Mom’s Favorite Reads eMagazine January 2019 by Mom’s Favorite Reads

Volume 2, Issue 1

January 2019

IN THIS ISSUE... • An exclusive interview with Dr Who screenwriter Andrew Cartmel • Who was Jack the Ripper? • An insight into the troubled life of Hollywood legend Gene Tierney • Plus, practical advice on health & wellbeing for you and your family

Promoting Literacy Parenting Tips Short Stories Recipes Activities for the Kids Exploring New Worlds Wellness and Well-being Discovering New Authors and so much more...

Momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorite Reads eMagazine is published monthly by Goylake Publishing and designed by Nicole Lavoie of www.JustSayingDezigns.com

Momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorite Reads Find us online

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Founders Hannah Howe

Denise McCabe

Ronesa Aveela

www.hannah-howe.com

www.kidsstoriesblog.com

www.ronesaaveela.com

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Feature Article Interview with Andrew Cartmel - Interviewed by T.E. Hodden.......................................4

Young Writers Neptune Goes to a Worksite by Joshua, Age 12................................................................9

Articles, Stories & Poems The Men Who Knew Jack by T.E. Hodden......................................................................10 My Wonderful Assistant by Brenda Mohammed.............................................................13 Gene Tierney by Hannah Howe........................................................................................14 Training, Tenacity and Triumph - Becoming a Triathlete by Daniela Jones................18 Healing Volcanic Springs by Ronesa Aveela....................................................................20 Meet Our Designer - Nicole Lavoie / Just Saying Dezigns..............................................22 Outdoor Learning by Sylva Fae.......................................................................................24 How Writing Helped my Mental Health by Sarah Northwood......................................27 The 1950s by Mansel Jones................................................................................................28 Make the switch to Clean Eating! by Christine Herkommer, MS RD CPT....................30 Weight Gain & Loss... Is it Really Fat? by Christine Herkommer, MS RD CPT...........31 Mini Mystery – Hard to Swallow by Hannah Howe.......................................................33 No Shame in Depression by Rhonda Hopkins..................................................................37 Goal Setting by Heather Ramsay.......................................................................................40 Superfly Part Two by Anthony Randall............................................................................42 Social Media and Spiderman! by Neville Kattakayam....................................................46 CMT STRONG: Living with an Incurable Progressive Disease by Cate Mckoy........48 In Search of Health by Millie Slavidou............................................................................53 Using Essential Oils for Aromatherapy by Val Tobin.....................................................54 Zelda’s Baby by May J. Panayi.........................................................................................56 2018 Reflections on Women’s Suffrage in the UK by Sheena Macleod ........................60 A Day in the Life by Grant Leishman................................................................................64 Vegan Food is Yummy by May J. Panayi..........................................................................66

Recipes Yogurt by Ronesa Aveela...................................................................................................21 Stuffed Avocado & Courgette and Tomato Pie by May J. Panayi..................................68 Red Pepper Aubergine & Chocolate Pudding by May J. Panayi...................................69

Books Bestsellers & Hot New Releases.......................................................................................34 Book Review: Limitless - Review by Christine Irvin.......................................................23

Activities Maze.....................................................................................................................................8 The Little Labradoodle Coloring Page provided by April Cox......................................39 Chess Puzzle - Supplied by Chess.com.............................................................................59 Word Search......................................................................................................................70 Crossword Puzzle..............................................................................................................71

Horoscopes January 2019.....................................................................................................................72

Author Spotlight Paulette Mauhrin..............................................................................................................78

Interview with Andrew Cartmel Interviewed by T.E. Hodden

Andrew Cartmel is the author of the deliciously devious Vinyl Detective novels, as well as a popular writer of comics, including the cult hit Rivers Of London, but has also been a journalist, script editor, and familiar face about conventions for some time. May I begin by asking about the Vinyl Detective books? Would you like to introduce them to the readers? They are suspenseful and thrilling crime stories set in the world of record collecting, with a wry streak of humour and some engaging characters — especially the cats. The books are incredibly researched, in history, locations, and of course, music (with all the fictional details being a step or two from reality). Are these insights to your own passion? Absolutely. Although I have also done considerable research on areas that aren’t among my personal interests — e.g. folk music.

but at a certain point the writer needs an alarm which goes off and tells them when they’re including too much. I think I’ve got such an alarm myself — in any case, I often trim back this sort of material in the books. By now the regular cast of characters must feel like old friends. Do you ever feel them looking over your shoulder as you write (or choose some music)? I never feel them looking over my shoulder but I do welcome their active presence when they begin to contribute lively (and often profane dialogue) — which, thank heavens, they always do. The cats in the books have a lot of personality too, are they written from experience? They’re shamelessly based on my own cats, Jade and Molly. The Vinyl Detective has a very different feel to your other trilogy of books, the Rupert Hood novels. Are you ever tempted to go back to the grittier world of spies? I did the best job I could on the Rupert Hood books and I had a lot of fun with them, but my heart was never really in writing spy stories. My heart is very definitely in the Vinyl Detective.

I love the way the reader is drawn into the record hunting world, even if they are complete musical heathens like myself. Is there a secret to finding a balance between making your characters an expert in their field, but blinding the casual reader with detail? You need to include enough to make this specialist world come to life, -4-

Rivers of London has been a critical success. Would you mind introducing readers to the series? My friend Ben Aaronovitch has written a series of police procedurals that concern the branch of the of the London Metropolitan Police who deal with the supernatural. They’re not just a critical success, they’re big bestsellers, and you should give them a try. They’re great. Oh, and we’ve spun off a series of comics featuring the characters and I co-write those with Ben. Is a comic book a different challenge? Very different, and rewarding in an entirely different way. It’s always a thrill to see the artwork come back based on our scripts. Well, almost always a thrill… How does it feel to take somebody else’s world and expand it out from a novel into a more visual world? Although it’s Ben’s world, I’ve been intimately involved in it since he created it — reading early drafts and offering commentary and advice. And also simply enjoying it. As for making it a visual world, both Ben and I are screenwriters (we worked on the television series Doctor Who together) and both of us write quite visually even when we’re writing prose novels.

Some readers will have had the chance to meet you at conventions. What’s it like being on that side of the table? Which side? My side? It’s always nice when people come up and say hello. In fact it gets boring if they don’t — so come and visit me!

Between stage, screen, audios, novels, and stand up, you have worked in an incredible variety of mediums. Is there any one that feels like ‘home’ or is To the layman it seems like it must be a variety the spice of life? Novels are the very different kind of process, to work ultimate in the terms of self expression, with artists who will have to create but I also have a real love for writing the imagery from your words. Is this a stage plays. There’s something about close working relationship? Sometimes, actors making your words come to life but the editors tend to like to keep the and giving a live performance in the writers and artists well separated. same space as the audience.

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As a script editor Andrew spent a few years behind the scenes of the BBC series Doctor Who. His memoirs of the era, Script Doctor, are an honest, and often amusing, read. What spurred you to revisit your time on Who? I was lucky enough to have kept a diary of that period and it was a thrill being able to bring it back to life authentically and in detail in that book. How do you prepare yourself for such a personal journey? I just went through my diaries. Was there ever anything you weren’t sure about including? I soft-pedalled a few things. I didn’t name names when, for example, people were smoking weed. Do you still watch the show? Is there anything that made you think “Oh, I wish I thought of that!”? I have a standard answer when people are surprised that I don’t watch the show: “It’s like seeing your ex-wife happy with someone new. (You’re pleased for her, but you really don’t want to know too much about it.)” Would it be okay if I asked for your views on the minority of fans who have been upset by the “preachy” and “too political” new run? I couldn’t offer an opinion without having seen it myself. During Andrew’s tenure on the show, Sylvester McCoy’s Doctor was certainly not afraid of being political. Like many kids of my generation, the first time I saw a lot of adult themes addressed, ranging from Fascism, and racism, Thatcherism, troubled youths, and the politics of weapons for mass destruction, was from behind a sofa, through the eyes of the Doctor’s companion Ace.

Did you have a particular ethos for approaching such topics, knowing that many of those watching were kids? I don’t think it’s controversial to suggest that blowing up the world with nuclear weapons is a bad idea. In the early 1990s, having finished on TV, the show was given a new lease of life as a range of novels for adults, from Virgin books. Some of the early entries made headlines for their decidedly adult content. Andrew wrote for the series, starting with his novel Warhead. What are your recollections of the New Adventures being released? I turned down the deal because the money was too low. So they came back with an improved offer and as a consequence all of the writers on the New Adventures got paid more.

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Warhead, along with Mark Gatiss’ “Nightshade” is one of the novels with a reputation amongst fans for helping cement the identity of the range as “adult” as in “approaching a topic in an adult way”, rather than “explicit”, which can’t be a bad reputation to have? As the writer Patrick O’Brian once remarked, “All I really want is praise.” So I’m happy to accept that.

Any new or upcoming projects we might want to look out for? Plans are afoot to put on a production of my stage play ‘Screwball’ in London the summer of 2019. And my fourth Vinyl Detective novel is published in May 2019. Do check them out. Thank you for your time.

Was there a different set of rules for writing the show as a novel? The Doctor can — and perhaps should — appear a lot less than he does on screen.

Did you find the ‘infinite budget of the mind’ freeing? Sure, but what is even more appealing about prose is the concision. You can write, “The war raged fiercely for thirty years, and then it ended.” That’s one sentence. Imagine trying to express that on screen. Is there anything else you wish to share with readers or writers? If you enjoy crime fiction, please try one of my Vinyl Detective novels. Borrow a copy from the library and see if you like them.

T.E. Hodden trained in engineering, and works in a specialised role in the transport industry. He is a life long fan of comic books, science fiction, myths, legends, and history. In the past he has contributed to podcasts, blogs, and anthologies. You can discover more about T.E. on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/t-e-hodden/ -7-

January Maze by Momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorite Reads

This activity is available to download and print out on our website (click here) The answers for this activity are also available on our website (click here) -8-

Neptune Goes to a Worksite by Joshua, Age 12

Neptune woke up in the middle of the night, needing to go to the toilet. He was about to barge into the toilet room, when he realized that his grandma was currently using it. He decided he would go to the worksite across the road to use a portaloo. Creeping along the floorboards, Neptune dodged the fifth board in-case it creaked and woke up his snoring girlfriend. At the front door, Neptune paused and silently farted; his pants blew up like a balloon.

right hand side, about ten metres away. Neptune charged at it; he was bursting. He entered the cubicle, slammed the door shut, and sat on the plastic seat. “AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!” he sighed in relief. Two minutes later, he was asleep, dreaming of cool toilet designs.

Suddenly, he woke with a start; something or someone was making strange noises in the distance. He shivered, but not from the cold. Neptune poked his head out of the cubicle to see So, if you’re wondering who Neptune what it was. He saw nothing, but he was actually is, then here’s a description: too scared to leave the portaloo. Five He has a rectangular face; as boxy as a minutes later, he heard the noise again; a microwave-oven. moan or a grunt. What is it? Neptune was frightened. His eyes are at the exact top right corner and top left corner. Neptune started to run; the more anxious he became, the more he tried to look over His mouth is a line that never really his shoulder. But he couldn’t, as his head changes. was too big. Danger banners whipped at his face and bull-ants nipped at his feet. His nose takes up most of his face; he He was sure he could hear something, can smell better than a trained police pounding through the darkness. dog, except he doesn’t use it that way. And finally, his body is a quarter of the size you’d expect it to be.

Anyway, back to the story... A few minutes later, he entered the worksite. Frames and supporters towered over head, casting spooky shadows on the mucky ground. Neptune instantly scanned for a portaloo. After a while, Neptune found one, far over on the

It was only when he reached the front gates that he stopped to look back. Nothing. It was as if the worksite had devoured its secret. As he entered his house, he thought to himself: Did I imagine all of that? I couldn’t have, could I? Two minutes later, he sat on the couch, turned on the TV, and ate a stale rice cracker like nothing had happened. It was then that Neptune’s grandma finally flushed the toilet. END

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The Men Who Knew Jack by T.E. Hodden

For those of us who have an interest in history, it is pretty much a given, that a few times a year some newspaper, somewhere, will decree that the Jack The Ripper mystery has been solved, once and for all. The story that follows the headline is usually copy and pasted from the press release from some book or other, and what constitutes as “proof” is wildly variable, sometimes offering a compelling hypothesis, based on historic documents, and sometimes offering little more than somebody’s opinion of art, or contrived anagrams. The plain and simple truth is, that at this point, we are never going to get proof of the killer’s identity. There may be clues, and evidence, out there yet to be found, forgotten somewhere, but anything that might be considered proof, is long gone. It is over a hundred years, since the killer stalked London’s poorest district, the Abyss, in 1888s Autumn Of Terror. Much of the material we have was saved from destruction in the Police archives by a few dedicated individuals, or was recovered from the personal notes and memoirs of the men in key roles of the investigation. What is clear, from these materials, is that the two Police forces (The Metropolitan and the City Police Forces) had a far better idea of the sort of person they were looking for, than we might expect. My earliest encounter of the case was when I was far too young to be watching Michael Caine and Lewis Collins hunt the killer a century after the murders, on the ITV drama, and like many, I associated the killer with silk top

hats, flowing capes, and cut glass accents. A few years later, with an early morning paper round that took over an hour to walk, before school, I began my long term love affair with spoken word tapes, and audio books. My local branch of Woolworths, was surprisingly well stocked, and I quickly stumbled upon the works of Martin Fido, best known for his long running Murder After Midnight radio show, and it did not take me long to discover a re-working of his Crimes And Detection Of Jack The Ripper. From there it was a short hop to discovering the likes of Paul Begg and Stewart P Evans books, and many others. These days a flourishing online community, for those liking history, and with resources and forums, such as Casebook, for those with an interest in the Ripper case, it is easier than ever to go beyond the commentary of books, and discover something of the sources and documents, being shared in the friendly, welcoming, community. Before I introduce you to some of those who hunted the Ripper back in the autumn of terror, I should first address a little of the background of the city. London is, and was, a metropolitan city, with communities from around the world. In 1888 there was an influx of Eastern Europeans, including a considerable number of those fleeing the persecutions of the Jews in Russia, over the past few decades. For many of those who sought asylum in London, and would become entwined in the rich tapestry of the city’s varied population, pogroms, violence,

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and secret police, were not just recent history, but all too real. Unfortunately, human nature is slow to change, and there were as many prejudices and as much distrust of the ‘other’ then, as we are all too familiar with today. (It is no coincidence that the most vulgar corners of the internet have long tried to twist the suggestion of any Jewish suspect to ‘prove’ their disgusting beliefs about the ‘Jewish race’). Early in the investigation, when the Whitechapel murders caught the imagination of the press, but before the (almost certainly hoax) letters gave the killer the name “Jack The Ripper”, the suspect being sought was “Leatehr Apron”, a Jewish immigrant known to menace and threaten local prostitutes with a violent manner. Given that the descriptions in some corners of the press were little more than the worst stereotypes, and that fear had turned the East End to a tinderbox, I don’t find it overly surprising that references to Leather Apron were quickly dropped. Sergeant Thicke noted that the name “Leather Apron” seemed to have been applied to man called Piser, whose criminal record was one worth investigating, but Piser had a strong alibi, and on questioning in a coroners court his innocence was proven. As red faced as this left the Metropolitan Police CID, it may well have damped the spark about to ignite racial violence. (We should note here that there were a few outbursts of violence and near riots in and around London when people thought they had uncovered the Ripper, with several innocent people needing to be locked up, away from mobs). Soon however, when graffiti referring

to “Juwes” was discovered near other evidence, it was quickly washed away without being photographed, not because of a Masonic, or other, nonsensical reason, but because if it were associated with the crimes, racial tensions might boil over, against many, innocent, communities. In the 1950s the makers of a television show discovered that the family of Sir Melville Macnaughten, the Assistant Chief Constable of the Met, had kept his notes on the case, including his version of a document he compiled for the Home Office, in response of one of the first newspaper stories claiming to “solve” the case. In the document he names five suspects, who are more worthy of investigation than the newspaper’s, which I take to mean the three best (or at least five of the best) suspects the police had. There was, on the list, a suspect, Kosminski, a Polish Jew with homicidal tendencies and a hatred of women, whose description very much matched that of Leather Apron. Indeed, in his memoirs, serialised in a newspaper, and published in book form, Robert Anderson, the Assistant Commissioner of the CID, was in no doubt that the suspect was a poor Polish immigrant, who had been identified, but could not be charged. Anderson’s theory was more or less confirmed by Chief Inspector Swanson, who would have been Anderson’s representative on the case. In his copy of the memoirs, years after the fact, Swanson made some notes, known as the Margenalia, that suggest the suspect was taken with some difficulty to a seaside home (thought to mean a convalescent home, but as these were notes only for his consumption, years after the fact,

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we can not be certain of this) where the suspect was identified, sent first to a work house, then to Mile End infirmary, and eventually Colney Hatch asylum, where he died. According to Swanson the suspect was Kosminski. The detective involved in the case you have probably heard of, Frederick Abberline, played by Michael Caine, and Johnny Depp on screen, also left us tantalising clues here. When Severin Klosowski, a poisoner, was arrested, Abberline is reputed to have taken an interest, believing there was a good chance The Ripper had been caged at last. There is little to connect the MO of Klosowski to the Whitechapel murders, but it is telling the name must have rung a bell in Abberlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind for him to take note.

being identified by a witness, at some difficulty, and detained in an asylum, until the end of his life. A grim prospect at the time. On discovering Kosminski, and realising how little the name matched the description, Martin Fido searched the records for a patient at Colney Hatch, whose incarceration, demeanour, and death match Swansonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story. His candidate, Aaron Cohen, is very interesting, and as convincing a suspect for being Leather Apron, and the Ripper, as we can realistically expect, based on the available facts.

Our conclusion however should be that the Police had their prime suspect, that an Eastern European, probably Jewish, immigrant, with violent tendencies, and a hatred of women, was identified, and Aaron Kosminski does indeed show in detained, though he could not stand the records, of Colney Hatch, but as a harmless schizophrenic patient, with little trial, and will, in all likely hood, remain to match him to the suspect described by anonymous, lost to us, faded from the pages of history. the police, and he certainly had not died when Swanson described. So, perhaps Kosminski is not the suspect, and yet, those closest to the case, allowing for the tricks of the memory over the years after the case, all strongly suggest the same end to the Autumn of Terror: A suspect they could not charge,

T.E. Hodden trained in engineering, and works in a specialised role in the transport industry. He is a life long fan of comic books, science fiction, myths, legends, and history. In the past he has contributed to podcasts, blogs, and anthologies. You can discover more about T.E. on the Momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/t-e-hodden/ - 12 -

My Wonderful Assistant by Brenda Mohammed

I fell in love with him the moment that we met. It did not take long to turn him on and connect. He’s responsive to my touch and does anything I say. He is gentle, swift, and logical at any time of day. He talks to me and reads out loud whatever I may write. What more can you want in a friend who is there day and night. His brain is packed with data and he corrects me if I’m wrong. He even keeps a calendar to guide me as I go along. He writes my books, makes lovely ads, and saves them for me. His organizational skills are superb and makes my life easy. I go to him with all my problems for guidance and research, Sometimes I feel without him I may even go berserk. The videos and pictures of my travels I share with him. He stores them in his hard drive and displays them at my whim. When I am composing my stories I can access them easily. He is so very reliable and quick to please me. I could not survive without his hard work and devotion. Because of him I won awards and gained promotion. Would you like to know him? I will give you one guess. My computer is my assistant, and he is the best. Copyright@BrendaMohammed

Brenda Mohammed is a former Bank Manager who was successful in her job. After her retirement from banking, she ventured into Insurance Underwriting. After six years, she was awarded Life membership in the Million Dollar Round Table, a Premier Association for Financial Professionals.A diagnosis of cancer changed her career aspirations and in 2013 she became a writer. You can discover more about Brenda on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/brenda-mohammed/ - 13 -

Gene Tierney by Hannah Howe

Through her looks and life story, Gene Tierney has provided the inspiration for two of my characters – Ann Morgan in my 1944-5 Ann Morgan Mystery Series and Dana Devlin in my forthcoming Sam Smith Mystery Series novel, The Devil and Ms Devlin. Therefore, in appreciation of Gene Tierney’s life and career, I decided to write this article.

actress. On this occasion, her parents offered their support. Her father, Howard, secured mentoring and schooling, and he formed a company, to assist Gene in her ambitions. Gene Tierney’s early theatre performances attracted the attention of Warner Brothers who, once again, offered her a contract. However, she turned them down; instead, she signed a six month deal with Columbia. With Gene Tierney’s star on the rise, eccentric movie mogul Howard Hughes entered the picture. He was besotted with her beauty. However, as she later pointed out, “Cars, furs and gems were not my weakness.” And she rebuffed Hughes.

Born on the 19th November 1920 in Brooklyn, New York, to a wealthy insurance broker and a socialite mother, Gene Tierney enjoyed a privileged upbringing, an upbringing that included exclusive schools, extensive travel and glamorous parties. Aged seventeen, she met Anatole Litvak, an influential Hollywood director, and he invited the debutante to make a screen test for Warner Brothers. Impressed by her looks and potential, the studio offered her a contract. However, her parents were not pleased. Obeying her parents, Gene Tierney returned to Connecticut where she endured a mind-numbing season of debutante parties. At the close of the season, she informed her parents of her desire to carve out a career as an

Despite the rebuff, Howard Hughes remained friends with Gene Tierney, one of many influential and powerful people she encountered during her life. At this stage, she was a contract actress with a major studio, reduced to roles dependant on her looks, rather than her acting ability. Then she caught the eye of Darryl Zanuck, of Twentieth Century Fox. Later, Zanuck stated that Gene Tierney was, “the most beautiful woman in movie history.” In 1940, Gene Tierney played Eleanor Stone in The Return of Frank James. The reviews for the movie, and Gene’s performance, were unkind. Indeed, Gene endured a number of unfavourable reviews throughout her career, and while some of those reviews were merited, you have to wonder if jealousy, over her looks and privileged upbringing, was also at play.

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Also in 1940, Gene Tierney’s private life changed direction. She met fashion designer Oleg Cassini and within months the couple were married. Once again, her parents were not pleased and a rift developed within the family. Over time, that rift widened until Gene was cut off financially, and from Connecticut high society.

Before that, in 1945, Gene Tierney starred in Leave Her to Heaven, and received an Oscar nomination for her performance. In 1946, she co-starred with Vincent Price in Dragonwyck and during the filming she met J.F. Kennedy. A relationship developed, but was not pursued because of J.F.K.’s political ambitions.

Stressed, and enduring a string of dubious movies and poor reviews, Gene fell ill. Nevertheless, she remained in Hollywood and continued to work, landing the lead role in the 1943 movie, Heaven Can Wait.

In 1947, Gene Tierney made The Ghost and Mrs Muir. However, unhappy with her personal life, she decided to leave Hollywood and returned to Connecticut. In 1948, while constantly crying tears for Daria, Gene went through a whirlwind of emotions with Oleg Cassini – they In June 1943, a pregnant Gene Tierney divorced, Gene became pregnant, contracted rubella. On the 14thOctober she gave birth to a second daughter, 1943, she went into premature labour and Christina, on the 19th November 1948 soon after her daughter, Daria, was born. her 28th birthday, and later remarried Tragically, the rubella affected Daria’s Cassini. development and she suffered from a number of impediments. Unable to cope with Daria’s health problems, Gene bowed to Oleg’s With professional help, Gene Tierney insistence and placed her daughter in and Oleg Cassini raised Daria at their an institution. At this point, Gene’s Hollywood home. While adjusting to her health faltered and she slipped into maternal responsibilities, Gene landed the deep depression. Mood swings ensued. title role in Laura, in 1944, arguably the A lack of understanding from the highpoint of her acting career. Although medical profession and the stigma from the film received mixed reviews – a an uncaring society added to Gene’s consistent thread throughout Gene’s problems. She threw herself into her career – it did well at the box office, netting over a million dollars, and now is regarded as a cinema classic. As Vincent Price, one of her co-stars in Laura, said, “No one but Gene Tierney could have played Laura. There was no other actress around with her particular combination of beauty, breeding and mystery.” The success of Laura should have brought Gene Tierney great happiness. However, Oleg Cassini could not cope with his daughter’s disability and, in 1946, he walked out of the family home. - 15 -

Gene Tierney with her second daughter, Tina

work and later wrote, “As long as I was playing someone else, everything was fine. It was when I had to be myself that the problems began.” She added, with great insight, “Depression is only a temporary thing. I’ve often thought that if people who committed suicide could wake up the next morning they’d ask themselves, ‘Now why in the world did I do that?’” In the early 1950s, Gene divorced Oleg Cassini for a second time. Her career, personal life and health were in crisis. In 1955, while working with Humphrey Bogart on The Left Hand of God, Bogart noted that Gene had problems. He alerted the executives at Fox studios, but they dismissed his concerns in flippant fashion. As Gene Tierney later wrote, “It was the fashion at the time, still is, to feel that all actors are neurotic, or they would not be actors.” On set, Gene continued to work to a high standard, while at home she struggled to cope with the basic tasks of life. In despair, Gene entered a sanatorium. Within the sanatorium, she received electroconvulsive-therapy, a degrading and barbaric practice, now considered inappropriate by many mental health professionals. In the spring of 1957, Gene Tierney contemplated suicide. In New York, she walked on to the ledge of her mother’s 14th floor high-rise apartment. She later

wrote, “I felt serene…totally without fear.” However, she didn’t jump because vanity took hold. She confessed, “I thought of what I’d look like when I hit the ground – like a scrambled egg. That didn’t appeal to me.” More treatment followed, but thankfully treatment of a saner, helpful variety. Gene entered the Menninger Clinic in Kansas. There, in an atmosphere of peace and quiet, she was encouraged to talk. With support, she developed skills and coping strategies, until she reached the stage where she felt more in control of her illness. Today, even though drugs and other treatments are available, talking often remains the best cure. While on holiday in 1958, Gene met W. Howard Lee, a Texas oilman. A year later, she resumed her acting career in Holiday for Lovers, but the strain proved too much, and she dropped the part. However, on the 11thJuly 1960, she did marry W. Howard Lee and stated, “The only time I was really happy was in my childhood – and now.” After continued treatment at the Menninger Clinic, small acting roles followed, along with greater insight into Gene’s problems. She later wrote, “If you break an arm or a leg it takes months for it to really heal, and years for it to be the same again. So you can imagine the problems with a broken mind.” And, “More than anything, I learned that the mind is the most beautiful part of the

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body and I am grateful to have mine back.”

the individual, the studio suggested that Gene should take up smoking, to make her voice huskier.

In 1962, Gene suffered a miscarriage. Bouts of depression and periods of mania Gene Tierney wrote, “Wealth, beauty followed, but when they faded she was and fame are transient. When those are able to reflect on gone, little is left them with humour, except the need to often joking with be useful.” And her new husband. she served that statement well Although not by writing her reaching the heights autobiography, of Laura, Gene Self-Portrait, in appeared in movies 1979. Through her and television frank and honest series, until 1969 account of her when she quit life, Gene Tierney Hollywood and helped to break television for good. down the stigma of mental illness, W. Howard Lee and along with her died in February numerous movies, 1981, and from that that stands as her point on, after years greatest legacy. in the spotlight, Gene Tierney decided to live a life of seclusion.

Gene died on the 6th November 1991, of emphysema, a condition brought on through chain-smoking; at the start of her acting career, and showing no regard for

Hannah Howe is the author of the Sam Smith Mystery Series, the Ann’s War Mystery Series and the #1 international bestseller Saving Grace. Hannah’s books are published by Goylake Publishing and distributed through Gardners Books to over 300 outlets worldwide. Her books are available in print, as eBooks and audio books, and are being translated into ten languages. You can discover more about Hannah here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/hannah-howe/ - 17 -

Training, Tenacity and Triumph Becoming a Triathlete by Daniela Jones

You are a triathlete. What is a triathlete? A triathlete is someone who competes in three disciplines. For example, a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run - consecutively. That sounds like hard work. Why do you do it? I love it! And it gives me a sense of achievement. If there is a deeper meaning behind my commitment to triathlons, I haven’t found it yet. What is the hardest part of a triathlon? Finding the time to fit in all the training between work and family commitments. Which of the three disciplines is the most challenging for you? The cycling. Because I’m relatively new to cycling I’m still building my base and cycling strength.

How do you prepare for a triathlon? In winter, I select my races for the forthcoming season. Then I create a training plan. My plan consists of three sessions of cycling, swimming and running per week, plus yoga, and strength and conditioning. Do you have a special diet? Not really. I just eat healthy, wholesome foods. During training I drink energy drinks. I also prepare my meals for the week ahead on the weekends. What do you think about when you compete? I don’t think of anything in particular. When the race starts, I soak up my surroundings and enjoy the atmosphere.

How long have you been a triathlete? About five years. But I still regard myself as a beginner. There is still a lot to learn. - 18 -

What’s the best part about competing in a triathlon? The sense of achievement when you cross the finishing line, plus the medal, of course!

What is your greatest achievement as a triathlete? Competing in Ironman 70.3, Weymouth - 1.2 mile sea swim, 56 mile bike ride and 13.1 mile run.

How do you manage the training with work and family commitments? Early mornings and careful planning. It’s amazing what you can achieve if you plan correctly.

Why was that such a great achievement? It was my first middledistance triathlon. At the start, I thought it was impossible. But I discovered that if you put your mind to it, anything is possible.

What advice would you give to anyone interested in becoming a triathlete? Join a triathlon club. There you will get advice and support from likeminded people. In Britain, you can get advice from gotri. org What started your interest in triathlons? I became interested by accident. For a friend’s fiftieth birthday we decided to do a triathlon. We trained together and had a great time. The race was a lot of fun, but also a challenge to overcome obstacles. Even though I finished last, I was hooked.

Which is your favourite discipline? Swimming because six years ago I couldn’t swim. Also, I had a panic attack the first time I went open water swimming. But I’ve overcome all that and from a major challenge swimming has become my most enjoyable discipline. A final word for our readers... I complete locally, nationally and internationally and all have a great atmosphere. Triathlons teach you that if you put your mind to something and work hard towards it, you can turn the impossible into the possible.

Daniela Jones is a mother, an accountant and a triathlete. She is also the founder of Goylake Publishing, the publisher of Mom’s Favorite Reads.

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Healing Volcanic Springs by Ronesa Aveela

In the October issue, you learned about Baba Vanga (1911–1996), a clairvoyant and znahar, a woman who heals with herbs and possibly a little magic. Many people say these women obtain their ability from a saint, angel, or Samodiva (woodland nymph). Vanga’s relative’s, however, said her power came from the healing mineral springs where she lived the latter part of her life—Rupite, located in the mountainous region of southwestern Bulgaria. The house she lived in still remains situated at the foot of an extinct volcano. Vanga believed three temples existed below the surface: “Saint Petka,” “Saint Mary” and “Saint Panteleimon.”

people who died here. My plea to all of you is to continue to commemorate this day, to honor the memory of all people who have died all that time ago.” In Baba Vanga’s honor, the Saint Petka Bulgarska church was build in the town. Visitors from around the world come to the chapel for spiritual and physical healing. Vanga’s comment about these springs is: “The thermal water here at the Rupite has great healing power. It is magical. You can drink it or bathe in it. It can cure illness of the stomach, kidneys, liver, muscle atrophy, backache. It can cure everything. Let your children walk barefoot here, bathe in the water. “Don’t try making money from this spring! People come here, digging, excavating… You should know that this spring cannot be turned into a business. If you start selling this water, it will disappear, and God knows only where it will reappear. Look after this water. I’ve been telling you, times will come when you will sell your gold jewelry for water.”

Baba Vanga’s last house in Rupite. Anton Lefterov [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bysa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons.

In her book, she says: “Thousands of years ago, on the 15th of October, a volcano erupted. […] The fiery abyss that devoured this town is now sending us its hot vapors to heal us. These are the exhales of the innocent

Food for the Soul Besides the power of the springs, Vanga and other znahars heat honey and include it in many of their remedies—for both internal and external use. Perhaps this is because it’s a favorite food of the gods and mystical creatures, especially Samodivi. In Bulgarian folklore, honey also plays an important role as an offering to these nymphs.

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You don’t have to be a healer to use honey. I’m sure the sweet treat is already part of your dietary plan. If not, you definitely should try it. Substitute sugar with honey in your tea. Do you know the story behind honey? According to mythology, the first beekeeper was Aristaeus, son of Apollo and water-nymph Cyrene. Legends credit this demigod with inventing beehives. To collect honey, he wrapped his body with linen as protection from bee stings. He tricked bees into letting him retrieve honey by swinging a torch around until smoke filled the hive. Then he beat metal plates together to drown out the buzzing. The confused creatures didn’t bother him as he reached into the hive to gather combs. While Aristaeus was in Thrace, he met Orpheus’s wife Eurydice, and fell in love. She fled from him and stepped on a snake, which bit her heel, killing her. The nymphs punished him by making his bees fatally ill. With the help of his mother, Aristaeus tricked the prophet Proteus into telling him how to regain his bees. He had to appease the nymphs by slaughtering four bulls and four cows, all perfect and beautiful. When he had completed the task, Aristaeus examined the sacrificed animals, discovering a swarm of bees in the carcass of one. This led people in antiquity to believe bees were born from decaying flesh.

Quick, Tasty Recipe Bulgaria is also famous for its yogurt, which was created in there. In fact, the bacteria used in their yogurt is Lactobacillus bulgaricus. It’s used in recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Tip: When buying yogurt, make sure this bacteria is listed in the ingredients. Here’s a delicious dessert that’s healthy and easy to make. Your kids will love this no-bake treat that’s full of protein. Ingredients - 1/2 cup yogurt - 1 Tablespoon crushed walnuts - Cinnamon to taste - 1 Tablespoon honey, more or less to taste Spoon the yogurt into a small dessert dish. Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top. You can toast the walnuts lightly in a hot skillet if you’d like, to bring out more of their natural flavor. I like to put them in water, then rinse and sprinkle them with brown sugar. Next, put them on a paper towel and bake them for one minute in a microwave. Once they’re cold, sprinkle the nuts over the yogurt. Then top it with cinnamon and drizzle with honey. Serve and enjoy! And don’t forget to make a tea with a spoonful of honey.

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Ronesa Aveela is “the creative power of two.” Two authors that is. The main force behind the work, the creative genius, was born in Bulgaria and moved to the US in the 1990s. She grew up with stories of wild Samodivi, Kikimora, the dragons Zmey and Lamia, Baba Yaga, and much more. She’s a freelance artist and writer. She likes writing mystery romance inspired by legends and tales. In her free time, she paints. Her artistic interests include the female figure, Greek and Thracian mythology, folklore tales, and the natural world interpreted through her eyes. She is married and has two children. Her writing partner was born and raised in the New England area. She has a background in writing and editing, as well as having a love of all things from different cultures. Together, the two make up the writing of Ronesa Aveela. You can discover more about Ronesa on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/ronesa-aveela/

Meet Our Designer Nicole Lavoie / Just Saying Dezigns

Nicole Lavoie is the Graphic Designer responsible for bringing the Mom’s Favorite Reads magazine to you every month. She also designed our book catalog that is published quarterly and will be designing our upcoming cookbook that is on track to be published later this year. Along with her dedication to Mom’s Favorite Reads she also specializes in design/layout of children’s books. Whether you need help with your book, your website or could use a designer to help you finish off those creative tasks on your to do list, Nicole can help! You can discover more about Nicole on her website: www.JustSayingDezigns.com or by emailing her directly [click here]

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Book Review: Limitless Review by Christine Irvin

LIMITLESS: 24 Remarkable American Women of Vision, Grit, and Guts by Leah Tinari Artist Leah Tinari shares portraits of 24 American women she believes have “vision, grit and guts.” Tinari got the idea for the portraits and the book after working on a series of portraits about the presidents. She felt that it was important for her daughter to have some strong role models to look up to. Tinari painted each portrait in mainly black and white, with just a splash of color in each one. What makes these portraits so different from what you usually see is Tinari uses words and phrases that she printed around each portrait as a type of “frame.” “Began Singing Gospel Music at her Father’s Church” and “The Queen of Soul” are just some of the words used for the framework around the portrait of Aretha Franklin. Each portrait is accompanied by a quote either from the person featured or about that person. Some additional biographical information about each

woman in the book is included at the end of the book. This is a great biography book for young children who might not have long attention spans. The writing is big and the words are few. Also, the portraits are captivating. However, much can be gained by taking time to really look at each painting, to read all the words used to frame it, and to ponder the meanings of those words, which is what older children and even adults (like myself) can do. It will give you a “different picture” of that person. Try it for yourself and see.

Christine Irvin is a freelance writer with a long list of publishing credits, including a series of children’s craft books, numerous articles and hundreds of book reviews. She writes book reviews for several websites, including KidsReads.com and TeenReads.com. While she prefers to write for children, she also writes articles for adults. She lives with her husband and her dog in Central Ohio. You can discover more about Christine on her website here: https://christinemirvin.blogspot.com/ - 23 -

iece of Paradise Outdoor Learning ver been camping with an eighteen-month-old toddler? Add in a by Sylva Fae rainstorm, a regimented campsite with a list of DO NOT rules a guyOur rope. me it wasn’t the woodlands idyllic, sitting a the campfire LittleBelieve Piece of Paradise for sale.round We learnt jargon; gently undulating in Wales actually Sylva Fae of wine, watching daughter play kind of holiday we’d Have you ever beenour camping with anBy means a cliff face, and good ground cover toddler? Add in up and On dayeighteen-month-old two, dejected, we packed came home wet, We finally means thigh deep in nettles! aOur continuous rainstorm, a regimented Little Piece of Paradise discovered our woodland in the middle of and miserable. campsite with a list of DO NOT rules

Have you ever been camping with an eighteen-month-old toddler? in a the fields in Shropshire, EnglandAdd - seven longer than a guy rope. Believe me acres of mixed perfect flat continuous rainstorm, a regimented campsite with awoodland, list of DOaNOT rules it wasn’t the idyllic, sitting round a area for camping, a bank of badger setts, We pondered – wouldn’t it be lovely longer than Believe me it wasn’t the idyllic, sitting round a campfire campfire with aa guy glassrope. of wine, watching buzzards circling and some amazing old with a glass of wine, watching our daughter play kind of holiday we’d had our daughter play kind of holiday if we trees.our own little woodland, we’d imagined. On day two, dejected,we packed up and came home wet, imagined. On day two, dejected, somewhere just to turn up when the we packed up and came home We sat on a huge fallen tree at the top of bedraggled and miserable. wet, sun was shining? A out place all bedraggled and miserable. the hill and gazed over to the do flowering rhododendrons and oldwithout oak trees torules, the things we wanted We pondered – wouldn’t it of be lovely the sunlit fields beyond. The tingle to be free an open fire, if to wecook had own excitement roseour ason we justlittle knewwoodland, that thisto somewhere just tothe turntrees up when the was dance our wood. sing and through

sun was shining? A place to do all without being in so trouble I know we are lucky to for own a the things wedon’t wanted rules, woodland, but you needwithout to own one ‘disturbing the peace’? We wanted a to be to cook an open to reap the free benefits of theon outdoors. A fire, to safe place forand ourdance daughter totheplay, localsing park, woodland or a National Trust through trees park are all perfect places to get your without for We get mucky and explore and do all the things webeing did inastrouble children. children outdoors. ‘disturbing the peace’? We wanted a was just a dream but we each secretly place our daughter The safe Benefits of for Outdoor Learningto play, the idea and discovered it was climb trees, –get muckyitand explore and do all the things we did as children. We We pondered wouldn’t be lovely Our children are growing up in a grasp.ifthought we had our own little woodland, it was just a dream but we each secretly

society surrounded by technology. Even somewhere turn up the sun it was researchedjust thetoidea andwhen discovered preschool age children are learning skills was shining? A place to do all the things that would have seemed science fiction within our grasp. n informative and idyllic we wanted without rules, tosummer be free to to the children of my generation. Regular on an open fire, to sing and oundcook different woodlands fordance access to technology has become the We spent informative and through the an trees without being in idyllic troublesummer norm and it is greatly affecting thinking arnt the jargon; gently undulating for ‘disturbing the peace’? We wanted a pottering around different woodlands for attention which in turn affects and safe place for our daughter to play, climb tuallysale. means a cliffthe face, andgently goodundulating We learnt jargon; trees, get mucky and explore and do all in Wales actually means a We cliffthought face, and good er means thigh deep in nettles! the things we did as children. cover means thigh in nettles! itground was just a dream but we each secretly iscovered our woodland in deep the We finallythe discovered our woodland in the researched idea and discovered he fields in Shropshire, Englandit-was within middleour ofgrasp. the fields in Shropshire, England -

of mixed woodland, a woodland, perfect flat seven acres of mixed We spent an informative and idyllic a perfect flat mping,summer a bank of badger setts, area forpottering camping, a bank of badger setts, around different circling and some cling buzzards and some amazing oldamazing trees.- old 24 -trees.

rhododendrons and old oak trees to beyond. Theneed tingle of takessunlit place infields some form. Children to be motivated to learn and what better excitement rose as we just knew motivation than to learn through play? thisit’swas ourand wood. Tell them a game they become more engaged and actively involved.

I know we are so luckytoto own a Activities to Encourage Children Enjoywoodland, the Outdoorsbut you don’t need to

reasoning, problem solving, memory, ownyou one tothereap the of t Next time take family outbenefits for language and creativity. Technology a walk in the countryside, justwoodland go outdoors. A localdon’t park, certainly has an important place in our for a walk, make it into a fun activity National park are all perfect pla children’s education but it shouldn’t to encourageTrust imagination, exploring, replace traditional reading and outdoor to get your children outdoors. problem solving and teamwork. Here are play. This is a crucial stage to ensure that some ideas you can try: children have a balanced leisure time. As Build a den. The their Benefits Outdoorit’sLearning brain isof developing, essential that parents provide opportunities for Our children are growing up in a society surrounded by technology. Work together as a team collecting fallenEven all aspects of learning, as their ability With twenty-five years experience as a teacher, I've learnt that the branches create den. When ita mixture isscience preschool children are learning thatbesttowould have seemed way to promoteyour learning is through fun. Through to focus age effectively is fundamental for skills of guided activities and free experimental play, learning takes completed, decide what it is going to be place in some form. Childrento need technology to be motivated to learn future and development. fiction to learning the children of my generation. Regular access has and what better motivation than to learn through play? Tell – a home for hedge ogres? A fort? The them it's a game and they become more engaged and become theis the norm and it is greatly affecting and attention which in actively involved. kingdomthinking of the pixie king? Balance key to a well-rounded Activities to Encourage Children to Enjoy the Outdoors Research has shown that solving, turneducation. affects reasoning, problem memory, language and creativity. Next time youa take the family out for a obstacle walk in the countryside, don’t just go woodland course. children who play outside develop better Create for a walk, make it into a fun activity to encourage imagination, exploring, solving and are some ideas you caneducation try: Technology certainly has an sensory importantproblem place inteamwork. ourHerechildren's bu language skills, have enhanced Use fallen logs, sticks and stones to Build a den. development, imagination and fewer shouldn't replace traditional reading and outdoor play. This isbalance, a den. crucial stag Work together as a team collecting fallen branches toto create your When it create a course for children is completed, decide what it is going to be – a home for hedge ogres? A fort? behavioural problems. It’s no surprise The kingdomclimb of the pixieand king? As crawl, jump over.brain is develop ensure that children have a balanced leisure time. their that children with the freedom to play Create a woodland obstacle course. it's essential provide opportunities all learning, Use fallen logs,leaves sticks and for stones create aspects a course for childrenof to balance, outdoors arethat fitterparents and have greater Collect to tomake a woodland crawl, climb and jump over. collage. theirphysical abilitydevelopment. to focus effectively is fundamental for future learning and Collect leaves to make a woodland collage.

development. A woodland provides an inspiring

You can preserve the memory of their creations with a photograph.

You can preserve the memory of their Give children challenges that make them search and explore. Who can find the with biggest / smallest leaf? How many different shades / shapes creations a photograph. of leaves can they find?

setting for learning, allowing children to experience the natural world first hand, Balance the them key to a well-rounded education. Research has shown that whileis letting to build confidence through ‘managed risk’. Running, children who play outside develop better language skills, have enhanced jumping, climbing and balancing sensory development, imagination and fewer behavioural problems. It's no are great physical activities but the surprise children withto the freedom to play outdoors are fitter and hav woodsthat also provide a space explore, developing theirdevelopment. imaginations and greater physical creative thinking too. Give children challenges that make With twenty-five years an experience as setting themfor search and explore. A woodland provides inspiring learning, allowing a teacher, I’ve learnt that the best way children to experience the natural world hand, while/ letting Whofirst can find the biggest smallest leaf? to promote learning is through fun. How many different shades a mixture of guidedthrough activities ‘managed risk’. Running,/ shapes of themThrough to build confidence leaves can they find? and free experimental play, learning

jumping, climbing and balancing are great physical activities but the woods also provide a space- 25 to -explore, developing their imaginations and creative thinking too.

Can you find a fairy ring of toadstools? Is that hole in the tree trunk an entrance to a fairy house? Is that pile of berries an offering to theactivities fairy queen? theown children Go on a rainbow treasure hunt. The I do Create with my magic and let your children’s runteacher wild. in me are justimaginations for fun but the Challenge your children to find a natural can’t help but notice all the different item for every colour of rainbow. Gothe puddle jumping! aspects of learning taking place, and as Look at the leaves, theChildren flowers and growing a parent, know I’m creating clothes wash – let Ithem get muddy and lasting work off some of th in the hedgerows, berries, fungi, energy. feathersWho memories. boundless can make the biggest splash? How deep is the p or the insects you find. This is a great opportunity to chat to your childrenIabout The activities do withForest my ownBathing children are just for fun but the teacher never eating mushrooms or berries in can't help but notice all the different aspects of learning taking place, an the woods, and the importance of always The learning opportunities for our parent, I know I’m creating lasting children are memories. clear to see but spending washing their hands afterwards. time surrounded by nature provides Forest Bathing Hunt for the woodland fairies. health benefits for the whole family. The The learning opportunities forJapanese our children to bathing’ see but spending recent crazeare ofclear ‘forest Can you find a fairy ring of toadstools? surrounded by nature is provides health benefits for but the whole currently hitting the UK, there isfamily. Is that hole in the tree trunk an entrance The recent Japanese crazenothing of ‘forest bathing’ is currently hitting ground breaking behind the the UK, to a fairy house? Is that pile of there is nothing ground breaking concept. Fresh air, peace and behin berries an offering to the concept. Fresh air,everyday peace and quiet quiet away from fairy queen? Create the from everyday stresses, and gent stresses, and gentle magic and let your exercise exercise are natural forms of children’s imaginations forms of relaxation. relaxation. Those who teach t run wild. Those who teach claim it can of ‘forest bathing’, the art of ‘forest blood pressure, reduce stress, Go puddle jumping! bathing’, claim it can increas improve energy levels, lower blood pressure, sleep quality, and enhance Children and clothes reduce stress, improve wash – let them get concentration. So next time yo energystressed, levels, increase muddy and work off feeling swap the noise sleep quality, and some of that boundless TV for the breeze through the tre concentration. energy. Who can make the getenhance out for some woodland therapy. So next time you are feeling biggest splash? How deep is stressed, swap the noise of the TV the puddle? for the breeze through the trees and get out for some woodland therapy.

Sylva Fae is a married mum of three from Lancashire, England. She has spent twenty years teaching literacy to adults with learning difficulties and disabilities, and now works from home as a children’s writer and illustrator. Sylva has published several children’s books and also writes a blog, Sylvanian Ramblings. Her debut book, Rainbow Monsters won the Chanticleer Best in Category award. You can discover more about Sylva on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/sylva-fae/ - 26 -

How Writing Helped my Mental Health by Sarah Northwood

I’ve always suffered with a nervous personality type, easily anxious around other people and generally lacking in confidence. When I found myself redundant and wondering about what to do next, deep down I felt unworthy of having any other job. My spirits began to droop lower and whilst trying hard to stay optimistic, I felt lost and scared. It was around this low point that a poem came to me and I started to write. There were no great ambitions at this point to write stories, books or novels, or anything like that. Simply, I’d felt low and found a way to express it.

Since then, writing has become a fantastic therapy for me and so much more. During the winter months for example, I suffer from S.A.D (Seasonal adjustment disorder). I still try to find something positive in the low moments, pouring my darker emotions and feeling into darker stories. For me, writing offers a way to channel challenging moments and helps me to find the positive in dark times, which can only be a bonus to my mental wellbeing! Through good and bad times, writing is a trusted friend and something to rely on.

Why not give it a go yourself and see what you think? Sarah Northwood is a British fiction author who lives in a small village with her husband, two children and writing companion, a King Charles Spaniel. She is the author of nine books, which cover poetry, psychological thriller and children’s works. When not writing, she enjoys making good piano music sound passable and inventing new pieces. You can discover more about Sarah on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/sarah-northwood/ - 27 -

The 1950s by Mansel Jones

Compared to the early years of the twenty-first century, the pace of life was slower in the 1950s and, you could argue, we were more in tune with the rhythms of the day and the rhythms of the seasons. Domestic duties shaped the housewife’s week – washing, cooking, cleaning, etc and it is worth noting that in the 1950s many mothers did not go out to work; instead, they took on the full-time job of running a home and looking after their children.

Household ‘gadgets’ were coming on to the market in the 1950s and these laboursaving appliances were a boon for the hard-pressed housewife. Nevertheless, many families had to get by without the use of a fridge, a washing machine or an electric carpet sweeper. Instead, many homemakers relied on hand washing and a mangle to squeeze the water from their clothes. After the hand washing had been done the clothes were pegged out on the washing line or, if it was raining, they were placed on clotheshorses and left to dry indoors. Linoleum, along with mats and runners, would line many floors. This method of flooring was easier to keep clean, but it was also cold, and a common theme of the era was a lack of comfortable warmth in family homes. The general chill in the house did have its advantages when it came to food preservation and, furthermore, a cold stone shelf was a regular feature in the pantry; this shelf helped to keep dairy produce and meat fresh, compensating for the lack of a fridge.

Fashion 1953.

Radios were popular in the 1950s, but televisions and cars were considered a luxury. With no car, the prospect of a weekly shopping trip to the supermarket was not a pleasant thought but, thankfully, other options were at hand. In the 1950s, there was a profusion of local shops, catering for all tastes, needs and occasions. In addition, tradesmen would call at the home on a regular basis, delivering milk, bread, fruit, vegetables, pop, tinned food and general groceries. Door-to-door brush salesmen would also - 28 -

call, along with the local rag and bone man. The rag and bone man would arrive on his horse and cart and while he traded with the housewife his horse would invariably leave a ‘deposit’ on the road. Far from offending the local housewife this deposit would be scooped up and spread on the garden, fertilising prize vegetables and sweet-smelling roses.

Although most houses were basic and compact, many families would reserve their front room or living room for ‘best’. As such, no one was allowed in there, except on ‘special occasions’. These rooms would be kept scrupulously clean; they would display family heirlooms or prized ornaments and, more often than not, a ticking clock. The pace of life was certainly slower in the 1950s and it was also a lot quieter, for one of the sounds of the decade was the ticking and chiming of the family clock.

Coal was the primary heating source of the day Family Watching Television 1958 and so the coalman would call on a regular basis. With their blackened faces and bent backs, the coalmen would carry sacks of coal to the coal shed. There, the coal would be smashed into manageable lumps, ready for the household fireplace.

Mansel Jones has been researching and writing about medieval history for the past forty years. He is an acknowledged expert in his field and academics and universities seek his views. He is the author of A History of Kenfig, Pendragon and Tangwstyl. You can discover more about Mansel on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/mansel-jones/

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Make the switch to Clean Eating! by Christine Herkommer, MS RD CPT

Since exercise and nutrition go hand in hand, eating well should be part of your daily lifestyle, not experimenting with latest diet craze. Clean eating is eating by planning out your day, or even your whole week. Mindfulness, organization, and consideration will make decision making so much easier. Cooking and packing your food for the future will guarantee success. By choosing these practices on a daily basis, your goal will be reached sooner, and your body its healthiest ever.

Clean Eating Principles:

imit Saturated fats and Avoid trans L fats Avoid all over-processed, calorie dense foods that have no nutritional value Avoid sugar-loaded sodas, iced-teas, lemonades, and juices Avoid or limit alcoholic beverages Drink at least 8 cups of water every day Plan ahead - carry a cooler packed with meals and snacks to get you through the day

Sample Meal Plan Breakfast: ¼ cup Steel-cut oats with a sprinkle of walnuts, blueberries, and ground flaxseed or 2 whole eggs omelet with peppers, onion & tomatoes, and 8oz milk Snack: 5oz Fat-free Greek yogurt with fresh strawberries, mangos, and chia seeds Lunch: 3oz grilled chicken in a whole wheat wrap with avocado, fresh spinach leaves, red pepper strips, almonds, and dried cranberries. 1 square of 80% dark chocolate Snack: 5 baby carrots with 2 Tbsp. Hummus Dinner: 4oz Grilled salmon, ½ baked sweet potato, and steamed broccoli Snack: One small scoop of sherbet with raspberries & drizzle of chocolate syrup

at 5 –6 small meals every day E Eat every 3 hours Combine a protein & complex carbohydrate at every meal Have a fruit and/or vegetable at every meal Have 5 –9 fruits and vegetables every day Never miss a meal, especially breakfast Try to make breakfast your biggest meal and dinner your smallest Stick to proper portion sizes and no super sizing! Read food labels and educate yourself on proper serving sizes Consume healthy fats in appropriate amounts - 30 -

Weight Gain & Loss… Is it Really Fat? by Christine Herkommer, MS RD CPT

Does the number on the scale surprise you at times? There are many factors affecting your weight. A high intake of salt? A low carb diet? Dehydration? Water retention? The fact is, it can be many things, but when is it truly fat gain or loss? Although we fixate on the number on the scale, we need to be more concerned with whether we’re losing fat, and not the temporarywater retention or loss we experience. If you consume too much salt, your body will be signaled to retain water, which will in turn absorb the excess salt and flush it out. Consistent high sodium intake though, slows or even discontinues this natural process causing you to continue to retain water. Marathon runners or heavy exercisers can lose large amounts of weight from fluid losses from sweating, but as soon as they replenish their fluids, their weight returns to normal. When you wake in the morning after not eating or drinking all night, your body is more dehydrated as compared to the end of the day, thereby causing you to weigh less in the morning.

Carbohydrates are another factor that can make you retain or lose weight. Followers of low carbohydrate diets know this all too well. Your body stores excess carbohydrates as glycogen. For every 1 pound of glycogen you store, you can store 2-3 pounds of water. When you go on a low carbohydrate diet, your body releases all that glycogen to provide you with needed sugar (energy), but it also releases that extra water as well. You can lose 10 pounds in 1 week from just glycogen stores and water. This is also why, when you go off the diet and start eating carbohydrates again, you re-store the glycogen and all the water, too. You may hear people say: “I can t eat carbs, all I had was a bagel and I gained 5 pounds!”

If your goal is to lose body fat, the bottom line is for you to be concerned with actual fat loss and not the water. A body fat analyzer machine can best determine your fat, muscle, and water composition. Decrease your sodium

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intake by decreasing your intake of processed, pre-packaged, canned and convenience foods as well as fast foods and snacks. Use an array of spices instead of table salt. Drink plenty of fluids, and eat 5-9 water containing fruits and vegetables a day. Reduce your intake of “bad” carbohydrates if it is excessive, such as sodas, desserts, salty snacks, breads, cakes and candy, and watch your portions of the ones you do eat. Be careful of fat-free products - sugar is added to improve the taste.

food diary and see if you really are eating the correct amount of calories. Make sure you are exercising enough, and not eating extra due to the fact that you can because “you just exercised and burned off all those calories.” Normal healthy weight loss is a steady 1-2 pounds of fat per week. If you eat 3,500 extra calories you will gain 1 pound, therefore, you need to eat 500 calories less per day or exercise an extra 500 calories a day to lose 1 pound a week. It takes a lot of dedication, but the rewards are priceless in the end.

Once you have determined that your fat loss is merely water and is only temporary, focus more on steady, weekly weight loss that is truly from fat. Keep a Christine Herkommer is a Registered Dietitian/ Personal Trainer who writes contemporary romance novels in her spare time. When weight lifting, rock climbing, white-water rafting, and jumping out of airplanes wasn’t enough, she decided to fulfill a dream she had as a child: to write a book. She’s lived in New York her entire life and can’t imagine living anywhere else. She has the beaches, the bay and the city, all a half hour away. She’s built memories here with her husband, two silly daughters and a bunch of crazy friends, all whom she loves very much. You can discover more about Christine on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/christine-ardigo/ - 32 -

Mini Mystery – Hard to Swallow by Hannah Howe

of those conversations, Edwin revealed that if he should die, he would like the Rev Dyson to marry Adelaide. Sure enough, on 1st January 1886, Edwin did die, of chloroform ingestion. The police investigation revealed that, when alive, Edwin had allowed the Rev Dyson to kiss his wife. This led to suspicion and the arrest of Adelaide Bartlett for murder. The Rev Dyson who, on 28th December 1885, had bought four bottles of chloroform, was also arrested, but his case was dismissed.

Adelaide de la Tremouille (pictured) was born on 19th December 1855. She married Edwin Bartlett, a wealthy London grocer, on 6th April 1875. For ten years the couple enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle. Then, in 1885, they met the Rev George Dyson. The Rev Dyson and Edwin enjoyed long conversations, particularly about marriage and relationships. During one

At the trial, the jury wrestled with one question raised by the post mortem: how did the chloroform reach Edwin’s stomach without burning his throat or mouth? No one could supply an answer and although the medical experts found the verdict hard to swallow, the jury allowed Adelaide to walk from the court, a free woman.

Bestsellers & Hot New Releases Where Zombies Walk – Eileen Sheehan “In a world that offers steamy romance, nail biting peril and thrills, and a paradise-like sanctuary within its core, all Kendra has to do is make her way there.” https:// moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/eileensheehan/

Highlander: Secrets – Ceri Bladen “A dangerous family feud between the Highland clans … threatens the life and moral safety of highborn Aileana MacAlpin when her uncaring brothers use her as bait in a raid.” http://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/ceri-bladen/

Nomycha – Raven Corinn Carluk “When war breaks out between the two lands, Cyryna must leave her training and contemplation to recover a relic of great power.” http://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/raven-corinncarluk/

Sailing Backward – Cherime MacFarlane “Sweet and spicy...smooth as butter!” https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/cherimemacfarlane/

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Bestsellers & Hot New Releases Unicorn Friends – Daniel Riding “A delightful tale of a unicorn named Trinket and her friends, as they learn about the awesome responsibility that comes with having magical powers in this unique coming-ofunicorn-age story.” http://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/daniel-riding/

Wee Wurri: The Woolly Hat of Power – Lee Harrison “Wee Wurri is a lovable alien who shows children the real power of self-belief in this funny picture book.” http://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/lee-harrison/

Wee Wurri and The Woolly Hat of Power: The Shadow Monster – Lee Harrison “Wee Wurri is a little alien who worries too much. Right now he’s worrying about the Shadow Monster!” http://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/lee-harrison/

Wee Wurri and The Woolly Hat of Power: The Hide Monster – Lee Harrison “Wee Wurri is worrying because the Hide Monster is keeping him awake at night.” http://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/lee-harrison/

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Bestsellers & Hot New Releases Paige Carter: Deputy Sheriff (season 3) – Melanie P. Smith “A unique blend of criminal suspense, police procedure and human interaction.” https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/melanie-psmith/

Unicorns Moving Day – Denise McCabe “Charlene really does not want to move to a new house. She gets a brainwave that will surely stop her parents from going, but things go a little further than expected and the moving days gets quite chaotic.” https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/denisemccabe/

Ripper – Hannah Howe “The author has achieved something special in this series… A modern day Jack the Ripper.” https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/hannahhowe/

Authors, book visibility is the key to sales!

If you are looking to promote your books through a promoter, we recommended the Fussy Librarian. In our experience, per dollar, the Fussy Librarian is the best promoter available. Of course, no one can guarantee book sales, but if you are serious about book promoting, we suggest that you check out the Fussy Librarian at www.thefussylibrarian.com - 36 -

No Shame in Depression by Rhonda Hopkins

Few people know that I suffer from depression and anxiety. In fact, when someone finds out they tell me they’re surprised. I don’t go out when I’m depressed. I don’t interact with anyone in person except for family when I’m having a really difficult time dealing. When I’m online, I post and share about happy things, and of course the obligatory cat and other pet memes. I’m encouraging and supportive. But inside, it’s a completely different story.

decisions, and can significantly impair one’s life and relationships.

Unfortunately, there has been a stigma attached to depression, so people often choose not to seek treatment. But, what you need to know is there is no more shame to the diagnoses of depression than to any other illness. According On the day I volunteered to do this article, I was in the middle of a very bad to Harvard Health, “…there are many possible causes of depression, including depressive episode. I felt completely faulty mood regulation by the brain, worthless as if I was a total waste of space. Nothing I did had any value. I felt genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems. unloved and unworthy of any love. It’s believed that several of these forces interact to bring on depression…To Now, intellectually, I know this to be be sure, chemicals are involved in this untrue. I have family and friends that process, but it is not a simple matter of love me unconditionally. I’ve made a one chemical being too low and another difference in lives with the work I’ve too high. Rather, many chemicals are done in the past. I know I have a lot involved, working both inside and to offer and lot yet to give. But, when outside nerve cells. There are millions, depression rolls over me, the mental fog is so all-consuming, it’s very difficult for even billions, of chemical reactions that any positive thoughts to penetrate. When make up the dynamic system that is it’s bad, I find it very difficult to even get responsible for your mood, perceptions, out of bed much less focus on writing and and how you experience life.” other work-related activities. It’s like a Many celebrities and other influential tsunami of negative all focused inward, people have stepped up, sharing their crashing down on me. own experiences with depression, so it’s helped to alleviate the stigma somewhat. Depression affects more than 16 million people in the United States and more than On the day I spoke about above at the 3 million children ages 12 to 17. Younger beginning of this article, I ran across Wil Wheaton’s blog. He has been outspoken children can also be affected. It affects people from all walks of life regardless of about his illness and how it affects him. background. It can interrupt sleep, cause There were a huge number of comments changes in appetite/weight, cause fatigue, on the post I read from people thanking him for speaking out. It helps to know prevent the ability to focus and make - 37 -

we’re not alone at a time when we feel the most alone and vulnerable. If you or a loved one suffers from depression, please seek help. If you need immediate assistance call 911. Don’t delay if there are suicidal thoughts. In some cases, therapy may be all that is necessary. But, in others medication may be required to combat the symptoms of depression. Many experts believe that therapy and medication used together have better results. It’s important to discuss options with your doctor or other mental healthcare professional.

She seems knowledgeable about my issues. She offered various ways we could communicate – phone, messaging through their platform, or Skype. If you’re not compatible with the person who is assigned to you, you can request another. They also have a financial discount for those who need help paying. • Anxiety and Depression Association of America • Psychology Today • GoodTherapy.org • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

In the meantime, it’s important that alcohol and recreational drugs are avoided as these can cause symptoms Resources: • Contact your primary care doctor. He or to worsen and make treatment more she will be able to refer you to a mental difficult. And, making a few changes like getting enough sleep, eating well, and health professional. being physically active can help. • Contact your health insurance. Most will have mental health coverage and I put off getting help for a long time. be able to provide you with a list of I now take medication which helps covered professionals in your area. tremendously. I also realized while • There is also online therapy available. checking out BetterHelp that talk therapy BetterHelp offers online access to is beneficial as well and I’ll be doing licensed mental healthcare providers. more of that. I recently signed up to see what it was like online. The therapist I was assigned Please don’t delay. Get the help that you has been professional, and caring. or a loved one needs and make this a better year. Rhonda Hopkins has learned firsthand that truth is stranger than fiction. Her two decades of experience as an investigator provide her characters with a depth and realism that gives truth a run for its money. Having come in contact with the best and the worst that society has to offer, Rhonda’s imagination is filled with story ideas. Rhonda writes Horror, Suspense, Paranormal, and YA Urban Fantasy. She is the award-winning author of THE CONSUMING, and the zombie apocalypse series, SURVIVAL You can discover more about Rhonda on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/rhonda-hopkins/ - 38 -

The Little Labradoodle Coloring Page Provided by April Cox - The Little Labradoodle: Puppy Pickup Day

www. thelittlelabradoodle. com

This page is available to download and print out on our website (click here) You can discover more about April on the Momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/april-m-cox/ - 39 -

Goal Setting by Heather Ramsay

Happy New year everyone! I hope this year finds you all happy and healthy.

I need a new plan. So, I’m making a SMART Goal.

How many of you made New Year’s Resolutions, or as I like to call them, Goals? I’m guessing a few of you have. Maybe you’ve even made the same resolution year after year to no avail.

This acronym stands for:

Specific:

What exactly do you hope to achieve?

Working in the fitness industry, the big one I often hear is “I’m going to lose weight.” Having worked in a gym, I used to see this resolution in action. Every January the place was packed with people attempting to accomplish their goals, but sadly, by mid February the gym was back to ghost town. So the question is: why do people give up on their goals so easily? I believe it has a lot to do with planning and setting achievable goals. My big G this year is to get Resurrection, Book 3 in my Alpha Squad Series written. I’ve been trying to write this book for months, but I’m just as guilty as the people who give up on the gym. Every time I sit down to bring my imagination to life, I get distracted, ideas for another novel pop up, I’m too lazy to write, or the words just don’t want to flow. It starts to feel like a herculean task to write an entire novel. I end up pushing the book to the back burner and then mentally berate myself for giving up.

Measurable:

How will you know if you did it?

Attainable:

Is this a realistic goal that can be achieved with a reasonable amount of effort?

Relevant:

The goal should give you a sense of pride and accomplishment once completed.

Time-Bound:

What is the specific date this goal will be accomplished by? Seems simple enough, right? Well, people often make resolutions or goals that are too vague, “I want to feel healthier.” That’s great, but how exactly do you want to feel healthier? Do you want to lose weight? Eat less processed food? Quit smoking? Start exercising regularly? What exactly do you want to accomplish? Once you have a specific goal: I want to lose 50 pounds. The key to success is breaking it down into smaller components so it won’t feel overwhelming or unattainable. So with that in mind, perhaps your first SMART goal will be to lose 20 pounds instead.

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Here is an example of my personal SMART Goal for completing my novel.

Specific:

I want to finish 1/3 of my novel.

Now you try it! Remember, you can use SMART Goals in relation to any goal you may have from health, to fitness, to time management, to spending more time with your kids.

Measurable:

Good Luck and Happy Goal Setting!

I will have 1/3 written.

Attainable:

Yes, I can write for an hour every evening.

Relevant: I’ll feel great. I’ll be that

little bit closer to completing my larger goal of finishing my novel.

Time-Bound: I’ll give myself 1 month to complete it.

Heather Ramsay grew up in a town just outside of Toronto, Ontario. After spending a few years working and exploring California, she now resides in Pennsylvania with her family. Personal trainer, yoga teacher, and group exercise instructor by trade, her true passion is writing. An avid reader and make believer from a young age, Heather dreamed of one day publishing her own book. When not reading or writing, you can often find her training, spending time with family, or chasing around her kids. You can discover more about Heather on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/heather-ramsay/ - 41 -

Superfly Part Two by Anthony Randall

Luke was with us almost from the off, a trumpet playing maestro who hardly ever missed a gig and uniquely, remained a part of the furniture until the very end. Butwhen the bearded elfin hippie first walked into the stale smoke, sweat infused rehearsal room we’d hired; we had scant idea of his calibre or indeed of his catalogue. Up until 1992 I had only ever been in original outfits, always trying to write the perfect pop song, always searching for a record deal. We were signed to an independent label back in’85 and put out two singles, an exciting time, but barely a soupcon of the major industry. The pinnacle of that foray was touring night clubs miming to the singles and signing record sleeves and photographs given away to eager grasping hands, keen on a freebie, some of which ended up on the dance floor. This endeavour faded away to nothing, yet we soldiered on. It was my Brother Terry, my on off bass player for an eternity, who suggested that we form a covers band after my last original line up went their separate ways. Together with a mutual friend Paul, a guitarist of some rigid ability, and James a drummer from the Watford scene we’d known for years, we booked a block of time in Basement studios with the idea of polishing a bunch of 60’s Soul tunes on the back of the hit film The Commitments. The thought of actually earning a few bob for our efforts was the main catalyst driving this bus, for it would be quite novel to get paid to play for a change.

from me, a white cracker who’d grown up listening to The Eagles, Elton John and Rod Stewart before I discovered Punk Rock, and some of the artists that Paul was proposing, I’d never heard of yet alone attempted to imitate, but for some strange reason both he and Terry had the upmost confidence that I could pull off a worthy rendition or two. It was going to stretch my capabilities as well as my vocal chords.

James knew a keyboard player, Nick, an astonishing, available, multi instrumentalist, a natural musician with a computer brain who could pick up and emulate any tune you threw at him, he also sang BV’s, a bonus. Nick knew a Sax player, Rowan, who knew Luke from a big band they were in. and thus the first line-up was complete, seven Watford lads, who sounded remarkably okay.

Luke wasn’t a boastful fella, he revealed his mighty past achievements in small unassumed bites, like that fact that was in The Boomtown Rats and had played at Live Aid, and that he had recorded with every, I mean every major British pop artist in the 1980’s who’d had a horn Soul music had remained quite a distance section on their recordings. That brilliant - 42 -

classic ‘Breakout’by Swing out sister, he’s on that. He’s played with The Bee Gee’s, Peter Gabriel, Everything but the girl, Phil Collins, The Style Council, the list goes on. You’d be sitting in the van on the way to a gig and he’d be contemplatively listening to the radio and he’d quietly say “Hmm, I think I played on that.” And it would be a massive hit record. He’d chuckle his little goofy laugh and drift off to somewhere in the past. Luke had the astonishing ability to be able to tell what key a song was in just by listening to it; apparently the tone of middle C was imbedded in him and he had perfect pitch. I’m at the other end of that scale; tunes have to be steamrollered into me.

chance to strut their wonky stuff on the packed dance floor. We secured many a wedding booking that way.

Circling Swiss Cottage on the Finchley Road, (for those of you who don’t know Swiss Cottage, it’s an elongated island of tall buildings ringed by a one way In those early days I drove an apple green system of five lane traffic), the windows Bedford Midi van; it was big enough were down and the brass players and me to get the whole kit and caboodle in, were enjoying some laughs in the front. including the band. Three of us could sit I wasn’t paying enough attention to the in the front if one was prepared to perch road and realised a little late that I was on the engine housing between the two in the wrong lane to go on to central front seats, sans seatbelt of course, illegal London, so indicated and pulled over to and dangerous, but warm to the buttocks. the right, un-detecting a detective in his The other four would squeeze in the patrol car in my blind spot who sounded back with the gear, an uncomfortable his horn, braking sharply to allow me to ride but it made sense for a way of pull in front of him. getting everybody to venues on time and economically advantageous, for some of I held my hand out of the window in the band members didn’t actually drive, apology at the very same time as Rowan Luke included. and Luke were cracking up at some unrelated joke, they had no idea that One summer evening we were on our I’d almost just refurbished a police car. way to The Roadhouse in Covent Garden, Unfortunately I laughed as well, which a popular nightclub that hosted live music had the copper thinking that I found most nights of the week and extorted its the incident funny, and being a London customers with inflated drink prices. The rozzer, he wasn’t having anyone take the pay was poor, the parking a nightmare piss out of him. and the staff were resentful that we got paid at all, but we did get a free meal, Pulling along side me, his bitter faced a crate of beer and it was a prestigious shaven head was steaming, he hollered venue to showcase the band to potential out of his lowered window “Oi, pull clients who seemed keen to have a night over!” pointing aggressively towards the out in the Smoke, a good feed and a curb. - 43 -

Dread went through my heart, I get nervous around policemen at the best of times, but I knew that I shouldn’t have three people in the front, definitely not have four in the back, and I had a worn tyre on the rear as well, he was gonna throw the book at me. He parked in front of me and burst out of the door tight lipped and arteries bulging in his neck. He was square jawed, ripped and looked like he enjoyed batten charges.

Meanwhile Luke, seemingly because he was wearing an African Kufi hat, an outrageously coloured shirt, and had a ponytail, apparently appeared high on the constabulary’s drug user radar, and had been removed from the van and wassimultaneously being frisked on the pavement. Of course he had a small baggie of weed on him, possibly a sixteenth; just enough for a few smokes, but the harmless free spirited little fella looked bewildered as to why this was happening at all. They arrested him right there, cuffed him as well, and frog marched him back to the Land Rover. I couldn’t believe it. The bone head came back to me totally smug with his conquest, yet still threatening, I expected that I was going to be made to abandon the vehicle on the side of the heinously busy road and have to accompany the officer back to the station as well, but all he venomously said was “You’re one musician short, go on F--off!”

At the same time a police Land Rover came out of nowhere and sandwiched us in at the rear. That officer got out and came round to my passenger side. I stepped out on to the road to a torrent of abuse from the maniac in front who was more than a little upset, calling me every name under the sun obviously trying to provoke me into retaliating just so he could have a reason to slam me into the side of the van and rearrange my freakishly good looks. I wasn’t playing ball, while he was effing and blinding and worse ( I mean are officers allowed to talk to people like that?), all I could think of was getting to the gig on time, and praying that he wouldn’t look in the back. So I placated him with overtly meek yes Sir’s, and no Sir’s, and sorry’s until he had nowhere else to go.

How pleasant. I didn’t have to be told twice; I got in the van and waited for him to leave before cautiously heading off in the same direction towards gig, late and contemplating the thin brass sound without my trumpet player.

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Rowan, who is the full time ultimate anti establishmentarian, was seething at our treatment from the Old Bill. Although he sat buttoned up during the event, he raved all the way into the West End, but he did pull off a spectacular coup by ringing round and finding an available trumpet dep who could make it on time, amazing, he was good as well.

Euston station, catch the train back to Watford and then walk home from there. I think I actually got home before he did just as the sun was coming up. Why he never walked back to Covent Garden to get a lift with us remains a mystery, perhaps it was just his homing instinct following a trauma, he wasn’t very forth coming with his reasoning.

The police were rather unkind to poor old Mr Tumnus (as Rowan christened him), they kept him in a cell at Paddington Green until 2 a.m. Then let him go without charge, confiscating his pot of coarse, they were just being arseholes, scoring a softgoal, and probably finding it highly amusing. Luke had to walk to Anthony Randall is fifty-six and hails from Watford in Hertfordshire. He has resided in Tucson, Arizona and Bourlens, France, but now lives in sunny Dorset on the south coast of England by the sea. He has been a singer and song writer for nearly thirty years, recording and performing hundreds pop tunes all over the world. He wrote and self published his first novel ‘The English Sombrero’ with co-author Doug Goddard back in 2005, now released on Kindle and as a paperback through KDP. This book is the first of a four part saga about the trials and tribulations of Don Simmons, an extravagant millionaire who lends himself to some outrageous adventures and sticky situations. Book two ‘The Little White Ball’ see’s Don further his journey of enlightenment and is also available on Kindle and as a paperback. Book three ‘Choice’ is under construction, as is a Thriller entitled ‘Tip of the teaspoon’ and my own novel called ‘Tales of Tucson.’ You can discover more about Anthony on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/anthony-randall/ - 45 -

Social Media and Spiderman! by Neville Kattakayam

Do you know that you have to be at least 13 years old to have a Social media account? Well, my daughter knew it and it seemed like she was anxiously waiting to turn 13 to start her FB account. She came to me asking about it and my answer was “No, you cannot have a Social Media account until you turn 18.” My teenager took it graciously, she didn’t complain and was about to walk away when a thought flashed through my mind – how I used to wait for my “Driving License,” and what if I was told ‘No,’ I would’ve been heartbroken and would’ve definitely created a scene. So, I called her back, made her sit down and we talked – emember, Uncle Ben from R the movie ‘Spiderman?’ – I asked he said “Yeah, S he died, right?”

I know she was not convinced and I am not the kind who exerts my opinion on others; I knew I have to give her convincing answers. In my line of work, I deal with issues people, especially youngsters get tangled up, when they go online. But to talk to my daughter, I needed concrete data to support my points and I dug it out from the Internet. And the data says… • Over half of adolescents online, have been cyber bullied or have engaged in cyber bullying. • More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats. • Over 25% of teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet. • Above 40% of the children who uses the internet has seen inappropriate content online. • 1 in 12 have exchanged messages with sexual content with other people. • 25% pretend to be older than they are to get an account opened. • There are approximately 270 million fake accounts on FB.

es, but there is a very Y famous quote that he said in the movie, do you remember Despite a federal law that prohibits social media sites from collecting geolocation that? information, photographs or videos She said “No.” from users under the age of 13 without notifying and receiving consent from Well, Uncle Ben tells Peter parents or guardians; there are millions Parker that “with great of underage users known to have created Power comes great Responsibility.” accounts and maintain Facebook profiles. Social Media carries great power, you They do so by lying about their age, with have to grow up and be a responsible or without the knowledge of their parents. adult to start using such powers. Today, we face 3 types of concerns – She said “Yeah, OK” and walked away. The ever increasing “Privacy” concerns, where our identity and data is subject to - 46 -

constant surveillance from all sides. Then comes “Security” concerns, due to all the data about us that is publicly available, or private data being stolen. Finally, “Literacy” concerns, with the arrival of social media, we have an onslaught of news and information available to us, more than what our brains could process. We have to update our “Media Literacy” skills, to remain on top of the news and information overflow and have to safeguard our kids from the same. There is a big hole in ‘parental guidance’ when it comes to Internet issues; mainly due to 2 reasons… (1) The Optimism Bias, we all fall into this bias when we tell ourselves “This will not happen to me,” we are optimistic about ourselves and our loved ones, and lives in a false premise that nothing bad will happen to us. (2) We, parents, ‘grew up’ into new technology and social media, but the current generation are ‘born’ into it. There is a major gap in our own understanding of these challenges since we did not face it ourselves as a child. Studies show that more than 50% of parents allow their children to user their phones unmonitored and 16% allow their children younger than 3 years to go online.

My daughter is coming to terms with the idea of not having a social media account until she turns 18, but she has peer pressure from friends. Her phone has a number pad, a small screen and no internet, and I’ve seen her embarrassment to take it out in front of her friends who has smartphones with touch screens. She sometimes asks for a personal laptop to research for studies, but all she is getting is the ‘family PC’ in the common area at home. Teenage issues, I understand, but these are the rules at my family. Where my Spiderman story ends, there started a new concept for a book. I went ahead and wrote a book – “The All-Seeing Digital Eyes,” where I have mentioned all the different kinds of threats that the ‘post millennials’ face. The book is a guide to Privacy, Security and Literacy! “This book is a must read for parents of teens and pre-teens. This is a perfect gift for teens starting to use the internet.” - 5-Star Online Review All statistics provided are collected online from iSAFE foundation and Netmums Polls.

Neville Kattakayam is a “Jack of many trades, but King of none.” His first book – “The All-seeing Digital Eyes” was release in Sept 2018. He is currently working on his second book – “Everything they’ve ever told you is a Lie.” Neville J Kattakayam is an IT professional with over 20 years in the Industry. He did his Masters in Business Management from XLRI. Neville is certified in ‘Critical Thinking’ from University of Michigan. Neville is also professionally certified in ‘Lean Six Sigma’ and ‘Change Management.’ You can discover more about Neville on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/neville-kattakayam/ - 47 -

CMT STRONG: Living with an Incurable Progressive Disease by Cate Mckoy

I remember the day that changed my life forever but didn’t realize its full impact. I was five. The social worker came to pick up me and my real brother (yes even that young I knew he was different than the other kids in the home) from my foster home. The day was beautiful. Sunny and warm without the stifling heat. With my kid perception, the ride seemed to be incredibly long. In actuality it was a little over an hour from my foster home.

weren’t kids like me. These kids were in wheelchairs, on permanent crutches; the kind that had braces that attached to the person’s arms to hold them in place. There was even a kid with no legs laying on a stretcher with wheels like a wheelchair only it was a wheel-stretcher.

I started to feel scared. I had only seen a wheelchair a couple times in my life. A classmates’ dad who was in a car accident and had to have casts on both Pulling into the long winding driveway legs. He was all better after a while. I of Helen Hayes Hospital a chill ran had never seen a kid in one. I was told it down my spine. Entering the building was impolite to stare but I couldn’t help and being shown to some sort of waiting it. I looked at these kids that were older room, I was thrilled and happy to see than me but still kids. In wheelchairs, the rest of my real siblings. I had met on crutches and they weren’t getting them for the first time just a few months rid of them like my classmates’ dad. I previous. They are all older, including the stared at the kid with a helmet on his brother in the same foster home as me. head that seemed to jerk his head every They were all so happy to see me. My few seconds. I stared at the kid on the eldest sibling, my sister told me to just do crutches whose legs seemed to be oddly my best but don’t force anything. I had curved. no idea what she meant. My eldest sibling pulls me to the side We were led into another room, a large again. She tells me it’s very important examination. In the room, there was a that I try really hard to win the races. She group of men and women in white lab told me not to feel sorry for any of the coats. They took turns asking me to do other kids just do my best to win. I was things; stand on my toes, walk on my so confused. How could I not win against toes, spread my fingers, spread my toes, kids in wheelchairs and on crutches? I walk on my heels, push against their was confused but I did what my big sis hands, pull against their hands and on and said. on it went. I had no idea what any of this The first race my brother was included meant but I did what I was told. I was in, and just like in the exam room, they promised some fun later. The fun was to be relay races and games with other kids. lost interest in my brother. He was left out of the other races. Of course, the I was excited when they led us outside to first race my brother won. I came in a an area where other kids were. But they far behind second. My brother ran like - 48 -

lighting. It was time for the second race and I was feeling nervous. I looked at all my opponents lined up with me and again the question went through my mind how could I not beat them in a foot race?

happened to be an RN. She watched me a lot. Asked me frequently if I was sure I could do this or that. I was so angry. I did everything, even if it was something I wasn’t interested in just because the adults seemed to think I couldn’t. After I waited for the start signal. I took off three days, tobogganing, skiing, skating, pumping my legs as fast as I could. I running around on scavenger hunts, didn’t look anywhere but at the finish tubing down ski trails, I was starting to line until my body broke through the feel pain throughout my legs and feet. finish line ribbon. I quickly turned back The nurse asked constantly if I were to see who was behind me. No one, at alright. I told her I was fine and at night least, not immediately behind me. Most cried in my bunk bed huddled in my of my opponents were still fairly close sleeping bag. I got stiffer and slower. The to the start line. My siblings cheered me, final activity was a hike to the waterfall, and nurses and doctors clapped as we hundreds of feet high and frozen solid. waited for the others to cross the finish Our cabin was scheduled in the morning line. Again, with my child’s perception. It of the last night we were sleeping over. seemed like a long time. It was us seven kids, the mom nurse and two guides; one leading the way and After the fun and games my brother, me another bringing up the rear. It started and my siblings were allowed to visit, out good. I was able to keep up, hide play on the grass, while the doctors spoke with my real mother and the social my pain and stiffening muscles. It was taking forever. The kids in my cabin were worker. I was never told what was said. so excited and laughing about getting That day changed the way people treated to the top. My balance started to leave me when we finally got to the bottom me. My foster mother gave me less of the frozen falls. We took pictures. I chores, had me sit more often when I really didn’t want to or need to. In school tried to rest but recording a milestone teachers watched me when playing on the doesn’t take that long. The hike that was essentially an ever-deepening incline, playground, on class trips. In gym I was began. The pain was the worst I had ever given a much smaller obstacle course. The other kids didn’t like it and began to felt. I couldn’t say anything and ruin six kids’ hike. They would resent me even resent my ‘special treatment’. more than the treatment I get in gym. I I didn’t like being treated differently than couldn’t ruin this for them. I gritted my the other kids. So, I wouldn’t tell the teeth, focusing on putting my feet one adults when the pain in my legs started in front of the other and not falling off or about the severe cramping at night. the ledge we were hiking on. I no longer I could do whatever the other kids did! saw the beauty of my icy surroundings. On a class trip which was a five-day Finally, at the top, the kids took pictures, excursion to Frost Valley. Five fun filled shouted and laughed at the echo. I could days of winter activities base in a camp. do nothing but slump down on the ice There were seven kids to a cabin and a packed ground. I am not sure how long parent chaperone assigned to each cabin. they admire the view, took turns taking The parent assigned to my cabin just each other pictures but the guide said - 49 -

it was time to turn around. All the kids started back down following the guide that had brought up the rear and was now the lead. I tried to move my legs to stand. Nothing happened. I tried and tried, nothing happened. I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t feel anything but pain. The mom nurse knelt in front of me. She asked what was wrong. I didn’t realize I was crying until she told me to calm down and tell her what was happening. I told her I couldn’t stand. I described the pain and constant cramping going through my legs and feet. I told her I feel pain, but I can’t move my legs. She took my vitals and had a whispered conversation with the guides. Now everyone was watching me. I felt humiliated. The guide that had led us to the top reached down and picked me up, cradling me against his chest like I was a baby. I though I was too heavy to carry like a baby. With adult hindsight; this was a young man in his late teens, early twenties used to physical feats daily, my ten-year old body probably didn’t feel like much to him. On the way down back to camp the mom nurse kept asking me how I was feeling. I was carried around like baby the rest of that night; to lunch, dinner and then to my cabin for bedtime. Through the night the mom nurse took my vitals, massaged my legs and tested their strength. In the morning I could walk, albeit slowly.

I wanted to laugh. How could the things used to make a grill hot, a girl’s name and a tooth be a disease? One of the doctors explained it’s the last names of the doctors who discovered the disease. I asked, “Is this because of the funny way I walk?” I told the doctors that I didn’t care. It didn’t matter that I walked funny, I could still run, jump and play. The doctor then turned away from me and talked with my mother. My mother then told me that since I was now eleven the doctors wanted to help me. They wanted to fix my feet. My feet had a funny curve and my toes pointed towards the opposite foot. They were turned inward, not straight by any stretch of the imagination. However, I could run, jump and play; I made sure I didn’t overdo like at Frost Valley. My mother told me that HHH had special doctors that knew how to fix my feet. They would make my feet just like my brothers by doing an operation, they are going to put metal inside to help you be stronger, faster. My young mind caught on to that phrase ‘stronger and faster’. I asked in all seriousness, “like The Six Million Dollar Man?” My mon laughed and said, “You won’t cost that much but yes.” I was afraid of the operation but was excited about being bionic. The doctors said that they had decided to wait until I got my period to ensure the maturity of my bones. Whatever, I was going to be bionic.

On that trip, I still didn’t know why I was different. It wasn’t until after years of going to Helen Hayes Hospital several times a year that I was told what was going on. Years of being poked and prodded, performing like a circus My period came at age twelve and very animal for a room filled with mostly men, shortly after, my surgery was scheduled. having a bunch of electrodes on my head, I was scared but I was going to be bionic. tangled in my hair. Finally, at age eleven, The whole time I was being prepped for serious men in white lab coats told me I surgery the doctors talked to my mother. had a disease called Charcot Marie Tooth Not a single word was directed at me. (CMT). - 50 -

Not until the time came for them to put the scary mask over my face. I was told I would go to sleep and I would wake up with fixed feet.

hoping to never return, saying to myself, I can and will, watch me.

It wasn’t the last time, I had five surgeries at HHH; ages (12, 13, 14, 15, 22). I spent I woke up. I wasn’t fixed, and I was in my life going against the grain, doing horrible pain. It was then I realized I was things they told me I couldn’t. They lied to, whether by design or indifference. didn’t know everything. It wasn’t until I was almost thirty that I realized that I lived at HHH for months; in casts and hadn’t know too much about the disease then doing physical therapy, learning themselves. I was a guinea pig for their how to walk again. Learning to walk operations. It was why when I chipped an using crutches brought it all home for ankle bone the local ER doctor couldn’t me. All those years ago, I was brought make heads or tails of my x-rays. It here because I was one of those kids in a was why when ever I had some sort of wheelchair. I just didn’t know it. procedure or surgery and they found out When my mom came to pick me up from I had CMT the nurses and doctors came out in droves to see the freak with CMT. HHH months later with only one visit, And because, apparently CMT carries the doctors finally talked to me rather complications that not even they knew than my mother. They said things like; about. It was why all my pregnancies incurable, progressive, the older you get the worst it will get, sever your bloodline were considered high risk. to stop the disease, adopt. You won’t I was five when my life was changed be able to play sports, do physically forever. I am now fifty-two, almost strenuous jobs… everything the doctors said would happen, has happened to me. On and on he went. The only thing I heard was that you can’t. I left that place - 51 -

Symptoms of CMT • First signs include frequent tripping, ankle sprains, clumsiness and “burning” or pins-and-needles sensations in the feet or hands. • The foot of a person with CMT. The lack of muscle, a high arch, and claw toes are signs of this genetic disease. • Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammertoes are common. • Muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet may lead to foot drop, poor balance and other gait problems. • Muscular atrophy in the hands often causes people to have difficulty with tasks involving manual dexterity, such as writing and manipulating zippers and buttons. • Abnormal sensation in the extremities and an inability to sense where one’s body is in space are also common, and many people experience neuropathy, muscle or joint pain. • Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures is typical and many people have chronically cold hands and feet. • Additional symptoms may include fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties, scoliosis, kyphosis and hearing loss. • A CMT diagnosis involves clinical evaluation of muscle function and atrophy, testing of sensory responses, and electromyographic and nerve

conduction studies. Many types of CMT can also be diagnosed by genetic testing. Today, they know a lot more about CMT. Not when I was growing up. I have most of the listed symptoms. The difficulty breathing was diagnosed as asthma, my very scary condition of not responding after being put to sleep was written as an allergy/sensitivity to anesthesia. Because it effects the nerves that control muscles CMT exacerbates most conditions and diseases. And, because there is no cure, barring accidents, homicide or another illness, it will kill me. Its progression doesn’t stop. I am in pain every day; only the degree changes. I live with it. I have good days and bad just like everyone else. On good days I can hide my pronounced limp. On bad days I need a cane. On really bad days I need a wheelchair. If I plan well and can have a day to recover, I can enjoy many things; a day at an amusement park, a friend’s wedding, a night out on the town, a day of traveling, an all-day event like a book signing. I can’t; run, stand for long without pain, hike, sports or dance anymore. You may think this makes me weak, it doesn’t. I am strong. I am CMT strong.

Cate Mckoy is a life-time resident of a small upstate town about sixty minutes north of Manhattan. The only thing she loves more than being a writer is being a mother and grandmother. She has been a Jane of all trades and was formerly trained as a technology analyst and computer tech. Cate supports a number of charities and wishes everyone “Happy Reading.” You can discover more about Cate on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/cate-mckoy/ - 52 -

In Search of Health by Millie Slavidou

English, the language as it would have been spoken from the 9th to the 11th centuries, from the time of King Alfred the Great (and before!) to around the Norman Invasion.

Where does Health come from? Of course you think you know the answer. Health comes from eating well, no smoking, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, regular exercise and all the rest of it. But I am not talking here about that aspect of health. Instead, I am looking at where the word came from. It is unlike words for the same concept in other, neighbouring languages, like French salut, Welsh iechyd or even German Gesundheit. So where did it come from? If we go back 500 years or so, we find health frequently expressed as ‘heyle’ or heil/ hail. Let’s take a look at an example from The Wars of Alexander, a Middle English romance written in about 1500: he was so wele in happe and in heyle [He was so well, happy and healthy] Now let’s go even further back, to Old

In Old English, the word was hǣlþ, with the final letter pronounced like the ‘th’ that we use today. It’s thought that the word derived from Proto-Germanic, the ancestor of our language that also gave rise to other Germanic languages, such as Dutch, Swedish and German. In ProtoGermanic, the word has been proposed as *hailitho, which would have meant ‘whole, uninjured’. This can be further traced back to Proto-Indo-European, the precursor to most of the languages that arose in Europe. In that early language the root is proposed as *kailo, where the meaning is the same, but also ‘bearing good fortune/ of good omen’. The word is also cognate with, or related to other words in English: hale and hallow, but also holy. So our forebears regarded ‘holy’ as part of being ‘whole’, part of well-being. Or perhaps the association even started the other way: health is something sacred and holy.

Millie Slavidou, author of the Lucy Evans Instaexplorer adventure series for preteens, featuring little snippets of language, and Sparky, a first chapter book for early readers. You can discover more about Millie on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/millie-slavidou/ - 53 -

Using Essential Oils for Aromatherapy by Val Tobin

Essential oils are also known as “volatile oils” or “essences” and are combined with other ingredients to create a mixture. They are referred to as volatile because they evaporate quickly when left open to the air. You should exercise caution when using them, but once familiar with how they work, you can use them in many ways to improve the quality of life.

diluted essential oil to the inside of the elbow or wrist. Wait up to 24 hours to see if there is a reaction. If the area becomes irritated or any reaction occurs, then rinse the area with cold water and avoid using this oil. The patch test is important for all essential oils when using them for the first time, even those that don’t typically cause reactions.

Essential oils are diluted in what is called “carrier” or “base” oils. According to Julia Lawless in her book Complete Illustrated Guide to Aromatherapy, some recommended carrier oils are sweet almond, sunflower, grape seed, and coconut oil. Cold pressed oils are best for use as carrier oils if using them for massage, as cold pressing does not destroy the nutrients in the oils. The nutrients will then be absorbed through the skin.

Pregnant women, individuals with medical conditions, those taking medications and children should be very cautious about using essential oils. As well, some essential oils are harmful to pets, particularly cats. Treat essential oils as if they were medications and consult with a qualified professional. Some plants can cause serious reactions in people, so it is a good idea to err on the side of caution.

Essential Oil Safety When attempting to work with essential oils, be aware of the risks involved. Never apply essential oils neat, meaning, without diluting them. They can cause allergic reactions in people who are sensitive. They should never be taken internally. Trained and experienced professionals know when and how to break those rules, but the average person should never attempt to do so.

Using Essential Oils

Essential oils from plants are used in aromatherapy for a variety of purposes. Whenever working with a new essential They can be used in massage, in healing, oil, consult with a trained practitioner, as perfumes, as disinfectants, in first aid, especially when using essential oils in in sachets and pillows, in compresses, healing or first aid. Before applying a and in many other ways. They are often diluted essential oil on the skin for the used in spas in a variety of spa treatments first time, do a patch test first. To do a and can be used during meditation to help patch test, apply a small amount of the calm the mind. - 54 -

In the bath, essential oils can be used to help you relax or to soothe tired muscles and body. When soaking in essential oils, be certain that the oils used have been verified as safe. Five to ten drops of the chosen pure essential oil can be added to the bathwater. This gives one the benefits of both inhaling the vapours of the oil and soaking in it. Lavender oil is popular for a relaxation bath, rosemary is good for energizing, and marjoram soothes tired muscles. Essential oils can also be used mixed with other ingredients to create skinsoothing and nourishing facials. However, as Chrissy Wildwood states in her book Aroma Remedies, essential oils should not be used on the face daily, as you may develop sensitivity to them. Wildwood recommends a cycle of twice a day for two days a week, or alternatively, once or twice a day for two weeks and then a four-week rest period before using the oils again.

Regardless of whether a person mixes the oils or buys them prepared, it is important to remember to use them safely and to consult a qualified practitioner for advice when trying new mixtures. References Lawless, Julia. Complete Illustrated Guide to Aromatherapy, Dorset: Element Books Ltd, 1997. Werbach, Melvyn R., M.D. and Murray, Michael T., N.D. Botanical Influences on Illness: A Sourcebook of Clinical Research, California: Third Line Press, 1994. Wildwood, Chrissy. Aroma Remedies, London: Collins & Brown, 2000. Image on previous page courtesy of Bob Tobin Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or health-care professional. Before beginning any health or diet program, consult your physician.

A vast array of essential oils are available on the market, and if you are not ready to start mixing oils and carriers yourself, then there are pre-mixed products available that can get you off to a good start with aromatherapy. It may be less expensive to create your own mixtures, but research and education are required. Val Tobin, formerly a software/web developer, now spends her time writing. She is also a Reiki Master/ Teacher and Angel Therapy Practitioner® with advanced training, certified by Doreen Virtue in Kona, Hawaii. She has written numerous novels and some short stories, available on Amazon and at other retailers. In April 2016, Val received her master’s degree in parapsychology. You can discover more about Val on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/val-tobin/ - 55 -

Zelda’s Baby by May J. Panayi

It was a perfectly normal day in Dentonville. The roads were empty, traffic parked up exactly as it had been the day before, and the day before that. The weather was average, a bit cold, overcast, but dry; autumnal but okay- well no one was complaining about it anyway, and they were all still wearing their summer clothes, so it couldn’t be that cold. The shops were all open, really open; doors flung wide, window displays flapping in the breeze. The illusion of a hot sticky summer remained despite the coolness of the day.

hungry again too. Damn, this baby made her want to eat all the time. She looked around for a good place to eat. Bob the mail man lumbered his considerable frame towards her, coming the other way down the street. He grunted at her by way of hello, and she nodded amiably at him. Pleasantries dealt with, Zelda headed towards the diner at the end of the street, on the junction of Main Street and Vine. Some youths she vaguely recognised, passed her running the other way. As they got closer, Zelda noticed that the two older boys; Gil and Leroy, were chasing the younger boy, little Danny Hopkins. Zelda shouted ‘Oi’ at the older boys and they turned to look at her. Realising they had been caught out, they slowed to a shuffle and looked down at their feet guiltily, as little Danny hurried off, making his escape; for now at least.

Zelda walked slowly along the main street, her huge pregnant belly forging ahead of her like some kind of scouting party, or soldier on point. She rested her hands on top of the lump, softly pushing it down, away from her stomach so she could more easily digest her meaty, protein rich breakfast of some hours previously. The baby kicked and punched in protest at the confinement of its space, Two women Zelda knew vaguely from the maternity clinic, who were still early as if to say; days, were looking in a shop window “Look, I’m a bit squashed in here displaying baby furniture and clothes. actually. I have kind of completely filled She thought for a moment she might this space, and there is no more room, manage to waddle past them un-noticed; so kindly stop pushing me into a smaller but no such luck. They turned and of space, I just won’t tolerate it without a course the cooing and patting of her fight. A foetus has limits you know.” distended tummy was a ritual that could not be avoided. When Zelda finally got Zelda huffed with the effort of walking. away she could tell they had made the Despite wearing a thin summer maternity baby really angry. It was punching and dress, she still felt hot and sticky. Now on kicking like it was in a mosh pit. She top of everything else, she started feeling - 56 -

patted her tummy and rubbed it gently, trying to restore some peace and calm to the angry little being- or as yet, un-being. Finally Zelda got to the diner, which was quite full for the time of day. Alice was behind the counter as usual. She looked up when Zelda came in and waved her over to the counter. Soon Zelda was almost fully immersed in the special of the day whilst sat at the counter. The food steamed in front of her, and tasted delicious. The baby went quiet as it always did when she was eating. She felt sure it was waiting for a morsel to pass close by it so it could grab it. Zelda pushed the crazy thought to the back of her hormone riddled mind. Zelda didn’t hang around after lunch; she was determined to be first in line at the maternity clinic’s afternoon session, to see the midwife. She pushed open the doors to the clinic, and took a seat in the messy, magazine strewn, waiting room. She thought it must have been kiddy clinic that morning, given the state of the place. There weren’t any receptionists around to clean up anyway; maybe they were off sick. There was some sort of tummy bug going around.

if by so doing they could claw their way out of the cramped space and have a good stretch. The midwife leaned closer to the little feet and hands imprinted on the outer flesh. She grinned widely then leaned right up against the skin and took a big bite out of Zelda’s stomach.

Zelda lay calmly as the midwife took two more, deeper bites. The baby didn’t waste the opportunity for escape, clawing through the foetal sack, fluid spilling out over Zelda and onto the floor, biting with fully formed teeth through the final Gradually the clinic filled up with several layer of flesh that separated it from the other women who seated themselves, midwife’s face and the outside world. It joining Zelda in the waiting area. At last bit the midwife, getting a full mouthful of the midwife came out from her office, her bottom lip and the tip of her tongue, wiping the remains of her lunch from before she pulled backwards away from around her mouth. She gestured at Zelda the hungry zombie infant. to come into her office. Zelda climbed down from the couch, The midwife patted the examination calm as you like, and sauntered out, couch, and Zelda clambered awkwardly waving goodbye to the midwife; whose up on it. She lay back exhausted from face dripped with blood and gore from the effort. The midwife began to feel her her freshly damaged mouth. tummy, pulling her dress up so she could Zelda headed out into main street, the look at the stretched skin. Baby hands baby now full head and one small arm and feet pushed against the outside, as hanging out of her stomach in front of - 57 -

her, like some sort of human kangaroo straight out of a Troma film. The baby was half biting, half sucking at the flesh of Zelda that surrounded it, working a larger hole so it could move more comfortably.

made the remains of his gastrointestinal tract slither out to the floor, making it there seconds before his feet, but he didn’t seem to care. Zelda got close to the counter and the baby reached out and grabbed the remnant of some morsel left behind by the special of the day as he vacated the spot, pulling it straight into his baby mouth. All the female zombies in the diner made an ‘aaah’ noise as one.

By the time Zelda got back to the diner, the baby had its head and both arms out and was surveying its new world from the comfort of its pouch in Zelda’s belly. Alice squealed as Zelda came into the diner, pointing at the baby. Soon all the other zombie patrons were shouting and making a general cacophony of noise too. It was a veritable zombie party. The person who had been the special of the day on the counter, but was now fully zombie, even sat up and clapped. He probably shouldn’t have sat up, as it

Eventually Zelda made it back out onto Main Street, to start the long slow zombie shuffle back to her house. She again bumped into the two women from earlier, who bent down to look closely at the new baby. It wasted not a moment biting the nose off of the one who got closest. All three women seemed to think that was the cutest thing ever. The three boys were playing together once more; well Gil and Leroy were eating Danny’s arms; but they all stopped to look at the newborn baby and its mother progressing down the street. The sun set on a happy day in zombieville.

May J. Panayi has been writing since 1967, when she had her first poem called ‘In a Rage’ published in the local Gazette newspaper. That was the point at which she decided she wanted to write, and has been scribbling in one form or another ever since. She’s had poetry, short stories, articles and fillers, published in a variety of magazines, two book anthology collections, fanzines and websites. You can discover more about May on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/may-j-panayi/ - 58 -

January Chess Puzzle Supplied by Chess.com

Checkmate in One Black to move.

Black has many checks but only one is checkmate. Watch out for PINNED PIECES pieces that cannot move because it would leave the king under attack.

Supplied by https://chess.com/ the #1 chess website. Used with permission. For more chess puzzles please visit https://chess.com/ The answer for this puzzle is available on our website (click here) - 59 -

2018 Reflections on Women’s Suffrage in the UK by Sheena Macleod

January is a time for looking forward to the new year ahead. It is also a time for reflection to the year that has passed. For me, 2018 proved interesting for many reasons, not least for being the hundredth anniversary of some women gaining the voting franchise in the UK—through the passage of the Representation of the People’s Act 1918. Numerous events and celebrations were held throughout the year to mark this momentous shift for women. The centenary brought to light again the whole issue of women’s rights to equality and the forward moves that have been made in the UK since 1918. Having grown up experiencing the hippy seventies, and having worked all my adult life in a professional capacity alongside other women, it is hard to believe that just over fifty years before this time, women had few rights at all. On a personal note, I realised that my knowledge of the events leading to this shift was not as sound as I had thought and, through reports, reading and watching staged events, I learned a lot more about the battle that had taken place prior to 1918 to gain such rights for all women. Gone for me was the Mary Poppins popular image—taught in school—of wealthy women fighting for the vote for all women. In its place is the knowledge that many people, including workingclass women, were involved in the fight for women’s suffrage. However, unlike those who were better off than them, the names of these working women

have remained relatively unknown or forgotten. Many who campaigned for women’s suffrage also wanted to change longheld views about women’s inequality with men. In trying to achieve this, some women (and men) endured great personal sacrifice. Many lost their jobs, homes, families, and some even lost their lives. In the end, the right to vote in1918 was extended only to women over thirty who met set property or educational requirements. While this was a major step forward, a number of women were still not able to vote in Parliamentary elections in the UK. The victory for these women of means who could now vote must have tasted bitter-sweet to the many working-class and younger women who had actively contributed to the wider suffrage cause but who were now left excluded by this Act. Although a huge battle had been won for women, for some women the fight for the right to vote on the same basis as men—over twenty-one and regardless of property ownership or rental—would continue for another ten years, mainly through the growing trade union movement.

But, another move had started to take place, as many young women took matters into their own hands during the 1920s and the flappers emerged. Being a flapper wasn’t all about dressing up in risqué clothes and makeup and having outrageous fun; it was about rebelling. These young women threw aside the - 60 -

social and political mores placed on women at this time, including gender barriers, and started to live life to the full. They wore short dresses and bright lipstick, cut their hair, smoked, drunk alcohol, listened to jazz, behaved much as young men did and flaunted what was then considered to be acceptable behaviour for women. Despite being denied the right to vote in Parliamentary elections, these new-style, independent women embraced a lifestyle which was viewed by many at the time as ‘simply outrageous’.

experienced a financial independence previously denied to women. They cut their long hair to below shoulder length, raised the hemline of their dresses and the height of their heels and started to make their own decisions about how they would lead their lives—which mainly entailed pleasing themselves, not men. Actresses from the ‘big screen’, playing in movies which were ‘all the rage’, popularised the image of the fun-loving independent flapper. Owning and driving a car also gave these women the freedom to go out where they wanted, and the privacy to do just as they pleased. Post-war prosperity had led to increased leisure time and the means and facilities for women to spend their free time drinking, dancing, and socialising with other young people. And, just like men did, smoking, drinking, and sexual experimentation became part of the lifestyle of the modern young woman.

So, during what became known as the ‘Roaring Twenties’, many young women broke from convention, and the restrictive Picture by Leonard Bentley from Iden, East Sussex, UK - Charing Cross Post Office, lifestyle imposed on them during the CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia. Victorian era, and embraced their neworg. Around 1929. found freedom. Rather than waiting for eligible men to approach them, they A number of factors had led to this started ‘dating.’ Their modern outlook, change in behaviour among young engagement in paid employment, and women—apart from being denied the ‘fun’ lifestyle must have felt liberating right to vote. Many men didn’t return for these young women and couldn’t from World War I, which meant that there have been more different from the life were more women than men about— their mothers and grandmothers led. leaving young women without enough potential husbands. Instead of staying When the stock market crashed in 1929, at home, preparing for marriage and leading to a global recession, young children, many young women now began women were forced to change their to go out and spent their time enjoying liberated lifestyle, and the ‘flapper’ their new found freedom—including their disappeared along with their ‘outrageous’ sexual freedom. In the post-war period, way of life. Although it would be the many young women worked in offices, 1960s before such a radical change in shops and in the leisure industry, and dress and behaviour would shock people - 61 -

again, much of the freedom gained by women in the 1920s remained. Although women once again returned to fulfilling societal expectations of marriage and raising children, their hemlines remained raised, and women have been smoking, drinking, dating and driving ever since. After 1918, some women’s suffrage groups continued to fight for the vote for all women on the same grounds as men — but this was now mainly carried out within the trade union movement. Finally, on the 7th of May 1928, the Representation of the People Act was passed lowering the voting age for women from thirty to twenty-one and removing the property qualification. From the 2nd of July, women had equal status with men to vote in Parliamentary elections. All women over the age of twenty-one were able to vote in the 1929 general election which was held on Thursday the 30th of May. There was a 76% turnout, and 52% of the names on the electoral register were women. During the 2018 centenary celebrations, less attention was given to the role that working-class women played in women’s suffrage compared to those from the upper classes. In 2017, a magazine article published online by Laura Linham, a reporter with Somerset Live, caught the attention of the One Million Project—a group of authors, artists and musicians who donate some of their work and time to help raise one million for homelessness and Cancer Research UK. Laura Linham had re-reported the case of Frances Connelly, a working-class woman from Yeovil in Somerset, England, who had voted in a Parliamentary election in 1911— seven years before any women had the right to do so. Frances Connelly was

provided with the opportunity to vote in a Parliamentary election while the law prevented her from doing so. She grabbed this chance with both hands. And, having cast her vote, she proudly left the polling station. In making her mark that day, Frances Connelly, along with the many other women who voted before 1918, helped keep the question to the forefront of people’s mind; if one woman can vote, why not all?

Frances Connelly – Photograph by Witcomb & Son Yeovil circa 1911. Featured in the Western Gazette on the 24th of November 1911.

Laura Linham had found the original, 1911, newspaper report on Frances Connelly when she was checking out the local archives. Laura’s subsequent article came to the attention of Jason Greenfield, CEO of the One Million Project, who commissioned a book about Frances Connelly. The resulting book, ‘So, You Say I Can’t Vote, Frances Connelly. The Working – class Woman’s Route to the Vote’, which was written by myself and Laura Linham, focuses on Frances Connelly, and other

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working-class women’s contributions to women’s suffrage in the UK. Compared to those from the upper classes, these women tend to be lesser known or forgotten entirely. The book gives a flavour of the life of women in the post-Victorian era fighting for women’s suffrage. In particular, it explores how one forgotten and disempowered figure, Frances Connelly, a widowed glovemaker, made history by voting in a Parliamentary election in 1911. Frances wasn’t the only woman in the UK to have voted before the 1918 Act. Her story is told within the context of the other Cover art is from a painting of women who voted in England, some of Frances Connelly by Sally A Barr. the contributions made by working-class women to women’s suffrage, and the All money from the sale of this book — times in which these people lived. after production costs — go to helping the One Million Project produce, promote and market their books, music and art. Sheena Macleod lives in a seaside town in Scotland. She gained a PhD at the University of Dundee, where she lectured in mental health nursing. After leaving teaching, Sheena combined her love of history with her passion for research and turned to novel writing. She has written a number of short stories and poems. Reign of the Marionettes is her first published historical fiction novel. You can discover more about Sheena on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/sheena-macleod/

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A Day in the Life by Grant Leishman

One of the most exciting aspects of becoming a full-time author was the idea that finally I would get some work/life balance and be able to enjoy the things I love to do. MY GREATEST PASSIONS ARE WRITING AND READING.

So, that having been said, I’m often alone in the house by around 6am and it is time So, with that in mind, I thought I might to start work. I try to focus on my “job” run through a typical day in the life of i.e. writing, promoting and networking, an author – well, this author anyway. from then until midday. After lunch, well, You may be surprised to find that we do I’ll be honest and admit to having a bit actually work quite long hours, but of of a siesta. Now, the Philippines may course, it’s not really work when you have been colonised by Spain, but they are doing something that you love and brought their idea of a noonday siesta that brings you bliss. There are some with them, from Mexico, no doubt. All I downsides to the solitary and sedentary nature of my chosen profession, but more can say is what a brilliant idea that was! Although the outside temperature rarely about my ever-expanding rump, later. rises too much above the mid-thirty The solitary side of things I have degrees Celsius, I can assure you that managed to take care of in two ways. in our little concrete oven that we live Firstly, I programme my writing in, the inside temperature can often top workload to a specific time of day, when the mid forties. It is damn hot most of the family is not here. It just so happens the time and, in the afternoon it is damn, that most weekdays I am required to damn, hot! Little Grant, will repair to the jump out of bed at the ungodly hour of bedroom, turn on the air-conditioning 4am and prepare breakfast for either, and revel in the beauty of a temperature the one, two, or three, beautiful ladies controlled twenty-five degrees. The irony that make my life worth living. Our two here is that when I was back in New daughters are still studying and as regular Zealand, I would probably have called readers of my work will know, the traffic twenty-five degrees, stiflingly hot, but in Manila can be diabolical, so leaving here, it is just a wonderfully welcome early is an absolute must for the two relief. Funny that! The body adapts, I girls, if they are to attend their lectures guess. on time. My darling wife also has to After my “nana nap” it’s time to get the leave very early on many occasions to meet her clients in the city at 9am. Given endorphins pumping and try to keep the previously mentioned corpulent rear-end our location at the northern hub of the under control. Out comes my torture mighty, mega-metropolis, that is greater Manila, an early departure is what it takes chamber, as I like to call it. I unfold my magnificent rowing machine and spend to get to her appointments on time. - 64 -

30-45 minutes, dripping sweat all over the show, five afternoons a week. I’m not kidding, it is torture but as much as I despise the process, I do understand it needs to be done, especially as I march relentlessly toward my sixties. Given, I live in a tropical climate and don’t get out a lot, my usual daily dress is just a pair of basketball shorts and a sando (singlet), so the rowing ensures that on the very odd occasion when I do have to get dressed up and greet the real world, my jeans or my dress pants do still actually still fit me. Fighting fit and full of energy I then attack my Social Media duties for the afternoon. People often ask me why I use Social Media so much. My answer is quite simple: For me, the idea of “building my brand” is secondary to the true benefit – I enjoy the interaction. It helps to counter the isolation and loneliness of the solitary writer. I can well understand how many writers in the past suffered from mental issues, alcoholism or drug-dependency. The path I have chosen can be very unforgiving at times. It’s a tough and cruel world, the world of publishing and even more so, self-publishing. One of things that helps maintain my sanity, is being able to reach out to like-minded people and remind myself that I’m not facing these

self-doubts, these rejections and these depressing sales statistics on my own. We all have them and we can support each other. The other up-side of Social Media is I get to meet some incredibly talented and SUCCESSFUL self-published authors. They can be a great source of inspiration for me, especially when things look hard and unachievable. Some of my closest friends and confidantes are people I have never met face-to-face and yet, I am so grateful for the part they play in my life. Yes, there are some ***holes out there in the self-publishing world, but in my experience there are way more genuine, caring, helpful and wonderful souls to connect with. For the solitary writer, I say, thank God for Social Media. I’d be lost without it. The rest of my “work day” is spent reading. I love reading independent authors. They are so fresh, innovative and incredibly talented. They also fill me with new ideas for my own work. So, there we have it, the exciting life of this author. If I tot up the hours I now spend “working” compared to when I had a corporate job, I have no doubt they would be far in excess of those I put in, in the office. The difference is, I NOW LOVE WHAT I DO and who knows, I might even be good at it.

Grant Leishman is a fifty-nine-year-old full-time author and editor, domiciled in the beautiful islands of The Philippines. After careers in finance and journalism, Grant finally found his true bliss in life – writing. He his happily married to Thess and they have two daughters, Rose and Angeline. You can discover more about Grant on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/grant-leishman/ - 65 -

Vegan Food is Yummy by May J. Panayi

Even if you think you have no experience of vegan cooking, you probably do. Every salad you make, hummus dip, bean bake and so on, are probably already vegan dishes. I have set out a few recipes in this article for what to cook if you are having vegan guests or just want to try something different. But first a little intro as to how I went vegan. I do love animals, and admit they are largely though not entirely, treated horrendously in farming. Cruelty aside, and that includes the fear hormones that are making their way into the meat on your table; the things animals are fed and injected with would shock the pants off you. There are so many antibiotics, hormones and other often dangerous chemicals, put into animals before they become food, that it is no wonder humans are becoming infertile, getting ridiculously overweight and growing moobs, becoming resistant to all antibiotics, getting cancers, mental illness and so much more. That puts me off. I became a vegan for the good of my health. My cholesterol was too high. I couldn’t lose weight no matter what I tried; and I ate what most would consider healthy food, as well as doing a lot of walking. I don’t even own a car, and never use the bus. I get a cab to the station when I have suitcases, and that is it. I also had arthritis that was gradually worsening, in my shoulders, hips, knees and feet, with tell-tale nodules on my fingers. Then, six months before I took the final step and became vegan, I had a mild heart attack. In that six months I tried doing all the doctor and heart foundation advise to reduce

cholesterol, with increased exercise, but I have to tell you, although there was a slight improvement, it really doesn’t work. I’m not getting into the politics of backhanders and sponsorship here, but the people who are advising us for our health, do have a vested interest in keeping us eating meat and animal products. I have never really got on well with dairy, gradually giving up more and more of it as the years have gone on. Cow milk is designed to fatten up calves. They have very different digestive systems to us, and very different body shapes. We really aren’t meant to consume other animals milk and milk products. I never really liked milk. I remember trying anything to avoid drinking those dreadful little bottles of school milk. Eventually I became milk monitor. I figured out that if I was dishing it out, I could avoid having to drink any. I gave up cream first because it gave me heartburn really badly. Then I switched to soya milk, which I soon got used to, except I use a coconut based creamer in coffee, because soya milk goes weird. I never really got on with yoghurt, or even liked it much, so that had been going for a while too. Coconut yoghurt is amazingly wonderful by the way. Cheese was the last to go. There aren’t many great vegan cheeses, but there are some now, and things are improving all the time. Having said that, Marmite or yeast flakes make a great workaround in sauces. I use a dairy free spread, there are several in most supermarkets. I have had a love hate relationship with eggs for years now, going through phases when

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they just upset my stomach violently. Looking back, they were probably the cholesterol straw that broke the camel’s back. Finally, a word about fish. It took me a long time to get over my dislike of fish; just the smell tended to nauseate me. I was under the impression that fish was healthy protein, and fish oils were good for me. I even had hypnosis to help me love it, which worked actually. But fish is not what we might think. It absorbs heavy metals which are extremely toxic. Fish imported from the Pacific is contaminated with radiation from Fukishima, and all organisms that live in the sea, right down to Plankton, contain micro plastics. None of which I want to be eating.

meal source it turns out to be all vegetables e.g. some veggie burgers, but then serve it with some quinoa, which is more protein than carbohydrate, and you are still getting all your meal components. It’s true, certainly at first, you do have to think more about what you eat and how you eat it. People most commonly ask where I get my protein from. Simple; beans [including soya], pulses [which includes peas, chick peas, lentils etc], nuts and seeds. The latter turned into pastes is very easy to both snack on and work with; think peanut butter, tahini, halva and various oils.

Research shows that despite consumption of fortified cereals, yeast extract and seaweed; the vegan diet tends to be deficient in vitamin B12. I’m getting towards pension age, so I’ve been taking a multi vitamin supplement with iron for sometime now anyway. I added B12 and D to that. Three pills a day, and I know from recent blood tests that my overall nutritional state is better than people living on a diet of mackydee. Actually it was perfect on everything, so all those I have enjoyed getting creative in the comments about where do you get your kitchen and rising to the challenge of protein/iron/whatever, are nonsense. making vegan equivalents of things. Many are rapidly becoming firm Vitamins come in from surprising favourites. Some have already been places in vegan food anyway. Seaweed favourites for many years. I’m enjoying also contains vitamin K and iodine. cooking and eating new delicious meals, Egg replacer is made from an algae. more than I have in a long time. I think Mycoprotein derived from mushroom, is knowing it is free from saturated fats used in a lot of vegan meat replacement adds a level of joy to the eating. foods, many more are made from soya; tofu, tempeh, soya mince, textured Finally, my health. My heart is protein and other things are all soya recovering and strengthening. I am losing derived. Seitan is made from wheat. weight fairly steadily and my cholesterol Sometimes when you buy a ‘protein’ is dropping. I feel healthier and am - 67 -

enjoying exercise [and life in general] more. My sleep is better, as is my mood, my hormones, my migraines and my general well being. My menopausal symptoms have disappeared. Incredibly, as I did not think it was reversible, my arthritis has completely gone too. Not only are all my joints pain free, but even the nodules on my fingers have almost disappeared. I was not expecting this level of health improvement, but am very happy to see it. So, as promised, here are the recipes. A starter, a main with a side, and a dessert.

Stuffed Avocado

Courgette and Tomato Pie Ingredients Topping: • 5 or 6 potatoes • Soya milk and olive oil to mash • 4 spring onions chopped Filling: • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 onions • 400g courgettes • 2 cloves garlic • 6 tomatoes • 1 tablespoon tomato puree • Salt &pepper • 1 teaspoon mixed herbs Chop and dice all the vegetables. Fry vegetables in olive oil. Meanwhile boil potatoes for mashing. Add seasoning and puree to the vegetables, stir thoroughly and then put in a casserole dish. Mash potatoes with oil and milk adding spring onions to the mash. Top the casserole with the mash mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at Gas 6/200C. If you want to add protein to this dish, you can add braised tofu, or butter beans to the vegetable mixture.

Ingredients • 2 large avocados • 12 black olives pitted • 1 ripe pear • 3 tablespoons walnut pieces • Salt and pepper • 1 tablespoon vegan mayo • 1 tablespoon lemon juice Halve and stone avocados. Place each half in an individual serving dish. Core the pear and chop into pieces. Chop the olives. Mix all the chopped ingredients with the dressings and spoon into the avocado halves to serve.

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Chocolate Pudding Ingredients • one box of silken tofu • one heaped tablespoon of cocoa powder • one banana • one tablespoon of peanut butter • one tablespoon of maple syrup or one teaspoon stevia Put in blender and blitz for about 10 seconds. Pour into six bowls and chill for about an hour or however long you have. It makes about 6 small pudding pots and keeps in the fridge 2 or 3 days. Grate some dark chocolate flakes on top if you want to be posh and have time.

Red Pepper Aubergine Ingredients • 3 aubergines • 1 red pepper • 3 tablespoons peanut oil • 2 cloves garlic • 1 red onion • 2 tablespoons soy sauce • 1 teaspoon wine vinegar • Fresh coriander to garnish Slice and salt the aubergines. After half an hour rinse them off. Chop all the vegetables and fry them in the oil. Add the other ingredients, reserving the coriander to add when serving. Cook for about ten minutes stir occasionally.

If you enjoyed the taster, you can get the whole book of vegan recipes online.

January Word Search by Momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorite Reads

This activity is available to download and print out on our website (click here) The answers for this activity are also available on our website (click here) - 70 -

January Crossword Puzzle by Momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Favorite Reads

This activity is available to download and print out on our website (click here) You can also play this crossword puzzle online (click here) The answers for this activity are also available on our website (click here) - 71 -

Horoscopes

by Barbara Astrosis, January 2019

Aquarius:

January 20 - February 18 With two major eclipses occurring this month, Aquarians will be called to rethink everything about their lives as this month and the decisions you make regarding relationships, work and health will set the tune for the next twenty years. Saturn, the planet of structure and discipline is preparing to move out of Capricorn into Aquarius. There will be many shake-ups and changes occurring globally, and particularly for Aquarians. It’s a major turning point and a wonderful opportunity for a reset. Take the time to contemplate on the past, but don’t dwell there. Make some changes, if you think they are necessary. You could be expanding your circle and finally meeting your tribe. Don’t hide your light any longer. Be your zany self, for it is only by showing your true self that you can find others of a similar ilk. Wear those wild colours, Aquarius, and continue paving the way for humanity. Do be careful about overspending and don’t fall for tricks and schemes. Your enthusiasm, while wonderful, could lead you to fall for Neptune’s guiles. Happy Birthday, Aquarius. It’s going to be an exciting ride. Blessings abound this month as you address issues that have been plaguing you for a long time now. You now have the opportunity to fulfil some dreams, reconnect with a loved one and heal old wounds. You just have to meet Fortuna half way. Reach for the stars this month!

Pisces:

February 19 – March 20 Mercury, Saturn, the sun, the moon and Pluto all in your areas of hopes, dreams and goal-setting. Go out and meet new people who may be able to help you achieve your dreams. Fresh start. What you do will be very significant for the years ahead. Saturn working with you on strategy, setting

priorities, helping you to form strategies to make these goals a reality. Sudden opportunities too. Working with groups. By working with groups, you can get tangible, profitable results. This is not about short-term payoff. Saturn rewards patience, perseverance pays off. It’s all about teaching you to have self-mastery. Make sure you don’t have the wool pulled over your eyes. It’s time to get real and stop pretending things are better than they are. Look at the facts and make your own decisions. Own your opinions. You know the wisdom of not arguing with people with fanatical opinions. Yes, you can listen to them, but don’t be easily swayed unless you can see the wisdom of their ways. There’s a fine line between being forgiving and being taken for a ride. Take a good look at the people with whom you surround yourself. Are they being honest with you? Watch what they do, not what they say. Stop making excuses for others. This is a great time for you Pisces to shine. Your thoughts shape your experiences, so be sure to focus on the positive.

Aries:

March 21 – April 19 Uranus is moving out of your sign now. You will have noticed your focus on changes you have made in the past eight years as you now start to create or think about a new direction in connection to your roots, career, family life, home. After all the fated events of the past, what adjustments have you made? You might even want to rebel against what you’ve created these past eight years. If you’re happy with them, then you won’t have to make many changes. Otherwise, fate may decide for you. A lot up in the air with the eclipse energy. The eclipse itself is happening in your fifth and 11 houses. The full moon is also putting a focus on how you relax and play in your life. Remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! Let the fun into your life. Uplift yourself

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and others around you though laughter. By realising that we are all connected, the awareness of unity will heal you and your relationship with family and friends that may have been rocky, to say the least. But that can all change, if you are willing to let go and not take yourself too seriously.

Taurus:

home. However, you’re going to be feeling this need for transformation, especially as we head into March. You may be feeling the need to rethink what is important to you, where you want to be, how you interact with people. Fated occurrences that have taken place for you, the synchronistic ways your life has taken lately. Be open to all avenues of receiving and you will be provided for in every way.

April 20 – May 20 The stars are fortuitous for you, Taureans, and could soon bring you a windfall in the form of a tax return, insurance pay out or a small inheritance. The first four months of 2019 set the tone for the next two decades. This is true for all the signs. You should be able to catch a glimpse of your new direction in January. It could be in the areas of education, longdistance travel, your core beliefs, spirituality, publishing, higher learning or teaching. It’s time to take action as you feel the wind in your sales. Move forward. Make things happen.

Gemini:

May 21 – June 20

Big month for you in January. The year starts out with eclipses, usually turning points for most of us. Decisions you make now determine the next chapters of your life, so think about what it is you want to achieve. Mars in the 11th is about friendships, social activities, collaboration, time to decide on perhaps connecting with a new social circle. It’s a powerful time for such connections. Mercury coming to join the 8th house on Watch out for feelings of not being enough, the 5th . You may feel the need to explore not doing enough. Saturn can make us feel your inner world at this time, to go deeper like that. Saturn brings out this incredible into something, astrology, psychology, the drive to achieve more, to do more. It’s all mind. It might also be a good time to think about strategy and self-mastery. What doors about your resources and set up a financial are opening for you? Will you take the strategy for the future. Someone may want to opportunities being offered to you in January? help you out in this. Perhaps you’re thinking Be careful not to scatter your energy. Stay of starting a new business or a business focused on what you want to achieve this partnership. This is not something new; coming year. Do take a long, hard look at you’ve probably been doing a lot of work the people with whom you surround yourself. behind the scenes, or at least it has been on Some people are meant to be in the audience your mind for several months. Venus will be and not on your stage. joining Jupiter in the 7th house, the house of marriage, love, commitment, deep friendship, The earth, too, is going through a transition close business connections too. Great for period and most of us are feeling its effects. those aspects. The lunar eclipse on the 20/21 Taurus, being an earth sign, is feeling it too. month will fall in your third house, making You are tapping into the energies prevalent you reflect on areas of higher learning, travel, now. It is particularly healing for you to get expanding your horizons and the way in outside in nature. Even if you’re in the depths which you communicate. An opportunity to of winter, a walk in nature will stimulate bring about changes you want to see in your your senses as you take in the beauty of your world. You may need to change something surrounds. Even a misty, grey day holds to do with groups. Perhaps you need to let go magic. about worrying what people think about you. It could be a time where new connections Culminating point puts focus on the 4th might challenge your beliefs. A lot of us have house for Taureans, with the full moon been reflecting on our lives over the past 18 occurring in your house of home, property months, and you’re no exception. You are and real estate. You’ve put a lot of energy seeing things more clearly now, and it’s time during the past one and a half-years in your to focus more on the bigger picture, your

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belief systems and what you want out of life. There’s a new injection of energy in the areas of family and home. You could be giving birth to creative endeavours. Perhaps even a physical birth in the family or the extended family. Celebrations are called for. Prepare for the wonderful growth and opportunities that are about to come.

Cancer:

June 21 – July 22 This month you will be able to release certain baggage you’ve been holding onto in 2018. It has to do with emotions and changes that happened in your personal life. With this new lease of life, you’ll be wanting to change your diet, force yourself to do more exercise—not easy in winter. Watch your lower back and don’t overdo it, especially if you’ve been having problems in that area. Too much sitting does not help. You’ll need to do regular, gentle stretching before you partake in more strenuous exercise. On another note, someone from the past may re-enter your life, if only briefly. Trust your immediate instincts about them, especially if things didn’t go well the last time. Be on the alert for trickery and again, trust your own feelings when it comes to people in your entourage.

done with a certain chapter or way of your life and you have reached certain realisations about yourself with this last eclipse. It’s a major turning point for you. The adventure is calling (Uranus influence). Perhaps you’re launching something new. It’s a powerful time as you decide to change health related habits. Venus will meet Jupiter in the sky in mid-month. Most romantic day of the year. You are going to be feeling full of love, flirtation and joy. You can expect to feel this energy from the beginning of the month. An incredible time to make connections with other people, positive for love interests too. The eclipse will be a game changer for you. Now you’ll understand what you truly need in your heart of hearts. You’re grounding this new year in truth. Choose only to focus on the positive energies and what you want to achieve as you begin planting the seeds and putting them into action. Blessings abound as you concentrate on areas of self-expression and creativity. It’s important to take care of yourself at the beginning of the month so that when all these opportunities come your way, you’ll be able to stay grounded. Examine any offers carefully. Be alert. Develop wise strategies. Don’t burn yourself out and become overwhelmed. Think long-term strategy. Planning foundation for the next two decades.

For some Leos, there could be fated events in the area of relationships. This could mean a shift in direction with family members, Your energies are high this month as you capture this new wave of energy. It’s as if you business partners etc. Could be some changes there. The need to alter something regarding are recapturing happy feelings of the past, when days seemed more carefree. Focus your beliefs. It’s about you coming back into balance. Everything is up for change right thoughts on the positive and don’t dwell on now. Like many other signs, you’ve probably negative emotions. been reflecting upon your behaviour. Have Money issues should be positive, especially you been obsessing over your own needs? toward the end of the month. Time to plan a While this is good, it’s also important not trip you’ve been wishing for for a long time. to neglect the needs of other people. Make This will also help keep your energies high as adjustments in that respect as well. If you’ve you give yourself something to look forward done the work on yourself, you’ll probably be to. reaping the benefits now. Time to shine your light, Leo!

Leo:

July 23 – August 22 There’s a lunar eclipse on the 21st in your sign, Leo. For the past couple of years you’ve been having eclipses in your sign. You are

Extraordinary opportunities abound in the least expected places.

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Virgo:

August 23 – September 22 Virgos are wrapping up 8th house issues now. Have you been through a long period of sorting through issues dealing with money, or karmic issues to do with other people’s money? Auspicious time now as you come to the end of a difficult stage. You might even find yourself helping someone else with their resources, either a business or a romantic partnership. It’s a wonderful time for setting clear intentions, cutting out what you no longer need and setting your sails for the direction in which you want to move. Solar eclipse on the 5th, creativity, gifts, children, romance, entertainment. Perhaps you’ll be feeling the love again, finding your joy. Venus shines a light on the 4th house this month. Will bring more value and fun into home issues. Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter later on in the month shines an even brighter light in your home area. Perhaps you’ll be redecorating or even moving. It’s a good time for clearing things out, stabilising and settling down. Also possible reconciliation with family members, taking a fond trip back down memory lane. If you’re thinking of moving in with someone, make sure you both communicate your needs clearly at the outset to avoid later misunderstandings. Don’t rush it as it will have consequences for years to come. Open your arms to receiving now, especially if you’ve done the work. Focus on creative expression and plant the seeds for the future as you set the tone for the next twenty years. Calm your nerves and let go of anxiety. You’ve survived the strongest storms and are still standing strong.

Libra:

September 23 - October 22 The year begins with eclipses. Eclipses give us the opportunity to see what has been hidden from us. The focus is on everything to do with your home, security, family. Some of you may be moving too, or redecorating. Pluto and Saturn have been in this area for some time, Mercury joins the party on the 4th and later on in the year, Jupiter will also

enter this area of your life. It’s about cleaning house, building a solid foundation and planning for the future. This aspect could be a bit challenging as you focus on your areas of security. Are you too co-dependent on others? How can you create balance within yourself and take care of yourself too. Most of us are thinking about these issues now. We are feeling the need to beautify our space and honour our deepest wishes. There could be power struggles going on with family members as Mars is in Aries in your area of relationships. This could indicate aggressive behaviour of someone in your life. Repressed feelings can no longer be held back and what has been percolating for a long time must come to the boil. It will bring clarity in the long run. Clean house now so that you’ll be ready for more positive events in late January/February. There’s also a beneficial light shining on communication for most of you, short trips, learning something new or teaching. If you are in the communication areas, publishing, producing, broadcasting etc., you could be experiencing very positive times now. Is it time for a change in your social circle? Perhaps a longing to make connections with people who are on the same wavelength as you. Are your goals still valid for you? Is your heart in your job, your business, your social circles? If not, it’s time to be more proactive in making the changes you’d like to see this coming year. Someone new could be coming into your life. It could be someone who is unusual in some way, someone you normally wouldn’t have been interested in. Uranus is activating areas of romance and creative expression for you. Sometimes people come into our lives for a brief period to remind us how to have fun and sometimes they are here to stay. Saturn can help turn your dreams into reality by prompting you to take necessary steps to make them happen. Money looks good too. The focus now is more about the foundations you’re setting up, rather than on making big career moves.

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Sagittarius:

Take time to nurture yourself and make sure you stay strong and healthy.

November 22 – December 21

Scorpio:

October 23 – November 21 2019 is going to be your year, Scorpio. The changes coming are going to be so significant and they begin in January. An important part of your life is ending. You feel the need to go in a different direction now as you’ve been sensing these changes for several months already. There are two major eclipses in January, the first of which occurs on the 5th January in your 3rd house, putting a focus on the areas of communication, understanding your mind, focussing on what’s important, study, networking etc. It’s all about mental energy. Cut down on social media and listen to what your subconscious is trying to tell you. Perhaps you’ve been distracted by too much social media, gaming and avoidance of what you know needs to be done. It’s all about balance and it’s never too late to make changes in this direction. Venus will be joining Jupiter in your 2nd house on the 8th of the month, a beneficial aspect for financial matters. On the 20/21, there’s a lunar eclipse on your 10th house. Change in career direction. Perhaps learning new skills that will take your career in a new direction. Also shining a light on how you interact with people. Are you withdrawing or are you coming out. Are you being real and authentic? On the 21st, the sun is in your 4th house and on the 25th mercury in the 4th. You might make some positive changes, a sincere conversation a family member or a close friend. Perhaps you will start that writing project or that book you’ve been thinking about. Mars your ruler resonates with Uranus in your 6th house. You realise that you are the one who makes things happen in your life. Yes, there may be fated events and magical synchronicities in life, but if you want something to happen, you need to put in the work. Just keep taking action now. All stations go. Makes decisions now so you can move forward!

Starts of in a powerful way with eclipses beginning at the start of the year. Areas that may have been problematic could now be resolved, especially in the areas of relationships, finances, work, health, and all the important areas. On the 5th, solar eclipse happening in your 2nd house of money, values, talents. A wonderful opportunity for a financial reset button to be pressed. This is the time to make changes here, for new beginnings. You might become selfemployed or get a new job as you finally realise where your gifts lie and begin taking action there. What’s important to you? Are you living according to your true values? On the 8th of the month, Venus comes into your sign, joining Jupiter. Very auspicious, makes you popular, powerful and makes you feel harmonious and peaceful in your relationships. On 20/21, there’s a lunar eclipse in your 9th house, shining a light on travel. Perhaps you’re thinking of going somewhere you’ve never been to before, exploring new lands. The focus is also on international communications, romance with someone from a different culture, publishing, going global. The sun enters your 3rd house on the 21st, putting a focus on signing contracts, negotiations, networking, connections generally. All month Mars is in your 5th house, resonating with your creative and fun side. Any new ideas you have now are divinely inspired and are meant to be shared with the world!

Capricorn:

December 22 - January 19 The focus this month is on your sign, Capricorn. With several planets in your sign, the sun (for most of the month), Saturn, Mercury, Pluto and the 1st eclipse of the year in there too (solar eclipse), you are preparing to make big moves and set the stage for the next two decades. If you’ve been doing the work, preparing and strategizing this past year and indeed longer, you will begin to reap the benefits this year. Now is the time to show the rest of the world what you can do. The

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past few years have been difficult for you, as they have for most of the signs. You may feel as if things have been taken away from you, as if your security has been threatened. Now, you’ll begin to see that what is emerging is even better than you could have imagined. Have you learned new skills? Have you settled your income streams or created new ones in this ever-changing world? Have you made wise investments, fixed up your home and taken care of things that were falling apart? After the hard work, comes the fun and the enjoyment. You will literally be on stage as your skills are honed and you can pass on what you’ve learned to others. It’s all about strategy in January, strategy and self-mastery. Jupiter will be joining later in the year, as will Mars early next year. All the planets are direct until March 6th. Enjoy the feeling of having wind is in your sails. Credit to Pixabay for Zodiac symbols.

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Author Spotlight Paulette Mahurin Your favourite... Qualities in a man/woman?

Honesty, sense of humor, good health habits, good communicator and listener.

Painters and musicians?

Too many to pick favorites. So many different categories, time periods in history, and ways of expressing. I appreciate talent in any field. And there has never been a lack of talent.

Qualities in a woman?

Self confidence, strong will and determination, compassion, intuition.

Pastime?

Being with family and my dogs, quality time with friends, reading, writing, doing my professional job as a Nurse Practitioner, and volunteer work.

Colour and flower?

Green and I love most flowers, especially natural and wild in nature.

Prose authors and poets?

Again, too many to enumerate on one, two, or a few. There is a lot of great talent out there from the well-known to the independents struggling to be read. - 78 -

Heroes in fiction?

The ones that are real, and balanced, and don’t necessarily overcome all the great odds but certainly give it their best. One I can relate to, one that I can read and feel he is organic and authentic.

Heroines in fiction?

Same as in heroes. And I might add for both not a stereotypical cast character, one that has flaws and emulates the human condition realistically.

What is your idea of happiness?

Being okay with whatever is happening. Accepting the hand I’m dealt. I may not be able to change it but can I change my attitude about it and find something to be grateful about.

If not yourself, who would you be? What do you appreciate the most in your friends?

I’m okay with who I am and don’t dwell on being someone else. Like Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.”

Balance in give and take. Ability to communicate constructively, effectively, and honestly.

What is your main fault? I take things too personally. Oversensitive.

Paulette Mahurin lives with her husband Terry and two dogs, Max and Bella, in Ventura County, California. She grew up in West Los Angeles and attended UCLA, where she received a Master’s Degree in Science. You can discover more about May on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/paulette-mahurin/

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Mom’s Favorite Reads eMagazine January 2019

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