Books And Short Stories
Her Journey Completed
She was a strong German woman. She actually survived lots of events in her life, but the one that affected her children’s lives happened when they were 10, 11, and I was 12.
Imagine for a moment being born to parents in 1946. As you begin to grow up in the late forties and fifties, spending most of your school years in an all-girl catholic school. Then you graduate high school, come back home, meet your soulmate, and get married within two weeks of meeting.
Becoming a parent, yourself in the late 1960s not knowing that in just a few short years, your children will grow up knowing two different women existed Inside you.
Donna Alford recounts the event in her mother’s life that caused her children to know two versions of the same woman. It all began in 1979, She was 33 and had a 10-hour brain aneurysm surgery with a 50/50 chance of survival. Lived 39 years after the surgery. She also recounts the lessons in faith and prayer her mother taught her along with teaching her children to be survivors.
At age 72 she could still do a 500-piece jigsaw in 2 weeks and read & discuss everything Donna brought to her, she died last Thanksgiving 2018 from pneumonia.”
Her journey on earth may have closed, but she has left a legacy of strong children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who are stronger people due to her examples.
Donna’s Culinary Cookbook
Her father was a creative person, especially in the kitchen. He would sneak into the kitchen late evenings, turn on the oven and out popped a sweet treat for his family.
At the age of nine her father had her at the antique stove teaching her to make pancakes for her siblings. By age twelve she could prepare basic meals for the family. Not only because she had a passion for cooking and baking but because life events meant she must take on an adult role in the home.
Her Culinary skills have surpassed what her father taught her, but he was always the inspiration for the passion of cooking and baking.
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My Short Stories
5 Actionable Tips on hospital stay & Minimalism
Minimalism pertains to simplicity. Living a simple, frugal life was my goal as a widow. I plan on sharing a list of some of my favorite resources below before sharing five actionable tips on hospital stay and Minimalism.
My Dearest Reader’s
My Dearest Readers My dearest readers, I hope this letter finds you healthy and thankful for every breath you take every day. I also hope it finds you traveling and exploring. I shared with you last year Silence And The Man In The Chair. Believe it or not, that was a year ago. Then I […]
Update: Silence from this story writer again
Silence from this story writer again. Update 2022 This writer is in recovery mode. Looking forward to returning to writing soon! Silence from this story writer again. The picture above says it all. This writer has been away because of covid pneumonia. She is on the recovery end of everything but still needs time away. […]
Updated: Four Widows In My Lifetime
Through out my life I have known several widows. Some related and some not related.
Why Is Everyone Talking About Breast Cancer Prayers?
Why Is Everyone Talking About Breast Cancer Prayers? Dear Readers, why is everyone talking about breast cancer prayers in this room? Grab a drink and let this caregiver tell you about an Unexpected Season of “What Ifs,” and What About Me and Life. She changes into that mauve color gown and enters the waiting room, just […]
My fear, anxiety growing up with my Grandpa’s use of alcohol
The smell of his alcohol was pungent
Two Years Since Her Journey Is Completed
My mother had a way with words that just stuck in your mind. I was the daughter she watched prepare for widowhood.
Music Strangers Driving
Music Strangers Driving: Driving and music go hand in hand in my vehicle types of old rock, soft rock, and country. Today as I drove my grandson home, then returned songs reminded me of strangers I have met. Music, Strangers, and Driving seem to work that way. How does music affect you? In this post: […]
Fall Traditions Resume!
Fall Traditions! Fall traditions resume and some stick to you like glue. Autumn reminds me of my childhood traditions. Cleaning in the fall is one of those traditions from my youth!! Which season triggers a childhood tradition for you the reader? Thank God I do not live on the second floor! 🙂 My dear mother […]
Overwhelmed by Solitude
I am always Overwhelmed with Solitude. There is two specific reasons for this Overwhelming feeling.
Emotions By The Water
I am not speaking for every widow or widower; everyone deals with this path in life in their own ways.
Caregiver Life Changes During A Quarantine!
Changes happen every day lately which leads me to share a few posts about life and the situations.
Caregiver, Stress & Coronavirus
Caregiver: The role of Caregivers takes on every precaution available before viruses and such enter their environments. As I sit at my desk this evening with the fragrance of chicken soup in the air, I begin to think about caregivers around the world. Caregivers are usually people who have experienced Role-Reversal. I have taken on […]
Hilarious Sentimental Situations
Being a young couple you laugh years later at the adventures!
The Man in the Chair
I assured him he deserved such a luxury. Purchased it, assembled it and had it waiting for his return.
Country Boy Taught Us How To Garden Even In The Big City
Mid-January has arrived. My mind is already making plans for my container garden
Visiting An Old Friend In January!
The year was 1994 it was six o’clock in the morning. We were sitting in the waiting room waiting for surgery, while my children were at home asleep.
An Angel In Heaven I Knew For A Short Time
You see there is a angel in heaven that I only got to spend 10 months with on this earth.
Mom’s Personality Touched Many
The woman that Completed Her Journey last year was not even supposed to see her daughter become a mother or a grandmother but her strong will and her faith in her God changed those circumstances. Things were not always a dream come true for this woman but she made the best out of everyday. She […]
Friday’s Music and Why It topped My Charts
Friday’s music topped my charts and I Finish the Job: Friday’s music and why it topped my charts; I Finish the job in tears. As my readers know Mom died during the holiday season, Her Journey Is Complete My parents taught us many things while growing up. One thing they taught us is to finish […]
Her Journey Is Complete
Her Journey Is Complete and Goodbyes Are Hard Her journey began on a Tuesday morning in September. Born in Washington DC. A baby girl then follows a path through 72 years of life. Along this path, she graduates high school, meets her soulmate Gave birth to three children. Survived a brain aneurysm in 1979 at […]
I Wish Everyone Knew About Caregivers & Illness
This blogger is also a full-time caregiver to a spouse who lives with COPD. He is in the last Stage which is stage 4. He still eats well and does a few essential things on his own but other than those essential things this caregiver is on duty 24/7.
Caregiver’s fear on a rainy night
Lights begin to flicker which puts you in preparation mode….gather flashlights and battery powered lanterns. Make sure coffee maker is ready because he doesn’t like gas station coffee. Be sure oxygen bottle by the bed is ready for breathing treatments and Monster tank is hooked up and ready to connect to the patient. All of that is usually the way this caregiver handles a rainy night but……………
Bridges of Life
A bridge forms a connection between two things. Age can be represented as bridges in our lifetime. Certain ages connect who we are to whom we will become. In a lifetime if you are giving the blessing of living past your sixties. ( I lost my father when he was […]
Always A cherished season
Fall is a cherished season for sure. The end of July…59 days until Fall. The school will take place of sleeping in and being outdoors in parks and pools. Hunters are making plans for escaping. Quilters and crafters making holiday gift plans. Although my Dad’s birthday is two days after mine in March. I always […]
Update To All Grown Up
Update To All Grown Up: Update to All Grown-up; Mom’s Journey ended in 2018 and her death had nothing to do with the brain aneurysm. She passed away due to septic shock. My husband of thirty-six years now is currently still with us, but the COPD/Emphysema is worse. He sleeps about twelve hours per day […]
Fishing Everywhere In Midlife
Fishing Everywhere: Fishing everywhere in midlife is on my mind. Midlife causes you to think of how far you have come and where you want to go. I have been fishing and camping since I was knee-high to a grasshopper as the old saying goes. Dad took his family on a trip every summer. My […]
