Well.
What a difference a day makes.
The last twenty four little hours have seen me race to the top of Creative Peak. Happy and dancing, like Maria in the Sound of Music. Without the voice.
Then a gust from a passing gale blew me right down the chasm of Thoughtless Comment. So it’s been a restless night.
But today I’m climbing the gentle slope of Well, What If?
I had planned to start publishing the first of my seasonal tales this week, having written parts one and two so far to huge critical acclaim (translated: the prof liked them).
But several disruptors joined forces to make me rethink.
So….
Instead of a quartet of magical imaginings, I’m going to feature some pen portraits. Observations of people seen in these wintry, northern hemisphere days, on our local commuter train.

Obviously not our local commuter train. But I love this picture of innocence and happiness – what could be more cheering than childish joy in this fog of world wide gloom?
And I will add some links to charities that could benefit from our generosity at this over-commercialised, over-expectant, over-hyped time of year. Though – but no, dammit, I’ll be optimistic.
After all, I’ve just reached that point in my climb up Well What If? that’s called, You Never Know.
Mary,
My nighttime boogiemen fade way in the morning light and I feel stupid for letting them get to me.
I’m looking forward to your new tales! Write on!
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Writing on, but with a different slant. Perhaps a private view will be available of the others, who knows, what if…
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Love the irrelevant photo, although given the frost it only qualifies as borderline irrelevant. Sorry, I’m a purist about irrelevance. Beautiful photo, though.
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Ha! Ellen, I was going to credit you with the idea, but I was in a hurry and forgot… Of course I can’t do irrelevant images as well as the mistress! Apprenticeship not yet served.
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I do, ahem, like to think of myself as an expert on irrelevant photos but I wasn’t angling for a credit. I’m tickled, actually, to think that the idea’s spreading.
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You have plainly started an irrelevant movement.
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I love it.
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Love the red train – ready to hop aboard with them
As well as treasuring the image of Nature’s elegant jewelry ( how smart she is to have frost be so delicate and only alive outside – keeps human mitts off – enjoy without touching children.)
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Isn’t it sweet? The train. And yes, frost – so sharp yet delicate too. Thanks for enjoying it!
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BOOO to thoughtless comments! I’m so sorry about whatever caused you to rethink your seasonal tales — which I was very much looking forward to. But YAY to you for redirecting your creative energies in such an optimistic and generous way. Love the irrelevant photo, too! xx
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So good to hear from you, you always cheer me! All credit to Ellen for her persistent advocacy of irrelevant photos!
Thanks, Heide xx
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Credit? Ellen deserves sainthood for that concept! 😉
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I enjoy your stories but I also enjoy pen portraits. As for thoughtless comments… what’s one person’s projective opinion worth? Who’s to say but mostly I would give them the time of day.
P.S. As of today I’m on holidays… yay… with some catch up blog reading to do 🙉 🙈
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Aarrrgghhh… Wouldn’t give them the time of day 🙊
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What a wonderful evocative pen portrait! On my blog I was writing about writing body language and you’ve done it brilliantly. Better than the examples I’ve mentioned.
Was it a Polish train you were discribing or a local one?
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Merseyrail. Plain old Liverpool to Southport line.
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