Showing results by author "Hazel Prior" in All Categories

Veronica McCreedy lives in a mansion by the sea. She loves a nice cup of Darjeeling tea whilst watching a good wildlife documentary. And she’s never seen without her ruby-red lipstick. Although these days, Veronica is rarely seen by anyone, because at 85, her days are spent mostly at home, alone. She can be found either collecting litter from the beach, trying to locate her glasses, or shouting instructions to her assistant, Eileen. But today...today, Veronica is going to make a decision that will change all of this.

19-year-old Phoebe and her courier father Al have recently moved to Devon, to a small cottage with a river at the end of the garden. Struggling with her health, Phoebe doesn't go out much these days. Instead, she spends her time playing detective—trying to deduce from her father's deliveries what kinds of lives her neighbours lead. When Phoebe finds an abandoned baby otter by the river, it's just the push she needs to finally step into her new community. Taking the otter to the local sanctuary, she feels a joy that she has not felt in a very long time.

Dan Hollis lives a happy, solitary life carving exquisite Celtic harps in his barn in the countryside of the English moors. Here, he can be himself, away from social situations that he doesn’t always get right or completely understand. On the anniversary of her beloved father’s death, Ellie Jacobs takes a walk in the woods and comes across Dan’s barn. She is enchanted by his collection. Dan gives her a harp made of cherrywood to match her cherry socks. He stores it for her, ready for whenever she’d like to take lessons.

Eighty-five-year-old Veronica McCreedy is estranged from her family and wants to find a worthwhile cause to which to leave her fortune. When she sees a documentary about penguins being studied in Antarctica, she tells the scientists she's coming to visit - and won't take no for an answer. Shortly after arriving, she convinces the reluctant team to rescue an orphaned baby penguin. He becomes part of life at the base, and Veronica's closed heart starts to open.

Fiercely resilient and impeccably dressed, Veronica McCreedy has lived an incredible 87 years. Most of them alone, in her huge house by the sea. But Veronica has recently discovered a late-life love for family and friendship, adventure and wildlife. More specifically, a love for penguins! And so when she's invited to co-present a wildlife documentary, far away in the southern hemisphere, she jumps at the chance. Even though it will put her in the spotlight, just when she thought she would soon fade into the wings.

Meet Ellie. She's perfectly happy living a quiet life with her husband, Clive. (Well, she does sometimes wonder about the way he talks to her and about all the things she hasn't achieved yet. But she's happy enough.) Meet Dan. He's definitely content - content with his predictable, ordered existence, making harps in his isolated barn on Exmoor. Content being on his own, far away from other people and - crucially - far away from any risk of surprises.

Le cœur ne gèle jamais, même au milieu des icebergs. Le plus souvent, Veronica, 84 ans, passe ses journées à chercher où elle a mis ses lunettes, à ramasser les déchets sur la plage ou à aboyer des ordres à sa dame de compagnie, Eileen. Depuis peu, la vieille dame s'interroge : que faire d'utile durant les années qu'il lui reste et, surtout, à qui laisser sa fortune considérable ? Quand elle a soudain une illumination : et si elle mettait tout en œuvre pour sauver les pingouins d'Antarctique ?

Die 85-jährige Veronica McCreedy lebt entfremdet von ihrer Familie in einem großen Anwesen an der schottischen Küste. In letzter Zeit fragt sich die rüstige alte Dame oft, was sie noch mit ihrem Leben - und ihrem Vermögen - anfangen soll. Als sie eines Abends im Fernsehen eine Sendung über eine Kolonie bedrohter Kaiserpinguine in der Antarktis sieht, ist Veronica zutiefst beeindruckt und fasst einen tollkühnen Plan: Sie wird den Pinguinen in der Antarktis einen Besuch abstatten.

Ellie, Hausfrau, leidenschaftliche Spaziergängerin und Hobby-Poetin, stößt bei einem ihrer Streifzüge durch das Exmoor auf eine Scheune voller Harfen. Dort lebt und arbeitet Dan. Harfen zu bauen ist seine große Leidenschaft. Er liebt es, sich ganz dem Bau dieser Instrumente zu widmen und mit sich und der Welt alleine zu sein. Denn Menschen sind ihm oft ein Rätsel. Doch Ellie mag er auf Anhieb, weshalb er ihr spontan eine Harfe schenkt. Kurze Zeit später steht sie wieder vor seiner Tür. Sie könne das Geschenk nicht annehmen.

Veronica McCreedy ha quasi novant'anni e vive da sola da molti anni in una grande casa affacciata sul mare. Durante il giorno è facile incontrarla mentre raccoglie rifiuti sulla spiaggia, imprecando contro chi li ha abbandonati. Dice sempre di avere una memoria di ferro, ma a volte le capita di passare ore a cercare gli occhiali, sicura che qualcuno glieli abbia spostati. Ma qualcuno chi? Forse la povera Eileen, la donna che si occupa della casa e che ogni tanto deve sopportare i suoi rimproveri.

Veronica McCreedy skal snart af sted på sit livs rejse …

Veronica McCreedy bor på et herresæde ved havet. Hun elsker at drikke en dejlig kop Darjeeling-te, mens hun ser et godt naturprogram i tv. Og hun ses aldrig uden sin rubinrøde læbestift.

Men for tiden ses Veronica sjældent af nogen, for i en alder af 85 tilbringer hun de fleste dage derhjemme. Alene.