📚 Inspire to Be a Passeur in Life

Juliette has always loved books ~ especially how they smell ~ the scents that lingered with them long after they were put down. She even wondered about the type of people who would read them. During her daily commute on the Metro, she covertly watched her fellow passengers, as a way to amuse & distract herself. By what they were reading & how they behaved, she would make some presumptions about the kind of people they were & other details about their lives.

Although she has a decent life, she’s become bored with the routine. When she decides to change things up by taking the scenic route home, she gets pulled into an assignment that could change her life forever. The more she makes a home in this new world, the more she examines her own life choices.

Juliette is a poignant character, who seeks the passion in life we all look for at times. In this story, she inspires us to step outside our own lives, reminds us to take the time to look at the world around us, & nudges us towards the chances that come our way…so we can ultimately learn where we truly belong. I encourage you to become a 'passeur' in life ~ leave a book any place it will be found, so perhaps a soul out there, searching for something, might pick it up & find it. 

“He was talking about books as if they were alive - old friends, powerful adversaries at times, insolent teenagers & elderly ladies sitting by the fire. In our bookcases? Grumpy wise men & mistresses, uncontrollable passions, future killers, thin paper boys offering their hands to fragile damsels whose beauty grew thin with every description. Some books were wild horses that took you with them in a mad galloping while you were hanging, breathless. Others were like boats sailing softly on a lake lit by the moonlight, & some were prisons.” ~ Christine Féret-Fleury, The Girl Who Reads on the Métro

🌬

It's a fun, quick read. Worthy of recommendation to anyone else who's also curious.. It was her first book to be translated into English & published around the world. 

My car always has books in it, just in case I go off the beaten path, but currently I leave them at the door of the dollar store I frequent. They're almost always gone before I leave. I sometimes wonder what journey these books are on & who they're currently inspiring. Take pleasure in the path..

Créer, c'est vivre deux fois. ~ To create is to live twice.

Let's be friends on Goodreads!

♡°~*Nancy*~°♡'s bookshelf: read

The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

1984

by George Orwell

The Amityville Horror

by Jay Anson

🥚Egg-cellent ~ Beyond the Boil

 

Electric Egg Steam Cooker

Includes cooking plates to make up to seven hard, medium, or soft boiled eggs or to poach or make an omelet. Includes a combo measuring cup/egg piercer.

Was looking for an easier, more versatile way to enjoy hardboiled eggs without a lot of preparation. Also enjoy deviled eggs but didn't want to make a large amount. I was impressed with the design & multitude of features. 

* Not sponsored content. All opinions are my own.

Alarm

Auto Shut-Off

BPA-Free

Easy Clean Up

Smart Design

16-Recipe Booklet

Measuring cup is the only thing needing improvement. Piercing needle is smart but it's cap could easily be lost. The (essential) markings of the exact amount of water (for how long the unit will heat up) is rubbing off.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Works beautifully & is exactly what I wanted. Easily steams eggs to perfection. Deviled eggs on demand. Perfect for salads. Fill your eggs to-go quickly out the door with all the best fillings. Since it steams so well, I tried vegetables like corn on the cob & wasn't disappointed. Easy to understand instructions. Good choice for a small kitchen as it doesn't take up much room. Would buy again or give as a gift.

Prices & styles vary. I only paid $13 for mine.  Amazon

Elite Gourmet EGC700CW# Rapid Egg Cooker

🎭 Montecristo ~ Not Just a Sandwich

In 'The Storm' Edmond Dantès, the protagonist in Alexandre Dumas’ 1844 novel, The Count of Montecristo, says: 

“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.” 

Edmond Dantès’ character, an inveterate bon vivant, whose false imprisonment strips him of his dignity, his lover, & his wealth. Despite what he loses, his passion for life is never extinguished. Dantès’ longing for his lover, Mercedes, combined with his desire for revenge on Fernand Mondego (his childhood best friend) & his entourage, fuels his escape & eventual triumph. Fantastic read as the masterful Dumas highlights its intricate plot, deep themes, & rich characters. 

Fun Facts:

Play On Exoticism: The name 'Monte Cristo' sounds elegant, masking the humble origins of the sandwich which is a variation of the 'croque monsieur'.

The 'Secret': Just as the main character in 'The Count of Monte Cristo' hides his true identity, the sandwich's name hides its basic ingredients & simple preparation.

French Roots: The 'Monte Cristo' is an American interpretation of the French 'croque monsieur', which literally translates to 'crunchy mister' or 'Mr. Crunchy'. The Monte Cristo adds ingredients like turkey & dips the sandwich in egg batter before frying, similar to French toast. 

Have this Monte Cristo Sandwich recipe pinned📌 if you would like to give it a try. Also a simple way to reuse leftover French toast from a morning's breakfast.

🍫 The Art & Joy of Living Well

Someone who savors the best that life has to offer. Perhaps an elegant glass of wine, delicious morsels of food, those perfect fashion pieces, a chic soirée or an engaging conversation. Appreciation of the small glimmers from a variety of cultures & tastes.. Discovery found through eyes of wonder. 

As a passionate person who enjoys the good things in life, as they are found or shared. What it means to live well depends on the individual but it needn't be expensive. Many things, the simple pleasures, are already within our means. It's really about being grateful for these often gratis & overlooked gifts. 

Ones that multiply , merely by being shared. 

• Noticing & appreciating small, everyday things. 
• Sense of energy & harmony that people feel when joy spreads through a group during a shared experience.
• Active enjoyment of simple pleasures, like a beautiful day or bettering yourself from learning.
• General sense of vitality & zest that makes a person radiant & joyful to be around. 
• Embracing life's complexities & finding happiness in the simple fact that you're stronger than you think, including navigating sorrow & disappointments.

“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the upmost, to reach out eagerly & without fear for newer & richer experience.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Life can be a cutting, exhausting challenge & it's necessary sometimes to step back to nurture our souls, reset & then make a come back. The best part is knowing that even through all the hardship, you're still thriving, that you're still growing & there's much more ahead. I hope this empowers you & in turn, you inspire others. With some practice, these become habits: 

• Cultivating a mindset of being positive, seeing life as a bit of a mystery with gems twinkling, daring to be discovered. 
• Cutting out the noise & sharpen your focus on richness of experiences. 
• Challenging yourself to find things that are free or almost free. 
• Embracing self-sufficiency by cultivating your skills. 
• Encouraging gratitude in yourself & others. 
• Enjoying & appreciating simple luxuries.

The following are some things to consider in our lives:

Mindset & Connections

• Shift focus to value experiences over possessions; to find joy in nature, community, & learning.
• Add value to our connections by engaging more with our 'cheerleader' friends. Join local groups (buy nothing, skill-shares) for support & resources.
• Share skills by bartering our talents (cooking, editing, childcare, repairs) for things we need. 

Food & Sustenance

• Host or join bread/dessert/food community swaps.
• Learn to find edible plants or start a garden.
• Minimize waste by finding perfectly good free food near restaurants/supermarkets.
• Make simple, nourishing meals from staples items. 

Goods & Services

• Use local barter networks or time banks.
• Find items on social media & at freecycle events.
• Borrow books, movies, & sometimes even tools.
• Trade labor for housing or food,  community-based systems for exchanging services & skills without money. Volunteering often comes with perks.

Experiences & Luxury

• Visit museums on free days, attend free concerts/shows, & other low-cost community events.
• Invest in a few quality items that enhance daily life: nice towels, plants, good coffee/tea.
• Enjoy parks, hiking, cycling as transportation & recreation.
• Focus on & have gratitude for simple pleasures, such as good conversation, & savoring simple moments, like a home-baked treat or fresh fruit from a neighbor.

 

What could you add to this? Please add them in the comments. Having you stop by is a delight! ✨

 

To show my appreciation, I am doing a giveaway for  something silky & pampering in the spirit of joyful, relaxed living. Good luck! ☺️

See Entry Form for Details

Entry-Form

🧬 Chasing Our Own Tales

What's Better Than Free? Free for Everyone, Forever!

Tracing your family lineage is now available free & with relative ease. To trace your lineage, start with yourself & work backward by documenting what you know, interviewing older relatives, & using resources like online genealogy sites, census records, & birth/marriage certificates. Keep detailed records of names, dates, & places, & use additional clues like occupation or religion to distinguish between ancestors with similar names. 

Living relatives memories are ideal because we get the emotions associated with the data. It delighted me to get a glimpse into the personalities of my paternal grandparents, who died when I was very young, by people who knew them better than me. 

"They were pioneers of the region: he was serious, honest, & responsible; she was jovial, welcoming, optimistic, & strong."

Interview older family members & ask about their memories, family stories, & any old documents or photos they might have to share. Ask for details like full names, maiden names, dates, & places of birth, marriage, & death. Take notes or use a phone to record the conversation (with permission). 

With a chart or online tool, it's fairly easy to input generation by generation. Be thorough & record every detail you find, no matter how small, as it can provide clues for the next step. Pay close attention to names, dates, & places, as these are the key identifiers for your ancestors. 

Look for birth, marriage, & death certificates. Some local & state archives provide access to these records. Census & Immigration Records can provide a snapshot of your ancestors at a specific time & location, including household members.

Cemetery records can group family members who are buried near each other & may provide additional information. Search historical newspaper archives for birth announcements, obituaries, & local stories. As you get further back, you will see that other people's 'leaves & branches' overlap your own. 

You could consider hiring a professional genealogist if you get stuck but I have found people are really glad to help. That has been my experience from using WikiTree. As you go back in time, you will begin to discover 'cousins' who have already filled in most of those blanks. I was thrilled to get 10 merge requests already. 

I just happen to have a lot of information, including 100-150 years of hometown books for both my parents, & a bunch of other families, so I feel  a sense of obligation to share what's at my fingertips. Once we start losing loved ones, it gets harder.

I have been so impressed with it that I want to tell everybody. WikiTree states that they're completely FREE for everyone, Forever! It's a fun puzzle that could be a great monthly activity with your kids or other family to cultivate deeper family ties. 

Genealogy helps to teach young people skills like critical thinking, research, & analysis. It also develops personal skills such as identity & self-esteem, creativity, & resilience. Additionally, it fosters communication & social skills through interviewing family members & a deeper appreciation for diversity.  The person being interviewed may also like reminiscing. Your work today will be a gift in the future.

Je me souviens. I remember.

Where are your families originally from?