Author Archives: Franci

A Goodbye to My Aunt Reta

Beautiful lady with glasses, long gray hair and a coral shirt.

My Aunt Reta, also loving known as Retabageta. Early memories of her include going to her house after elementary school with my cousins where she would color in coloring books with us and give us Chow Mein Noodles to snack on. She was full of interesting conversations from the books she read, knowledge she stored away, and BritBox mysteries she watched.

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Family Valentine Card 2025

Family Valentine card from Philippines. Family of 4 inside a Jeepney with heart balloons hanging out the back.

Hi all! This is a bit late but it’s done. I’ve discovered that anything you set your heart to will not always be easy or convenient but with a little perseverance and grace for yourself, you can do it. I hope this Valentine brings a chuckle.

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Halloween Door Decor Tradition

Collage of Halloween Door Decor that kids will love

One of my simple joys during the month of October is to decorate our front door for Halloween. Why? It’s inexpensive, we get to create, and it does not need to be stored from year to year. I love it when the boys help and we come up with an original design. When they were little they would help by holding the tape or sticking something to the door. Inevitably, it would be fun for the first five minutes and then they would lose interest and I would do the rest by myself. Yet, I still enjoyed sharing the project with them. Seeing the silly creation on our door brings a smile to my face.

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