Bob and I discovered Corner Gas one night in the Yukon while we were on our Alaska trip last August. Sometimes you want to unwind after a grueling day touring gold mines and eating salmon, and TV was our option. Corner Gas is a Canadian sitcom set in Saskatchewan. The residents of the town are quirky just like you would expect of a group who live in the middle of nowhere. We have yet to see an episode where there’s snow on the ground, so for sure this show is fictional.
But two of the characters rang true. Oscar and Emma are the parents of the show’s main character Brent, who is the normalish one of the group – representing a typical guy, or at least typical in the prairie of their fictional town named Dog River.
Oscar and Emma are also characters in my book DOWN AND OUT AND READY FOR A MIRACLE. It took me a few episodes to make that connection, but if you watch the show, which streams on Amazon Prime, my disclaimer is that I did not base my characters on those of the show. But there are remarkable similarities.
Their Oscar is a cranky curmudgeon of a guy who is married to Emma. She is the boss who holds the family together. That could also describe my Oscar and Emma. It’s a little freaky, but you can’t make this stuff up. Wait, that is literally what I do when I write a book, but I did not make up this odd connection.
You can check it out for yourselves. Watch Corner Gas on Amazon Prime. It may be too silly for you, but it’s right up my alley. Order my book on Amazon (see side bar), and tell me what you think?
Also, it seems Amazon is a factor in my post today. I can’t imagine life without them. They aren’t perfect, though. For some odd reason my first book became unavailable, and my publisher had to jump through many hoops to get it back online. He was successful! ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE MAGIC is available again and just in time for gift giving. It is a funny and endearing middle-grade (ages 8-12) fictional account of an 11-year-old boy in The Depression who wants to be a magician. It’s based on stories my dad told me about his life in that era. Both my books are now available.
Should one return to Tuscany on a regular basis and if so, how regular should that basis be? This is a question that I also ask myself about Hawaii. Both places are breathtakingly beautiful and are favorites of mine. To be in either place is to experience a great sense of peace and relaxation; but ironically, I get pretty doggone tired when visiting both places. Then again, Bob and I are fairly aggressive travelers, so I should clarify – tired and happy and strangely energized.
To answer the question from the beginning of this post – Yes, one should go to Tuscany on a regular basis or an irregular basis, or just once, if at all possible! That is if you’d like to experience old Italy, great food and wine, classic architecture, great food and wine, timeless art, great food and wine, beautiful rolling hills, great food and wine, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and great food and wine.
A little backstory for our most recent trip – we have traveled extensively with three other couples, all of whom we’ve enjoyed friendship with for over forty years. It has been over a decade since we have had the privilege of traveling together. When the last of our group retired at the end of 2023 and told us they were considering going to Italy, the door opened for another group trip. Actually, I’m not sure if the door opened or if we kicked it in, but either way, last month the eight of us set off for Italy and Switzerland on an adventure.
Traveling at our current “certain” age is vastly different than it was over a decade ago, even though we would have considered ourselves a “certain” age way back then. Silly us! We are now more “certain” than ever and a bit slower, too, but we managed our trip with friendships and body parts intact. That’s a win.
We chose not to check baggage as we were literally doing a planes, trains, and automobiles type of trip with four different destinations along the way. You may notice striking similarities in our luggage and backpacks as we texted each other with every detail of our trip planning. (Thanks, Amazon.) I’m not sure if it’s a thing, but it may be time to get the tires rotated on our luggage. We gave them a workout on those cobblestone streets.
Six of us began in Orlando on a Saturday morning. We connected with the other two in Charlotte, and from there we headed to Florence via Madrid. I don’t like math, but I’m guessing that it took us about a zillion hours to arrive at our VRBO in Siena. (a zillion = approximately 23, according to my engineer and numbers guy, Bob)
Siena – che bello! These sights eased our travel-weary souls!
These are the views from our VRBO in Siena. (Here is a link in case you’d like to book here yourself. I highly recommend it.https://www.vrbo.com/10788011ha)
There were a few things that were musts for us American certain-agers. First and foremost was our own bedroom with attached bathroom. The bed size must be queen or larger. They don’t designate bed sizes the same way as we do in the states, but we were able to figure it out. This VRBO in Siena checked all the boxes. It even had a washer and dryer, though one should note that a clothes dryer in Europe will likely be a rack on which to hang clothes, which was the case for us. Still, it was bene da noi (fine by us).
We started our visit with a catered dinner at our new Siena home. This was an extravagance suggested by the owner, and it paid off in spades as we were all tired and hungry. This pair of lovely Italian ladies invaded the kitchen and put out a spread worthy of a king. This included an appetizer which included home-made crackers. I didn’t know that was even a thing. Perhaps I’m easily impressed, but they were deliziosa! Home-made bread and charcuterie with fresh vegies and honey were just the beginning. Our main course was ravioli. It was the first time I had eaten it aside from Chef Boyardee. Chef Boyardee has been canned! For dessert – tiramisu. I didn’t even think I liked that, but I do!
The nighttime held a welcome of its own. The blue, blue sky framed our lovely home with warm lights emitting a special glow. The sound of a nightingale, which was a new one for me, was like a lullaby! And this lovely place to lay our weary heads and rest for the journey ahead – so special.
One of the challenges for us was adjusting to the eating times in Italy. We had coffee and breakfast in our Siena home, but for the rest of the meals, we had to wing it. Most restaurants closed around 2:30 and didn’t open again until 7:00. It seemed like we all got hungry sometime close to 2:00 and had to scramble to find someplace to eat or else wait until 7:00.
As we walked into Siena, we quickly came across an osteria, which translates – a place of serving wine and simple food. We asked if the eight of us could be seated but it was not possible. How about two tables of four? Again, no. As we turned to leave, the hostess came to us and asked if we could split into two tables and be finished eating in an hour and a half as she had reservations for that time. I told her, “No problem. We’re Americans. We excel at eating fast.”
So cozy!
The wine cellar
As we entered La Taverna di San Giuseppe, we didn’t feel like there was anything “simple” about the place. It was as inviting as a warm hug and a perfect reflection of everything Tuscan. There was a wine cellar downstairs which could be seen from our dining table. It was the perfect photo op. Bob and I ordered lasagna, something I don’t order at home. It was delicious and unlike anything I have tasted our side of the Atlantic. There was no red sauce, and the ricotta cheese was whipped as smooth as Barry White.
The outside of the restaurant was covered in Michelin plaques and the restaurant is featured in their guide, but I couldn’t figure out if it actually achieved star status, so I simply have awarded it 2 stars. After consulting with the other seven of our group and hearing rave reviews, it was the least I could do.
As I wandered the Altamonte Mall on the day before Thanksgiving, I wondered if Black Friday was coming off life support. There were definite signs that customers were being wooed back to the brick-and-mortar shops. I even spotted this team stocking the stores with goodies to sustain the merchants through the “big day.”
When my children were young, I looked forward to shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. I didn’t even mind getting up pre-dawn to do so. I have wonderful memories of picking up my mom and heading out for the Black Friday Shopping Expedition. We would use the newspaper to map out our path. (By the way, that is my favorite type of mapping.) You would need two hands to hold that massive issue with its dozens of Black Friday ads.
There were always bargains to be found. JC Penney would give away ornaments like this one from 1996. There would be scratch-offs for prizes and discounts. The jewelry shops often gave away goodie bags with little “gold” charms inside them. Target and Home Depot gave great incentives for stopping in early. Early meant around 5 am. That was doable.
Eventually my mom lost interest in the adventure and my daughter was only too interested in stepping into this grown-up outing. We always hit the mall, especially Penney’s, and Target and Bealls. I do admit to going to Walmart a time or two, but for me, it just wasn’t worth the crazy.
Confession: Over the past five years I have been losing interest in Black Friday. Probably because as I have gotten older, and I’d rather not exhaust myself in the pursuit of bargains. My daughter, however, has not reached that point. I dedicate this post to her. She is in mourning over Black Friday, which by all accounts from the last two years has gone from life-support to flatlining.
She loved going out at midnight on Thanksgiving and staying out for 12 hours was not uncommon for her. I drew the line on that one, but I have joined her for a few hours during a more civilized time on that Friday. Mainly, I’d do this out of guilt. You know the power your adult children can wield – especially if they throw in the word tradition. It was a tradition, but like so many traditions, it changes through the years and generations.
Even though I was fairly certain of my Black Friday plans, I picked up the local Orlando Sentinel. It was so skinny! I also had sticker shock as it cost $5.35!
Bob and I have one all-important stop on Black Friday, and we don’t have to be there until 9 am. If you read me at all regularly, you can probably guess it’s Costco. Who can resist $8 off a pork loin or $10 off a Butterball turkey? Not me. And as of this year, not my daughter either. She sadly admitted to me over the phone that Costco had the best Black Friday deals. I couldn’t see her face, but I think there was a little catch in her voice. At least her family of six will be eating pork and turkey for the next few months.
We will tell our grandchildren of those days of old. The days when Black Friday meant something. The days of people being trampled in hot pursuit of a bargain. The days of people camping out in front of Best Buy to snag that new mega-TV or gaming system. The days before Black Friday became a joke that lasted all the way through November. Sigh. Those were the days. How did we get here? I’m putting a lot of the blame on COVID. I’m reminiscing about the song, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” by Peter Seeger.
Here’s my rendition.
Ode to Black Friday
(Where Have all the Sales Gone)
Where have all the sale ads gone
Long time passing
Where have all the sale ads gone
Long time ago
Where have all the sale ads gone
COVID took them one by one
When will they please return?
Oh when will they, return?
Where have all the papers gone
Long time passing
Where have all the papers gone
Long time ago
Where have all the papers gone?
Gone to online every one.
Oh when will they return?
When will they ever return?
Where have all the shoppers gone
Long time passing
Where have all the shoppers gone
Long time ago
Where have all the shoppers gone
Buying on Amazon every one
They never leave their home
They never leave their home.
A classic for you – Joan Baez singing “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”
I took a five-minute walk through Whole Foods and was quickly reminded that it’s that time of year again – Fall in Florida. You might think I would wait outside on a lovely fall day, but it was 93 degrees outside. September was going out with a sizzle. Summer down here lasts easily until after Halloween, so if it weren’t for the plethora of pumpkin product placements, it may have slipped my notice that the season had changed.
A few short years ago, I came to realize that not everyone is pleased as punch over pumpkins. I have a friend who is not just overwhelmed, but annoyed at the things that those poor pumpkins are going through when all they really want to be is pie. Granted, she is in the minority, but she has a voice and she demands to be heard. And isn’t that what we’re all about in today’s world?
I thought about her as I wandered through the store; even I was overwhelmed by pumpkin. Every time I turned around, I was face-to-face with another pumpkin product. I love pumpkin, but at that point, I began to question everything about fall.
What about leaves? Isn’t fall foliage what it’s all about? And apples. Shouldn’t we be buying freshly pressed apple cider? Shouldn’t I be putting raked leaf essence in my coffee instead of pumpkin spice? Have I joined the ranks of pumpkin people without a second thought?
When I returned home I lit my pumpkin spice candle and thought deeply about this. I decided I might as well get my fall decorations out as I was thinking. They included 5 pumpkin spiced candles, a room spray, and various assorted pumpkin and leaf decorations.
It made me cry real tears when I realized that I hadn’t known when to stop. I hadn’t taken into account people like my friend who suffer from PSOD (pumpkin spice overload disorder). Plus, I also had ignored my own eye-irritant disorder, which is triggered by strong candle fragrances such as the ones I unleashed in my own house. Yes, the tears were real.
I’ll have to go on Amazon and see if they have any pumpkin spice lubricant eye drops. I’ll bet they’re out there!
Do you remember this song by The Association? If you do, you’re going back to the year 1966. I loved the song, especially the first verse:
Cherish is the word I use to describe All the feeling that I have hiding here for you inside
New Marriage Book Available Now
Well, that was 52 years ago. At that point I didn’t know what cherish meant. Maybe it’s a fuzzy word for you. Either way, let me introduce you to my friends, Tom and Debi Walter, who write a wonderful blog dedicated to caring for your marriage. The Romantic Vineyard, their blog, started ten years ago, and it has helped cultivate strong marriages around the world.
This week they are releasing their new book, Cherishing Us. It is a wonderful resource and full of inspiration to keep your marriage healthy. In fact, it is all about a healthy marriage, offering 365 healthy marriage tips and a whole lot more. Won’t you consider ordering it today?
Here’s a link to their blog so you can read more about it – simply click here to read their blog. Or, just click this link and go straight to Amazon to order on paperback or a digital version. #cherishingus
I just returned home from a solo trip to North Carolina where I was visiting my daughter and her family. I wanted to make sure I was home for Valentine’s Day because, well, you know, I had a hair appointment. They are kind of sacred.
Bob and I don’t make a huge, big deal about Valentine’s Day. We blame it on the commercialism and crowds – the 2 Cs. But we do not ignore this holiday. Ignoring it is tantamount to romantic suicide. We feel free to make light of it, but we always recognize it in some way. We’re not stupid! You don’t stay married for over 42 years and not learn a thing or two!
For instance, when I was in North Carolina I ordered something for Bob. Over Amazon. The account which we share. Which means that there are no more real surprises in life!
Of course, I forgot to tell Bob that something was coming. Something that I would like him to set aside without opening, and while he was at it, please keep his eyes off of the Amazon app on his phone – at least the orders section.
My mistake.
So, when I got home last night I noticed the opened gift on his dresser. Of course, he apologized.
It was really no big deal. None at all. But then I got to thinking.
Me: I was wondering why you opened the mysterious package that arrived while I was away.
Bob: It was addressed to me (they all are). I didn’t remember ordering anything so I figured you did.
Me: But why did you open it?
Bob: I wondered what it was.
Me: So, you didn’t think it was for you.
Bob: Right.
Me: Why did you open something that you thought was for me?
Bob: I wanted to find out what it was.
Me: So, it didn’t really matter who it was for, you were opening it.
Bob: Now you understand.
It’s hard to argue with that kind of logic.
So, a big HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY to Bob and to all of you, too. May your day be filled with scintillating conversation.
Flowers from Bob, waiting for me when I got home. He’s so sweet.
I am overwhelmed by the love and support I have received from you, my wonderful readers and friends. You shared my post about my new book over 20 times, and I have received an enormous amount of encouragement from you in my comments and on my Facebook feed. Thank you!
I have to say, I’m having the time of my life. This is a dream come true for me. It is made possible by my friend and writing mentor, Rob Swanson, who is the creator of Prevail Press, the micropublishing company that has walked me through the entire project to create this beautiful book (illustrated by Anna Kester). Rob has a vision to enable good writers to publish good books. He knows the challenges of traditional publishing and the time involved in that pursuit and realizes that it won’t work for everyone – actually it won’t work for most of us. I love his business plan. You can check it out here and see what is going on in these beginning stages of Prevail Press, as well as meet their other authors.
In addition to all of this, I am now a YouTube star! I know what you’re thinking – it was just a matter of time. Please check out my video explaining why I wrote the book. Filming it was one of the weirdest things I’ve ever done, but you have to give the public what they want!
Thanks again and remember, just in case you haven’t ordered it already, ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE MAGIC is available through Prevail Press and on Amazon in both print and electronic versions.
I think I’m getting closer to truly joining the twenty-first century – not too bad considering we’re only about 15 years into it. Why, as recently as Saturday while I was shopping in Home Goods a needy shopper asked me about bed skirts and did I think they could be found there. Or, she wondered, perhaps she should try Target or JC Penney. My reply came so quickly and spontaneously that it took me by surprise – Amazon.
Amazon is now my go-to place for all my shopping obsessions, which are usually weird, come inexplicably and consume too much of my much-needed brain power. Obviously I will continue to frequent brick and mortar establishments, but you can’t beat the convenience of sitting at your computer, drinking a cup of coffee, and ordering a case of lip balm.
It was lip balm that taught me the value of this gas-saving, frustration avoiding method of shopping, which all of my kids swear by. I had purchased Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Ultra Moisturizing Lip Balm many times at Target. I love the way it dispenses soothing moisture as it glides across dry lips and love the oval shape of the tube. Plus, it’s inexpensive (if you don’t count the gasoline cost involved in covering the tri-county area in search of it).
Every time I’d go in a Target, CVS, Walgreens, or even out of desperation Walmart, I would look for it to no avail. So I broke down and went on Amazon and there it was! Nothing compares to the joy of looking in my linen closet and seeing a case all lined up. Even thinking about it makes me utter a happy little sigh.
The last time I had a weird obsession that involved ordering online, I think Amazon was mainly a place to get books. I had to go straight to the source to get my Heinz India Relish, which by the way, I can now find on Amazon. Now that we are empty-nesters, I’m not sure it’s a good idea for me to buy this by the case. Unless someone out there wants to go in on it with me. Any takers?
Life on the Lighter Side 