Inspirations, the Stories Space Coffee House: If you're reading this it just might mean I'm back, sorta. If you're not reading this, well, congratulations.

Quote by JamesPBear
The best thing to do, as an American citizen, is to call your senators and representative, and complain that you can't get the services you're paying taxes for, and you're not happy about it. Even if they don't respond, they tally the calls, and it affects how they behave.

I make 5 phone calls (President, 2 Senators, Representative, AG) and 2 emails (2 state Congressmen) every morning. Very short script, and i change it every day. It's a good way to begin the day. Makes me feel less helpless.

Personally, I think they are tanking the stock market on purpose to declare emergency powers. Just a theory.

Baseball season is 2 weeks away!

Knee deep in a new novel. Cosmic horror in Iowa cornfields.

Coffee please!

Just popping in to say hi. Hope everyone is well.

Coffee please. And a treat! I'll just gnaw on this old rice krispie treat I found under the chair.

Afternoon, y’all!

I went and saw the giants at Bernheim Forest today. Very cool. Gonna rain rest of the weekend. Boo Hiss

😊

Those are amazing. It's going to rain here for the weekend as well.

I had an enjoyable visit with my middle son and his partner. We looked at a house they are interested in buying, they asked for my husband's advice, and then we went out for a lovely dinner. I always feel better when I can see my kids.

I've finally concluded that I need some help dealing with my grief and utter frustration with so many aspects of taking over my parents' whole lives. I've set up therapy appointments. It's more anxiety and some weird PTSD that has me walking in my sleep and thinking I am still in the apartment with my Dad, who would leave the apartment multiple times a night, or just wake me up with random requests. I still think I am there when I sleep. It's freaking my poor husband out. I need to do something before I get on a plane to Germany. That is not a place for an anxiety attack. Thank you for your attention, this concludes the confessional part of my over sharing. 🤐 On Monday it's back to fighting with my father's long term care health insurance company. They deliberately try to find reasons to slow the process in hopes you'll give up.. I am not, but I may be pretty insane before this is all over.

I hope everyone has a good weekend. Take care of yourselves and avoid the news whenever possible. 😠

Cheers.

Quote by WriterGirl
Gonna rain rest of the weekend.

That's the forecast here, too. Mixed blessing. Might get rid of the last of the snow but the ground is pretty sodden already around here so could also lead to some flooding if we get too much.

Quote by gillianleeza
I've set up therapy appointments.

Sounds like a good plan from what you describe. Sending good vibes and hoping therapist can help.

Quote by gillianleeza

Those are amazing. It's going to rain here for the weekend as well.

I had an enjoyable visit with my middle son and his partner. We looked at a house they are interested in buying, they asked for my husband's advice, and then we went out for a lovely dinner. I always feel better when I can see my kids.

I've finally concluded that I need some help dealing with my grief and utter frustration with so many aspects of taking over my parents' whole lives. I've set up therapy appointments. It's more anxiety and some weird PTSD that has me walking in my sleep and thinking I am still in the apartment with my Dad, who would leave the apartment multiple times a night, or just wake me up with random requests. I still think I am there when I sleep. It's freaking my poor husband out. I need to do something before I get on a plane to Germany. That is not a place for an anxiety attack. Thank you for your attention, this concludes the confessional part of my over sharing. 🤐 On Monday it's back to fighting with my father's long term care health insurance company. They deliberately try to find reasons to slow the process in hopes you'll give up.. I am not, but I may be pretty insane before this is all over.

I hope everyone has a good weekend. Take care of yourselves and avoid the news whenever possible. 😠

Cheers.

I feel for you, Gillian! It truly is the hardest thing seeing a loved one suffer and caring for them while trying to live your life, too. Dad has a 3-yr long term health coverage policy. We just kicked it in and are not sure what we’ll do if Dad lives over three years. Mom only lived 1.5 years once we moved her to memory care. Fortunately, their insurance companies were great to work with.

Take care of yourself! Anxiety is an unwelcome companion for sure!

My Wildcats are fixing to play. Will be tough to get a win!

Quote by WriterGirl

I feel for you, Gillian! It truly is the hardest thing seeing a loved one suffer and caring for them while trying to live your life, too. Dad has a 3-yr long term health coverage policy. We just kicked it in and are not sure what we’ll do if Dad lives over three years. Mom only lived 1.5 years once we moved her to memory care. Fortunately, their insurance companies were great to work with.

Take care of yourself! Anxiety is an unwelcome companion for sure!

My Wildcats are fixing to play. Will be tough to get a win!

I agree with WG, Gillian. You can't give what you don't have, and if you fall apart, you won't be able to help your father – or the other people who depend on you.

The first rule of life-saving is not to become a second person that needs saving.

Therapy can help. Make sure you're working with a therapist with whom you feel comfortable, and whom you feel you can trust. If that's not this one, find one that you can work with.

As forecast, we are getting a soaker of a day so far. Even had thunder while I was cooking breakfast. This weather is not great for my mood or my migraines, but I'm not bad right now. We'll see how things go since this is basically what the weekend is going to be like, save for a break this afternoon.

Coffee is brewing. I have gone with Biker Blend from Fire-Roasted. It's a dark roast blend of beans from Guatemala, Honduras, and, of all places, India. Did not realize they grew coffee there even though the climate in parts is probably suitable.

For teas, I'll also go to the subcontinent, with some Organic Assam and Earl Grey (which is usually Ceylonese, but that's close).

Kettle is ready if you're craving some other variety of hot beverage.

Sodas are stocked up and I've busted out the pitchers to make the first lemonade and iced tea of 2025.

And if you're feeling a mite peckish, there's some leftovers from my morning turn at the stove:

Hi there y'all.

It's wet and rainy here today – but I gather that's the case for most of the Eastern Seacoast. WriterGirl might be getting thunderstorms and possibly tornadoes, so I hope she's battened down the hatches.

Jay has been out playing in the mud – I mean the garden – because there are early shoots poking up out of the ground. She gets elated over the new bulbs we planted last Fall coming up, then annoyed at the holes where the squirrels dug up others of the bulbs. And she's started to rake snow and leaves off some of the beds, even though our DIL says she shouldn't. At this time of year, Jay wants to SEE green shoots, even if it causes some burrowing bugs to go elsewhere.

I've got Dark and Stormy coffee blend from the Carib Coffee Co in Antigua brewing today. Seems appropriate.

And I've got some cannoli with various kinds of fillings for those who are NOT watching their waists.

I've checked the cooler, and Mendalla has kept everything fully stocked, and ready to go, so we're good.

Take care out there, everybody.

Elbows UP!

Ooh, I like cannolis.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone.

Woke up yesterday morning, made the coffee, looks out the window, and saw a bobcat! What a magnificent cat.

Enjoy the day. Don't let any revelers puke on your shoes!

Cool. Are you sure their name is Bob, though? Looks like they could be a Robcat or maybe a Hobcat. 🤣

Good afternoon. Weather turned nice, if chilly, after a rather grey morning.

Hope all are well. Even after my attempt at humour above.🙄🤪

Quote by Mendalla

Cool. Are you sure their name is Bob, though? Looks like they could be a Robcat or maybe a Hobcat. 🤣

Good afternoon. Weather turned nice, if chilly, after a rather grey morning.

Hope all are well. Even after my attempt at humour above.🙄🤪

His full name is Robert T. Cat.

Nothing new here. It's gorgeous out, if windy. Still noveling the novel, still anxious for baseball season to start.

Coffee please.

Hey there SS family how are things with you all. Hope 2025 has been good, thus far. Sheesh ..March is almost done and dusted, bring on April

Just being my cruisy crusty self passing through the halls of SS, pop into a thread here and there, leave my mark. Yep, life is still simple and boring

Anyhoo ..you all take care. Stay safe, positive, happy and hydrated got nothing but mad love love for you all.

Turn that frown upside down smile, it's good for the soul, unless you want to pull a full blown meltdown / tantrum ..that's good too

Chur chur, bfn

Hmmm…I seem to be first in.

Naming cats now? Sheesh. What next? Everybody knows that only Polar Bears need names.

We've got some mellow Farmer's Blend from Balzac's in the coffee pot, Darjeeling and Buddha's Blend teas in the sideboard, plus plenty of hot water for other drinks.

The cooler stocked, and the stock is cool, and I'm gonna lounge back in the corner booth with Writer Girl!

Elbows up, y'all!

Warm, sunny days, cold, windy days, and everything in between, welcome to spring in Virginia.

There is nothing new here; I'm just visiting my dad, working a few days a week, and still trying to sort out various paperwork nonsense and my parents' taxes. Sigh. Hopefully, I'll have it sorted in time. I will skip my visit tomorrow since the norovirus is making its way around my dad's unit. I do not need that.

Some spring flowers are coming up, and that's lovely to see. Have a good Thursday, everyone. Cheers.

Quote by etairay
Hey there SS family

Hey back at ya'. After some Spring weather, we are back to chilly and snow. Not going to last long, though. Such is Spring in Southern Ontario. You get pretty much every form of weather known to mankind, sometimes all in the same week. 😲 Nice to see you around again. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Quote by gillianleeza
I will skip my visit tomorrow since the norovirus is making its way around my dad's unit. I do not need that.

Yeah, been there, done that, flushed the t-shirt down the toilet with everything else. God, I hate that bug.

I keep thinking I'll get back on track with being the coffee ape and somehow, life intervenes and I don't get here until well past coffee hour. Or even teatime. I'll put on some camomile and lemon ginger herbals for those needing something sans caffeine before bed.

Working on a new take on an idea I've had kicking around for a while. Volcanoes are involved and the first version came out of my tour of Iceland in 2023.

It's Fríiiiiiday!!! The weekend looms!!!!! And it is now officially Spring!!!!!

(I know, too many exclamation points 😁)

So there's some Fire Roasted Saint Drogo brewed and ready for your coffee fix.

In the teapots we have Yorkshire Gold and Raspberry Royale.

Kettle is full and ready for other hot beverages.

I see Bear has been keeping watch on the sodas

What's up in your world?

Still here. I am wading into the climax of my "cosmic horror in Iowa cornfields" novel. Filled out a bunch of index cards last night, trying to get events in the right order and not leave anything out. Nerve-wracking.

I'm on a podcast next month!

Other than that, still making my five phone calls and sending my two emails every morning, trying to stave off this darkness in our government and civic life.

Coffee please!

I've been trying to do the same but don't manage it daily. The cruelty and callousness of it all is soul-crushing, not to mention the sheer stupidity and ineptitude boggle the mind. Every morning, it seems there is something new and upsetting. My youngest son is thrilled he doesn't live in the States anymore. However, his German friends and family keep asking him to explain what is happening and why. No one has a good answer for that. Sigh...

Cornfields are a great setting for horror. I'm not sure why, but the rustling sound they make creeps me out, and not being able to see over the top. I think I just answered my own question.

I've been on a soup binge lately. Yesterday, I made a carrot, parsnip, and ginger soup. Today, I made an Italian sausage, kale, and cheese tortellini soup. They both turned out well. I also made a mixed berry cobbler for dessert and a French baguette. Because that did not seem like enough, I also made pistachio chocolate chip cookies. I think I'm avoiding having to make more phone calls to various government agencies and insurance companies.

Happy Friday, everyone. Cheers.

Greetings my lovely SS family it's so peaceful here, this beautiful Saturday afternoon. Here, sit next to me and let us be in the moment, hmm

I do not know you, you do not me. We do not each others situation, even though we share what we want others to know, a limited portion So, within these SS walls, across the ocean and in different countries, I reach out my invisible hand out of kindness and friendship. We do not need much, just a little gesture we matter and someone does care

My Dad is looking at me, like I'm cray cray nah, they are tears of joy. I did not plan on posting ..I guess, a lil kindness goes a long way. I run a muck in the forum, being happy and positiv. Basically, being the silly girl I have always been in the forum, doing my own thing. Then, I come across posts ..I want to cup your faces in my hands and say, you are going to be OK. You are not alone, you are seen, you are heard and you matter. I wish, I can embrace you tight and allow you to have a good cry, clear and clean your soul ..or, hang at a bar or cafe over drinks / meal, and have a good fun time :lol: Now, my Dad is really looking at me with concern ..oml, I'm such a crusty. Anyhoo don't mind me, I'm allowed to be a drama queen here :lol: I best stop and bugger off.

So, do not be afraid to take hold of my invisible hand, and take me along. I am more than happy to accompany you in silence, and know I will never let go oml someone shoot me (it's a saying). Nothing but mad love SS family.

Stay safe, happy and hydrated. Remember, to smile in the inside, if you cannot outward :D Have a supadupa fantastic weekend family, if not, try to. If all else fails ..do not give up, keep trying bfn

Hi everyone! 😊

I agree with Gillian, a cornfield is an excellent setting. My neighborhood I grew up in backed into a cornfield. I’d watch kids play in it from my 2nd floor bedroom window. I loved playing hide-n-seek and tag and just exploring. As we aged, the games changed in that cornfield. 😉

Enjoy the weekend everyone! ❤️

The problem with a cornfield as a setting for horror now is the existence of Children of the Corn, both King's short story and the mostly suckish movies allegedly based on it. Any horror using that backdrop is going to call that to mind, at least in boomer and Gen X horror fans like me.

I am trying again to write the story I came up with while in Iceland in 2023. Volcanoes, spirits, sorcery and other such fun in a faux Nordic secondary world. It's also the long intended, but never written, sequel to The Spirits of Tan Maldrin and picks up the story largely from the viewpoint of the character Nalia as she struggles with PTSD after nearly dying at the hands of a skeletal monster in that story.

The weekend rages on. So I popped by and put some Nicaraguan Dark Roast on. There's Earl Grey and Sunday Tea (Vanilla) in the teapots. Kettle is ready, too, for other hot beverages.

Hope you're all having a good weekend. Sunny here but chilly (forecast high of 3C).

Quote by WriterGirl

Hi everyone! 😊

I agree with Gillian, a cornfield is an excellent setting. My neighborhood I grew up in backed into a cornfield. I’d watch kids play in it from my 2nd floor bedroom window. I loved playing hide-n-seek and tag and just exploring. As we aged, the games changed in that cornfield. 😉

Enjoy the weekend everyone! ❤️

It's fun to write about cornfields, because I grew up around them, and know all sorts of creepy details. For instance, if you walk into a cornfield, much of the rustling you hear around you is...rats!

Speaking of creepy, saw a great production of Turn of the Screw last night. One of the great induring ghost stories. I find Henry James impossible to read, but Turn of the Screw is his masterpiece.

Coffee would be swell.

Howdy homies, it's Hump-Day!

I've got some fine Costa Rican medium roast in the pot, plus Early Grey and Buddha's Blend teas on the sideboard.

Plenty of hot water for other infusion drinks, and hot cocoa with marshmallows.

Cooler is stocked, fish are frozen, and all's right with the – coffee bar.

Out there? Not so much. The Orange Menace rages…supreme?

Let's hope not.

Quote by JamesPBear
The Orange Menace rages…supreme?

The first major stumble occurred yesterday, and it was kinda stunning. Glad no one got hurt.

Warm day, sunny skies, the whole day to write, the administration on defense: a good day.

Baseball season starts tomorrow!

A coffee, and I will dream of baseball cookies.

Where's Cora? Hope you are doing okay....

I did not need to know that the rustling in corn fields is rats. Ewwwww.

Apparently, appointing people who are not qualified to do the job causes a whole host of issues. I'm not surprised by any of it; that is a sad state of affairs.

I still have to fight with insurance companies on behalf of my father. Some days, I want to crawl under a rock or throw that rock at someone. At least I have found a therapist I like, who is helping me with ways to cope with all the upheaval of the last six months or so. I'm so tired most days, but I am trying to have a more positive attitude.

I hope everyone is having a better week than I am. Take care of yourselves. Cheers.

Good evening. I keep having good intentions about being around more and then keep wandering off. I'll get there. My later winter-early spring mood swings seem to be dying down.

Not a lot happening. Doing some writing. Doing some other stuff. Working. Life goes on.

Gil, glad the therapist is helping. Hope you can get things on a better trajectory soon. Hugs.