she who blogs

Forte e gentile, tu sei abruzzese

<<…quando c’è bisogno non solo di intelligenza agile e di spirito versatile, ma di volontà ferma e di persistenza e di resistenza, io mi sono detto a voce alta: tu sei abruzzese!>>.

 *..when there is a need not only for an agile intelligence and a versatile spirit, but also for an iron will and persistence and endurance, I told myself aloud: you are Abruzzese!* Benedetto Croce

Most regular readers know that I have family and friends in Abruzzo.

My maternal grandparents left Abruzzo with their children in the late 50’s and moved to Canada but they always kept close ties to the family they left behind.

Not only was my mother (and her sisters and cousins) raised with a deep love and affection for relatives back in Celano, but my generation was also raised to hold Celano dear in our hearts and we have always has close relationships with our relatives there.

I even married a Celanese.

My husband and I have been fortunate. Our loved ones, family, friends, everyone we hold dear is safe and sound.

But I can see sorrow in my husband’s eyes every time we watch the news and he sees his land and his people devastated.

Aquila is gone.  Yesterday the Protezione Civile announced that there wasn’t a single building, public or private that is safe.

Aquila is gone and I can’t tell you how this breaks my heart.

Yesterday morning I received an email from the Secretary of the Federazione Abruzzese in Canada and I wanted to share its contents with you all.

I have seen the blogging community accomplish great things, so now I am appealing to you to help me spread this information. If you are a Canadian Blogger in the Greater Toronto Area please mention this initiative in a post.

The  Federazione Associazioni e Club Abruzzesi Greater Toronto and The Grand Priory of Canada for the Knights Hospitallers of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta (Ecumenical Order) have created a Trust for those affected by the earthquake in Abruzzo.

Please help me to spread the word about this to as many people as we can.

For those who want to help you can make a donation to:

O.S.J. Charities Trust Fund for L’Aquila

Abruzzo Italy - Earthquake

Account Number: 09012 69-21310

At: CIBC 7765 Yonge Street, Thornhill, Ontario L3T 2C4

Visit Joanne

1000 words meme - prompt number thirty-five

 

If you would like to participate please go here.

A typical day for Caligula cat

 Caligula here... Frances has asked me to talk about my typical day. I hope she's not expecting kittenish antiques because I'm  too old for that. I'll be fourteen this fall!

So what does a mature calico cat do with her day? I prowl the house for invaders: usually of the daddy-longlegs (cellar spiders) and crane fly variety. I also keep an eye out for my younger and goofier next door neighbor cats who like to sit  on my back patio without my permission! They are cute but they need to learn a thing or two about respect and manners.

While the young humans are at school I like to enjoy long naps. In the morning, Mama will open the front door for me so I can lie by the screen door and sleep in the sunshine. In the afternoon I will move to the dining room to get my zzzs when the sun has come around the house.

Night time and weekends I try to stay out the way of the children. The oldest, Sean, and I have a long standing understanding. He doesn't bother me and I don't go into his room. His sister though is as nuts about cats as Mama. Fortunately for me, Mama is teaching her how to treat me nicely... how to pet me, how to brush me and so forth.

After the kids go to bed, I like to snuggle up with Mama while she does her blogging. I sit right next to her right arm and sometimes even on that arm. That's why she sometimes uses the signature: "All typos are the responsibility of my cat." If she doesn't want me snuggling on her arm, I'll move down to her feet. She usually doesn't mind if I sit there.

That's it – my typical day.

Visit Caligula & Family

Dear Department Store Photographer:

I use the term photographer very loosely. I am sure that you have been trained in some capacity to arrange a multi-generational family in order to snap a few photos. Although, after our session today, perhaps you are a product of the employment down turn and this is your interim job.

In case you missed the training or it was above or beneath you, I am going to give you a few pointers. Like it or not, you are in a Customer Service business. Would it have killed you to demonstrate of modicum of pleasantness? Your constant scowl was more than a little off putting. Our family consists of three generations ranging in age from 2 through 84. Asking my parents to straddle a coupe of pieces of styrofoam was crossing the line. Luckily Maternal Countessa did not allow them to even attempt the pose. After that, things went downhill.

It is no wonder that the pictures you presented us with were less than par. There were 9 of us in the portrait. Between you asking me to kneel in a very uncomfortable and awkward position and then asking us to wave frantically at some sensor above our heads to get your flash to work, it was quite difficult to agree upon any pictures. To be honest, I only agreed to the one so that our ordeal could end quicker.

This picture far outshines the one we purchased:



I wonder who took their photo?

Maybe next year we will do more research and find a photographer that will a) actually enjoy their work and b) their enjoyment will rub off on us.

Love and Kisses - Wicked

 

Visit Wicked's Blog

Accountability April - Who's With Me?

 

Okay folks, here it is, April 1st. I was going to be all clever and give you some big April Fool’s Joke, you know, tell you I was quitting blogging, or I had gotten married on my cruise, or some such silly thing, but…well…I’m just not that good of a liar, so I’ll spare you, and instead get serious about my big project for April.

My Twitter friend Lisa and I had a discussion recently about the fact that our NaNo novels have pretty much laid untouched since November 30th or so. All this hard work put into reaching the 50k words, and then, as soon as the month ended, they were pushed aside like all of our other unfinished works in progress. One more to add to the list of started, but never completed manuscripts.

So, we decided that it was time to focus on those novels once again, and the month of April was to be the month in which we would do so.

And then we thought “There must be others out there in the same boat, others who’s NaNo novels are just sitting, waiting for encouragement to be picked up again”. And also, what about those New Year’s Resolutions? The promise to lose 10 lbs. The goal to hit the gym 3 times a week? The decision to quit smoking? The plan to declutter your house one room at a time? How many of those resolutions have been forgotten and pushed aside?

It is not too late to take them up, and THIS is the time my friends, April has just become the month in which you will be held accountable for those projects.

So, we invite you to join us for Accountability April, a month long challenge to get back to those projects we have let slide.

Lisa and I are both going to be working on our NaNo Novels. But you don’t have to be a writer to join us, any of those resolutions, or any other task you’ve been meaning to tackle will do.

Join us in being productive this month, won’t you?

Here’s what we’ll do. Every Wednesday I’ll post an Accountability April update. I’ll let you know how I’m doing on my novel, how many words I’ve written that week, or what kind of time I’ve spent on edits, and I’ll share other mini-projects I’m working on each week.

You will post on your own blog your very own Accountability April post, giving your readers an update on your own progress with whatever your project may be.

Then, stop on by and leave me (and/or Lisa) a comment letting us know your post is up, with a link.

If you don’t have a blog, but would like to participate, just leave a comment with an update on how you are doing.

What do you think? Are you in? If you ‘d like to join us and think you can get a post up this week with your own project plan, go ahead and do so, and link back here to let us know. Even if you can’t get your post up this week, start working on your project, and post next Wednesday and stop by with your update then.
 
Also, we'll be pushing each other along, and encouraging, and keeping tabs, and checking in daily through Twitter, so you'll want to be sure to follow us, and let us know you're participating, so we can follow you in return. Here's me on Twitter: CandidK and Lisa.

Looking forward to getting accountable with you!

VISIT CANDID KARINA

Carrie Loves...

[Carrie Loves] Welcome and let the party begin!

Ever since I started blogging I have shared my favorite things on my family blog koehmstedt. But since I have so many favorites I decided to give this little guilty pleasure of mine a space of it's own, right here. There are oodles of things I love... like Etsy, cosmetics, home decor, art, clothing, pets, other bloggers, oh the list goes on. My concept is this, if I link to things on this site, it is because I think they are wonderful.

Speaking of Etsy have you ever gone there for one thing or just a quick peek, only to have the hours fly by without you even knowing it? No? Well, here's a warning for you, it happens quite easily.

There are so many wonderful & creative seller's selling their handmade & vintage wares on Etsy and next week I have the most awesome & generous seller's offering giveaways right here on my new blog! Crazy Fabulous!

You're not going to want to miss it - make sure to check back on Monday and support these wonderful sellers.

Oh, and here's a sneak peak of who's offering a giveaway:

{click on a banner to visit their shops}

 

Visit Carrie Loves