All in a Name

While sipping a hot cup of raspberry tea, I googled my name ~ for no apparent reason.  I was not trying to "find" myself.  (I already  know who I am.)  I just developed a sudden curiosity about those with shared nomenclature.  (And I confess, it was more enticing than doing a mountain of laundry.)  I found many of us, as my name is not so uncommon.  Interestingly, quite a few seem to be writers too.  Here are several blogs I'll be perusing a bit over the weekend.  I hope you'll click on the pictures to visit their links.

One of us from Edinburgh, Scotland...

"On poets and poetry mainly...but segues into other obsessions.." 



This Stephanie strikes me as fascinatingly creative.

 Another of us, a staff writer and columnist for the Washington Post...

  

And some children's authors, too.  (I'm a mom to 3 and teacher/mom to 20 more.  What's not to love?)

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"Books:  Read 'em and weep...or laugh...or...you get the idea."

Scenes from a Small Town

The Christmas Parade came to town last weekend.  Finally, finally I've thawed.  Frozen.  I was completely frozen.  In anticipation of the chill, my daughter, nephew, and I stopped in at Chez Monet, a quaint French bakery.  The Russian Teacakes and hot chocolate with marshmallows were superb.  Magnifique.

We then moved down the street a bit to one of my favorite haunts ~ Southbank, a Gift Company.  The shoppe is sweet (and the Amaretto Cheesball samples with cinnamon crackers...well, I brought home several boxes to make and serve during the holidays).  The view of the parade from their doorstep was perfect as well!

I like the town in which I live.  Really like it.  Can you tell? 

The Facades

  The marching bands...

  And where else can you see these sights in a Christmas Parade?

Elvis...blurry, but captured in photograph.  Proof that he IS alive.

A tractor...presumably to aid Santa and his reindeer in the rural areas of the Midwest.

My personal favorite...the motorized, modern-day outhouse ~ also known as the Port-a-Pot, Johnny-on-the-Spot, and Workingman's Friend.  This thing pops wheelies and  "corners like it's on rails."

And just when I'd convinced myself that my fingers and toes were becoming acquainted with frostbite, I made my way to the ice arena to watch hockey:  Mizzou versus Southern Illinois University.  A fatality of a game, but sometimes the family time is all that really matters.  I like that, too.  Really really like it. 



a rare peaceful moment