Sandpiper-57

Riposte Lisa Ashurst Periodically, our Government makes an amendment to an existing law and sometimes introduces a new one and the idea is that these amendments and additions will correct areas where the law has somehow fallen short. In some cases they get it right but in others they overcorrect which only adds to the problem they were trying to fix. Like the new law designed to allow the extramarital partners of cheating marrieds to claim financial compensation when the relationship ends...I think it goes something like this: The third person (Party #3) will now be rewarded for dabbling with someone (Party #2) who was not free to dabble

The Diner Lisa Ashurst     On such a pleasantly mild evening, it seemed almost sinful to dine indoors. Genevieve lingered before the open window, gazing out at nothing really as she breathed deeply of the floral green fragrance of the early Spring dusk. She sighed inwardly and flinched when the family clatter became too loud, fracturing her reverie and snapping her back into the room.     In the background a small voice whined that it didn't like peas while another griped about having to set the table and Genevieve knew she had step out, if only for a little while. She moved away from the window and turned toward the door. "I'm going out

The Name Game. Is Creative Spelling for You? So what's in a name? Well, the spelling for a start these days which leads me to ponder the next question: When did it all become a tad pretentious? While the English language is peppered with same-sound words that are all spelt differently, christian names, once upon a time, were all spelt the same with the exception of a few like Gene and Jean, Robin and Robyn and Francis and Frances but it was a gender thing rather than any attempt at individuality. Multiple versions of the same name came into being when someone with an "i" mid name suddenly decided that it would look a whole lot better as a

What Constitutes a Bad Day? What constitutes a bad day? Well, that's open to conjecture but the bottom line is that you'll know without doubt when you're having one and it will pounce without warning. Dump actually. Bad days tend to dump everything on you from a great height which can never, even vaguely, be perceived as anything but "not good". You know you're having a bad day, for instance, when the light is just a tad too bright upon waking because you've slept through the alarm. It gets a little worse when you you remember the clothes you need are still out on the line, really starts spiralling when you are confronted with an almost emp

Riposte Lisa Ashurst Wonder what this season’s New Black is? I think it may have been dove grey or something for Winter ‘07 but I could be wrong there. Not that I'm actually planning to spend up big on today's version or anything, I was just wondering in case it's the wrong black for me. It would seem though that every season, another hue is granted the New Black label which makes me wonder if actual black remains black under these circumstances or just old hat in comparison. This then raises the question as to what happens to the current New Black when it's no longer in vogue and suddenly finds itself relegated to old hat. Is it

Riposte Lisa Ashurst     Thievery is nothing new. Things get nicked all the time, leaving the owner with that hollow feeling that they’re unlikely to see their property ever again and in most cases they’re right.     The only thing that seems to change is the M.O., which explains, I suppose, why some car thieves are no longer content with just nicking parked, unattended vehicles when they can source them idling at the traffic lights.     Hence the spate of violent carjackings that have hit some of our larger cities, prompting authorities to warn motorists to lock their doors whilst in transit, in an attempt to deter the guys