Routines don’t end because it’s Christmas. We are still having a cup of coffee with delicious protein drink to sweeten it up before we do anything or go anywhere. Linked to Natalie’s Weekend Coffee Share and Photographing Public Art Challenge.
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It’s good to be in CA and meet our friend’s great-grandkids. This funny, brilliant, just-turned-two-year-old learned how to climb rocks this past weekend. At first, she wanted to lean against Vince and walk up the rock with only her feet. She was horizontal by the time she took the four or five steps to her grandma sitting on top of the rock.
Mom modeled going up on all fours, and by the second time, she had it. (Not that any of us let go of her while she scrambled up the rock.)
She wasn’t nearly as fast opening her presents as she was at running carrying her must-have empty water bottle.
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On Monday we drove around Visalia looking at Christmas lights. One house had been featured on the news with over 300,000 lights. This is it. Isn’t it amazing?
My heart broke this morning listening to the news about people who died in car accidents, a mother of four children, and an entire family except the oldest daughter (18). Please pray for them and others whose lives have been so disrupted by tragedy. Drive defensively, my dear friends.
Story Chat Instagram Ad Designed by Colleen Chesebro
Read it on Kindle or paperback today. Purchasing the Kindle version is only $4.99 and Kindle Unlimited is free to you and provides credit to us for each page read.
Meet the Book Tour Hosts
Today, I want to highlight Cathy Cade and Amanda Forestwood. Both of these authors host a blog, and I’ll start with Cathy.
Cathy had a career in libraries – She’s penned some blog posts about that – with a break in the middle for child-rearing, she retired with her husband and dogs to Cambridgeshire’s Fenland, surrounded by flat but ever-changing fields. Since his death, she returned to her roots in the capital’s suburbs across a garden fence from London’s historic Epping Forest.
Seeking a retirement occupation, she tried proofreading but instead began writing and joined a local writing group. She started a blog. and wrote humorous posts about common writing errors.
After publishing her first anthology, she found the courage to self-publish on her own behalf at Amazon (titles listed on her blog, Writing Wrinkles page).
Her writing has been published in Scribble, Best of British, Tales of the Forest, Flash Fiction Magazine, The Poet, To Hull and Back Short Story Anthology 2018, Writers Forum, People’s Friend, Flash Fiction Magazine, Fractured Fiction Anthology II, and Writing Magazine. Her stories and rhymes also appear in Whittlesey Wordsmiths’ anthologies and Story Chat Volumes I and II. (all available from Amazon).
Several lines in one of her stories, “The Chorale” struck me funny.
As the group around the tea urn dispersed, Vi snaffled another biscuit, and Barbara clapped for attention. “Are we ready, Chorale? ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone,’ sans song sheets.” “I thought she said we weren’t to use our song sheets,” whispered Vi, as they shuffled back to their places. In spite of several difficult personal times in her life in 2024, Cathy submitted three wonderful stories to the Story Chat Volume II Anthology. Please give her blog and her books a look, and don't forget her stories in Story Chat Volume II.
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This is Amanda Forestwood’s first year with Story Chat, and she jumped in with both feet.
Look for more blog tour host features with each post! Thank you all so much! From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU so much for reading this post, and, of course, Story Chat Volume II.
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I’ve known Amanda Forestwood for about six or seven years through our blogs. She writes a very engaging blog called Something to Ponder About as she explores topics that interest, puzzle, and frustrate her, as well as things that are important to share with others. Amanda is an environmentally aware, egalitarian Australian who’s anything but a sun-lover. Rather, she claims to be a bit obsessed with cool, wintry climates and Scandinavia.
Writing is in her DNA, and she is a creative writing tutor and will be writing a Tips post for our Story Chat Volume III anthology that will come out near the end of 2025. For more than twelve years, she has curated her blog, so she invites you to make use of the search field in the sidebar if you’re hunting for something specific.
Like her blog, Amanda’s short stories made us think about the characters long after the story ended. This is how her story, “Home Ship Home,” started.
"You need this, Manfred – don't give up." "I can't do it, Holly! I just can't." Two puppy-dog eyes pleaded as Holly’s friend hammered the pavement with his foot. Since meeting Manfred on the riverside park bench months before, the charismatic youth had charmed Holly with his easy conversation and acrobatic tricks. She found him attractive, but dating a homeless youth who lived on the edge, as he did, wasn’t for her. Nevertheless, she longed to help Manfred and was sad he would quit a job he had started only a week before. Holly suggested he re-negotiate his working hours.
“That won’t help, Holly,” Manfred implored. “The boss is adamant I work on the weekends. And that’s the only time I can see my friends.” He explored a hole in the pavement with his shoe, so Holly changed the subject.
This story intrigued me on so many levels, as homelessness is such a pervasive issue worldwide. I hope you’ll enjoy reading or rereading her story in the Story Chat Volume II anthology, and will take time to get to know her as well on her blog.
Story Chat Volume II Book Blog Tour Schedule
- Colleen Chesebro – November 24, 2024 (US) Thank you for your Amazon Review
- Gloria – November 29 (UK)
- Robbie & Michael – November 30 (SA)
- Diana – December 1 (US)
- Doug – December 2 (AU) December 1 (US, UK, SA) Thank you for your Amazon Review. (no link)
- Cathy – December 4 (UK) Thank you for your Amazon Review. (no link)
- Amanda – December 9 (AU) December 8 (US, UK, SA)
- Dan– December 11 (US)
- Philip – December 14 (UK)
- Cindy Georgekas – December 16
- Yvette – coming after Christmas Thank you for your Amazon Review.
- Hugh – coming soon In the meantime, read this post on blogging in December.
- Geoff – January
- Esther Chilton – January 30
New Reviews on Amazon – Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Will your review be featured next?
Exciting Story Chat Volume II Video
Thanks for all your input and ideas. I hope you enjoy the video. It’s peppy! This is the third version, and we have 15 views so far, added to the previous trial videos makes almost 70.
Our video from Volume I is still up and getting views. My goal was 100 views, and it meet my video goal this week. Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Email me at alwayswrite01@gmail.com if you want to be part of this exciting tour or submit a story for Story Chat Digest 2025.
Follow me on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/tc_history_gal/
Lots of love to all! Hope you have a wonderful week.
Marsha Ingrao Always Write 
66 responses to “Celebrating Christmas Over a Cuppa”
Happy New Year Marsha. I enjoyed your update. My heart has also been broken by so many deaths I’ve heard of recently from accidents and other things. 😦
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I’m sorry for your losses, Kirstin. I’ve been praying for one lady I don’t know. She was in an accident and broke her neck. A few weeks later she was in another accident with multiple fractures and bleeding on her brain. Her name is Michelle.
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What a wonderful festive coffee chat Marsha! I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas and may 2025 be a perfect year for you . ❤️💜💜
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Thank you. I want a New Year’s gift from you. A poem for Story Chat. I love, love, love your poems. That would make it a perfect year. 🙂 xxxxx P.S. I haven’t asked for a specific gift since Christmas when I was ten! LOL
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Dear Marsha I am honoured by your request..
please let me know what you would like the poem to be about and I will do my best.
I wish you and all your family a very happy , healthy and prosperous 2025
💜💜💜🙏
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Yay!!!
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Happy to hear you have been having a great time and starting the year with a bang or ending it, Marsha! Love your spirit and that adorable granddaughter!!! ❤️🎉❤️🎉
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That adorable granddaughter, is my close friend’s great-granddaughter. She’s a good reason to come here, don’t you think?
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A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you! Enjoy your grandchild and the warm California weather 🙂
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Thanks, Maria. 🙂
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Hi Marsha, Fantastic Christmas lights at that house. Your friend’s great grandkid is adorable. I love the first Over a cuppa image in your post. Thank you for your weekend coffee share and PPAC contribution. Wishing you and Vince a wonderful 2025!
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Thanks, Natalie. The first one was done with Canva. Well they all were, actually.
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HI Marsha, thank you for this wonderful update post. I am delighted to know you had a good Christmas after your difficult year. I have Story Chat next up on my kindle and will review in January 2025. Hugs to you.
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Thank you so much Robbie. You have had a busy holiday and travel season! I look forward to hearing more about your trip. I bet it shows up in a new book! 🙂 xxx Lots of love
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A few poems (about 12) may have found there way into one of my poetry book WIPs.
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I’m working on one right now. I have 114 poems so far, and I may stop at that. It seems like a natural ending.
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What a popular post, Marsha! I’m sitting here at D&Cs rental house waiting to help move to their new place. Nice to be in AZ, although it’s cool today. Suns out, all good!
Incredible Christmas decorations at that house! Dazzling! We drove and walked around Fountain Hills avenue of palms on Christmas with my dad. Thanks to Commissioner Carey’s efforts, the fountain flows red or green in alternate bursts. Very festive. My first Christmas in AZ. 🌵
Congratulations on the Story Chat book efforts. I also enjoyed seeing your pics of the little girl running around. Remember those days? 😁 Oh! Breaks over, I’m being summoned to help load the storage van. No problem getting 10k steps around here! Merry Christmas and we will chitchat soon!
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What a busy time you are having. And you help so many people when you travel. That will be quite a project to get D & C moved! Are they hiring help? Sounds so impressive, “Commissioner Carey.” Give our love to everyone. They are so kind. I appreciate D & C letting me stay with them. It was a wonderful time, and they made me feel right at home.
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I’m so glad you had a wonderful Christmas, Marsha. Thanks for the beautiful photos of your holiday adventures, and for introducing Cathy and Amanda to your readers. Wishing you a beautiful start to the new year. Hugs.
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Thanks so much Diana! A wonderful New Year to you, too! 🙂
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Merry Christmas dear friend. I’m glad you are having fun ♥️♥️♥️
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Hi sweet Sadje. Thanks for the Christmas wishes. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season including a start to a great New Year.
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Thank you so much Marsha. You’re always so kind my friend 🥰🤗😍
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I’m blushing. 🙂 xxxxx
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😍♥️🥰
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Hi Marsha! Your little friend is a sweetie. It sounds like you had a good day out walking. That Christmas house makes me wonder how the family sleeps at night. I bet all the lights shine into the house.
I finally received my print copy of Story Chat. I ordered it on Amazon Mex. and there was no shipping fee. Amazon US said the book could not be sent to Mexico. But my copy was sent from Las Vegas! Crazy! I will finish reading it soon. I recall some stories from Story Chat. The Instagram ad looks fantastic. I don’t remember if I follow Story Chat. I’ll check now. I hope you had a Merry Christmas. Wishing you and Vince a happy new year. 🥰
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Thank you, Kay. I hope you are feeling better, now. We did have a great time with our new adopted great-grandchild. We brought her bubbles the for Christmas so she was pretty happy with us.
The Christmas house is turned off at 10:00 pm. I’m sure their electric bill is enormous as it is. It’s on from 6:00 – 10:00, I think.
I’m so glad you got your Story Chat book. There are some new stories in there in addition to the ones you’ve read. I think I’ve read them all about ten times. They are so good! 🙂 xxx
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Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Marsha! 🙂
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We had a great Christmas. I ate way too many sweets – 5 cookies, 2 tiny pieces of different pie and all the Christmas fixin’s, including a tiny piece of turkey. LOL How’s your finger doing? Hope it’s better! Have a great New Year, Yinglan.
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Haha, glad to hear that. You had me licking my lips at the cookies and pies. 😄 The swelling has gone down for my finger but the bruising is still there and so it’s the pain and the stiffness. I’m guessing it’ll take several weeks for those to disappear. Happy new year!
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I bet you will be better in a week or so. You’re over the worst!
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I hope so since I’ll be back at work in a week.
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I hope so, too.
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Happy California Christmas to you from all of us in sunny Queensland 🌞
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We love that sunny Christmas. It was foggy in Visalia when we woke up, but sunny by the time we got to Woodlake. On the way home, the fog was rolling into Woodlake, but clear in Visalia. So we had a lovely day. We even had a two-year-old to play with. Vince got her bubbles, which she asked for. 🙂 Love to all the Queenslanders we know. 🙂 xxxxxxxxxx
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including me.. I am a Queenslander !
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So where are you? I pictured you in my mind farther south.
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North of the Queensland’s capital
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I think one of my first blogger friends, Dianne Gray was from Cairns.
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I hadn’t come across her. Sorry.
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I don’t think she is blogging anymore. She’s a writer, and I don’t think she’s written anything for a while. I loved her books and read all of them. This is one of my reviews – an old one. There are links to her blog on it. https://alwayswrite.blog/2016/09/29/souls-child/
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Your house looks amazing Marsha, what a lot of work you both did
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Hi Ali, don’t give me any credit. That is not my house. I only took pictures. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression! Our house looks OK, but we don’t have one light up. We are just here temporarily. 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are ready to have a Happy New Year! I know I am!
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Haha no problem Marsha, I would have been none the wiser
Have a healthy and happy 2025
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LOL! You never know who is reading! It might be him!
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Hoping in the New Year I can find more time to read and comment on Story Chat. Meanwhile I know you’ll be making the most of Christmas xx
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That would be the best New Year’s gift for me and the authors – EVER. Your comments are like gold. 🙂 xxx I want to visit and get more acquainted with Portugal. My husband and one of my best friends here want to make a trip there and do the walk. She walked the 500 miles on The Camino last August. She gave me her journal to read. I had wanted to go with her, but wasn’t fit enough last year. Anyway, I hope, if we come, that we can meet. My friend Connie, who is the walker, has actually met our blogging friend Carol, the Eternal Traveller, too. 🙂
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The New Year promises all kinds of goodies, hon. We’ll have to see how it works out. I’m just home and brain dead with travel and all the excitement of Christmas. Hugs, darlin!
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I get that! Enjoy crashing! 🙂 xxx
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Merry Christmas Marsha
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Thanks, Brian. Happy belated Christmas and Boxing Day. Have a wonderful New Year as well. 🙂 xxx
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I shall thanks x
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🤶🤶🤶
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Merry Christmas, Marsha.
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Thanks, Dan! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year! 🙂 xxx
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Merry Christmas Marsha!
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Thank you, Wayne! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas as well. 🙂 xxx
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It was perfect!……..power didn’t go off with the latest windstorm!
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Yay. That happens a lot!
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Wow, what a post! That house with all the lights is so uplifting! Merry Christmas, Marsha!
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Thanks, Luanne. I hope you had a great Christmas. Have a prosperous New Year. Sell lots of books! 🙂 xxx
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Merry Christmas Marsha!!
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Thank you, Kym. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, too. 🙂
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Happy christmas to & your family.
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Thanks, Raj. Happy holidays to you!
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Most welcome my dear friend! How are you doing. You are okay. God bless you. Tack Care!
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