This is my list of favorite things to do when going home. My list is personal, but you may want to check some of it out when you go - or if you are in the area of Philadelphia, Chadds Ford, Chester County, etc. Visit family and friends Drive the country roads of West Chester... Continue Reading →
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The MiddleWow, what a week I had! Tomorrow I will start blogging the "good" of it. A week spent in the lovely town of Kaş, on the Turkish Mediterranean. It was awesome! We rented a lovely little apartment on the peninsula, right at the sea. We met a lot of interesting and great people. And we... Continue Reading →
Video of the Day – Accepting the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge for Team Audry!
If you have been on Facebook lately, you have certainly heard of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. The life expectancy of an ALS patient averages... Continue Reading →
Is there a God? – and internet etiquette
If you are looking for the definitive answer as to whether or not there is a God, look no further!! (Because I have absolutely no idea and can't answer that for you!) I believe in God. Yes, I do. As I have mentioned before in earlier posts, I was raised Catholic and I still am... Continue Reading →
Getting Through Mixed Emotions
It is almost three months since my sister Eileen left us. It's a strange time. Family and close friends remember what you are still going through, but most forget. This is normal. You may remember that I had gone through quite a bit during the months before and after her death. When I think back... Continue Reading →
A Turkish Funeral: my family, my friend
On Friday I had received a call that a woman had passed away. I never met her personally. She was an elderly woman who used to live in my home. She had moved to a nursing home shortly before we moved to Ankara. From time to time over the past few years, I had thought... Continue Reading →
here’s what happened
When one becomes a blogger, we often write personal things that others would not share. In my case, I crossed over from getting my emotions out via keeping a journal and writing poems, to putting myself out there publicly. Lately, I have written posts that have caused concern to many. I was still withholding many... Continue Reading →
New Beginnings
As I wrote in my last post, things have been very dark for me lately, both literally and figuratively. Today, I woke up ready to start this year again, for a third time. I even went to work a half an hour early. Then things got bad, very bad. A couple of hours later, I... Continue Reading →
Number 13
"How many kids are in your family?" "We have twelve siblings." "What number are you?" "I'm number 13." I can't count the number of times I have had this exact conversation. I am the thirteenth child in my family and I was born on the 13th. I am Lucky 13. My sister Jacqueline died before... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Life: a wedding, a funeral and a baby
I am back stateside and it's been a different kind of visit. My "holiday" is never quite a vacation when I am home. It's usually full of running around to markets and doctors and whatnot. But I'm fine with that. That's what it means to be home for me. Yet I always manage to get... Continue Reading →
Turkey Rising: What I did during the protests
I was in Istanbul when it all started. I was safely tucked away on an island, and really didn't know what was going on. Friends started to share translations of news reports and videos. At the time, I was amazed by it all. I didn't have a full comprehension, I probably still don't. But when... Continue Reading →
Racism Running Rampant — Still
In the news in Turkey is the Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay with his anti-Semitic public comments. I have lived here over three years now. I don't usually get into the depth of conversations, for lack of Turkish skills, that would make me aware of racism here. Unfortunately, I do have one "friend" who in the... Continue Reading →
HOME AWAY FROM Home Away From home away from . . .
While visiting other countries, here are some things I miss about Ankara: These are just a few thoughts for the day. Of course, I miss my family the most. And Turkish Tea. I miss tea. And family. Yes. Family. . . and tea.