Thanksgiving 2008

I spent Thanksgiving reminiscing about 2008 and all the blessings that grace my life. For the past three years, Joe and I have dined at the Palm Beach Chesterfield Hotel, home of the Leopard Lounge for Thanksgiving. This hotel is one of my favorite in the world. In fact, this charming hotel was the site of my Tatianna book launch party last December. So it seemed fitting to return here once again. I left with a kitty bag of traditional Thanksgiving leftovers—enough for a second meal.

So in the evening, I heated the turkey, sage dressing, green beans and mashed potatoes and headed to my walk-in closet to give thanks! For the past four months, Lexie Lee and I have lived in our home during a major renovation. The third level furnishings are stored in a pod in my driveway and what would not fit is in my living room. A narrow path weaves through the living room to the dining room. One of the highlights of my renovation is a walk-in clothes closet. On Monday and Tuesday, the closet fixtures were installed. On Wednesday, I unloaded the wardrobe boxes and put everything in its proper spot in the closet. So that is why I ate leftover Thanksgiving dinner in my closet on Thursday! Picture me sitting on the floor with Lexie Lee nearby waiting for a few morsels of turkey, plate on my lap and a glass of wine nearby. A hurricane lantern provides elegant temporary lighting until the electrician hangs a chandelier next week! Unusual—yes, but the purr-fect spot to give thanks for my Tatianna and Catnip Connection readers, my university job and wonderful students, my health, my home, my loved ones, my dear sweet Lexie Lee and all the talented people responsible for my renovation.  

Bountiful Blessings!

Fall Blessings

I just returned from spending six days in Missouri. Although most of the trees were past their peak, I did still see some red trees in the St. Louis area. But the further north I drove to northeast Missouri, most of the leaves had fallen. I had a whirlwind visit with my mother helping her prepare for the upcoming holidays. We did Thanksgiving grocery shopping one day and Christmas gift shopping another! We bought greeting cards and memorial flowers for loved ones. One day it reached over fifty degrees and my sister and I cleared off frozen plants, planted tulip bulbs and put away pots. Another day the temperature dipped in the 30s and my mother made potato soup. I had not tasted her homemade potato soup for years, and the aroma brought back special Sunday nights of yesteryear. I tried my hand in the kitchen on Sunday morning and made pumpkin pancakes. Mother made pumpkin pies as well. My uncle (my mother’s brother) was also celebrating his 87th birthday with ice cream, brownies, and angel food cake, and I got to see him along with my mother’s two sisters.

My mother sent me to a store called Gate City Supply in Keokuk, Iowa, to buy bulk candy. She encouraged me to buy several pounds as she handed me a $50 bill. Although they are a gardening store, in November they are known for their bulk candy—70 kinds to be exact! I just love this tradition of buying the candy. Well, I admit it—I just love candy. So I donned the plastic gloves and filled little white bags with the goodies. Scales were nearby to weigh the bags. I felt like I was in an old time general store. I think that is the other reason I like going there. The shop owner is always so friendly and accommodating.  One of my favorite candies (and my mother’s as well) is coconut bon bons—in assorted chocolate, vanilla, lemon and strawberry flavors.  Then I filled bags of anything covered with chocolate—cashews, peanuts, raisins, pretzels! The candied orange slices and spiced orange drops were not forgotten. And I had to have something peppermint!

I returned to Florida with the warm thought that I would be returning in exactly one month—this time to cheese cake gems, date cake and oyster dressing. Food, family and holidays—what a heartwarming combination!

Bountiful Blessings!

Bookpleasures Interview

Norm Goldman, Publisher and Editor of Bookpleasures, recently interviewed me about the Tatianna book. One of the questions and my response is listed below:

Norm:   As I have several relatives who are very fond of cats, I was wondering why some people are enormously drawn to cats and why others don’t particularly like them.

Linda:  I have often wondered about that as well. I think that some people have had a bad experience with a cat like being scratched or bitten. Cats are eerie to some people. Because they have an independent nature, some people think that you really can’t get close to cats or you can’t become their best buddy. One of the editors of my book, a self-proclaimed dog person, now has three cats (along with two dogs). She attributes her new found love for cats to becoming intrigued with them after reading the Tatianna book. She adopted one cat and that led to a couple more!

To read the entire interview, visit:

http://www.bookpleasures.com/Lore2/idx/0/3907/article/Meet__Linda_Mohr_awardwinning_author_of_TatiannaTales_and_Teachings_of_My_Feline_Friend.html

If you would like to read more about my editor who adopted the first of her three cats, Punkin, visit

http://www.lindamohr.net/share_story.html#Anchor_punkin_story

I am interested in your comments: Why did you think some people are cat people and others don’t like cats?

Bountiful Blessings!

LA Times Tatianna Quote

Recently Catherine Hamm of the Los Angeles Times received a letter from a reader who cancelled plane travel due to her 27-year cat’s kidney failure. This prompted the journalist to ask the question: Where’s the line between being responsible and pet-obsessed?

In her On The Spot column on November 5, experts and readers weighed in on what to do when a furry friend falls ill in the midst of travel plans. Below is my published response:

“Being with Tatianna, my 16-year-old Siamese, in the last minutes of her extraordinary life was not unlike how we had shared thousands of ordinary days. I was always there for her, and she was always there for me, loving me unconditionally. As Thomas Wolfe said, “I am a part of all that I have touched and that has touched me.”

The last commandment of “A Pet’s Ten Commandments” is this: On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me, please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.”

– Linda A. Mohr, Author, “Tatianna: Tales and Teachings of My Feline Friend”

For the full listing of responses visit: http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-petlovers9-2008nov09

Have you ever cancelled a vacation due to your pet’s illness? Or would you do so if ever confronted with that situation?

Bountiful Blessings!

Let’s Write About Cats

Recently I found out about a wonderful cause called I Love to Write Day. It caught my attention because over my college career I have worked with employers who voice concerns for hiring graduates with well developed writing skills. Text messaging and e-mailing have changed the way we write. But I still think we need to know how to construct a complete sentence. At least that is what I convey to my students.  And oh, by the way, remember to capitalize I!

The I Love to Write Day is celebrated on November 15.  Seven years ago Delaware author John Riddle created I Love to Write Day. According to his 2008 press release, “my goal is to have people of all ages spend time writing. They can write a poem, a greeting card, an essay, a short story, start a novel, finish a novel…the possibilities are endless. But I want people to take the time to put their thoughts down on paper. They will be amazed at the results. Writing can be fun, but also challenging. People need to be challenged, and writing is but one of many creative ways to express yourself.” From what I understand schools, libraries, and other organizations around the country are planning special ways to acknowledge I Love to Write Day.

My contribution to I Love to Write Day is to encourage you to sit down (with your feline friend in your lap of course!) and write a tribute or thank you letter to your cat. Tell me what your cat means to you and how your cat enriches your life. Or write a story about the funniest thing your cat has ever done. Or tell me how you and your cat met. As John Riddle says, “the possibilities are endless.” Email me your story or letter by November 17 and I may publish later on my Web site. I will also select a winning essay in categories of tribute to my cat, funniest cat story, and how I met my cat. Winning authors will receive a copy of Tatianna—Tales and Teachings of My Feline Friend. Winning stories will appear in Catnip Connection blog. The Tatianna book is also a supporting sponsor. For more information, please visit http://www.ilovetowriteday.org/

E-mail stories to:  lindamohr7@bellsouth.net

 

Bountiful Blessings!