Rainy. Soggy. Drippy. Wet. Sloshy. Rain fell all night and is still at it. Plus, yesterday was a day of rain. A sad story from Texas: eight were killed in Dallas by a tornado! And part of Oklahoma is under a snow or wintry mix watch.
I’m excited about the new addition to my blog. Did you notice the pretty picture of Moonlight Can Be Murder? That book cover joins the three others, The Cemetery Club, Grave Shift, and Best Left Buried. I’ve also made some updates on my Biography and Books sections of this blog. Thanks, Kimberly Pennell and Matt Manos. Just click on any of the book covers and you’ll go to my landing page at Pen-L. Remember also that you can read a couple of sample pages of any of my books on this blog or on the Pen-L website. And, you can listen to a sample of The Cemetery Club audio book.
A Facebook friend asked if my cozies are in large print. They aren’t, yet, but the first one, The Cemetery Club, is an audible book, which is good for those for whom the regular print is a bit small. And, my publisher is working on an audible book for Grave Shift which, so far, is only in paperback and ebook forms.
Yesterday was Boxing Day, not a day for pugilists but traditionally a day when servants or tradesmen received gifts for their services. That kind of passed me by but I did celebrate Christmas ending by taking down, boxing up (there’s that word ‘box’ again) and stacking the Christmas tree and decorations in the garage. So, after all, I did celebrate yesterday with boxes. I just didn’t give any of them away.
Many people leave Christmas decorations up until January 6, the Epiphany. That’s a nice custom. I like to see my neighbor’s lights glowing; they brighten the darkness and look cheery. They especially look warm and inviting during a dark, rainy day, such as today!
It seems that every year I get fewer real, actual Christmas cards. People are going more to ecards or just not considering them important any more. Plus, there’s the very real factor of high postage. Mailing a handful of cards is costly. It would be too bad, however, if that lovely custom fell by the wayside. The pictures on the cards are beautiful; the verses are lovely. I have kept a few cards out for months, enjoying them after Christmas is long past. And, I don’t throw them away. Who knows? Some day, some of them might be considered heirlooms or antiques.
This is one of my favorite verses by Robert Louis Stevenson:
Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the wisdom of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every good gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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