Almost 10 years ago, I started working at the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. It was a wonderful and challenging journey, being of service to our military families. Shortly after I started working, I had the opportunity to go to a resilience course. In 2009, the course was delivered to…
Category: parole
Starting From Scratch
Happy New Year. I’ve started over many times. New houses, new towns, new countries, new jobs… but has any of that prepared me for this new life without the person I’ve shared so many of those milestones with? With the amazing love of my kids and our incredible friends, I can feel the hope of…
Perfection and Ravioli
Boy, what a year it’s been! We’ve all had things that challenged us, and if we’re lucky, we didn’t break. Cracked maybe, but like the Japanese art of kintsugi, our “gold-filled resin” will highlight our personal strengths, our forged bonds we’ve made with our neighbors. [Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery. If a…
a prossimo volta
Another visit to Sicily is coming to an end. Bittersweet, as we’ll miss the weddings of dear friends, Pietro and Chiara and cousin Dario to his sweet fiancé. But… we’ll be heading back to a new home in sunny (!) Florida, saying farewell to lovely family and friends in Ohio AND picking up my Mom…
The Necessary Work
Not all aspects of life in Sicily are easy. In the USA, a lot of people have a certain notion of being well-off. Here, a small plot of land (or 6) in the “country” carries a lot of significance. It used to be that families would work the land to sustain themselves and possibly others…
Death of the Cabbage Rose…
I was SO cocky. I was just so sure of myself. “Wait for help!”, they said. “I’ve got this!”, I said. “You’re going to wear yourself out!”, they cried. “It’ll be easy!”, I vehemently assured them. And then, those darned cabbage rose wallpaper demon spirits set out to put me in my place, arms dangling…
Going to the Birds… and the Hippo, and the Rhinoceros
Animal Crackers Shirley Temple ~ you will be missed! Animal Crackers by Christopher Morley. “Animal crackers and cocoa to drink, That is the finest of suppers I think; When I’m grown up and can have what I please I think I shall always insist upon these. What do YOU choose when you’re…
Buon Compleano ~ Mexico
Buon Compleano ~ Mexico.
things i love
if i call you friend, it comes from my heart if i call you family, you are my heart if i give you a minute, a helping hand, a gentle word, a plate of spaghetti ~ i give you the very essence of my heart what my God has given me passion for ~ i pass…
noté in italia
I remember the night very well ~ we were sitting on the terrace (terrazzo) at trattoria alla Fontaniva in Italy… the kids were given an aperitif (a big deal to a 10, 8 & 4 year old… an even bigger deal for their Mommy, still new to the custom!) of Prosecco. Mikaela was the first…
My New Normal
the house is back in order. the computer room is mine again. bedding has all been changed, rooms aired out, holiday travel has ended and military spouse duties resume… BUT ~ missing the kids; missing the noise and energy and love of my grandson; missing the meals shared together, the laughter shared together, the…
delectablediction 