AK writing/written a book now!

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'It's a time for many when solitude turns to loneliness, like this cork of gloom that's firmly held underwater for most of the year somehow just pops up to the surface. Recent years have been OK. There's been a calmness there and it's been bearable...I went to Ealing to buy a winter coat today and I noticed how thin the sunlight felt'.
That's truly awful. My children gave me the title Yuleaholic because of my love for all things Christmas, a gene passed on from my lovely mum. It's all fine & dandy as long as all's well in your world but when you realise that others are having a bad time or that bad time happens to you the months of festive bombardment seem very long & even more empty. I think more people than you realise find it very difficult &, as an animal lover, I'm aware of the suffering it causes them - forced feeding, abandoned old pets & young ones bought to be jettisoned too once the fun wears off. Volunteering is a really good idea, not least because you'll meet others who feel the same as you.
 
Twilight said:
'It's a time for many when solitude turns to loneliness, like this cork of gloom that's firmly held underwater for most of the year somehow just pops up to the surface. Recent years have been OK. There's been a calmness there and it's been bearable...I went to Ealing to buy a winter coat today and I noticed how thin the sunlight felt'.
That's truly awful. My children gave me the title Yuleaholic because of my love for all things Christmas, a gene passed on from my lovely mum. It's all fine & dandy as long as all's well in your world but when you realise that others are having a bad time or that bad time happens to you the months of festive bombardment seem very long & even more empty. I think more people than you realise find it very difficult &, as an animal lover, I'm aware of the suffering it causes them - forced feeding, abandoned old pets & young ones bought to be jettisoned too once the fun wears off. Volunteering is a really good idea, not least because you'll meet others who feel the same as you.
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We are definitely twins, it's in the name yuleaholic and shopperholic :mysmilie_3: we love all things Christmas too, our sons have inherited mine and the husbands "love of Christmas" gene. I love the hustle and bustle of shopping, the decorations, taking the grandkiddies out for tea with all the decorations up in the shops while their mummy and daddy are working, yeah we love it. Last year, our youngest son, daughter in law and grandson came down (they only live fifteen minutes drive away) and we all walked to my eldest son, (who only lives a couple of minutes walk away) the husband dressed (as always) like Father Christmas, we past two families and the kids were ecstatic screaming look it's Santa, the husband just smiled and went "ho! ho! ho!" It was a lovely day, the husband is always thrilled when the kids thinks they've seen Father Christmas on Christmas Day. :mysmilie_17:

We always try to help the less well off, we also love the real reason behind Christmas Day and being together as a family which we hold that dear to our hearts. :mysmilie_3:
 
Shopper, your lovely post says everything that's important about Christmas, I too love all the things you described & your husband sounds a real love. I think we create the Christmas we want, I put a lot of thought into it & care about how it feels for everyone else but I don't spend for the sake of it & some of my favourite decorations are older than our kids! It sounds slushy but it's the time when the little things become the big things - my favourite Chistmas TV advert was six years ago for Asda, always makes me smile, especially the assortment of chairs around the table.
 
I`ve had some happy Christmases especially when my children were little and my parents were alive but I`ve had some awful Christmases too. I think the older you become and the more people you lose then you have to work harder to get into the Christmas spirit. Kids grow up, grandkids grow up and you have that period in life when nobody around you believes in Santa anymore.
I clearly remember the Christmas Eves when my boys were little and every few minutes we`d hear a bedroom door open and a little voice ask " Has HE been yet? ". Eventually they`d fall asleep and myself and hubby would quietly sneak their toys downstairs and lie awake the rest of the night with both ears cocked in case one of them woke up and went to investigate. Of course they were always up and about at the crack of dawn anyway.
My late first husband sadly didn`t live long enough to see his grandchildren, they were born after his death and he would have been delighted to have 2 little grand daughters especially as we`d had 3 sons. Seeing the grand daughters on Christmas Day was always a tad bittersweet for me, I loved to see them but felt sad that someone who would have loved them to the moon and back, had missed out.
Nowadays the oldest grand daughter no longer believes in Santa, she`s 12 but we think her younger sister still does. I think this will be her last year of Christmas Eve excitement and wondering if he got her wish list.
My second husband has 5 grandchildren but they range from 15 to 19 so all Christmas means to them is how much money they`ll get and what they can spend it on in the Boxing Day sales.
For 13 years I worked in a homeless hostel and spent part of every Christmas Day there and even though in a perfect World every man would have a family to welcome him on Christmas Day, the reality was many didn`t and so we always tried to make it as "Christmassy " as we could. They all got gifts, they were fed until they burst and the Sally Army band always came and played for us.
My saddest Christmases were the one when my Mum passed away 3 weeks before and I had to wrap the presents she`d bought and hidden at the bottom of her wardrobe. She left a huge gap in our lives that Christmas and of course I hated my first Christmas after my first husband died and myself and my youngest son who was just 17 and still living at home, tried our best to enjoy ourselves but failed miserably.
Whether you`re alone or with family , visit friends or loved ones, I daresay all of us have that twinge of sadness at some point over Christmas and we probably always will.
 
shopperholic said:
We are definitely twins, it's in the name yuleaholic and shopperholic :mysmilie_3: we love all things Christmas too, our sons have inherited mine and the husbands "love of Christmas" gene. I love the hustle and bustle of shopping, the decorations, taking the grandkiddies out for tea with all the decorations up in the shops while their mummy and daddy are working, yeah we love it. Last year, our youngest son, daughter in law and grandson came down (they only live fifteen minutes drive away) and we all walked to my eldest son, (who only lives a couple of minutes walk away) the husband dressed (as always) like Father Christmas, we past two families and the kids were ecstatic screaming look it's Santa, the husband just smiled and went "ho! ho! ho!" It was a lovely day, the husband is always thrilled when the kids thinks they've seen Father Christmas on Christmas Day. :mysmilie_17:

We always try to help the less well off, we also love the real reason behind Christmas Day and being together as a family which we hold that dear to our hearts. :mysmilie_3:
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Bless your Hubby....even if he is signed up to the portion control police for his day job.....:mysmilie_17:
 
Vienna said:
I`ve had some happy Christmases especially when my children were little and my parents were alive but I`ve had some awful Christmases too. I think the older you become and the more people you lose then you have to work harder to get into the Christmas spirit. Kids grow up, grandkids grow up and you have that period in life when nobody around you believes in Santa anymore.
I clearly remember the Christmas Eves when my boys were little and every few minutes we`d hear a bedroom door open and a little voice ask " Has HE been yet? ". Eventually they`d fall asleep and myself and hubby would quietly sneak their toys downstairs and lie awake the rest of the night with both ears cocked in case one of them woke up and went to investigate. Of course they were always up and about at the crack of dawn anyway.
My late first husband sadly didn`t live long enough to see his grandchildren, they were born after his death and he would have been delighted to have 2 little grand daughters especially as we`d had 3 sons. Seeing the grand daughters on Christmas Day was always a tad bittersweet for me, I loved to see them but felt sad that someone who would have loved them to the moon and back, had missed out.
Nowadays the oldest grand daughter no longer believes in Santa, she`s 12 but we think her younger sister still does. I think this will be her last year of Christmas Eve excitement and wondering if he got her wish list.
My second husband has 5 grandchildren but they range from 15 to 19 so all Christmas means to them is how much money they`ll get and what they can spend it on in the Boxing Day sales.
For 13 years I worked in a homeless hostel and spent part of every Christmas Day there and even though in a perfect World every man would have a family to welcome him on Christmas Day, the reality was many didn`t and so we always tried to make it as "Christmassy " as we could. They all got gifts, they were fed until they burst and the Sally Army band always came and played for us.
My saddest Christmases were the one when my Mum passed away 3 weeks before and I had to wrap the presents she`d bought and hidden at the bottom of her wardrobe. She left a huge gap in our lives that Christmas and of course I hated my first Christmas after my first husband died and myself and my youngest son who was just 17 and still living at home, tried our best to enjoy ourselves but failed miserably.
Whether you`re alone or with family , visit friends or loved ones, I daresay all of us have that twinge of sadness at some point over Christmas and we probably always will.
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As much as Christmas is about, love, peace and family, I agree it also emphasises depression, austerity and loneliness so yes, as much as Christmas is the happiest time of the year, for some it's the unhappiest.
 
Twilight said:
Shopper, your lovely post says everything that's important about Christmas, I too love all the things you described & your husband sounds a real love. I think we create the Christmas we want, I put a lot of thought into it & care about how it feels for everyone else but I don't spend for the sake of it & some of my favourite decorations are older than our kids! It sounds slushy but it's the time when the little things become the big things - my favourite Chistmas TV advert was six years ago for Asda, always makes me smile, especially the assortment of chairs around the table.
Click to expand...

No, that doesn't sound slushy, it's true at Christmas you do tend to value more the little things. Aw yes I remember that advert, it was so heartwarming. :mysmilie_3:
 
I see Alison has been joining FB groups related to Q in order to post about her book.
 
Twilight said:
On this point I'll go into bat for her because it's about her illness; the operations, treatment & emotional effect it had on her & her family. I get the feeling it's aimed at others going through the same & giving out a message of hope. One of the most amazing books I've ever read was 'When Bad Things Happen in Good Bikinis' by Helen Bailey. I've recommended it to a number of people who had been bereaved, even though none of them had witnessed their loved one die in tragic circumstances, they all found it positive & comforting. I'm just sorry she didn't live long enough to see how many benefited from reading her story.
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I remember reading this article about the book when it was published and now I've just realised this is the same poor woman who was murdered by the vile man she met after her husband died - absolutely heartbreaking.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...ing-a-bikini-when-he-died-the-absurdity-of-it
 
Tarketta said:
I remember reading this article about the book when it was published and now I've just realised this is the same poor woman who was murdered by the vile man she met after her husband died - absolutely heartbreaking.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...ing-a-bikini-when-he-died-the-absurdity-of-it
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Yes and she thought so much of the man who was planning to get his hands on her money then drugged and murdered her.Wasn’t the vile creature being investigated over his first wife’s death? I also read recently that her house was up for sale although I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to live there.
 
I work in a busy book store and we do a brisk trade in true life books, be it survivors of child abuse detailing their ordeal, stories of illness and surgeries, victims of crimes...we call it the misery section and the same people come in every week, disturbingly the child abuse books always sell best.

I spend every Christmas alone, I'm single and childless so I'm the one that gets 'volunteered' to stay late Christmas eve to set up the sale and be in early on Boxing Day to open the store, and it's happened where ever I've worked, if I say that I would like to go spend Christmas with my sister who lives some distance away the cry 'but I've got children' from the rest of the staff goes up and that trumps my 'but I've got a dog' :mysmilie_48: :mysmilie_7:
 
Silver Fox said:
Yes and she thought so much of the man who was planning to get his hands on her money then drugged and murdered her.Wasn’t the vile creature being investigated over his first wife’s death? I also read recently that her house was up for sale although I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to live there.
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So awful. I am so grateful Mr CC is a decent person, not after what little money I had/have, just that we got on and have fun a little later in life. I could write a book on how not to live your life, but hey, who'd read it except you lot :mysmilie_17:

CC
 
SusieSue said:
I work in a busy book store and we do a brisk trade in true life books, be it survivors of child abuse detailing their ordeal, stories of illness and surgeries, victims of crimes...we call it the misery section and the same people come in every week, disturbingly the child abuse books always sell best.

I spend every Christmas alone, I'm single and childless so I'm the one that gets 'volunteered' to stay late Christmas eve to set up the sale and be in early on Boxing Day to open the store, and it's happened where ever I've worked, if I say that I would like to go spend Christmas with my sister who lives some distance away the cry 'but I've got children' from the rest of the staff goes up and that trumps my 'but I've got a dog' :mysmilie_48: :mysmilie_7:
Click to expand...

And the dog - I speak from experience, and also experience of spending many Christmases alone, is a far better companion than many people.

CC
 
Good luck to AK. Can't see anything wrong with anyone writing a book. The market will decide if it is of any merit. Happy to see people capitalise on their bad experiences too. What's wrong with making money all of a sudden? Most of us try to.
 
Julius, you're obsessed with Alison's neck. Yes, it's wrinkled, so's mine and so will yours be one day. Shoosh.

CC
 
candycane said:
Julius, you're obsessed with Alison's neck. Yes, it's wrinkled, so's mine and so will yours be one day. Shoosh.

CC
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My older daughter absolutely loved 'Ally McBeal' & one of the male characters was obsessed with women who had neck wattle. My girl found this hysterical (oh, cruel youth) & said she couldn't believe how many people had this loose skin. Maybe many men have this weakness :mysmilie_19: Personally I found the series really tedious & as for the dancing baby...
 

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