A Thousand Thanks

Dear readers,

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and liking my posts. We are now a thousand strong! I am so grateful.

You are all awesome!

Sending you all big hugs. Stay well and stay safe.

El x

Thank you!

www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-happens-when-you-more-than-others-think-florence-thum

Wine o’ clock

I love long lines of traffic, moody children complaining in the back and the scowling sky threatening to cry out to the world below. Love the stress of trying to balance a workday with after school clubs and meetings for four different children preparing for their new year in a new class (two at new schools!). Love the plucky looks of parents eyeing out my dog hanging out the back window as I park because he’s decided to make himself sick and nearly die, and me spending sleepless nights watching over him then going to work.

Yup. It has been fun. 

Suffice it to say, I am declaring it wine o’ clock and all my worries be damned! As I pour my glass of Shiraz and slip into my oversized pjs that don’t match but are the most comfortable clothes I possess, I feel bubbles of excitement fill my body. The thought of a night of relaxation with XXX on Sky (yes, of course I love Vin Diesel but not in the way you would think – I want to be him, not be with him!!) and my secret stash of Turkish Delights just waiting for me, I plan on forgetting the pending appointments for the week ahead, the deadlines on books I still haven’t finished writing and my start with the Open University where I will be studying a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. 

Yes folks, the future may be bright and filled with opportunities, but just for tonight, I’m taking a break. 

Please, be kind and leave reviews for my books. I will try to keep posts flowing on my blog but they will be intermittent (as they have been for the past few weeks). Apologies if I miss your posts. I will try to keep up but a few will fall through the cracks. 

If you need me, send me an email or contact me through my social media sites. I’m still around, just focusing on not drowning under children, work, studies and pets! 

Hugs to you all. 

Happy #Wensfriesday

  
I’ve put together some of my favourite treats for this week.  Promise I won’t eat them all!

What treat are you having this week?  If not a treat, maybe a song, sport or anything to make you smile!

Sometimes it’s the smallest things that make us happy.  My illustrator has shared a pic of Mr Barns from Cecil The Bully.  It made my week.  Since I love to share the happiness, I would like to share it with you. Let me know what you think of it.

  
Share a little love this mid-week break and makes someone’s day.

Big hugs to you all.  xxx

Copyright held by Eloise De Sousa (2015) for all pictures, poems and stories posted on this site.  

Saturday Night Confessions

Saturday Confessions

My confession.

Friday

Hello Friday!  I welcome the day with open arms and an open heart, relishing the possibilities of the day.  Heat envelops my mind and soul as I count my blessings and think of those without a home, a family, loving friends to turn to in an hour of need.  I am very lucky.

When I was younger, I would spend my time in the garden plotting revenge against my brother for some infraction or other.  When the anger passed, a deep sense of peace resonated through me.  I would sit on my own for hours, basking in the sun, listening to the steady drone of the bumble bees, drunk on nectar.  The earth stood still and the smell of red soil under my fingernails, staining my skinny little legs and bare feet overpowered the heady scent of the rose bushes close to me.  I could feel a surge of energy run through me and sat there, mesmerised by the power of nature.  Of course there was no deep understanding at the time.  I was a child enjoying the peace and tranquility of the world around me, shutting out other emotions that had plagued me before and allowing my body to just relax and enjoy being still.

This whole thought process has been prompted by a post written by Be Like Water (Click on her name to read the article). I have discovered my alone time again after so many years.  It is as precious as finding diamonds in the back garden!  My alone time has varied from spending time at home with no music, television or other distraction disturbing me, so that my thoughts are the loudest things I hear.  This simple time helps me to discuss issues that may bother me during the week when I don’t have time to address them or have the children speaking at me at the same time so I cannot even think straight.  Sometimes I sit in the garden and quietly watch nature go about its business.  Unfortunately I don’t get the same buzz I felt when I was a child, but I think with practise I might reach a level of peace, which is better than nothing.  With a house full of pets and children, finding alone time in the holidays can be difficult.  That’s where the beauty of technology jumps in!  I plug my earphones in and blast music at a ridiculously dangerous level until I feel my energy levels boost again.

I am sharing this with you today because I know life is extremely busy for most of you and we seem to be juggling more balls than we have hands to catch them.  Life is running away from us.  If you have a chance, embrace today, Friday, and count your blessings.  There may be things you don’t see as blessings; more thorns in your side.  Count them anyway.  And when you’re done, know that I’m sending a smile your way and hoping you find a peaceful moment to enjoy being you!

Thanks for reading and have a great day. 😊

Monday Coffee

Tonight we are sitting outside, watching the stars.  The moon has shone her heart out this weekend and even helped eclipse the sun.  I felt it would be fun to sit and watch her as we sip our hot chocolate, french roast, Americano or different teas.

Usually I share other bloggers and tell you about their weeks or interests.  Instead, I’m going to sit next to you and share some fun questions and answers with you.  I got this idea from the wonderful V-Pub. Check out his answers to the questions….once you’ve finished your drink of course!

So, don’t hog the blanket as we cuddle and watch the stars together!

1. Your very first car?  A Landrover.

2. Your first friend?  Catherine.  She was my friend throughout junior school.

3. Item you have that you have had longer than anything else? My lucky pig – until my son lost him! Click to read the story here.

4. What you order the most at Starbucks? Classic or hazelnut hot chocolate.

5. Body parts that are double jointed?  None but I’m still pretty flexible.

6. Name a shortcut that you take in your daily routine? 

7. Lets say you become the opposite sex for one day. What would you do?  Rebuild my patio, probably walk around shirtless whilst building and scratch the nether regions (just to see what the big deal was about it!)

8. Craziest place you had sex?  Now that would be telling!

9. What was/ is your favorite subject in highschool? Literature 

10. Your very first pet?  A cat and a chameleon.

11. The first toy you have memory of?  Beefo, our stuffed hippo.  My brother still refuses to give him to me after thirty years!

12. What do you spend most of your day doing? Writing, walking, working, tidying books.

13. What channel on TV do you watch the most?  My Sky planner.

14. What friend do you miss the most? The ones that meant the most.

15. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas.

16. What would be your ideal day?  To get in the car and drive to the beach with the sun beating down and a full day of fun in the sun.

17. Tennis shoes or sandals? Tennis shoes.

18.  Slow dance or fast dance? Slow. 

Now there were many more questions, but I’m having too much fun sitting next to you chatting.  Tell me about your weekend and did you get a chance to visit Hugh’s blog hop?  Let’s order another cup and chat…

Pic provided by http://www.agodman.com

Saturday Night Confessions

It’s another late one tonight as I’m on my own for the next week. The Hubble has gone on a business trip leaving me with the twiglets and functions to get to over the next few days.

On the drive home Just now, I was thinking how quite a few people I know hate driving in the dark. I find it stimulating and far easier that daytime driving. There are those few weirdos that veer from side to side and the tired drivers that slow and speed sporadically as their auto drive settles in. For me, it’s the beauty of the flashing lights, the cats eyes blinking back at my headlights and the knowledge that my concentration has to be 110%. I love it!

Thrilled as I am about driving at night, you’re probably waiting for my Saturday night confession. Well, tonight I’m struggling to find something to confess about – not for lack of things to say, but thinking of the consequences of saying them out loud. Whispering the sweet nothings to you is the easy part. Living with the repercussions…not so much!

Okay, after deliberating, just before midnight, I will share a bit of my past with you. When I was younger I had a fierce temper. It aggravated me that my brother was the “golden boy” and I was born to be his playmate. They obviously wanted another boy because I could climb better than him, make mud pies and never stood down from a fight. One day, when we were left to our own devices, he used his older brother status to bully me out of an orange. Yes, I’m blushing at the thought. In my defence, I really wanted that orange and the fact that he thought he could just take it from me threw me into an uncontrollable rage. We stated fighting and of course it escalated to the point where he was laughing at my poor attempts to punch him and I grabbed the nearest thing I could find to strike him. (I told you I was dangerous!)

Well, to make a long story short, he thought it a good idea to run away from me and sprinted off into the garden. I followed and from the kitchen door mapped his route and threw the object, which turned out to be a Rubix cube. My aim was accurate and I caught him just above the temple from over five metres away at a full sprint. Yes, I can hear the arrogance in my own voice, but you have to admit that was pretty impressive for a seven year old! He fell and I felt the guilt squashing all the hatred and anger down into a little pile whilst I ran to see if he was okay. Turns out Rubix cubes are pretty lethal, judging by the gash on the side of his head.

I was terrified of what my parents would say when they got home and our nanny arrived in time to see the blood! As usual, she was not impressed with me and my brother was fuming mad. He was fine in the end – a light dressing and some feeble excuse that he caught his head on the low branch of a tree covered up the sustained injury. I had to pay for it for the next few weeks as he threatened to tell my parents if I did not do his chores!

What were your siblings like growing up? Do you have any hair raising stories to tell of near misses?

I have to add that I am a much calmer person now and would never think of throwing an object at a person…promise! 😉

Send in your Saturday Night Confession. I’m looking forward to hearing your stories too.

#Wensfriesday Christmas Eve!

What a special Wensfriesday it is! For myself and my family, the excitement begins today. Baking started two days ago with delicious home made goodies filling the empty cake tins and biscuit boxes we have kept all year long.

This year we have decided to make special hampers for each family and will be filling them with the goodies we have made. From bags of candy floss (yup we bought a candy floss machine!) to home made chocolate brownies, shortbread, Christmas sweets and cheese straws, we hope to bring some Christmas cheer to all our family with a home made touch. We can spend a fortune of presents they don’t want or need but I hope making an effort will mean more this year.

The children have all chosen something to add to the hamper, though I am battling with the youngest who feels that playing minecraft is far more important! The battle continues…

The Hubble has decided to make special Goan sweets (his family comes from Goa) and his speciality, eggnog. It’s delicious and with added rum, a bonus at the end of a long day of baking and creating.

We have our menu ready for Christmas Day too. Unfortunately my mum is not showing signs of improvement and might not be able to join us at home. But all will not be lost because we can always go to her and take her a warmed plate of Christmas dinner. It won’t be the same as having her home, but thank God we still have her here to celebrate with us.

I’d love to hear from you. What special plans do you have for Christmas? Do you make special treats and what’s your favourite recipe? I’m not a fan of Christmas pudding and prefer a nice cheesecake. What do you like? Don’t be shy, let me know! I love hearing from my readers. 😀

On the author front, I’ve finished my quota of personalised Christmas books for the year and hope the children enjoy them. It’s been great fun sending my special readers off on adventures to save Santa and his friends. I even had a return customer from last year which made me hopeful that my books are enjoyable enough to want another for this year!

Next year is going to be exciting with two adult books close to the editing stage and new ideas for children’s stories champing at the bit to be written.

The reassurance of of readers helps and I hope to reach more readers in the future (yes I’m looking at you with pleading eyes!). I have to commit to a more aggressive marketing plan. Yes, I can hear the laughter from here. Me…aggressive selling…hahaha! Well, if you feel like supporting me, please spread the word about my books or leave a review on my Amazon page. Ask for a copy of any of my books in your local library and make my Christmas wish come true! I will be eternally grateful.

Whatever you’re doing this festive season, keep well and stay safe. Sending you all festive hugs and special Christmas Spirit to light your way to the new year! xxx