stylish. Cool without pretension.
A handful of people were scattered around the bar. All in groups of two or three, and all just far enough away from the next group to avoid hearing each other’s conversations over the music. Maude ignored them all and headed to a small, inconspicuous, door near the bar. The bartender, a huge bulk of a man, apparently held the key to the door, but was engrossed in some papers by the till (could have been a duty roster, or a betting tab, or sheet music of Birth of Cool – I wasn’t going to ask). He seemed to be ignorant of everyone in the room until the heat of Maude’s stare started to singe the back of his head. The poor guy almost fainted when he turned around. I would have felt sorry for him, but… well… the fact that he knew Maude well enough to wet himself suggests that there are people he’s met who deserve greater sympathy. His face blanching, he reached under the till for a key, gave it to Maude, then retreated to the far end of the bar to clean himself up.
Maude simply took the key and used it to unlock the door – I could hear the tumblers click as the key turned. Sliding the key under her bra strap, she looked me up and down as if to reassure herself, then grabbed the door handle and opened the door…
Oblivion
. oblivion … oh dear me. Are you sure you’re able to handle the opiate induced hallucinatory phantasmagoria of: Kangaroos jabbering in some obscure, Northern Territories, aboriginal dialect; koalas and emus talking with broad Dublin accents; gangs of huge cane toads, dressed as morris dancers, prancing up and down the sidewalk, jumping over promenading crocodiles carrying parasols and ornate walking canes; ostriches pushing baby buggies, and coffee shops full of dingoes, tapping away on their laptops and iPads. youtube.com/watch?v=t3ENUqV5-bw
Take care of yourself Rog. Hope your workload eases soon.
Yes, indeed.
Thanks for the kind remarks, as well as the enthusiasm for the event and of course the wonderful tangents.
Goodwill to others + enthusiasm + tangents? That’s about as perfect a description of the LL forum as you can get?!
PF, I understand completely, about the presssures of life affecting the most beloved of traditions. NiaD has become a tradition for me. And just let me say that your efforts over the past few years have been phenomenal. I have grown fond of the NiaD exercise the week before NaNoWriMo. It is the perfect warm-up for the big marathon. In the event that you reschedule for January, I would like to participate again.
Hi
As long as all is good in your world we can wait until you have the time to do this, it is something I enjoy very much and am sure many here do, and it would only be the same with you at the helm. So you take care of your rl and we will wait patiently. 
Hi Rog,
January sounds great. Or February, or whenever you’re back in the groove.
Vic-k, you sexy thang you!
Here, here! (Or, is that hear, hear?!) Well, I do both. 
Just let it be known, I’m making baklava for the next event! 
I know, Montree, I know. 
Believe me, I make strenuous efforts to keep it under control, otherwise I’d be terrible exhibitionist!
Can’t wait to see you in a balaclava, though. 
take care
vic
Exhibit on, Vic-K! Be proud! Strut your stuff!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr grrrrrrrr grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
my kindda girl … grrrrrrrrrrr
Popping in to see if there’s a date for NIAD. Hope all is well in you all’s necks of the woods.
Iceberg noted stopes sincerity mycare lasted postseason. Checking backs into these newly yearly- I’d suggested afterward they sevenths- Andrew wells haven’t a good / nigiri attitude that’s pointless!
Ok?
I wonder how many google translates that was? and between which languages?
My imagination is more like kudzu. Perhaps imaginary goats would help?
Rog dat, Oh Mighty Pigfenderness! 