If you 've read anything about me, you probably already know that I love books. I have no idea where this love came from or how and why it developed, but I know the love of books is part of me.

     I have no recollection of my parents reading to me as a youngster. I was the eldest of five kids, so my mom had her hands full. My dad worked long hours in his pharmacy. My first memory of letters, words, and sentences was when I was in first grade. I remember using the little box of letters to build words. Maybe that's where I fell in love with words. I don't think they make those little letter boxes anymore, but just cut out the letters in the photo to the right and you've got the idea.

     In third grade, the craze was to read the Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene. I think I read them all--some twice. One of my classmates bought every book, and then she shared them with the rest of the girls in the class. It was like her own library-share. I couldn't wait for my turn.
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     I started reading all kinds of books then. The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary, the Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Hope, the Donna Parker Series by Marcia Levin, and the Cherry Ames series by Helen Well were some of my favorites. If my mother could, she'd probably say I read too much. When I became a teen, my reading intensified. I was always in the library of my high school, and I toted home tons of books. The challenge then was to find a quiet spot to read. Remember, I said I was the oldest of five children. My favorite spot was to duck down on the floor between the twin beds in my bedroom. That worked for a while, until my mother found me out.

     As a young mother, I spent my years reading as many Russian novels as I could. I loved Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Turgenev, and Pasternak. Those guys had no lack of words! Many of those books have nearly a thousand pages. I loved being carried back in time. My imagination soared as the characters cavorted across the pages in horse-drawn carriages or dressed in billowing ball-gowns. It was a different era. It transposed me to a different world.
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     I'm still an avid reader, but I have to admit it's hard to find time to read for pleasure. Most of my reading is directed at learning more about brain injury, preparing to interview a guest on my radio show, or delving into a topic about brain injury for a panel discussion.
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     To be honest, I still tote tons of books home from my town library, and I do steal some minutes to read. I guess some things will never change.

It was my honor this week to meet some pretty inspiring women. I had a wonderful talk/Power Point presentation for 19 women on Wednesday, May, 4, 2022. (PEO–Philanthropic Educational Organization)

These women are inspiring. Their mission is to provide scholarship grants for young women to help them to reach their educational goals.

Here's a photo of a few of these amazing ladies.

(That's me in the middle with the black shirt.)

Notice the MeTime Stones slide in the back. The women each chose a MeTime Stone to help to remind them to take care of themselves too.

        a cuppa!
                              a bubble bath!
                                                                a walk in the park!
                                                                                                            read a chapter
                                                                                                                                                WHATEVER!

                                                       RECHARGE!                      REBOOT!                       REFRESH

   
     Bill Gasiamis, a stroke survivor and the podcast host of A Stroke Caregiver's Journey talked about what it means to be a caregiver. He shared his story with me and I shared mine with him. We talked about being overly stressed and overly busy through the lenses of a caregiver and a survivor. We discussed recovery after brain injury and the complications and joys it brings. We spoke about taking a new fork in the road and accepting a new normal. But most importantly, we agreed that laughter is crucial to a more calm recovery––in fact, it may be the key to happiness after brain injury. So, Folks, start laughing like there's no tomorrow.
                     GiGgLE!
                                        ChOrTLe! 
                                                                sNiCkER!
                                                                                       TeE-hEe!
                                                                                                              HoOT       &       HOwL  ...

                                                                                                                     With LAUGHTER!
PS. You'll LOVE Bill's Down Under Australian accent.

Check out Recovery After Stroke by Bill Gasiamis.

     John Daly, author of action/thriller books and Boutique of Quality Books/WriteLife consultant, interviewed me about my book, Prisoners Without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale. I told John that Prisoners will make readers Laugh! Cry! and G-A-S-P!. How do I know? Because I laughed, cried, and gasped! during the many years it took me to write the story.

     So when you read my book, Prisoners Without Bars: A Caregiver's Tale, and you Laugh! Cry! or G-A-S-P!, please let me know. You can leave a comment below or send an email to me at [email protected].

Of course, when you read my book, please write an honest review. My book and I will each appreciate your efforts.

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