Hello and welcome to a new decade and a new look, a work in progress. Here we are nearly a quarter of the way into this New Year and I’m just making my first appearance. Actually, it’s taken a fellow blogger to draw me out of my seclusion with a happy request to be a guest on my site.
So, in my attempt to get up to speed with a new theme, I’m happy to be back to introduce you to my friend, Diana Jackson, from across the pond with her new book and written contribution for your reading enjoyment.
We first connected back in 2013 when I came across her series of posts she had written about Norman, 103 years old. I was intrigued and enjoyed the stories about this man and their endearing friendship. She even published his memoir , “The Life and Demise of Norman Campbell”.
Diana now lives in Fife, Scotland, and is the author of ‘mystery inspired by history books,’ a fantasy memoir and historical romantic fiction ~ the Riduna series ~ set in 19th and early 20th Century.
We have followed each other ever since and she is a talented and accomplished author with a number of published books, along with her latest, “Missing Past and Present”.
So, without further delay, here is Diana’s story for your reading pleasure.
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FRIENDSHIP OVER THE POND
By
Author Diana Jackson
ABOUT OUR FRIENDSHIP
Pat and I have followed each other’s blogs for several years now and it does not matter that we have never met and live worlds apart, Pat in the USA and I am in the UK, it is lovely how friendship bonds can grow through blogs, Twitter and Facebook.
It was her blog title which caught my eye first ‘Plain Talk and Ordinary Wisdom’ and her catch phrase, Kitchen Table Stories to Inspire and Warm your Heart. It was the domesticity and warmth which shone from her posts which grabbed me, as well as her honesty. What qualities and ideas do we both share?
- We both like to write our own true stories but to share those of others too. Pat is much more proactive than I am about collecting or reposting other tales and memories. Mine are on https:/selectionsofreflections.wordpress.com which I must return to after all the excitement of my book launch on my other blog https://dianamj.wordpress.com/.
- It is not that it has always been cosy for both of us. No, we have had our fair share of life’s issues to deal with, but I believe it is that we look upon the world in a similar way, trying to see the best in people and situations.
- We are both moved by a sense of belonging and feel a longing to visit places of our past or family history.
- We share a sense of family and we experience joy looking at old family photos.
- I believe that we have a quiet faith which is important to us in everything we do.
- Pat lives in the Colorado Rocky Mountains in Denver, an area in America I don’t know but it sounds beautiful. I now live in Scotland with only an hour’s drive to the Cairngorms.
- Pat has family links with Scotland too and maybe one day we will meet either here in Fife or in America.
Why is a blog like Pat’s so important? I believe it is because it helps us all to focus on the positive and to look for the good in people. I nearly had a mis-type ‘the God’ in people, but maybe it is that too!
When I moved to Fife and took a break from my writing life, only just keeping social media going, we lost touch for a while. Pat too had a time when issues at home took over her life and she did not post blogs for a while. I found myself wondering how she and her family were, but I was so pleased to see her posts again and it is good to pick up from where we left off! We now email from time to time and see each other on Facebook ~ that wonderful way of linking people worlds apart.
ABOUT MY WRITING
The Healing Paths of Fife is my own story of how I survived redundancy and relocation three hundred miles from Bedfordshire to Scotland. We made our home in the fellowship of a wonderful community, surrounded by the Scottish countryside and the wee fishing villages of Fife. It tells how I gave up writing for a while to settle into this new life, but was finally stirred to take up the pen once more. The book is written in allegorical form with fantasy talks with folks in history as I walk the beautiful Fife coastal path including Robert Louis Stevenson and St Margaret. Quirky I know! It is currently for sale with all royalties benefiting Kirkcaldy Foodbank.
I can hardly believe though, that it is six years since my last novel Murder, Now and Then was published but the next in my Mystery Inspired by History series, MISSING Past and Present has just been released. Is it really over six years since we were first in contact Pat? I think it was when I was posting about Norman, a very special 103 year old friend, wasn’t it?
On Line Friendships
Neither miles nor continents,
Seas nor countries,
Cities nor villages,
Streets nor homes,
Can break a friendship bound by
Caring and sharing,
Joy and hope,
Good will and kindness,
Thoughtfulness
and above all
Gratitude.
By Diana Jackson
Thanks so much Pat!
I’ve just downloaded your book and look forward to it.
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I’m thankful to have such thoughtful and caring followers over the internet, like Diana, that have developed into friendships over the years. We are worlds apart; yet, our lives are connected in similar ways living and working through the same daily events . . . loving, laughing, listening and supporting one another.
Thank you, Diana, you helped bring me back stirring the juices to reboot up my site and begin writing again.
Pat from the ‘ol kitchen table
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2020 Pat Ruppel
Thank you, Pat, for sharing this beautiful story of your and Diana’s friendship. The bonds of love transcend time and space, and are eternal.
Thank you, John. I treasure those friendships even if they’ve only been over the internet. Connections are special and it’s fun to see what everyone is up to and how life is going. Been awhile since I last posted and it’s nice to see you back and still here.
Dear Pat, it is so wonderful to see you blogging again and I love your new look. I also very much enjoyed meeting Diana, thank you for introducing her and her intriguing books to us. You both certainly live in beautiful parts of the world! I relate so much to those gaps in writing, blogging and social media when life ‘happens’. And it’s happening again with coronovirus surrounding us all. These are trying and frightening times, but maintaining our long distance friendship in such ways is so important. I am so glad to have met you here, Pat. God bless you and I look forward to future posts. Keep well and safe…love and hugs, Sherri <3
Thank you for stopping by, Sherri. I’m very much thankful for Diana in giving me the nudge to get back out there again. Like you, she’s a treasured friend I’ve met over the internet who has a passion for writing and publishing books. By the way, how is your book coming?
I haven’t written much lately as I’ve not known where to start again and my site had some issues with an old theme that bringing it up to date would solve. I’ve been dragging my heels on that. It’s still a work in progress and I keep picking at it because what old issues it resolved brought in new techy stuff I’m not familiar with. So, thank you for liking the new look. I’ll get it eventually where I’m really happy with it.
You’re right. These are trying times, for sure, but something I’ve felt for awhile was coming because the world has been so out of balance. I just didn’t know what it would look like. I pray we all take the time to see what it’s trying to say to each of us individually. Maybe, this will be a time to slow down where we can listen and look at things differently.
God bless you, my friend. I’m so happy to see you over here and that all is well on your side of the pond in spite of the chaos. Love and hugs — always!💖
Oh my dear Pat, it’s wonderful to read you again. I understand completely…sometimes we don’t know which way to turn and how to start again. It’s small steps and somehow, we are led in the right direction. I have felt just the same as you for a long time, everything has been so out of balance. As bad as this virus is, to me it is revealing something far worse: the sick root at the heart of our society. Something needs to change, something big. Will those at the top see this? Will we return to our money-grabbing, immoral and selfish ways when it’s all over? The greed, selfishness, and sorry, ignorance of those who refuse to self distance and still go out in gatherings despite the endless warnings that we can all get sick and die from this, no matter what age, of the terrible pressures on our healthcare (NHS here) and on the frontline medics and personnel out there helping us all? Not to mention their families and loved ones and all of us affected by this. I just hope and pray this really will be a massive wake up call to us all to live our lives very differently, as we simply can’t sustain this level for much longer, can we? Sorry…I will go on! Book wise, I am submitting to agents as I am trying to get traditionally published, but it’s a long, arduous road and every disheartening. But I will keep going and will keep you posted! I did have one positive rejection…it’s just really difficult to break out in the market as a debut author with a memoir at the moment. But I will go as the Lord leads.
God bless you, my dear friend. Keep safe and well in the chaos and I’ll do the same and see you again very soon! <3 xoxo
Sherri — my sentiments on your comment. I guess there’s always been the greedy and powerful way back to the beginning of time; but, don’t know that there’s ever been a time at this magnitude and the staggering amounts of $’s that’s talked about, like it’s pocket change. My mind can’t comprehend it and I suppose that’s the point. We’ve gotten so far away from simple love and the energy of life we don’t even recognize it anymore.
I think it’s a wake up call but also something we’re doing to ourselves. We haven’t managed things well over the years and, like I said, things are so out of balance. It’s like abusing our bodies through time with alcohol, cigarettes, poor eating and eventually it shows up in one form or another. Guess it’s showing up in our world — big time.
But, I think there’s always time and grace and I see that, too, where we’re reaching out to one another, being quiet and still, listening to the birds, talking to our neighbors. Things we used to do — it’s slow but we’re waking up. I could go on, too, my friend. I love you and please stay safe and well. Best of luck on your book – hang in there. It will get published and we’ll get to the other side of this and be better for it. Love and hugs. 💖
Oh Pat, again, exactly how I feel…but, as you also so rightly point out, there is always grace and how we need it. We have forgotten how to take joy from the most simple of gifts, like the robin singing and daffodils growing and the warm sun on our face…right outside our front door, if we listen… Gifts of nature and from our neighbours, friends, loved ones….all of us, taking the time to reach out and be gentle and genuine. I love you, too, my dear friend. Thank you so much always for your encouragement…we’ll get through this. Much love and hugs to you always… <3 xoxo
Yes, we will get through this, Sherri, and it’s important to have company with friends like you along the journey. There’s no way of getting out of this but we can choose the type of ride we have. God love you, my friend. Love and hugs. 💖
So true, Pat. We make that choice and having wonderful, true friends like you makes it that much easier. God love you too, dear Pat…much love and hugs…from a safe distance, naturally! Keep safe and well always! <3
Same to you, my friend. All of what you said and more. Hugs! 💖
God bless you, dear friend, always <3 <3 <3
And you, as well, Sherri. God bless you and your family. Stay safe and well, my friend. 💖
Bless you Diana for bringing Pat back to the table!
Yes, Bevany. I thank Diana too. Her spirit and enthusiasm is refreshing and will give you a kick in the butt to get up and do something — haha. Love it. Appreciate your reads and comments and exploration of my site. There’s much to see over 10 years and I welcome you. Thank You!