<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning /> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas /> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> <w:DontGrowAutofit /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Thank you, Sue, David, Maureen, Laurie and the Writelink community as a whole - because without you, my writing life would&rsquo;ve felt bereft.<span>&nbsp; </span>(No, I&rsquo;m not drunk, even if I have had a sherry or two that was left over from the Christmas Day trifle!).<span>&nbsp; </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Thank you, too, for the Christmas magazine, David, Maureen and Laurie &ndash; the front cover is amazing and the content of variable goodies, darlings, are absolutely fab &ndash; u &ndash; lous.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, I just wanted to say that Writelink has, and still does, play a great part in my writing life, and I&rsquo;m looking forward to popping in as per usual in the New Year of 2012.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The photograph of the robin I took today whilst on a bike ride - come New Year's Day, though, what's the betting I'll still weigh the same!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">P.S.<span>&nbsp; Nearly </span>forgot to add that I&rsquo;ve been twittering and my other name is @Mazrilyn.<span>&nbsp; </span>What a treasure chest that has proved to be.<span>&nbsp; </span>Whatever you do though, don&rsquo;t look at my Boxing Day Tweet pics.&nbsp; They are scandalous!&nbsp; <em>Blush</em>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span>&nbsp;</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

This profile picture link is of Bob Scotney and me, a fellow Writelinker, who I met at a Books & Banter meeting held in Stockton Library. </p><br /><p> You may remember Bob’s fascinating article entitled: Al Khatun. I cheekily asked if he would allow me to publish it in our community magazine, as Gertrude Bell is associated with Guisborough and it would be of great interest to our readers. He very kindly allowed me to do so. </p><br /><p> Bob mentioned that the Dorman Museum Curator was going to be doing a talk on Ms Bell on the 29th July. Phil and I didn’t arrive back from our Turkish holiday until the 28th, but there were no delays so I was able to attend. It was very interesting and it was lovely to meet, Bob, another Writelinker in the flesh.