My Writing Journey
Anyone who knows me knows that I have a passion for writing and reading. I have an extensive personal library. About six weeks ago, I decided to go back to the university and finish my MFA in Writing. I left the university in 2018 half-way through the MFA program. I had finished a Ph.D. a few years earlier and I was exhausted. As time passed, I regretted it. For those of you who are not familiar with MFA writing programs, they are very competitive and unlike other areas of study, you have to be a good writer just to be accepted into one of these programs. They only accept a…
Magical and Enchanting: The Little Shop of Found Things
I just finished reading the most magical, enchanting book I have ever read called The Little Shop of Found Things. It is a lovely book written by Paula Brackston and published by St. Martin’s Griffin. It is book one of a series of 4 books that takes us back in time to 1605 England. Xanthe has a special gift. Objects sing to her and when she touches them, she can sense their past. In this beautiful time travel story, Xanthe and her mother Flora purchase an antique shop in the town of Marlborough. They live above the little shop. Little does she know that there is a spirit…
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Once Upon A Book: A Man Called Ove
Journaling: Moving Through Loss
Sister Loss My sister passed away shortly before this past Christmas. I was numb and afraid. Numb because it was sort of expected. She was very ill. Afraid – because I knew her death would have a profound effect on me. However, the cancer surgeon said the surgery was a success, so I had hope. Her body though was just too weak to carry on. As an emotional empath, I knew that I would be overwhelmed with the emotions of her passing in a way others couldn’t possibly comprehend. If you are unsure what an empath is, Dr. Judith Orloff a pioneer in the field, describes an empath as someone…
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Where Did I Come From? The Importance of Finding My Ancestry
Living Elegantly: Even If You Don’t Have Much Money
When I think of living elegantly, three women come to mind: Grace Kelly, Jackie Onassis, and Audrey Hepburn. Of course one might say that it was their wealth that attributed to their elegance. Maybe in part. They certainly could afford the nicer things in life. However I would argue that the essence of their elegance wasn’t just the beautiful clothes they wore and their obvious outer beauty, but more from their beauty within. It was how they carried themselves. It was also their style, portraying themselves as tasteful and lady-like with poise and grace. With Grace Kelly, you saw her elegance in how she walked across a room. Jacqueline Kennedy…
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Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Oxfordshire, England
Counting Down to the First Hints of the Autumn Season
Summer is upon us and I find myself thinking of the Autumn season. When I was a child, I loved the opening days of summer, as that meant the public pool would be open and I could swim the summer afternoons away. It also meant no school and that was exciting. However, after suffering a bout of sunstroke while dancing around a maypole one May Day, summer and I turned out to be not the best of friends. Bugs; lizards and snakes; places without air conditioning; places with too much air conditioning; extreme heat; and the restlessness of muggy days and evenings; have all contributed to this disdain. So I…
I Am Back
Dear readers, I am finally back, after spending the last 6 or so months moving and getting settled. Sorry that in the process the rose petals wilted and the cream curdled. It was not my intention to be gone for so long. The move was overwhelming and my back and shoulder suffered in the process. I am looking forward to connecting with you once again with articles and stories that will inspire and bring a smile or two to you. I hope you are all having a great summer. I’ve missed you. (Featured top image credit: Photo by Hans Braxmeier is available under the Creative Commons CCO 1.0 license on…
Laughter is the Best Medicine
I remember growing up having my share of childhood illnesses. What made me feel better was watching the reruns of the 1950 sitcoms. Remember the I Love Lucy scene where Lucy and Ethyl are working in a candy factory and the conveyor belt with the chocolate moves too fast for them to wrap and so they start stuffing their mouths with chocolates. I used to laugh myself silly watching it. Or The Honeymooners episodes where Ralph Kramden is raising his arm and whisking Alice to the moon (Bam-Zoom). All you have to do is recall these scenes and a smile comes to your face. I am still laughing at them…
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9 Ways to Get A Better Night’s Sleep
More Stories From the Web
As mentioned in a previous post, from time-to-time, I’ll post 5 stories from the web, which I believe will be of interest to you. I hope you will find them fun and entertaining. Please feel free to comment and even post a great story that you have come across. Enjoy! Ankle boots are in season and there are plenty to chose from. I love ankle boots because they look good with everything, even dresses and wide-legged trousers. Check out these 15 Ankle Boots That Go with Everything and You Can Wear for Hours. This peach pie recipe is a big hit on Instagram. People are saying that if you only watch…
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Stories From the Web
Colonial Williamsburg: A Step Back in Time
What and Where is Colonial Williamsburg? Many years ago, a friend had just returned from a conference in Colonial Williamsburg. At the time, I had never heard of the place, but I loved the name – Williamsburg. He said it was a lovely place and well-worth a visit. A few months later, a colleague and I found ourselves on a flight to Washington D.C. for a conference. When the conference ended, we couldn’t resist a side trip to Colonial Williamsburg. I am so very glad we did. Colonial Williamsburg is 153 miles south of Washington D.C. – a two-and-a-half hour drive on the I-95 South to the I-295 to the…
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New England in the Fall: 7 Places You Must Visit
Why Do We Love Autumn?
The First Hint of Autumn We have been conditioned since we were children that autumn meant back to school, which was exciting for me because I loved school and I also loved purchasing new school supplies. Even to this day, new pencils and a notebook are a real treat for me. However, it also meant homemade cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate everyday after school. My mom made the best homemade cinnamon rolls, dripping with vanilla icing. I could smell them, hot out of the oven as I turned the corner onto my street. Oftentimes, I would run home just to grab one before I went out to play. Halloween As a…
