This is a gift tag I put on the Mr’s present the first year we were married. It always reminds me of how, in common with many just setting out couples, we were not exactly well heeled.
The tag is of course in pride of place and these are
some of this year’s decs.
I have two books set against the backdrop of Christmas. Loving Lady Lazuli where a chance encounter one Christmas Eve leads to ten years of hell for hero and heroine,
And of course, given backstory does not a book make, having history, they meet again, in October no less, leading to a spectacular going down in flames on –yep you’ve guessed it–Christmas Eve, after the heroine decides to go for broke at the local town ball, largely cos she feels like it. Haven’t we all at times and leaving her to wonder in the carnage afterwards…
‘Christmas Eves? Did they get any better or worse?’
The other book is O’Roarke’s Destiny, where–again in October and again, talking pasts–the high functioning depressive, heroine holds obsessively onto the little things in life having lost everything else.
You can tell my books are chock full of Christmas cheer.
In fact these books are probably like the year it’s been. Such a fabby one NOT, I know there were folks who not didn’t feel or see the point of decking their halls. And yet in some of the streets here the lights have never been brighter.
I guess an awful lot of us are holding onto the little things in order to hold onto something far bigger, and seldom has that been more important. Because neither lives, nor Christmases are perfect.
Wherever you are, in the world and in life, I wish you the best. Merry Christmas. And yeah, now I will clear off and let the little dudes open the voddie and get the cossack boots on.
That is a lot of nice Christmasy looking cheer. I like the that “…when what we want to do is deck the halls with her!” I think our cats get that same urge.
LOl.. When you spoil them rotten too. Great to see you Timothy x
Shehanne, congratulations on another great blog post combining hamsters, humor, “heartfeltness,” and halls (decked). Plus novels, of course. A real treat at the end of a difficult year.
Dave xxxxxxxxxxxx I was saying below to Annika where I got the idea of this post. And the business of holding onto life’s rhythms was at the centre of my last book because she had lost everything else–in fact at this stage, as she thinks this. she’s just lost the very roof over her head to the last person in the world she would want to lose a roof to– and I do think we need to hold on to all the things that keep us going, that show us we are here and it is good, even if it’s not. So yeah, I felt this year we do need to hold on to the big things more than ever. All good wishes to you and yours. may the stars shine bright for you over this festive period x
So true, Shehanne, about the need and solace of holding on to the good things when times are rough. Well said by you, as always. Wishing you and yours very Happy Holidays, too!
And you Dave. That is a very kind comment. x
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Thank you fir making me smile and realise life is not perfect but itโs pretty pigging good if you let it. xxxx
LOL!!! xxx to you and Hawklad. Important to hang onto little things more than ever at the mo xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For a long time you have been delighting us with your friends and making us look at life with a smile despite the difficulties we are going through due to the virus. Thank you for your creation and your great heart. I wish you the best this Christmas.
A big hug from this one, your fervent admirer.
Manuel Angel
Manuel, than is very very kind of you. More than ever we need not to let too much of life slip away and remember how to do that, no matter what is taken from us. The best to you and yours. Have a wonderful Christmas xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks a lot. You’re a lovely woman.
And you are a very kind, thoughtful person xxx
Happy Christmas, Shey & The Hamsters ~ George
Happy Christmas George, the best to you down there in Dover. i know you will celebrate whatever xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Have a great time as well, Shey. Dover is, by the way, in a bit of a mess. Thousands of lorries parked up all over the place – now in their third day – and all the authorities have given the drivers so far is one granolo biscuit each – that has to be worst Christmas present ever ~ George
Beyond belief George, only an extraordinary set of idiot could have failed to forsee that the second they unleashed the ‘terrifying’ headlines re the new mutation, ( a mutation that was first reported in September and ignored then ) largely to cover the fact their ‘scientists’ were saying the 5 days mixing was wrong, and they were going to have to chop it, that Europe and any sensible country on the planet, not to mention those sick to their back teeth of the arrogance in the Brexit debacle, would shut us down. But plainly we are run by a doubly extraordinary set of of idiots up and down the country or they’d have weighed this mess against taking public backlash on the chin.
Shey, a post full of Christmas cheer and just perfect to start the day! I love your decs! Is that three Christmas trees in the house?! Iโm smiling at the dudes as precocious as ever and thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas snippets from your books. More than ever we need to hold onto the joy we can, share it around as best as possible! Wishing you a lovely and relaxing Christmas! Xx
Annika, thank you so very very much for this comment. I am smiling at the the three trees… There’s three big ones as you can see. 2 small ones and two tiny 2 feet ones… LOL. hands up the reasons there’s that tall one on the landing is that it was the living room tree, then the top all brokee and it is not that stable so rather than bin it, I have it there. The landing is our focal house point if you get me (We have the upper floors and all room and stairs lead there. SO it was needing a tree…. Enjoy every piece of joy and fun you can. I actually got the idea of this post from a woman who was at primary school the year below me, commenting on these decs on facebook saying that this year she had felt she could not do it but now seeing these she was going to put some So there you go. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx to you and yours.
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Merry Christmas Philip to you and yours xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Shehanne and wishing your family and you a Merry Christmasโ-too! ๐โจ๐ด๐๐๐โ๏ธ๐
Backatcha Philip xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wonderful, Shey – thanks for a beautiful reminder of what matters now. Thank you for all the much-needed smiles you bring us and for the crazy laughter with the dudes all year. Have yourself a wonderful Christmas with your gorgeous family – especially the little sweethearts – and a healthy 2021. Canโt wait for the next book! ๐๐ท๐งโ๐โค๏ธ xxxx
Thank You Kate, for all your friendship. The dudes were all set to do a post but I thought this is what this one should be about instead. Gonna have a great Christmas and i wish you the same with as many of your family you can see. I know it’s not them all. I’m away to do a few pages now the end is in sight on this book.
Your gift tag from days a yore, a gem, Ms S. I trust you and yours have a wonderful Christmas. I’ll catch up with your blog soon. Regards, The Old Fool
AW Mike, how good it is to see you. George told me you hadn’t been great. It was just as I was thinking you have been lost in France a long time wi Shirl, not that would surprise me, even with your back garden as France this year, but it wasn’t like you to be away so long. Missed you and the great words you pen. That gift tag that year cos a few bob we didn’t have but I thought… I like it. I am having it. Alas, unlike one of the heroine mentioned here and indeed the one I am working on right now, I paid for it. Don’t worry about catching up with anything here. Just good to hear from you. Merry Christmas to you Shirl and Lord G.
There is always a feeling of guilt when one ignores good chums for no good reason, Ms S. In hindsight I should have got back to blogging much earlier. It would have had a positive effect, I believe. Rather that, than have carried on fighting a battle against politicsโ happenings that have happened, outside of my control, Iโd never win. The net effect being that Iโve been ill since February gone. Not necessarily in the traditional definition of โillโ, more that my mind and body out massively out of kilter, a nuisance…perhaps a curse. Yet as of the past few weeks Iโve decided to give up my โnever forgive or forgetโ stance. I went back to writing, hence I can go back to WP. Certainly, penning words is a healing…in all its definitions…thing. The bonus being that once more you and other good folk like you are out there to read, enjoy, and debate with. Iโve even thrown 100,000 plus words at the page in a frenzy of writing. Iโm aiming to have this piece, โFeral Angelโ out there come early spring. Enthusiasm has returned. More than anything else, and as I mentioned in my previous comment, you and your family, please do have a wonderful, proper Scottish festive season. Regards, The Old Fool
Listen..sometimes in life we can waylaid too you know. I have never seen a carry on such as I am witnessing in this land right now and what it is doing to people. So put the big stick away and realise sometimes in life too you need something to aim for and look…YOU HAVE THAT SOMETHING. Go for it and screw the rest of this xxxxx
A fabulous read that, Loving Lady Lazuli, and a fabulous home you’ve got with all your wonderful decorations, Shey. You, like your heroines, have harnessed the magic of Christmas. A very Merry Christmas to you and the Mr. xoxoxo
Pam, you are very very kind. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx to you, yours and may this be a wonderful Christmas. May memories be made and the day be bright xx
You, too, Shey. Big love! ๐ ๐ โค๏ธ
I love the decorations, Shey- just beautiful! I think we’ve seen more lights and decorations around here than in other years- we went on a light finding drive last night and found some marvelous ones! Yes, just little things, like you said, but they help. โค A very Merry Christmas to you and yours
My girls felt they had to up their game this year given the way everyone in their respective streets was going to town. I only put a string of lights round the door outside cos we are hidden away and no-one sees our garden or door or I would have a lot more lights outside. I put some wreaths up and wee baubles in the bushes in the courtyard but that is about it for outside. But yes everyone is really going for it I’d say, holding on to the little things, rituals etc. The very best to you and yours. I hope you have a wonderful day xxxxxxx
Love decs with stories, and your tag is a treasure. Hope you and the Mr have as delightful a festive time as possible. Hope you’ll be able to share some holiday fun with the family. And, best seasonal wishes to The Dudes. xxxx
Oh we are well having a wonderful festive time. Nothing less. Hoping you will have a wonderful time too, Cath. AND Santa will bring you books, knowing how you love them! That tag was quite expensive at a time when we were flat broke! I put it on our special tree of all such things each year. xxxxxxxxx All good wishes to you
Lovely read for not so lovely times. So agree the little things are what are carrying us through. Merry Christmas to you and yours dear heart, much love always โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
They do indeed carry us through. They not only remind us of so much, they remind us we;re here, we’re now, we don’t let go. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Much love to you xxx
Merry Christmas to you and yours dear Shehanne โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ๐๐๐
The same to you Janni. Let us light our candles in the hope they will burn bright xxx
Dear Shey,
Your Christmas cheer and decorations are as beautiful as you.
Of course you are an Art Gowns Model, and it’s hard to be more beautiful than that.
Hmm, I might be sounding like a human hamster, but I must say they were fairly well behaved tonight.
I suppose they are getting Vodka for Christmas?
Seriously, thank you for this Christmas cheer, and thank you for being you!
Cheers to you and yours!
i’m having a glass of wine to that!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
AW Resa xxxxxxxx Too kind as always. The little dudes were taken in about. Truly I thought this post needs to hit a mark for many reasons this year so they can just go, open some voddie and get trolleyed. Thank YOU for all your friendship, the joy you bring with your amazing talent and your generosity that comes from having a beautiful heart, in sharing that talent. I am truly honored to be an Art Gowns model. Will be opening the vino tomorrow after I get all the cooking done. The best day to you and yours xxxxxxxxxxx
“Across the miles so far apart,
More important, close at heart”!
Cheers to all Shey loves!
ooh love the miles bit. So little separates us really xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Beautifully said Shey, about hanging on to threads of comfort. I love the white tree. I wish you and yours a lovely Christmas, stay safe – and hydrated! LOL Happy New Year hugs to you and the Dudes. โค xoxo
Well I had to have a new tree when the big green tree that is now on the landing broke. I mean how TERRIBLE was that. But we had totally revamped the living room at that point and it is white so yeah, one ahd to match it. Oh and there’s another white tree in the downstairs room…. Not as big i grant you but one must have trees in all the rooms. SO there’s also a small white one in the dining room AND cos the original of that came with only two legs and the company sent another tree, the two legged one is also in the downstairs room. One can never get enough of trees. I am glad you liked the post. It is important right now not to let the little things go. Personally we just stay sassy and sane. Have a wonderful time this Christmas. All love to you and to yours. xxx
Merry Christmas Shehanne – all the very best of this special and beautiful season to you and yours – special thanks to those amazing hamsters. Thank you for writing and for encouraging writers to be bold and courageous and to challenge readers to look deep into their personal story. Each of us are writing and living the narrative of our time which will join with the overarching narrative of those who came before and those who will follow. It is a awesome and exciting responsibility. I am glad that we are entering 2021 together. Sending hugs and love your way.
Sending so much your way in terms of love and hugs. Keep holding the story lag of history and beauty. Forget the holding, fly it high. All love my friendxxx
I love how you decorated your home, dear Shey! It is a pleasure to know you, and I send much love to you and your entire family xo Merry Xmas. Oh and the dudes, I hope the dudes behave themselves over the holidays!
It is wonderful to know you Christy and see you so happy. Truly. So thank you for the lovely wishes and comment. I try to run with the lighter colors where I have them in our house, when it comes to decorating for xmas.
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I so love your beautiful decorations and Christmas trees. Sending my best wishes and much love X
So much love to you Inese. We had a great day at Christmas. I hope you did too. xxxx So glad you lived the decorations. Truly. I just like some cheer at this time of year and it to be ncie for our family coming in xxxxx
Some cheer is always welcome ๐ xxxxx
Aye well, my bonnie Inese, it is a bittie thin on the ground right the noo, sure enough. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx to you and yours whatever xxx
Hi Shey and dudes: I hope your holiday celebrations have been full of family and connectedness. Your decorations look wonderful and welcoming. The dudes have barely stood aside here, but itโs great to hear more about your books and how Christmas has its place among them.
โ I guess ana awful lot of us are holding onto the little things in order to hold onto something far bigger, and seldom has that been more important.โ This couldnโt be more true. Wishing you and your Mr., the family and all, a much improved 2021 with lots of happiness and good health!
My lovely Ka, wonderful to see you. The best and all love to you and yours Thank you for this lovely comment. We did indeed have a family day on Christmas and there’s more to come too. I did use the backdrop of Christmas in the two books. It is a time when we get ready and we do all sorts AND we are glad we are all together. So we assure ourselves about that. We also have huge expectations AND the rush to nail it as it gets closer. These were themes I wanted to explore. This year especially I wanted to look at how we do hold onto the little things, the rhythms of our lives, the people, the habits, the things that make us us, so thank you my friend. Knowing how spiritual you are your comment means the world. xxxx
HOORAY FOR CHRISTMAS TREES! Oh, I’d love to have a couple more trees around the house. And what a beautiful table! We found Bo’s mom’s Christmas dishes this fall and I’ve been putting them to use. The little things, as you say, that we can pull together into the light, really do make all the difference. Hope you had a beautiful Christmas with your family, O Lovely Lady Shey, and I pray for a happy New Year to you all! xxxx
I did indeed have a wonderful Christmas and I hope you did too. I have to my trees you know. There’s another two smaller ones then two even smaller ones… One can never have enough trees. Glad you found these dishes. And thank you for the lovely remark. I kept the table simple this year. The little things though are what counts. The best New Year to you x
happy new year friend !
Aw, thank you so much. Happy new Year to you. Last year the little dudes wished everyone plente slainte in 2020. Given how that turned out, this year they shut up. But they will be blog something along these liens this week. The best to you and all of yours.
grazie ! thanks !
Grazie to you xxx
I am somewhat late for Christmas, but your sentence where you say – more or less- that one holds on to small things in order to be able to hold on to something bigger, such as life, are words, which may always be true! Thank you very much Shenan and a happy 2021.
The happiest to you and all of yours. Such a kind comment. Thank you so very much for it. Truly appreciate it. xxxxxxxxx
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Oh how I love this post. Your Christmas trees and the way your Christmas table is laid out is just beautiful. I know Christmas is over but I still feel Christmassy and you’ve given me some more Christmas magic which will keep me going for another week at least. It’s the little things that mean so much. With love and sparkles for a fabulous 2021 xxxxxxxx
Oh my lovely lady, xxxxxxxxxx. We need that magic still. It is the little things during these times, we so need to hold to. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Thank you for the lovely comment. I went for less is hopefully with the table this year. The room is a glazed painting technique and I try to work in with that when I do the table. So thank you. Means a lot x