Recent Posts
The Delightful Left Bank or Rive Gauche of Paris
Bonjour mes amis, I’m getting quite the Paris tan from all of these sunny days! Hot, but just enough breeze to be very tolerable. We had a most enjoyable day on the Left Bank yesterday. I’m aware that many of you love the museum photos and accompanying facts, and some of you would rather see […]
Sun, Sun, Sun in Paris
Bonjour, The Tysons have been with us now for 10 days and other than the heat, the weather has been gorgeous. Sharon bought an umbrella here which has not been needed once! Yesterday, we had no time commitments with reservations, just the opportunity to stroll and wander around. We showed them the tunnel first where […]
The Allure of Montmartre
Bonjour, Despite the droves of tourists, Montmartre still touches every pleasant nerve in my body. Despite the litter, all the steps, the trashy little souvenir shops, the caricaturists luring you to sit for them, the cruel cobblestones that are so difficult to trod. and the jammed-together cafe tables, Montmartre for me is that remnant of old […]
Completely Saturated by Le Louvre
Bonjour, Sharon and Johnny had been to the Louvre a lifetime ago when Johnny was serving in Germany so yesterday was quite an experience for them. They had never seen the Pyramid, built by I.M. Pei and opened in April of 1989. I’m certainly no authority but some might agree that Le Louvre is the […]
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.