Spoiler alert . . . a tale of woe!
I had a new left knee last year and was due to get the other replaced on November 4th. Only, my blood pressure, which is usually normal, went sky high. The operation was aborted and I was sent home to get stablished on pills. Was I CROSS! Returning to work upstairs on my computer, I yearned for a cup of tea . . . and found my stairlift had broken! There I was upstairs, with tea downstairs, and frozen food taken from the freezer defrosting . . . and the engineer couldn’t come till the next day!
I phoned a neighbour who had a key and she came round in a fluster . . . and the outer door key wouldn’t work! Picture me hanging out of the first-floor window, directing her to neighbour No.2 who also had a key . . . only she was having her hair dyed and so there was a further delay. Eventually kind neighbour No 1 and her husband got in and helped me down the stairs to have that much needed cup of tea. And the stairlift was restored to order next morning.
Whatever next! Well, a bulb blew in my bedside light and my specs crashed to the floor and twisted the side-piece off. Apart from that, you will be glad to hear that my temper and my blood pressure have returned to normal and I sent my lovely neighbour No 1 a bunch of flowers.
Back to my desk, and . . .
I got through to the end of the second draft of the next Ellie book, which I really rather like. Then I took a breather to tiddle around with the Christmas stories. When they’re finished I’ll get back to work on the third draft for Murder by Estate Agent.
Christmas short stories
The one about an eleven-year-old boy is called ‘Joe Finds His Voice.’ It was written for our Carol Concert, but you can access it here. The longer and more difficult one for the Methodist Recorder is for Sally and Bruce who are given unsuitable gifts, but also goes back in time to see the Nativity story from Joseph’s point of view. I haven’t done this split time thing before and must say it gave me a lot of grief. I think – I hope – it works. It will be published in the combined Christmas and New Year edition.
Parsley’s Pose
Parsley moved into my little conservatory (view him here) for the Christmas season, liking the proximity of my artificial tree which was bought for my very first Christmas on earth in 1933. No lights on it now, but many memories.
A blessing on those who are kind to the lonely at Christmas time.
Veronica Heley