My Mother, Ann

Ann Castrogiovanni Fiorino was born in 1905 in Palermo, Sicily.  She married William Fiorino, my dad, in 1927.  After two children, and 15 years later she had me, Rosalie, her third and last child.  She was a great seamstress, and sewed most all of our…

Mr. Pepper’s Comes Along

Hello Everyone!  To inform you of Mr. Peppers, I must first tell you that we have moved from our home in Troy, Missouri, to Brazil, Indiana.  This move will no doubt be the last move in the Chapter of our lives.  We have two sons…

Mr. Peppers Settles In

Mr. Peppers, our Havanese puppy, is now 16 months old. I have blogged about him since we brought him home at 9 weeks. Some of you have followed him along with me, so you know he was quite a challenge. Chewing everything in sight, stashing…

Mr. Peppers Repents

Mr. Peppers, our Havanese puppy, was a year-old last February 6, 2021.  Some of you that have been following Mr. Peppers, have inquired about his behavior, since that has been an issue for the last year.   So, let me further explain our puppy, Mr. Peppers. …

Mr. Peppers

Today I am introducing our new puppy, “Mr. Peppers.”  He is a 14-week old registered Havenese.  As you can see, he is a black and white pile of fluff that never stops moving, save the two naps he takes a day.  He also mercifully sleeps…

The Lion and The Lamb

The month of March is just around the corner, and I tend to think it is the month of anticipation.  We are all anxious to feel the spring air, see the blooming of daffodils and grape hyacinths, witness the beginning of irises and azaleas, and…

A Bridge to Relationships

It was some 14 years ago that I first heard of the “Pitch-A-Log,” a means for want-to-be authors to give a 3-minute talk trying to persuade the audience of how their book would be a success.  The place was the Clayton Library, in St. Louis,…

The Marigold Patch

August is that month where a new chapter begins, with our children going back to school, mom’s meeting with friends for lunch, and resale shops changing over from summer to winter.   It is like the changes are telling us…holidays are coming! So, before I get…

Mamma Mia!

Raised in an Italian home, there were many days when I would hear my mother say, “Mamma Mia.”  Was she calling on her mother for help, or stating that she had a mother, or perhaps saying it for validation of motherhood?  Many Italian expressions convey…

First Things First

With New Years’ Resolutions flying around everywhere, it would be easy to fall into the same old set of the yearly wishes.  You know, loose weight, start the exercise program, organize my life, save money, travel more, and of course, keep the daily journal to…