Recent Posts
A Rainy, Peaceful Day in Paris
Bonjour, After days of absolutely perfect weather, finally a bit of slow rain yesterday to cleanse the city. My eyes burn and itch from all the pollution. We love having company but it does drain our energy. A few days of catch-up is welcome. Bernie’s son and his partner arrive on Saturday for 12 days […]
Catching Up on the Bass Visit to Paris
Bonjour mes amis, We had just a regular day yesterday filled with washing and then drying down the street and a lovely dinner at what I call the happiest street in Paris, rue Montorgueil. If you’ve been to Paris and haven’t been here, you’ve missed a treat! We’ve often thought of getting an apartment there […]
Tying Up Loose Ends for a Great Visit
Bonjour, Today brought an end to a fabulous visit with Natalie, Steve, Carson and James. Though it was not perfect, it was pretty darn close and left us all with some fantastic memories. Carson, 16, and James, 11, did amazingly well. I’m so proud of them. There is never enough time and Natalie truly believes […]
An Upside Down Day in Paris
Bonjour mes amis, Yes, we are all alive and well in Paris though a bit stunned by the events of two nights ago. I am pretty horrified that my kids got caught in what went from a soccer victory celebration to a night of terror. My little James saw much too much for an 11-year […]
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.
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.