I was very touched to find an email from Jay Lake in my inbox, the other day. Even in the midst of his health crisis he took the time to send me a link to something he thought I'd like. And he was right. It did my heart good to see the place I've always loved finally be appreciated and loved by other people, thanks to Game of Thrones. (Link below.)
I remember one wretched, rainy day long ago I drove my boyfriend at the time (he was visiting from England) on a 'scenic' tour. My car got stopped at a random Army checkpoint, and they couldn't believe that I was being a tour guide.
"You're joking," said the point man, and his unit proceeded to take my car apart, searching for bombs and ammunition.
They found nothing, of course. There was a very hairy moment, kneeling in a puddle in front of the Mini with rain pelting on me when I couldn't get the bonnet (hood) open. The soldiers stood in a semi-circle around me, their silence making me nervous. The rain dripped off the barrels of their Self Loading Rifles. I do want to share that all the British Army soldiers whom I met during those years were extremely polite and professional, always. I finally asked them to help, but naturally they couldn't touch the car at that point in case it was booby-trapped and I was a suicide bomber.
And my poor English weed of a boyfriend sat in the passenger seat the whole time, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he tried to swallow his fright. Needless to say, we broke up shortly after that.
Happy days!
