Touching Base with Bernie Ross

Life, in the last few months, has been strangely challenging. So up and down that I haven’t felt much like writing, which is greatly unusual for me. Each trauma has been compensated with a small step forward and the ultimate focus is now in sight. I used my skill with words (I hope) to extract a decision from my husband’s employers and he has now rightly been retired early on grounds of ill-health; but he’s still fit and able to walk miles. He simply can’t sit at a desk in an open plan office.

On 29th March we move to Scotland to begin a new life. This is where we hope to stay at first:

The lease is not signed and settled yet so we mustn’t count our chickens before they’re hatched. We’ll be starting afresh with just the cream of the cream - our favourite possessions only, our chosen pastimes, and keeping in touch with our chosen friends. There’ll be plenty of room for new adventures and fellowships too, new projects, inspiration, and creative work. I’ll keep my hand in on creative writing: I haven’t deserted you, my students; just give me time.

When I’m confident of email contact in our new location I’ll let you know so that in the feint hope you’ve done an assignment you’ll entrust it to me. I don’t intend to leave dedicated students with an unfinished course.

So trust me when I say that all the jigsaw pieces are falling into place. When I’ve got a proper Internet connection I shall probably contribute here more. Meanwhile the best thing you can do for me and for your writing life is to help Pete by submitting short pieces, commenting on Playground itself, and especially commenting to Pete personally so that he can grow with being an editor.

Bernie Ross ~ March 2007




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“Cheep, cheep!” went the baby birds.
I bought them in a pet shop.
Mum saw my sad face as I blocked my ears,
pointed to the cage and said, “They’re never nightingales to keep?”
But the sign said they were ‘Nightingales – going CHEAP!’
Thus we learn.

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