Now Available: Bernie’s Paris…Travel Stories with Love
This memoir captures an improbable journey between a love-starved, Southern belle and an over-eager, homesick Parisian. If you’ve ever been to Paris or have always dreamed of going, this is a must-read full of savvy tips, funny mistakes, compelling drama—all entangled in the tender love story of two people who had mostly given up on a late-in-life relationship. You will chuckle; you will sigh; you will remember; and maybe, you will call your travel agent!
NOW AVAILABLE FROM BALBOA PRESS
Whether you have chosen to be a caregiver or were hijacked by circumstances, Catch Your Breath, a series of touching meditations by Linda Spalla, will become a wisp of sanity and a day-to-day stabilizer. Spalla retraces an eight month care-giving journey with her mother, captured in raw, candid images, truly becoming a walk in her shoes. What started as a thirty-days-to-live commitment of care in her home turned into an unexpected eight months of never-ending responsibility. You will feel a kinship with the roller coaster of emotions; from anger, confusion, surprise, resentment, guilt and ambivalence, to finally relief, recovery and celebration. You will learn through the various vignettes some refreshingly practical information on such topics as finding sitters, managing medicine, dealing with sibling rivalry, contracting with Hospice, moving to assisted living, doing will preparation and other legalities as well as funeral planning. You will laugh; you will sob; your heart will soar; your heart will break. You will find solace, encouragement and inspiration for one of life’s most daunting challenges. But especially, you will discover your best self, emerging stalwart, strong and forged by the fire of your caregiving experience. Give yourself a gift of renewal and Catch Your Breath.
Recent Posts
Making the Best of a Rainy Day in Wichita
Dear Friends, Thursday was our last day in Wichita and the rain didn’t mar our sightseeing or our spirits. Our dear friends Monica and Marlyn Eshelman have been great hosts. They have had everything planned to perfection. Bernie has been disappointed to find that most of his childhood landmarks have been replaced by decades of […]
Searching old memories & Making New in Wichita
Dear Friends, Thanks for all your fun comments from yesterday’s blog. It was a hoot and glad it brought out the smiles. Wednesday was a delightful day driving around in Wichita to find old landmarks that were long since gone, e.g. Bernie’s childhood home which is only now a concrete foundation, having been destroyed […]
It’s a Long, Long Way to Wichita, Kansas
Good morning, Bernie and I are visiting with good friends in Wichita, Kansas, Bernie’s home for many years. After relocating from Paris to the States, his family finally made Wichita their permanent home. Bernie is retracing old memories and discovering that most of those have been replaced with all things new. But the new can’t […]
A Cooler Fall Trip to Paris Awaits for 2019
Bonjour! What a glorious day to be alive! It’s reminiscent of a beautiful Parisian afternoon and evening which is what prompted me to send out a quick blog. Certainly, like many of you, we were devastated to watch the engulfing flames atop Notre Dame last week. I gasped in horror and disbelief as the spire […]
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Books
Her first book entitled Leading Ladies published in 2003 offers practical leadership tips for women, encouraging them to embrace their femininity as a leadership asset.
In Catch Your Breath, Linda has written a raw, honest series of meditations for caregivers based on her experiences in caring for her own mother. These will evoke both laughter and tears as they offer insight and courage to those caught in the caregiving web.
In Bernie ‘s Paris…Travel Stories with Love, Linda describes with tender and often humorous clarity her eleven years visiting Paris with her best friend and lover, Bernard Verdier, a native Frenchman. From Southern belle to world traveler, she will delight you with her Parisian escapades, her love affair with “Bernie” and hopefully inspire you to fall in love with Paris as she has. Bernie’s photographs will ignite the urge to plan a Paris fling. The book is now available.
