H is for
Husband
Mine is called Mark. He is wonderful, helps proof read, type, suplies an endless stream of pens and paper.
In Scotland he carried my little dog to the top of a castle so she wouldn’t whine for me at the bottom.
He also tested and then described the feelings of every device/machine at the Crannog aswell as making sure I had brilliant, detailed photos.
Alasdair \a-las-dair, al(a)-sdair\ as a boy’s name (also used as girl’s name Alasdair), is pronounced AL-as-dare. It is of Greek origin, and the meaning of Alasdair is “man’s defender“. Scottish Gaelic form of Alexander, often anglicized as Alistair.
Alasdair is the hero in Book one of the Highland Fairlings series.
‘Silence descended as sixteen year old Ina faced him across the stretch of field. He knew that his own burly, growing power made the small lass appear even smaller, and he was confident that his skill would prove the foolishness of allowing a wee lass to compete. And yet he was loathe to harm her.
Servants and warriors alike looked on as a champion of each clan, both descended from laird’s, stood opposite one another. Both lairds looked on in shock and bewilderment at the outcome and then smiled secret smiles. All of this was clear to Alasdair as he looked at a way of ending this humiliating display as quickly and as cleanly as possible. He could not believe that he was expected to battle her.
He was pleasantly shocked at her easy grace and put aside his feelings of being too easy on her. If she truly believed herself to be so great then he was determined to prove otherwise.
Their dancing, light steps were punctuated by loud clangs of weapons striking each other, startled gasps came from the spectators.
But he was the more experienced warrior and the one with greater strength. It was too easy for him to reach out a strong hand and boldly pull the small figure closer to him, his teeth clenched as he moved his heavy blunted blade in defense against her unrelenting attack.
“Yield tay me, fair one.” His voice was soft but in the unnatural stillness of the afternoon the words carried easily.
“Never!”
Wresting herself out of his arms she quickly returned her attack, focusing what must have been all of her power into defeating him.
He intended to make sure that she would be unable to.
With their lunges and strikes growing in intensity, Alasdair finally spotted an opening and quickly forced the lass’ sword from her hand. Unaware any more of their witnesses, he caught her as she stumbled at the impact and instinctively he pulled her soft form tightly into his frame. Pleased surprise coursed through him as the lass’ hidden curves flattened against him and he found himself curiously looking down into her ocean coloured eyes before jerking his head back in disbelief at the sharp pain under his chin.
Pushing away from the triumphantly smiling girl Alasdair placed disbelieving fingers to his tender flesh and studied the small drops of blood that stained them.
He raised his eyes, claiming hers once more and was astounded by the glee he saw there as she raised her small, tightly clenched dirk, his own blood was visible on the blade. Holding her gaze, he easily breached the gap between them. He dropped his weapon to the ground and he used both hands to haul her trembling frame into his tight embrace forcing her head back as he roughly claimed her lips with his, much to the shocked gasps of their witnesses.
With a hand that spanned almost her entire waist moving slowly up her back, he pulled her closer still, deepening the kiss and running his tongue over her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut and unsteady hands came up to clutch at his shoulders as she submitted to his onslaught. With both hands holding tightly to him, her dirk was dropped and forgotten in the power of her first kiss.
Smiling against her lips. Moving his mouth away, he heard the angry approach of both her father and his own. He looked once more into her deep eyes. His smile lifted as the realisation of their situation became clear to her outraged senses. His own dirk was held above her throat, her discarded one was now in his hand and resting above her heart.
Grinning widely, he slid both small weapons into the pocket created by his plaid. Turning away as the two lairds helped the stunned lass to her feet, he called back, “Ye fought well. But ye still be just a lass.”
He laughed at her agitated shriek and continued towards his cheering men.’
I chose the name because I love it. I’ve always been a fan of the name Alexander and that had been my original choice but it just didn’t feel right, somehow. And so it was therefore obvious to me that Alasdair was the right choice!
Nobody would ever accuse me of being organised.
I’m messy and normally have a desk covered in various pieces of paper.
I can never find bills, statements or writing. I can never find anything I’m looking for.
And so although it may be odd for some I am incredibly proud of my previous two days of organised chaos and work.
So I want to show you!!!!
Yesterday I was part way through but had ended up with a lounge like this. And this is after HOURS of sorting!!
Now it looks like this.
So I’m done!!!
And I’m very, very proud of myself!!
My husband has an amputated finger and often complained that the PS 3 controller was uncomfortable so when I bought the PS 4 I also purchased this.
Was certainly worth it. He says it makes the controller very comfortable to use for extended periods of time and it looks good too which is an additional bonus!
Cheap and comes in a variety of colours etc. Something to suit everything and easily the best buy for the PS4 to date. Added bonus is that it’s cheap aswell.
I longed for his eyes to open, the sparkle in his bright blue eyes always bought a smile to my face. His eyes that reminded me so much of my father’s eyes. I was always sad when I thought about how much my son would miss by not having his Grandpa in his life. I listened to the noises that the machines in the room made. They had a melody all of their own if you sat and listened to them day after day. But the only one that made sense to me was the steady beat coming from the heart monitor, this was the important to me, the one I really cared about. As long as that machine continued to drum then everything else would surely be fine. I looked at the others that cluttered the room, each of them giving off their own strange noise sending data out. I pictured the great supercomputer that I imagined must gather all of this information; I laughed as I imagined it sitting in the basement of the large hospital building consuming all the information from the many patients.
“Look at the wee lass and say aye, Farrell.”
Doing as he was bid, Farrell watched the expressions of the surrounding witnesses. All looked tense and ready to leave.
Relieved when he was unbound from the lass he thought to remove his hand but his fathers strong grip stilled his actions. Kneeling beside him again, his fathers large hand dwarfed his as he spoke quietly, “Lad ye need tay give the lass a wee fairling. Something awfa special.”
Farrell’s free hand immediately and unconsciously sought the smooth surface of his newest treasure. Just a month past he had helped his uncle to skin the howling, raging demon monster that had plagued their lands and slaughtered their livestock. He heard the word wolf many times but to his ears the name did not do justice to the snarling, matted creature he had witnessed meet its end at the hands of his clan.
The tooth was his proudest possession. His gift to commemorate his first involvement with a hunt.
Unhappily he removed the leather thong from which it hung and pleaded silently with his father. He did not want to part with something so special, and he saw no reason that the blabbering lass would deserve such a fine trophy. And yet the soft look in his father’s eyes pleased him.
Pushing the tooth at the wee lass, he angrily watched as the bairn proceeded to shove it towards her mouth. Catching her hand, he grimaced, did the wee thing nay ken nothing? He tied the throng to her belt, using the knot that Alasdair had taught him to make sure that little fingers couldn’t pry it loose.
“Now, give the lass a wee kiss.”
He looked sharply at his father. Had the man lost his senses? He was Farrell Quainn, nine year old heir to these lands, and he didn’t go around kissing no baby’s.
“Do as I bid, mind.” His father reminded him.
Shocked and displeased at the command, he obeyed, leaning down and scrunching up his nose as he quickly pecked a kiss to a squidgy cheek.
He stood uncomfortably as the wee lass flung her arms around his legs, shocking him with the strength of her grip.
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My playlist is filled with Yiruma, I love him!
No Thursday thought this week, so very very very very sorry… But I have a really good reason..
Tippity tapping away on the computer desperatley trying to ignore husband.
Typing two at once.
Journey is almost set.
Highland Fairlings – Book Two Ebha will be in the new year.
But just for you here’s a little sneeky peek at both…
Journey
I hurried to Gracie’s side, sliding to a kneeling position beside her, my hands fluttered wildly about looking for the cause of the blood flowing across her arm and her chest. She clutched futilely at the arm, pulling it into her chest and trying to hold the wound closed.
Craig hit the floor beside me, his young legs hurtling him to the scene faster than the others. His hands pushed Gracie’s aside as he replaced them with his own, squeezing tight in the hopes of easing the spray of blood.
I saw the tears that leaked from the corner of Gracie’s eyes as they travelled erratically and unseeing around her. She blinked several times, each closing of her eyes becoming harder to open and then they shut and stayed shut.
Her chest heaved in a rattling breath and then was still. No exhale. She was gone.
“No!” Craig shouted, tears falling freely from his own eyes as he clutched the wound tighter, “Gracie, get up. Get up!”
Seth pulled Craig away, his superior strength making the job of holding the thrashing boy easier for him than any of us. I remained where I was, frozen in despair as James bent to Gracie, his questing fingers searching for any signs of life. His hands were replaced by his face as he leant towards her mouth seeking even a tremor of breath.
He looked up, his glistening eyes meeting my own as he lightly shook his head in confirmation of what we already knew.
Highland Fairlings – Book Two – Ebha
“Yer room?” his black eyes continued to undress her mentally, “Surely ye mean the room of yer lady.”
Ebha quickly hid the surprise she felt at his words. Off course, he must be part of the visiting Quainn’s to roam so freely. He would not know her and dressed as she was she would obviously appear a maid. Clenching her hands behind her she decided to continue her ruse, she saw no reason to correct his assumption of her identity. If he knew not who she was then he would have nothing to report to his master as she was certain, he must be sent to spy upon her.
“I am afraid, sir, that the Lady Ebha has already descended to the great hall.”
If she had thought that her quietly spoken words would halt his predatory approach then, she was mistaken. Stepping back as he approached she found herself quickly trapped between his large frame and the cold stone of the wall.
Her looked at her in such an unusual and overly familiar way that her insides quivered in a disconcerting way. He stared at her with those dark eyes as though he could see all the way to her very soul, his hot gaze burning her blood and causing a feeling like molten liquid to carry within her. He raised his hand and gently touched her cheek eliciting such strange thoughts within her that she could barely breathe.
So I thought long and hard about what to review.
Ok, I’m lying, I didn’t.
I DID initially plan to review a film or something. I was thinking about how I’d only reviewed book, unless you count forcing the poor husband to cook! But I just felt like crap and realised it probably wasn’t a good idea to do anything too taxing.
In my ‘feeling down and low and sorry for myself’ state I pulled a book off my bookcase that always makes me smile.
I found Hyperbole and a half as a website back in 2010, I think it was..
I came across this, I forget how.
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/boyfriend-doesnt-have-ebola-probably.html
Anyway it lifted me and I went straight to reading her whole blog and followed it. So it seemed only right that when a book was published that my preorder was in!
Allie writes and illustrates her childhood, animals and her own struggle with depression in a way that is candid, honest and brings a smile to your face.
There isn’t a huge amount you can say to review this book. It’s great. If you read her book you’ll love it! If you haven’t read the blog then why not.
Get over there, blog and book, I promise you won’t regret it.
I owe a huge personal thank you to Allie, I only hope there’s more to come!
I read this post http://playfullytacky.com/2014/07/14/my-imaginary-office/ by Playfully Tacky and decided I wanted to have a go.
Now I actually love my big old desk https://eruthvenstevenson.com/2014/07/24/1-where-i-work-my-magic/ but it got me thinking about my own dream study and how I would furnish it….
So I thought long and hard as this would be the room I would mostly be in and I trailed through thousands of photos and sites to find just what would be perfect for me.
Now my animals are really important to me and actually spend a lot of time right next to me. The dogs bed is next to the desk and when I can convince the cats not to be on top of whatever I’m working on, they sleep on the desk shelves. So, I’d sort them out. Below is a bed for Jazz, a really cool scratching, climbing post and I’d add shelves specifically for them so they’d not climb mine.
And so with the animals taken care of I’d get the desk.
I love it, it’s not something you’d see everyday anywhere else. I love the fact that it’s very natural feeling.
Now the desk chair was harder.I could get one to match the desk but realistically if you’re spending vast amounts of time there you want a big, sturdy, comfy thing.
I actually think both are ugly but they look comfy at least.
I’d have these chairs dotted around. Just with my favourite books in them. If I’m getting a dream office then next door I want a dream library, picture the one in Disney Beauty and the Beast!
But I’d also need a comfy chair, I found this one,
But the one I’d really want I can never find. Cast your mind back to the nineties, remember the hot chocolate advert for Cadbury’s, the tune was show me heaven and she sinks into this lush, deep, purple chair.. That’s the one I’d want.
Now I did a little extra thinking here aswell. I give you my lighting.
My soft furnishing, rug, curtains and cushions.
I love it. The only thing missing for me would be a view. To be assured of the one I want I’d get one of those big wall mural things.
Now my office wouldn’t suit every one but it suits me. It’s a mix of everything I love and I don’t care if things mach or not.
Now all I need to do is win the lottery so I can get it all!!!!!!! Rest assured people if you buy my books then this is what I’m saving up for!
Oh and while I wouldn’t want them in my dream office I love these so just had to share them with you..
Before I start I have to say it, this is MY opinion. Only that.
I’ve seen many posts about romance unequality and especially that portrayed in YA books and films.
I always suspected that I would come down heavily on the disapproving side.
I mean, we may as well face the truth here; YA just isn’t YA without some form of a romantic undercurrent. I don’t think that I can actually recall a film or book in this category that does not at least touch on a dysfunctional romance at least once.
Don’t get me wrong, I see no reason romance, crushes, whatever you want to call it shouldn’t be included in YA and teen entertainment, but face the facts, I doubt any person over the age of about ten nowadays has not been subjected to some form of sexualised imagery. It is far too readily available on the internet, etc., but more than that, look at a music video or advert and see how sex sells… I could wonder of on a rant here; I won’t because it leads too far off topic, but it may be something you want to consider.
I think there is a thin line between love and lust, and it is not always breached respectfully. That goes for all genres and age groups, but it’s YA I’m speaking about here. It’s important to remember how impressionable that age is. Oh, I know; a million teens are screaming that they’re not stupid, they don’t give into peer pressure, etc. but the fact of the matter is you do. I did. With all my talk of not following crowds and refusal to become little more than a consumer sheep, pressure is still there. And there is a huge amount of pressure on teens when it comes to things of a sexual nature without everything aimed at them confusing the situation further.
Now as far as I’m aware, and I admit that I could be completely wrong here, YA is a relatively new genre.
Let’s jump straight aboard the bandwagon and begin with Twilight shall we.
I doubt there are many who don’t know at least the basic plot.
Now, I’m not a fan of this as it refers to Bella and Edward, I find the characters deplorable, and they wind me up no end. The portrayal of Bella just ceasing to function when left by Edward fuels far too many arguments for me to go into..
BUT
They grow on me. Not so much Bella, I don’t think she ever has much grit as a character but the wishy washy deeply tortured crap that is Edward does. His passion and love, yes love, after all he’s offering her all of eternity, is nice.
So there’s a redeeming point right?
Don’t give in, you might have to wait hundreds of years for the right someone but they’ll show up eventually!
Twilight’s good point: love doesn’t set a rhyme or course. You could fall for someone who is nothing like you ever imagined, so completely different to you. Sometimes you have to fight hard to make it work. you don’t choose who you fall in love with. it can be the person you want, or it can be someone you don’t expect.
New Moon’s good point: sometimes the person you love the most will hurt you. it’s alright to not be alone; you have your friends for support, if you’ll just allow them to be there for you they can help you be happy again. sometimes the things that really hurt most were done with the best intentions.
Eclipse: each choice you make has consequences. not just for you but for people around you, you never know how your decisions are going to alter the lives of those close to you but ultimately you do have to put your happiness first. it’s your life; you are the one who has to live it.
Breaking Dawn: It’s about family. It’s about fighting for your family, to keep them safe. It’s about not judging something just because it’s different from what you know (Renesmee is the prime example here.) Just because it’s not something you have come across before doesn’t mean it’s ok to put an end to it.
The bad points in this serious are obvious.
A girl should give up everything and everyone just to be with her sexy boyfriend
If your boyfriend dumps you: become suicidal
If your boyfriend is seriously controlling and decides what you can and can not do in your its ok, don’t question it, he obviously only has your best interest in mind.
and more..
Oh, just one more point. I see a lot of negative issues online about getting married and having a baby at 18. This isn’t the horror story people make it out to be; everyone’s different. It’s only a modern world that dictates this is wrong, go back a hundred years nd this was the norm.
So mixed reviews. My point, although not always clear is this, is that yes a lot of these films and books aimed at YA have some dysfunctional relationships, but even the worst ones have nice points.
Just because teens are teens doesn’t mean they’re about to go out and immediately intimate what thy see or read, the same could be said for adults. I watched Silence of the lambs not long ago and yet I have not become a cannibal or a murderer. I read Stephen King’s Christine, and yet no demonic car has changed me with some weird possession crap.
Trust people, no matter their age to know right from wrong on their own. Understand that entertainment is exactly that.
Oh and look closer at some of the morals to these that you are maybe not seeing the first time.
I’m not excusing them; I’m not saying the don’t have bad morals and points, I’m just asking you to look a little closer…
So here are a few examples of love in YA romance that I like.
Oh, one further point, my husband and I have been together since I was 17, in a couple of months I turn 30. Proof I think that teen romance can last.
Emma Ruthven-Stevenson 