All Things Kate Spade

June 8th, 2018
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Mandatory Credit: Photo by CHARLES SYKES/REX/Shutterstock (418367e) KATE SPADE CFDA FASHION AWARDS, NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY, AMERICA - 02 JUN 2003Fashion Designer Kate Spade/Photo Courtesy of Variety

“Oh My God.  Have you heard about Kate Spade?”

“I’m so sad and mad about the Kate Spade news.  How could she do that?”

“Wow. I just heard about Kate Spade.  Unbelievable.”

Kate Spade’s recent and surprising death is a tragedy on so many levels: that she lost her battle with depression and sadly committed suicide, that she left behind a daughter who is at the tender age of 13 and that we will no longer be the enthusiastic recipients of her amazing talents as the uber-popular fashion designer of purses, jewelry, shoes … Read More

Changing Up Holiday Rituals

November 24th, 2014
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My parents, some of my siblings and some of my in-laws flew to Ireland this past Saturday and will be spending Thanksgiving this year in different  country. It should fun and interesting and certainly different for them as well as the rest of my family for now we are changing up the places where we will go to celebrate Thanksgiving this year and who we will have a chance to see on the day.  I must say that given the fact that we are a large boisterous family, most of us do try to stay flexible about the different ways… Read More

Your Truck Is Now My Truck

October 15th, 2014
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I admit up front that I’m arriving late to the party that has been going on ever since the release of American country singer Lee Brice’s memorable hit song, “I Drive Your Truck.” It’s hard to believe but I just recently discovered this poignant and healing song that was awarded Song of the Year honors at the 47th annual Country Music Association Awards, as well as Song of the Year at the 49th annual Academy of Country Music Awards was released in 2012.  I don’t know what I was doing at the time this song hit the airwaves but I… Read More

This I Believe — Book Excerpt

April 10th, 2014
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“This I Believe” is a fantastic book that keeps on giving inspiration to me. I recently discovered this book quite by accident.  I was in Richmond, Virginia with my son and his girlfriend and we came upon a local non-profit that was giving away books for free.  I couldn’t believe it.  Free. Books. Free books are irresistible to me.  This would be similar to offering the editor of Vogue free clothes and accessories.  A room of tables full of all kinds of books just waiting for someone to come along and adopt them and take them home.  Where do I… Read More

Confessions of A Mediocre Widow By Catherine Tidd

December 20th, 2013
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The title of Catherine Tidd’s new book suggests she is a mediocre widow. Don’t believe it for one second. Catherine Tidd is quite the opposite.  Catherine Tidd is in fact a courageous, smart and very funny woman in search of herself and an entirely different life while raising three young children after the death of her beloved husband, Brad, in a tragic motorcycle accident in 2007. Her book is refreshing and down-to-earth and is full of painful and funny personal insights about what happened to her after the death of her spouse: the hospital, the funeral, her in-laws, the whole… Read More

Heaven

May 23rd, 2013
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There’s a place where we all want to end up. We know it by name but where is it?  Where is Heaven? I was thinking about Heaven yesterday while attending the wake of a man who was one of my father’s best friends. This man was a good man, worked hard, had a wonderful wife and children and tried to do his best for others.  I’m sure he is in Heaven, wherever that is. I’m also sure that other people that I knew and loved are in Heaven: my husband, all of my grandparents, my aunt and uncles and some… Read More

Lean In To Laughter

April 25th, 2013
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One of my brothers has a wacky way of making a joke exactly when it’s needed. His timing and dry delivery are impeccable!  Just when the situation is starting to get either too serious or is totally out of hand, I can always depend on my brother to throw an exclamation point into the conversation.   It’s not an easy thing to do.  There’s a fine line between funny and unfunny and once you cross over into unfunny, it’s hard to undo and recover your mojo. I’ve delivered some whoppers that have crashed on delivery but I don’t try to… Read More

Divorce v Death

April 16th, 2013
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I’m not sure why people compare getting divorced to losing a spouse. But they do. Hmmmmm.  One of these things is really not like the other. Yes, both situations are the end of something, but one is final and the other is not. Both situations are traumatic and force you to assess your life and eventually rebuild it in a new way. But the death of a loved one is final.  You will never see that person again. With divorce, you might feel like you never want to see that person again but they’re still alive. Lots of widows and… Read More

Reflections of Nora Ephron’s Son

March 7th, 2013
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Nora Ephron Crying is unsettling.  Especially if you are watching one of your parents do it. My son hates it when I cry and has said that when I would cry all the time immediately after his father/my husband’s death, he would feel this mix of emotions that he didn’t want to feel and so he would walk away.  I understand it and think his reaction was perfectly normal.  He was thirteen years old and dealing with something that adults find hard to handle.  He was just trying to survive. Now, at twenty two years old, my son explains his… Read More