Read how our family is working on healing together. Thanks to Ernest Dempsey for posting our story.
https://www.recoveringself.com/about-rts/healing-from-opioid-addiction
Family Healing
| Filed under nonfiction recovering the self Relationships
The numbers Are In
| Filed under blindness nonfiction Relationships
The numbers Are In
As it happened, this year my first article for Outlook Enrichment posted:
https://www.outlooken.org/news/article/the-way-i-see-it-ann-chiappetta
What does the article have to do with numbers? Mom was born on November 17. She’s been gone six years and I miss her even though the harsh pang of grief has softened. I am grateful for my sisters and our extended family, who help keep Mom’s spirit going.
The universe supports keeping Mom’s spirit upfront and in a cherished place for us. Special things keep falling on the date of her birth and every time it happens, I get the feeling she’s delighted. We love you and miss you, Mom; keep sending reminders that you’re out there and the universe is caring for you.
As for my new gig, I think it’s the best omen it was scheduled on this special date.
What’s Annie Been Up To?
| Filed under Relationships
From the Annie Shares News Issue 11 November 2021 email newsletter
Subscribe: anniesharesnews+subscribe@groups.io
🦃 🏔 ❄
Hello readers, welcome to the November newsletter. Here in New York the lower Hudson is cooling off and we will once again experience winter’s cold breaths. I find winter to be a time of renewal and creatively rewarding.
🌴 🥥
Even though it’s getting colder, why not warm yourselves by listening to a guest podcast with host Princess Diva from Trinidad and Tobago. I read two of my newest poems and one from my first collection, Upwelling. Thanks goes out to author, Amy Bovaird for the connection. Inspirational moments with Ann Chiappetta author:
👩💼 🙌
On behalf of disability awareness month, I also want to share two business and social related blog resources with articles posted by my talented colleagues:
Outlook Business Solutions and Outlook Enrichment
And to bring it home to how we celebrated White Cane Safety/Blind Americans Equality Day, recognized on October 15, check out this video:
Until next month, Dreya the book dragon and I send you and your loved ones thoughts of kindness and creativity.
Annie andApril standing for selfi before mother and daughter date night.
Book Corner Review
| Filed under nonfiction Relationships
Book Review
https://www.bookcorner.us/escaping-with-his-life/
Escaping with his life
From Dunkirk to D Day and Beyond © 2019
By Sir Nicholas Young
Biography Pen and Sword Military, Publisher; 256pp. ISBN-10: 1526746638 ISBN-13: 978-1526746634
Formats: hardcover, Kindle and audible.com
https://www.amazon.com › Escaping-His-Life-Dunkirk-…
An inspiring and thrilling account of Leslie Young, a British commando who was captured and escaped from a prison camp in Northern Italy.
From the book jacket: Very few British soldiers could lay claim to such a full war as Leslie Young. Having survived the retreat to and evacuation from Dunkirk, he volunteered for the newly formed Commandos and took part in their first operation, the raid on the Lofoten Islands. He fought and was captured in Tunisia. He went on the run before his POW camp at Fontanellato was taken over by the Nazis after the September 1943 Italian armistice. He spent six months on the run in the Apennine mountains aided by brave and selfless Italians. Many of whom were actively fighting their occupiers. He eventually reached Allied lines but not before several of his companions were tragically killed by both German and American fire.
On return to England he immediately signed up for the invasion of Northwest Europe and despite being wounded eventually fought through to Germany.
This biography epitomizes service and dedication during the darkest moments of twentieth century history, World War II. It also shows the reader the human side of war, the resiliency of the human spirit and the British stiff upper lip, the grit of a soldier.
The book takes the reader on a journey filled with action and heartbreak as told in part by Young’s journal entries and his son’s descriptive and historically accurate narrative.
At times this reader felt as if the history lesson textbook was on the desk and the words blurred into a dry and drawn—out round of this-followed-that narrative. But this was the only drawback to this intriguing story.
The attempts of the author to enliven the story is sprinkled with pieces of the ingenuity of the time, like the bicycle brigade, for example. There is also depictions of the depredations of war upon humans, the land itself, and the civilians who struggle to survive the Nazi occupation.
The book opens with a touching and powerful poem written by an Italian poet, Pierre Luigi Felli. The poem is haunting and sets the book’s place historically as well as creatively. Felli’s last line, alludes to returning to the haunting places, “Years later, the return along those mountain pathways feeling the scent of memory.”
This reader was satisfied and pleased Sir Nicholas’s account is fascinating and honors his father’s journey and those who fought for freedom from tyranny.
4 stars
Open Door
| Filed under paranormal Poem Relationships writing
Open door
By Ann Chiappetta
Horizontal Travel nestled in breaths
Deep and restorative. A place of relaxation, attracts
Energy, the curtain billows, the visitor
Inserts herself, uses the most familiar place, the bathroom – why
are most of these encounters located in the dream bathroom? By now I know there is a message born from the veil, the thinness beyond
Air, beyond anything we know here in our soft beds of reality.
She shows me a hand with a ring, conveys it is significant, her face seems to say, it will soon be yours. Then she is gone. I awaken.
Today, before the horizontal travel I write with the ring upon my hand. She spoiled the surprise.
May the Dog Update
| Filed under Relationships
Hello all, this is an update about May the rescue dog. She’s matured into a beautiful brindle brown 55 lb. shepard mix, sleek, strong and smart; she knows all her commands, tries not to counter surf and loves to ride with April in her car. May and kitten Noodle are best friends. Jerry can walk the two dogs in tandem for the most part, though I can’t mostly because I can’t see trouble coming and it is safer for me to control only one dog at a time.
She does these adorable doggie things like placing a paw gently on your chest to ask you to play with her. How could a human resist? Anyway, I’ve been a double-dog advocate since picking out Rocki and Gunny with Jerry all those years ago and believe she helped Bailey (and us) stop moping around after Verona died. As long as you can afford the time and dollars, go tandem!
May blessings be upon you and your loved ones now and always. Happy HOwlidays!
Photo is May on a recliner, the sun lighting up her sweet face and those derpy ears are so cute.
Acts of Kindness Can Increase Happiness
| Filed under recovering the self Relationships
A Book Review with Meaning
| Filed under Poem Relationships writing Writing Life
Earlier this year, prior to Covid 19, I asked Julia to review my book. I’d been disappointed by the lack of responses to review my third book, Words of Life: Poems and Essays. I needed an infusion as well as some insight as to why this book, in particular did not sell like I thought it should. I felt that Julia could deliver and she did, 😊
Julia came through for me. She provided honest and understandable statements. Below is a note I sent to her, sharing it symbolizes that not all an author’s work is dipped in gold. It takes years of practice, stacks of rejections in your inbox, and the strength to plow through the self-doubt and barriers to reach one’s creative goals. What I learned from Julia is to be open to the feedback of other writers, what may seem like criticism could be a diamond in the ruff.
Read on and after reading, take a look at Julia’s own publications. 😊
HI Julia,
I wanted to thank you again for reviewing my book. You gave me some important points to ponder and I appreciate them very much… Since publishing my books I felt the hardest part of it was organizing the content in a manner that made sense. I wanted to let you know that mentioning it in your review got to me, but then it made me more aware of what I can improve for my next book. Your review provided insight into what I can work on as a writer and this is much appreciated.
Julia’s review:
https://juliasbookreviewss.wordpress.com/2020/10/15/1110/
How to assemble a Coffee Table
| Filed under Guide dogs Relationships
Place unassembled box flat on floor. Chase off dog who decides to lay down on it.
Open box; chase off dog trying to play with Styrofoam.
Empty box, and let cat play in box while dog lays down on the top of unassembled tabletop on floor.
Begin to read instructions while dog two enters room to investigate.
While making progress on assembling table, cat plays with paper instructions and tries running away with the paper. Dogs decide to kick back and watch human struggle with cat who has now taken screws causing human to curse and look for missing screws.
Finally, after accounting for all hardware scattered by cat, add legs to table bottom while avoiding cat trying to jump onto unfinished table.
Ignore dog one still laying down on as yet unfinished tabletop.
Ignore partner typing this all for others to read.
Wish for the day: furniture that comes already assembled.
attracted to elastic
| Filed under Relationships
April handed me a soft elastic band the other day.
:What’s this?” I asked.
“I found it outside, it’s something I think you might like to use,”
I fingered the soft band, imagining it could be used for tying back a curtain or for my unruly travel bag.
“Thanks!” I said, and realized I was just like a crow, attracted not to the “sparkly” but to the “practical”. My daughter knows me so well, and I love it. Flap-flap, caw-caw!