Not a fairytale

 

Everyone girl wants their life to be like a fairytale, so, the story goes, but life isn’t a fairytale. Life is hard. Each day should be a new beginning a day of happiness but you wake up late, you rush to get ready, your coffee is cold, you forgot your packed lunch, you have five dollars left until Friday and its only Monday. You go home eat some ramen, because that’s all the food that is left in the cupboard. Your television is on the fritz, the password that your mom and dad loaned you for Netflix is caput. It’s six o’clock, so dark you might as well go to bed. I say my prayers for someone to share and change my life with, going to sleep shortly afterwards.

Awakening to an alarm coughing, a cute fireman stands over me, placing oxygen over my face. The fireman takes me outside.  I worry that I forgot to check on my ninety year old neighbour, Howie before I went to sleep. I think I should ask Cal. I look over and he's been brought out by a fireman too.

“Sandra?” Cal says.

“Some fire,” I comment.

“I heard Howie, left his stove on under a pot.”

"Is he okay? I forgot to check on him. Did you check on him?"

"No, I went to conked out early, and didn't check on him; but the fireman says he's okay. We have to do better. we can't let the poor old guy suffer. He's always been good for us."

"I know; he gave me fifty bucks last month when I was short the rent last month."

"What a great guy he is."

"Don't get me wrong I paid him back last week."

"I'm not surprised; you should have asked me though."

"I didn't ask he just tucked in a pocket."

“We could fix all of this.  I know this is probably the wrong time; but I almost died will you go out with me? then maybe someday you could move in with me and we could share expenses and Howie.”

I needed a new beginning maybe this was my chance I thought speaking to God I ask, “Where do you want me?” of course I didn’t get a verbal answer but I answer.

“Yes, Cal, I will.”

A year later and were married. We bought a house and rented out a room with cooking services and laundry to Howie (since he refused to move in without paying us a nominal fee.) Cal and I take turns cooking and cleaning and Howie is excited since Cal and I have no family he's going to be a grandfather to our baby who will born in the new year. Life isn't a fairytale but sometimes if you grab it with both hands you can have a surprise or two that can make you smile.

Copyright 2023 © Sheilagh G. Lee

Happy Winter Solstice

 Happy Winter Solstice -Stonehenge

I had had always wanted to visit Stonehenge and then my dream had come true, for I stood in the centre of Stonehenge at the dawn of Winter Solstice . As the sun came up and shone on the stones, I felt one with the stones. The air around me whirled and I felt dizzy as the world seemed to shift. Before my eyes, the stones shimmered and seemed to become as new again.

“The great warrior comes. See, I summoned him, sisters,” I heard, but although I heard English, I knew it was in ancient dialect and not truly in the words I heard. Before me stood three women their hair long and luxurious, hanging down to their ankles. Each had a different hair colour, one had fiery red hair ,one brown almost black and the other golden like the rays of the sun.

“He looks scrawny.”

“Yes, far too skinny, young and has no muscles,” commented the other.

“I used the right spell. I know I did he will be able to remove the sword,” she said pointing to a sword stuck in a huge stone.

 

An ancient legend tells of a sword and stone, but this was something different. It had jewels encrusted on its tang. The blade what I could see of it was topped with quillon (a circular part) and guard with a nice grip. It was made of silver and bronze quite tarnished. The sword was quite spectacular as it had jewels of ruby, emerald, and diamonds encrusted on its handle and I felt the need to touch it; but I held myself back.

“What is your name boy?” the brunette asked.

“Arthur.” I answered.

“Good you have done well. He even has the right name, Morgana.” The blonde commented.

“There it is, boy. Get on with it.” said Morgana( the redhead.)

I put my hand on the hilt and pulled with all my might, but it wouldn’t budge. It was mired like quickstone, my knuckles and hands grew scabbed and scarred trying to make it move.

“You’ve failed Morgana. You fool, he’s the wrong Arthur. Send him back!” said the brunette.

“I think he’s handsome, might we keep him?” asked the blonde touching my shoulders.

“No, you know the rules. We might borrow from time; but they must all go back,” Morgana proclaimed.

There was a flash of light and then I found myself on the ground in the centre of Stonehenge.

“See here. you are trespassing.” said a voice over my head. ”And now you’ve knocked some of the stones down on top of you. I should arrest you; but looking at the scrape on your head, I’d say you’ve learned your lesson. Do you want me to call an ambulance, sir?”

“No, I’ll be fine.” I said holding my head and trying to stem the bleeding.

I wondered if my head injury explained all of this and reached in my pocket for a handkerchief. To my surprise I found a ruby from the sword in my pocket .I smiled looking back at the stones, perhaps the ladies would summon me again as long as I had the stone.

“Blessed be!” I shouted as I left.

©Sheilagh Lee  December 21, 2021 included in Legends Folktales and other Stories

Hello Baby, I'm Your Big Sister-Now available #NewRelease #kindle #paperback

 New Release Hello, Baby, I'm Your Big Sister

A warm and Loving welcome to a new sibling.

Available at Barnes and Noble, 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hello-baby-im-your-big-sister-s-g-lee/1139865392

Amazon https://amzn.to/3kNY6DT   and selected retailers near you.

May is my birthday month so you get presents #FREE #Kindle

 May is my birthday month so from now until my birthday I will be releasing #free #kindle s for my readers so download and enjoy.

The first May 4-6 is A Penny Saved A Murder Earned  

The Kelly's are cursed or is it really a serial killer responsible for the deaths in "A Penny Saved a murder Earned" https://amzn.to/339Wc6a

The second ~Henrietta and the Donor Eggs from May 7 -May 10 #childrensbook #kindle 

Henrietta wants to be a mom and with a generous friend maybe she can be https://amzn.to/2ZzxA3C  #kindle #kindledeals  #infertility #kindle

The Christmas Card May 11 -14   #Christmas #kindle

Grace Philips receives a Christmas Card in error, (a seventy year old error) for the Christmas Card is not for her. but for a Grace who lived in her apartment seventy years ago. Grace attempts to find the woman and deliver the Christmas love note which never reached the recipient and contains a proposal and a set of wedding rings. This sets out a journey of love, romance, and surprises for everyone involved. http://amzn.to/VMtFyB

Jack be Nimble May 17 – May21 - #Detective #crimenoir #kindle

Paranoia? Or are the memories just too hard to reveal, even to Jack, himself? #JackBeNimble http://amzn.to/1KDaPwp

Murder Most Fowl May 22 -26  #shortstories #murder #kindle

An anthology of stories filled with murder, to delight, captivate & caution you. http://amzn.to/2ozZJ83

Dreams Can Kill May 27 – May 29  #mystery #thriller #suspence #kindle 

4☆ book Amnesiac Sharron Alexander, suffering from a head wound doesn't remember who to trust http://amzn.to/2bo0HAq  #kindle

Legends, Folktales and Other Stories May 29 -June 1   #folktales #legends #kindle

A collection of legends, folktales myths and stories of fairies, goblins, selkies& other creatures. #kindle #paperback   http://amzn.to/2fgd5qn    

New Release ~ The Magical Life of Me #CHILDRENSBOOK #family #love #kindledeals #KindleBooks #smiles

New release ~ The Magical Life of Me http://amzn.to/2z2VLiv





#CHILDRENSBOOK #family #love #kindledeals #KindleBooks #smiles

Also temporarily available only in the U. S. in paperback due to COVID restrictions 
LARGE Print https://www.amazon.com/dp/1987977378?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

I am the face of the Immunosuppressed or the immunoverdrive

         I am the face of the Immunooverdrive

This is the picture I show the world 

but this is how I look today 

I think I look awful and normally wouldn't share this I'd slap on some make-up and try to look normal. Then try to angle the camera so I look better.

Today I have a raging occurrence of my immune system disorder deciding as I call it  to start the 'I hate you cycle'. So I'm taking immunosuppression drugs, My face is red and

swollen I have the telltale rash all over my face. I am one of those people you are physically distancing for I have two autoimmune diseases, one which maybe lupus (not confirmed yet still testing for) This disease whatever it is causes health problems and makes me susceptible to diseases on top of my Fibromyalgia.I don’t like to talk about these because I don’t let them define me. I also had cancer of the thryroid which was successfully stopped.

For those that have never heard of it Fibromyalgia is described as muscle pain,tenderness, and fatigue. A disorder that is usually accompanied by memory, sleep, and mood issues. Researchers believe the condition arises from an

overactive nervous system, which amplifies painful sensations. The condition is difficult to diagnose as it is not identifiable by blood work, x-rays, orscans. So imagine having this disease not knowing what the heck is causing all

your problems and then being told it must be all in your head just because theydon’t know what the disease is. That’s what a lot of us have gone through over

the years and that’s partly why we stay silent and just try to live.

 I believe I may have had  a mild form as early as

when I was eleven years old and that the more severe form didn’t make itself really known until I was nineteen. That said I still wasn't diagnosed until the doctors started talking about the condition when I was twenty-six.

  Imagine being a young girl and knowing that your life has changed that you’d never do the things you could before like bike ride, running, skating and other things you enjoyed and to replace all of those you have extreme pain , fatigue and a

foggy brain that sometimes makes you forget simple words when you’re speaking added to that there is no defintion of this disease and some doctors treat you badly insisting or implying you're faking. You’ve adjusted to that all that you

take rest when you can but like before you power through you marry, adjusting your life to raising children and enjoying your life as best you can and then you get something they don’t warn you about another type of illness to add to it; an autoimmune disease that gives you even more of the same effects you felt with fibromyalgia and added to it more swelling a feeling of nausea, headaches, and indigestion as well as a slew of allergies to things you were never allergic to before.

If you’re me you decide it’s not going to win and you work hard when you can, rest when you can and keep close eye so you can get on top of an occurrence. You decide

you’re going to write books (you can do that despite your illness) and so you do, writing the books that have been waiting inside you for years reaching a publishing total of twenty six books since 2010. (I say none of this for sympathy or praise as I feel that's unneccessary we all have our own things we have to get through.)

Then a pandemic starts happening in other countries and you watch nervously as it moves across the world. You sequester yourself in late February to protect yourself and warn your loved ones to follow the guidelines of social distancing (now known as(physical distancing), washing hands and hope that no one you know gets the disease since it’s now moving through generations. I have a grandchild, a wonderful supportive husband and two daughters and a son-in law, for their sakes and yours I’m begging you follow the rules from the medical experts maybe we can stop this disease from advancing and save lives. Your neighbour, your family member, your friends or maybe just someone like me that you’ve only known from the internet will get through this unscathed or at least alive.

Thank you from ©Sheilagh Lee  March 27, 2020

Bored in Self~isolation? #FreeEbooks Limited Time Only #selectdates check blog #kindle #kindledeals #enjoy

      Let's face it we've been in isolation, what a couple of days? Already we're bored; so break out that e-book reader and download these books of mine free on these dates .

The Christmas Card~ FREE ~March 18 -22

Grace Philips receives a Christmas Card in error, (a seventy year old error) for the Christmas Card is not for her. but for a Grace who lived in her apartment seventy years ago. Grace attempts to find the woman and deliver the Christmas love note which never reached the recipient and contains a proposal and a set of wedding rings. This sets out a journey of love, romance, and surprises for everyone involved.

http://amzn.to/VMtFyB

Dreams Can Kill~FREE ~ March 19 -23

Scared with no point of reference accepting what she's been told; amnesiac Sharron must remember or she will learn #DreamsCanKill

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GCI7AKM

Poetry in Motion~A Forest of Feelings ~FREE ~ March 20 - 22  

 

A forest of feelings embracing joy, love, passion, sadness, and political commentary, feelings of nature and personal opinions

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A Poetic Touch - The Human Condition~FREE ~March 20 - 24 

Poems of grief, philosophy, human emotion, and humour to read and enjoy.

http://amzn.to/1EidYiy

A Penny Saved A Murder Earned~ FREE ~March 19- 23

A series of dead bodies, close to the Kelly's heart,  Could they be a stalker's love offerings and when will it stop? 

http://amzn.to/VuO44B

Legends, Folktales and Other Stories~FREE ~ March 24 -28 #ebook

A collection of legends, folktales myths and stories of fairies, goblins, selkies& other creatures to scare you and delight you.

http://amzn.to/2fgd5qn

Stray Bullet ~FREE ~March 25~ March 29 #ebook

     Unexplained losses' of opioids from the local hospital,dead cops and possible corruptions in his new police force are what Sheriff Bullet finds on his first day on the job. 

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