Recent Posts
Summer “Vacances” Streamline Paris Even More
Bonjour mes amis, The streets were already less crowded in Paris; the lack of tourists noticeable. Now with the arrival of August in a few days, the streets are even more subdued. All of Europe takes “holiday” or “vacances” during the month of August, but according to a local friend, France is “the worst” about […]
Weekend Fun in Paris after Months of Confinement
Greetings from le weekend, C’est dimanche…it’s Sunday…in Paris, a day which starts very slowly and quietly with late café breakfasts and family picnics in the parks. It’s not as slow and quiet as it once was. We were here back in 2012 when the stores started to open on Sundays. Prior to that, other than […]
Street Scenes and People Watching in Paris
Bonjour, Just like at home, some days are ordinary and simple. Yesterday was one of those days for us. The weather was still clear and quite warm in the mid-80s. We have a commitment to try to eat at some different spots which is always interesting. I am usually the ringleader of this effort, and […]
C’est Complique…It’s Complicated in Paris
Bonjour, We love doing the blog for you and do so appreciate all the comments. I don’t always respond because there are just so many hours in the day. It is certainly not due to a lack of appreciation. Yesterday’s blog was the most involved I’ve written and took hours because of sifting through all […]
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.