Happy Thanksgiving!

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

As autumn leaves paint the landscape in warm hues of red, orange, and gold, families and friends across America come together to celebrate one of the most cherished holidays—Thanksgiving. It’s a day marked by gratitude, togetherness, and traditional food choices that bring people closer, reminding us of the importance of reflection and appreciation for the blessings in our lives.

Thanksgiving’s roots trace back to 1621, when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a meal to commemorate a successful harvest. While the holiday’s history is complex and has evolved over the centuries, it remains a powerful reminder to pause and give thanks for what we have—our loved ones, health, home, and the opportunities that come our way.

What traditions do you enjoy on this day?

  • Gathering Around the Table: The centerpiece of Thanksgiving is the meal itself, with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie bringing warmth and comfort to the holiday.
  • Expressing Gratitude: Many families share what they’re thankful for before digging into the feast—a tradition that fosters connection and appreciation.
  • Watching the Parade: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become an American institution, delighting viewers with colorful floats and performances.
  • Football and Fun: From backyard games to NFL showdowns, football is an enduring Thanksgiving staple.
  • Giving Back: Volunteering and community service are ways people share their gratitude by helping those in need.

Whether you’re hosting a large gathering or enjoying a quiet day, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to connect with others and reflect on the year. Here are some ideas to make your celebration meaningful:

  1. Cook Together: Involve everyone in meal prep, sharing cherished recipes and creating new memories.
  2. Craft a Gratitude List: Encourage guests to jot down things they’re thankful for and read them aloud.
  3. Reach Out: Call or video chat with distant friends and family to share the holiday spirit.
  4. Donate: Consider supporting local food banks or charities in honor of the season.

This year, let’s celebrate not just with food and festivities, but with open hearts and a spirit of kindness. Whether you are near or far from loved ones, may your day be filled with joy, laughter, and gratitude. And may you remember to carry that spirit of gratitude with you each and every day. Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and memorable Thanksgiving!

Angel Phone Operators

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

When we were children, there were phone operator – a real person – who would help find a telephone number or other information.  They were the good old days.  Boy, do I miss real people.  I bet you do too.  This brings me to a story about being thankful, making this Thanksgiving time of year even more meaningful. 

My mother use to say that God had two angel phone operators.  One angel was the please prayer operator and the other was the thank you prayer operator.  She would say that the please operator was constantly busy. People would ask for things all the time – please, please, please!  The thank you operator was hardly ever busy.  Apparently, people didn’t thank God for his help.  My mother told me that it was my job to keep the thank you operator busy.  I needed to thank God for all my blessings.  I took her at her word.  I always thanked God.  I still do at the end of each day.  

During the Thanksgiving season, we do think more about our blessings and are thankful for them.  If we could just keep those feelings throughout the year, we would all be better off.  There are all kinds of studies that support that gratitude brings peace to our souls. It keeps us both mentally and physically healthy.  

When I said my prayers as a little girl, my mother and brother and I would say three prayers.  Now a Lay Me Down to Sleep which is well-known, but we would say two other prayers that I have never heard anywhere.  I am going to share them because they are sweet, and I hate to think they will be lost when I am gone. Here they are:

Prayer 1

When I kneel down to say my prayers,

Each word goes climbing on the stairs,

On wind and ear to God who listens and rejoices 

 to little children’s thoughts and voices.

Prayer 2

Jesus, I kneel down to pray 

Thank you for another day

With hands to feel and eyes to see

And all my loving gifts to me.

Help me in the way I walk. Teach me the way I talk

Guide and bless me from above

Jesus, it is you I love. 

Do any of you know these prayers? They will both keep the thank you angel operator busy as they both say thank you to God.  Maybe the little angel will help you to remember as well to count your blessings and say thank you!

Selecting a Planner

by Cynthia, posted in Taking Care of Business

Each year, usually in August, I begin my search for the coming year’s planner. My planners serve as a mini journal, chronicling my activities, thoughts, and musings day-to-day.  It’s a very serious process.  Okay, maybe not too serious, but I do agonize over which one to purchase. After all, I will spend more than 365 days with this little compilation of printed sheets.

The first entries will be subscription renewal reminders and birthday and anniversary notations (complete with stickers, of course!). Next, I record any meetings or appointments that fall on consistent days. (Book club meetings, volunteer activities, board meetings, and so on.) I enter my new year’s goals and list tasks I hope to complete in the coming year. Finally, I can begin to make daily notations – coffee and lunch appointments, medical appointments – you get the picture.

All that to say, my planner is truly a companion. Each day I make notes, once January 1 rolls around. So my planner needs to be sturdy and logical – my kind of logical. A-hem.

Over the years I have come to enjoy a particular style, often staying with a brand for several years in a row. Too often, however, the brand ceases to exist or the calendar style I have come to depend upon is no longer available. Some years I decide I want an 8.5” x 11” and other years I want a 7” x 9”.  For the past two years I have had layouts that I’ve come to appreciate. The goals pages are a double spread, and each turn of the page reveals the week ahead, with plenty of room to write, doodle, mark, and sticker. Unfortunately, however, that particular brand is extremely proud of their work. The 2026 planner is $40. Do I really need a $40 planner?!

Proudly this year, I am turning my back on the over-priced options. Determined to find a reasonably priced calendar journal I have searched for hours at a time.  Happily, I have settled on a $10.00, 6” x 8.5”, metal spiral-bound book that I believe will serve my needs. The smaller size requires a smaller footprint on my desk and can easily be tucked into a purse or bag making it easy to accompany me on errand-running days (opposed to rewriting the ToDo list).

Yes, I was in technology for over 30 years and yes, I still use my electronic calendar. But there is something satisfying in selecting a colored ink and highlighters and adding fun icons to each entry. Using a physical planner allows me to slow down and consider my day. Filling the blank slate shows me at a glance what I value in life (that’s for another missive).

As I traverse the holiday season, I find solace in stepping back and thinking about what is in store in the coming year. Penning this missive at the end of a full week of activities, I know there will be a time when a planner will no longer be necessary. Yet for now, I can rejoice in the knowledge that I still have “things to do, places to go, and people to see” as my daddy would say.

James

by Cynthia, posted in Reviews

James by Percival Everett is a bold and inventive novel that reimagines Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man at the heart of Twain’s tale. Everett’s work offers a fresh lens on a classic American narrative, exploring themes of race, freedom, language, and humanity with characteristic wit, depth, and empathy.

The novel closely follows the events of Twain’s original book but with a definitive shift: Jim – who prefers to go by James — is the narrator. Everett delves into James’s inner life, granting him a voice and complexity that Twain’s version left unexplored. The story traces James’s escape from slavery down the Mississippi River alongside Huck, but with new dimensions of awareness, agency, and survival.

Everett’s portrayal of James is deeply nuanced. No longer a mere sidekick or comic relief, James is depicted as intelligent, resourceful, and emotionally rich. The narrative voice is both insightful and sardonic, often highlighting the ironies and dangers of life as an enslaved man in the antebellum South. Everett skillfully uses code-switching to show James’s mastery of language—speaking in dialect when necessary for his safety, while revealing his true intellect and feelings in private thoughts and narration.

James explores the absurdities and cruelties of American racism with biting satire and humor. Everett does not shy away from the violence and indignities of slavery. Still, he celebrates the resilience, cunning, and humanity of his protagonist. The novel highlights the power of narrative — who gets to tell the story, and how stories shape our understanding of people and history.

Percival Everett’s James reframes an American classic. For readers interested in the intersections of literature, history, and social justice, this novel is well worth reading. While it reclaims an historical narrative it challenges us to think anew about the stories we tell and who gets to tell them.

New York, New York – Part 3

by sssmahh303, posted in Lifestyle

A Doggone City!

Mary Ann

One thing that you notice in New York City, it has gone to the dogs!  There are dogs everywhere. There is also dog do-do everywhere so watch where you step. You are supposed to curb your dog, but not everyone follows the rules.  However, it is not as bad as Paris. 

There are all kinds of dogs.  French Bulldogs are a favorite.  You are surprised with Burmese Mountain Dogs – apparently, they are excellent apartment dogs.  Just about every kind of dog you can imagine live in NYC. When you see an Irish Setter trotting down the street, you wonder how a hunting dog finds space to run. There are lots of rescues with suspect lineage. Then there are the Designer Dogs – a deliberate cross breeding of two pedigrees dogs to create a new breed.  Maltipoos, Labradoodles, Cockapoos, Pomskys, and on and on are the “new” breeds.  All are quite cute.  There are pet shops that specialize in Designer Dogs.  

On the streets of NYC, there are bowls of water in front of restaurants for furry customers. There are specialty services for dogs that include Doggie Day Care, Doggie Gyms, Pet Sitters, Shuttle Service, Groomers with salons that rivel human salons, and vets with clinics and mobile units.  Dog walkers are walking dogs all over the city with solo clients and groups of 3 or more.  The dogs all seem to get along well – it is kind of a pack mentality.  Some dogs are on a walk in a stroller.  I guess getting some fresh air.   Dog parks dot the city scape where dog people gather and friendships bloom.

We had a school dog that on Mondays had play dates in Central Park with his other dog friends.  The dog loved it, and I am sure he knew when it was Monday.  The rest of the week the dog loved being everyone’s pet at school.  Many of the little boutiques in the city have a dog that minds the shop.  It adds charm to the shopping experience.  Dogs are everyshere.

There were all kinds of Doggie Shops with normal pet shop items; however, they had a large selection of outfits accessorized with sparkly jewels.  All kinds of “shoes” were available which is not a bad idea on city sidewalks – hot cement in the summer and salt on dog pads in the winter.  It can prevent issues for the dogs.  There are colorful canine raincoats and boots that deck gray rainy city sidewalks.   There are several dog bakeries with custom dog biscuits among many other doggie treats.  (The picture below is of two Italian Greyhounds dressed in matching PJs on a cold Winter’s day. Just too cute!)

The dog subculture is everywhere now.  It is just more noticeable in New York because the population is so dense with people and dogs.  New York is also innovative with new dog services and the like.  It is fun to people watch in the city, but dog watching is more fun! You might just get a slobbery kiss while you watch.  New York City is an interesting place, but it is truly a doggone city!

Neighborhood

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

I have lived on a corner lot for over 27 years. Admittedly, I do not know my neighbors. Until I retired I generally left the house by 7:00 am and arrived home some time after 8:00 pm – often later.

The front of my house is somewhat obscured from the street as it sports two large berms, separated by a sidewalk that comprises steps up and then down before emptying onto my front porch.  In the back I have a 750 sq ft deck below which is my back yard – if you can call it that. From the retaining wall under the deck to the stockade fence separating that neighbor’s home is only 20-30 ft. including a dry brook and an 89 ft long garden. On the north side of the house is what one would call the back yard as it is the largest area that is flat where children might play. On the garage side of the house which faces the side street is a yard peppered with trees that are much older than my home. All of this is to say – I don’t have ready access to visit with the people to whom I live the nearest.

Lately, however, I have been walking the neighborhood. I have my paths figured out which allow me to walk a little more than a mile in one pass. Occasionally I will wave at a drive passing by but seldom do I see other people.

Today I was later getting out. By the time I rounded the cul-de-sac and started the home loop, I observed a line of vehicles along the street where I had planned to walk.  Checking my watch I realized it was time for the little people to emerge from their school day.  A shaded sidewalk connects our neighborhood to the edge of an elementary school ground. Daily, parents walk or drive to meet their children.  It was as if a sleeping giant had come to life, with cars, SUVs, trucks, and even walkers converged on this one area of our neighborhood.

How nice it was to wave and to say hello to passersby – as I passed by.  I was struck by the number of fathers as well as mothers who took the time to greet their children on this lovely autumn afternoon.

Back at home and pulling a few weeds along the sidewalk in front of the berms, one new neighbor commented that he and his children were enjoying my yard decorations from skeletons in October to pumpkins and leaf structures this month.  Soon nutcrackers will adorn the yard for this year’s Tinsel Tribe theme.  But that is for another story.

Today, it is satisfying to see men and women and children as they go about their days. My heart is joyful and grateful for the ability to live in a safe and friendly neighborhood. I wish everyone could have similar experiences.

Rereads

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

There are so many books to read.  I read a lot, yet I never seem to be caught up.  There is always another new book on the horizon.  So why would anyone reread a book from their past.  However, many of those old book friends still call us. 

There were several books over the years that have beckon me to visit them again.  Some of them were read when I was in high school, and somehow, we were expected at 16 years old to have a deep range of life experiences to relate to them.  I don’t think so.

I reread a few books when I was teaching those novels to students.  I can remember reading The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and crying at the end of the story when Jody was no longer interested in playing with the water wheel he had

built at the beginning of the story.  He was no longer a boy.  I was reading it to my 4thgrade class of girls.  They probably thought I was nuts.  I read Animal Farm by George Orwell in a reading class that I was teaching.  It was fun watching young minds trying figure out if it was about communism or whatever. I think I will reread it again with the state of the world.  It is probably coming true on many levels. 

I decided to reread The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  At 16 what did I know of love, of adultery.  Hawthorn writes such beautiful prose, and a tear or two fell down my cheek about Hester’s plight.  When in 11th Grade, I was just trying to get through the assignments not really relating.  With a little life under my belt, I could empathize with Hester’s life. You understood her emotions.  I am so glad I carved out time for this reread.

Then I reread To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  I loved it and it was so clear with a second reading what a good man Atticus was – doing the right thing despite his personal feelings.  You learn universal lessons.  Plus, it was a hoot reading Scout’s impressions of school.  I remember that I read them to my faculty for a different point of view of education.  

Another favorite from my youth was The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.  As a teenager, I thought Holden had nailed life as he navigated coming of age.  However, on the second read as an adult, I thought he was just a whiny kid – so disappointing for me.  I think that is why I didn’t like The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt– whiny teenagers.

 

There are few more books that I will give another whirl through the pages. I always reread Anne Lamott’s book.  I find some little nugget of wisdom in each of the essays – always worth a reread.  I am currently reading The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas that gave me the idea for the Reread Blog. I loved that book!  I am so glad that it is 1500 plus pages. I don’t want it to end, and yet, I know the ending. It is so well-written with rich vocabulary.  Remember the SAT practice list?  It is that kind of rich vocabulary. 

I am debating rereading Moby Dick by Herman Melville, but I think it is truly my white whale.  I am sure you have some books that you might want to reread.  Some will probably be duds, others true gems.  Visit your old friends – they will welcome you back! 

Burial Plot

by sssmahh303, posted in Taking Care of Business

Mary Ann

I have been working on an estate notebook for my family to help with my affairs once I leave the planet.  It is done for the most part but needs some final polishing.  It feels good to take charge of something that is rather uncontrollable.  It is a bittersweet experience!  I plan to share various aspects of the estate notebook in forthcoming blogs.

In preparation for the burial section, I explored plots, headstones, and actual burial plans.  I always planned to be cremated and even considered a green burial. However, where I would be buried was the first step in this process. 

Around the corner from my house is a Quaker cemetery.  It is surrounded by hedgerows of trees and bushes and just a stone’s throw from the Quaker Meeting House.  I pass by it several times a week.  It has been calling to me for the last few years.  I have been a bit of a gypsy living in many parts of the country never quite finding a permanent home until I retired in PA near my brother.  I feel at home now, so this is a good place for my final resting place.  

The Quaker cemetery is in the country and is a rather humble graveyard.  I felt that it would be a good place to be buried.  I would be surrounded by peaceful people, many of whom are Quakers.  The beautiful location in the country welcomes wild animals and random wildflowers grow throughout.   I would like deer or foxes walking across my grave and birds fluttering above me.  

I finally stopped while I drove by one day to find the contact information.  I called to set up an appointment to view the grounds. I later met an older gentleman who explained how it worked in a Quaker cemetery.  You buy a cremation plot (there are regular plots available for caskets) where two individuals can be buried. You don’t own a particular spot just the next available plot when you pass.   For regular burials, the headstones are only 18 inches high, and for cremations headstones are flat on the ground and only your name, birth and death dates are inscribed.  Everything is simple.  You can bring flowers, but you can’t plant them.  I was fine with all of this.  

I sent in the fee, which was very reasonable, another surprise, and was given a certificate that is in the estate notebook.  I was given information about the headstone.  This company knew exactly what the Quaker cemetery required of the stone.  Again, it was a reasonable fee for it, and I was given a rendering of headstone to approve the spelling, etc.  With my luck with my name, I wanted to make sure it was exactly as I wanted.  The company will work with the cemetery and set the headstone for another small fee.  

So, the first few steps are now in place for my final resting place.  Stay tuned for my adventure to the crematory.  A new company has just opened a satellite office right down the road from me.  

Theo of Golden

by sssmahh303, posted in Reviews

Mary Ann

I have several good friends that send book recommendations to me.  I share recommendations with them as well.  By far these are the very best books.  In recent weeks I have had those people contact me about Theo of Golden by Allen Levi.  A new friend recommended it saying it was one of her favorite books and had reread it a few times already – that is quite a book!

Since I have been exploring Winter, Theo of Golden came at the right time.  It is a story of Winter and a great example of how to live it.  When the story begins, an elderly gentleman, Theo, comes to fictional Golden, Georgia to live for a year or so.  He had business to do in the town.  While he was getting coffee, he found a wall of pencil sketches of the town’s people.  He becomes enchanted by the renderings and befriends the artist.  Theo decides to purchase them and gift them to the featured individual.  The story unfolds from there.  

Each of the people had a story, and for most, they were willing to share them with Theo.  The wisdom he earned from living many years helped to forge many new friendships.  This quiet, gentle man was becoming a part of the community and making a difference in the lives of the people of Golden. 

The story weaves many loose threads into a tapestry of the town ‘s and Theo’s life.  The threads may seem unconnected but eventually it all comes together in the end.  As the reader, you can explore Winter as Theo lives it.  You witness his kindness and generosity that change people’s lives.  

Theo of Golden is Allen Levi’s first book.  He self-published.  The author is a gift writer, and I hope he will continue writing and sharing his gifts with the world.  He has such insight into the human condition showing all of us how small acts of kindness can make a difference in the world.  What an example!

I always hope for a movie or an episodic TV series to follow a great book so I can see the words come to life on the big or small screen.  At this moment, there are no plans for this to happen.  Come on Hollywood – Reese, Apple, Netflix – this is too good of a story not to tell.   The word is quickly spreading about this little gem.  The story needs a visual platform to share its message – a message that the world needs now more than ever.

What’s In a Name?

by Cynthia, posted in Lifestyle

“Hello. My name is [insert your name]”. This is the beginning of a conversation with a someone we are meeting for the first time. Or, when we make a phone call we say, “this is [insert your name]. I am calling to inquired about xyz”. And what do we say when we see a baby for the first time? You’ve got it! “Oh what a sweet little one. What is her/his name?” Our names identify us as unique. They give us a place in society. Some believe that a name defines a person. But I will leave that for another conversation.

My family tends to assign names to inanimate objects, especially those with which we interact often. As with many people, all of my family members assign names to their cars. My grandson’s Mustang is Natasha. My sister’s Lexus is Pearl. My new SUV is Avandra – she is so named as Avandra is the goddess of Freedom, Adventure, and Travel – so the name is fitting, of course. (Avandra and I recently completed her first road trip. We shared 2,997 miles together on this little jaunt.)

The deck on the back of my house is the Urban Oasis. Mary Ann’s backyard is Little Provence. We often text or email each other and mention we spent time in these spaces. The women in my family have an annual get-together early in December. We call ourselves the Tinsel Tribe.

When mom was taking physical therapy after the third hospital stay within a year’s time, she was learning to use her walker. She commented that she was working very hard on her PT as she wanted to walk without the aid of the walker. Her physical therapist told her “I am sorry to be the one to break the news to you, but you are going to be married to that thing for the rest of your life.”  We laughed.

I told mom, if she was going to be married to the walker, she had better give him a name. From that point forward, it became George. Then she named her transport wheelchair Rosella. The names became so commonplace that the hospice nurses and aides and the entire family just talked about George and Rosella as if they were additional people. Lily, the aide who bathed mom would say, “Get George. It’s time to take a shower.” My cousin pondered, “where is Rosella? Let’s take your mom out to the Urban Oasis.” And so it went.

To be honest, I have to take a breath occasionally when I realize other people don’t name their inanimate props the way we do. It seems impersonal. On the other hand, I guess we seem a little crazy.  But think about it.  Isn’t it just as meaningful to say, “have you seen Alex?” as it is to say “I can’t find my phone?”