The Cover Picture back story

This caricature was drawn by Gemma Gill of Pegs Pony pictures based in nearby Poole in Dorset here in southern England. We got to know Gemma when she kept her horse, Pegs, at the same yard as we kept and still keep our own horses.

It was only during the COVID Lockdown here in the UK that we found out how talented Gemma is at creating these portraits. Send her a photograph and back comes a concept draft followed by the finished piece. Her creativity solved many a problem trying to decide about Christmas and birthday presents. We know that every picture she has done for us to give to friends is cherished, revered and given pride of place on many a bedroom or living room wall.

The feline on the desk holding his forehead in complete and utter despair is Omar, our erudite and highly sophisticated feline. You may have already read some of his diaries which are written in the office portrayed in Omar Towers. Some refer to him as my "alter ego". Hhhhmmm. I wonder why that is?

Causing disruptive interference is one of our horses, Benney. If he was a young boy still at school he would be the one always in the back row. The one always pulling pranks to get a laugh. Never ever in trouble, heaven's forbid such a thing, and never the cause of any intentional harm. Just known as the class character.

Omar is very much the Dry Martini and Chardonnay type of bon vivant pursuits. Whereas Benney is the Budweiser and Fosters down the bar with the lads for a game of darts.

And sitting at the desk wearing a red polo shirt, baseball cap and colorful socks is yours truly surrounded by the books I love to have and to read. Non-fiction books line the shelves with a special place for books on the Middle East. My interest in that region is certainly not genetic as I spent my early years in Western Canada as one of three brothers born to an English mother and a Canadian father. Hence the pinning on my profile page of "Travels of a War Bride".

The only part of my life that I can think sparked this interest was from my Grandfather. He served with the British Army in Egypt during World War I. Due to his status as an alien he was not allowed to carry weapons and serve as a combat soldier. Instead, so the family story goes, he became a medical orderly and an officer's batman, a sort of personal butler, based in Cairo. When I had time with him he would often show me his collection of postcards from the region. Mysterious black and white pictures of the Pyramids, camels silhouetted against a night sky and palm trees. Or, pastel drawings of scenes of life in places like Jerusalem, Haifa and along the Suez Canal.

Having arrived in this country with odd clothes. That is a navy blue blazer and grey trousers while my cohorts wore uniform jackets and shorts. My strange accent didn't help my assimilation into English education ether. So, I had a few unhappy days at junior school suddenly realizing I didn't fit in and being reminded about my non-conformity during most breaks for the first term. I had friends but was still a bit of an outsider.

And that is where my attitude to some of my writing stems from. Some may call it "objectivity". Others may refer to it as "being able to see the other side" and some, well they probably just think I am a bit different. Just like they did during those early days at junior school.

So that is me summarized and as Oliver Cromwell is reputed to have said "warts and all".