We had a lot to talk about - we're hoping to move back to England next year and they plan to retire early and grow potatoes in Ireland!
We shared the cooking, ate our starters on the terrace and retired there after dinner for more drinks by candlelight. Next year we hope to be drinking our brandies by an open fire.
On Boxing Day we caught up with the rest of the family over thousands of miles thanks to the miracle of Skype, and then we ate a Mexican supper with Venezuelan and Italian friends - a truy international Christmas.
And now life can return to what passes for normal in our neck of the woods. First I must post this week's 100 worder for the Friday Fictioneers - see http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/ for the link to other writers. Then I shall send off the short story I wrote for a competition over the holiday, and finally return to the rewrite that seems to be taking forever!
If you're still here, thanks for sticking with me, and I wish you a happy and successful 2015.
My story follows this lovely photo taken by a fellow Friday Fictioneer Bjorn Rudberg, and if you'd like Christmas stories, read my post for 30th December - "Stable".
The tsunami didn’t care
that Felicity was a celebrity and Maria a servant – it swept them both off the
terrace. Maria clung to a tree, holding Felicity with her strong old arms,
until the next wave dragged them away.
As they stood in line
for the golden stairs Felicity said, “You can’t come this way, Maria – use the
servants’ entrance.”
In a little cove Maria
discovered the worn steps of her childhood and ran lightly up them, straight
into her mother’s arms, and at the gates she heard Felicity desperately
demanding; “I’m a celebrity – let me in here!”
I like it. And I love that old stairway - where else could it lead but paradise!
ReplyDeleteI've seen stairways like that in the countryside round here - they're unbearably romantic, I agree.
DeleteDear Lizy,
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Felicity had a rude awakening...a day late and a dollar short. Very sweet story. And thank your for sharing your Christmas with us. I enjoyed that. Isn't Skype amazing? I love it.
Shalom and a Happy New Year.
Dear Rochelle - this was definitely a 'come-uppance' story - sometimes it's the only satisfactory ending. Happy 2015 to you too.
DeleteI like that there's a servants entry... A very timely story with all the tsunami reminders in the news.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bjorn.
DeleteA true reflection of the way it sometimes is. Delighted Maria made it!
ReplyDeleteGood luck for 2015 and coming back to Blighty. It's good here despite the class divides.
There are class divisions everywhere - they're just not admitted to!
DeleteGlad you had a good Christmas. It sounds like a very fun, and cosmopolitan celebration!
ReplyDeleteReally liked the story. Very apt with the godawful celebrity culture we find ourselves mired in these days. And, as you say, there is snobbishness and class division all over the world. There always has been. It just morphs sometimes as to who currently think themselves the bee's knees (and we're neatly back to celebrities again!). Have a fab New Year, Lizy!
Thanks MAxi, and a great New Year to you too. So-called celebrities really get on my pip!
DeleteThere will certainly be a different list of 'Whos' who' at the top of that staircase, I expect. Your story's a lovely illustration of the blindness of arrogance, whether based on class, gender, wealth, or any of the other things we invent to bolster up our egotism.
ReplyDeleteThanks Margirene - entry to any kind of Heaven will always be on merit, and all we can do is hope we've been good enough!
DeleteHappy Christmas and best wishes for 2015, Lizy.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best too, Patsy. Success to us all in 2015.
DeleteGreat photo of the mossy steps. That's the kind of image that inspires me. I have a hazy, sunlit forest hanging above my computer (not literally; I haven't got the hanging gardens of Babylon hidden away in here).
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the story. Great opening sentence. I think I'd rather take the servants' entrance :)
I can't take credit for the photo - that was taken by Bjorn - but thanks for your comments on my story.
DeleteShe can probably gain entrance to that other establishment. It's warmer there and she can have a devil of a time.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Nice one, Subroto - she'll also find plenty of other 'celebrities' there!
DeleteEnjoyed the holiday photos. It sure looks like you were having a good time.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that there was a "servants" entrance says it all in your story. The lowly shall be exalted, and the mighty brought low. Beautifully told.
Thanks, Russell - pride comes before The Fall, perhaps?
DeleteA parable, no less! A very happy New Year and hope you get back to Blighty in 2015.
ReplyDeleteI thought parables were only in the Bible. *rushes off to look up Bible in case I've plaigarised it* :)
DeleteHappy New Year Maggie - with all these fingers crossed for me perhaps I'll get lucky!
Liz, Looks like you had a great Christmas Day. Good story with a great happy ending. Looks like Maria found the better stairs. Well done. Happy Holidays! :) --- Suzanne
DeleteThanks Suzanne - give me the humble stairs over a golden ladder any day! Happy New Year.
DeleteGreat story, right to my heart that!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Sandra - a lovely comment to greet me this morning!
DeleteWhat a lovely story!! My it does read like a parable, so profound and heartfelt.
ReplyDeleteThank you Traces - as you may have guessed I have no time for class divisions!
ReplyDeleteWe are really grateful for your blog post. You will find a lot of approaches after visiting your post. I was exactly searching for. Thanks for such post and please keep it up. Great work. Bring Collective conscious to peace and harmony
ReplyDelete