We Love Memoirs was set up on 31st August 2013 by two memoir authors, Victoria Twead and Alan Parks, who wanted to create a place where memoir readers and authors could come together and chat. Victoria Twead is a New York Times bestselling author of “Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools” and the “Old Fools” series, while Alan Parks is the author of “Seriously Mum, What’s an Alpaca?” and the “Seriously Mum” series. Victoria and Alan were determined to foster a warm community and have always discouraged authors from pushing their own books at readers. The results have been astounding, and WLM has grown quickly. New friendships are formed every day, and WLM meet-ups across the globe have become common.
artwork by my colorfully creative, tennis playing uncle, simon
Serena in action
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (noun) Keen interest or enthusiasm. | ||
| Synonyms: | eagerness, avidness, keenness | ||
| Usage: | A devoted fan, he followed the tennis tournament with avidity. | ||
History
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 | The Iroquois Confederacy is a North American confederation of indigenous peoples, initially comprising the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca. A sixth tribe, the Tuscarora, joined later. The league was formed for both defense purposes and to prevent intertribal conflict. Although frequently referred to as the Iroquois, the nations refer to themselves collectively as Haudenosaunee, which means "people of the longhouse." | ||
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 | Caligula was a Roman emperor who began his reign upon the death of the extremely unpopular Tiberius. His reign was initially welcomed, but, shortly after assuming power, he suffered a severe illness that is widely believed to have rendered him insane. He earned a reputation for cruel autocracy, torture, and execution and was finally assassinated by a tribune of the Praetorian Guard. Caligula's real name was Caius Caesar Germanicus. | ||
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 | Average life expectancy among people worldwide has risen by more than six years since 1990, and healthy life expectancy has climbed by more than five years, a new report shows. | ||
1881 - The first tennis championships in the U.S. were played.
1920 - The first news program to be broadcast on radio was aired. The station was 8MK in Detroit, MI.
1920 - John Lloyd Wright was issued a patent for "Toy-Cabin Construction," which are known as Lincoln Logs. (U.S. patent 1,351,086)
1928 - "Die Dreigoschenoper" ("Threepenny Opera") premiered in Berlin. The music was by Kurt Weill.
1974 - "The Partridge Family" television show ended.
1997 - Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in a car crash in a road tunnel, Paris
2006 - Stolen on August 22, 2004, Edvard Munch's famous painting "The Scream" is recovered from a raid by Norwegian police. The painting was said to be in a better-than-expected condition.
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, August 31
You can be extremely persuasive and charming. However, although you do use your charm to your advantage, there is a point when your big heart and strong morals keep you from taking advantage of others. You have a strong presence and magnetism - qualities that help you immensely towards achievement and success. Security is important to you, and you will work hard to make sure your life is as stable as possible. While you can have a lot of things going on at once, you at your best when you stay organized and when you develop routines and schedules. While you are romantically inclined, you may have your fair share of challenges in love. Luckily, you grow and learn from early mistakes. You are intuitively drawn to loyal, stable partners because of a strong need for security in love. You seek balance in your personal relationships, and you are not afraid to work hard to achieve it. The practical aspects of partnership are important to you, as you intuitively know that although love is important, relationships also need to work in the real world in order to thrive. Famous people born today: Dr. Maria Montessori, Richard Gere, Chris Tucker, James Coburn, Sara Ramirez, Van Morrison.
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Simon Neil (b. 1979) is a Scottish vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. Born in Irvine, he established the band Biffy Clyro in 1995 with James and Ben Johnston. He has also played with JP Reid of Sucioperro in Marmaduke Duke, using the pseudonym "The Atmosphere", and started a solo career.
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Peeking Kirkjufell
Photograph by Dean Austin, National Geographic
Located on the coast of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland, Kirkjufell, which means “church mountain,” is said to be the most photographed mountain in the country. It’s a challenging climb to the top—but worth the extraordinary view when you get there.
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King Charles Brocade Baby Blanket
This King Charles Brocade Baby Blanket is a lovely knit that's easy to make with just knit and purl stitches. This knit blanket pattern is beautifully detailed and ...
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Country Mouse - Patterns | Yarnspirations
Knit this sweet country mouse in Patons Classic Wool DK Superwash.
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Cascading Colors Mitered Blanket - Patterns | Yarnspirat...
With cascading mitered squares, this bold blanket is a great way to refresh your space.
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thanks, heide
An elderly Italian man lived alone in New Jersey . He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, since the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over.. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love, Papa
A few days later he received a letter from his son.
Dear Pop,
Don’t dig up that garden. That’s where the bodies are buried.
Love,
Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.
Dear Pop,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love you,
Vinnie
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Governor Lotso Teddy Bear pattern by Hannah Daley
Vanna's Choice Solids, Heathers & Twists by Lion Brand Aran / 10 ply 100% Acrylic 170 yards / 100 grams average rating from 10480 votes 97622 project...
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Star Lily Crochet Hexagon Pattern -
Thanks to Knit Picks for providing the yarn for today’s post! So today I have something fun for you! Today I am sharing a pattern as part of my very first C...
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RECIPE
thanks, heide
Slow Cooker Ritz Chicken
Six Sisters Stuff
A creamy slow cooker chicken dish with a buttery Ritz cracker coating.
Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 8 hours Total time: 8 hours 5 mins
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
10¾ ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
1½ cups crushed Ritz crackers
½ cup butter, melted
4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
Combine the soup and sour cream in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl mix together crackers crumbs and melted butter.
Place chicken in a slow cooker that has been sprayed lightly with non stick cooking spray. Spoon the soup/sour cream mixture over the chicken and then sprinkle with the Ritz cracker topping. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours.
Serve over mashed potatoes.
CROCKPOT RECIPE
stephanie o'dea
Restaurant-Quality Crockpot Tomato Soup Recipe
I hate tomato soup from the can. I hate it. I think it looks gross, smells gross, and tastes like metal. It also has wheat starch in it for some stupid reason. But I can't seem to get enough of fancy restaurant tomato soup. It tastes much different than canned soup---it's both sweet and tangy, and the bit of cream leaves a nice velvet layer on your tongue.This is a great way to use up a tomato surplus from your garden.
The Ingredients.
--3 lbs of vine-ripened tomatoes
--1 med onion, chopped
--2 cups tomato juice
--1 cup cooking sherry
--3 T granulated white sugar
--1 gluten-free chicken boullion cube
--2 T chopped fresh basil
to add later:
--2 cups heavy cream
--salt and pepper to taste
optional:
sour cream and/or Parmesan cheese for garnish
The Directions.
Use a 5-6 quart crockpot for this soup.
Wash all of your tomatoes, and cut them in quarters. Nope, we're not going to peel the tomatoes, yay! To save your counter top from tomato gook, put your cutting board on a cookie sheet with sides. The juice will then stay inside the cookie sheet.
Put all the tomatoes in your crockpot.
Chop up the onion, and add it. Cover with the tomato juice and sherry, and drop in the boullion cube. Stir in the sugar and chopped basil.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
If you'd like your soup to have chunks, go ahead and stir in the cream. If you'd prefer a chunk-free soup, CAREFULLY use an immersible blender to soupify, or blend in small batches in a traditional blender. Then stir in the heavy cream.
The Verdict.
We ate this with some drop biscuits and licked our bowls. My tomato-loving child thought it was a "bit too tomato-y," but ate it and my tomato-hater lapped up tons. This is an elegant soup, perfect for a starter at a fancy dinner, or to serve with sandwiches at a tea party. Or you can stand at the counter and eat it directly out of the pot.
CRAFTS
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Pressed leaf bookmarks
These bookmarks are a great way to use the dried pressed leaves many of us have sitting in books or flower presses since last fall.
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CHILDREN'S CORNER ... coloring
PUZZLE
QUOTE
9-Year-Old Girl Spends Her Free Time Building Tiny Shelters for the Homeless
By Sumitra
Hailey Ford may look like an ordinary nine-year-old girl, but her magnanimity is rather uncommon and awe-inspiring. The little saint has made it her mission to help the homeless in her community by giving them a place to sleep.
While most other kids her age are content playing with toys, Hailey picks up power tools to build tiny shelters for people living on the streets. “It just doesn’t seem right that there are homeless people,” she told KING 5 News. “I think everyone should have a place to live.”
thanks, susie
Take Your Time
A police officer called the station on his radio.
"I have an interesting case here. An old lady shot
"I have an interesting case here. An old lady shot
her husband for stepping on the floor she just mopped."
"Have you arrested the woman?"
"Not yet. The floor's still wet."
"Have you arrested the woman?"
"Not yet. The floor's still wet."
"Welcome" in Afrikaans (South Africa) - Welkom
CLEVER
DIRTY OVEN NO MORE .
Badly in need….so sorry little oven…
You can almost hear it crying…..
Mix up 5 T baking soda, 5 drops of Dawn, 4 T vinegar….mix into a paste. I had to mix a double batch….it was that bad….
Take out all your aggression and go at it….coat the paste everywhere with a sponge. Close the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes….come back and scrub, and scrub, and scrub….
I also used a lemon, cut in half and pour some salt on it….put a few drops of dawn on the lemon…
Trying to get all the grease off the door was a challenge….
Here is what it looks like now…not too bad!
Venus in action
EYE OPENER
Rarely Seen “Enchanted” Moments
of US History
La Plaza, as seen from the Pico House. Pueblo Los Angeles, c. 1869
Slave auction place, c. 1870
Burnt District Coffee House in Chicago after the Fire, 1871. Chicago entrepreneurs quickly reacted to establish or reestablish businesses in the fire district.
Telephone wires in New York, 1887
Hanging of a stagecoach robber in Texas, c. 1890-1900
Wood-plank prison in Wyoming, 1893
Chinatown Squad of the San Francisco Police Department posing with sledge hammers and axes in front of August Pistolesi’s grocery store at 752 Washington Street, 1895. They were specialized in opium dens and gambling rooms and their method was simple.
Opium den in San Francisco, 1900
Alice Huyler Ramsey (November 11, 1886 – September 10, 1983), the first woman to drive across the United States from coast to coast, 1909. Only 152 miles out of the total 3600-mile trip were made on paved road.
North American native Chilocco Indian Agricultural School basketball team in 1909. Originally, the swastika is a sign of good fortune.
A horse-drawn fire engine of Engine No. 39 leaving Fire Headquarters at 157 East 67th Street for the last time after being replaced with a motorized fire engine, New York City, February 19, 1912.
Lawn mowers of the White House grounds, 1918
Motorcycle chariots, 1920s
Log motor home by Wade, 1922
Log motor home by Wade, interior
Neighbors of Japanese origin were already unwanted in some neighborhoods in 1923
Three friends take a joyride on their ‘new’ vehicle, Ohio, c. 1924
North American native switchboard operator, 1925
Workers lay bricks to pave 28th Street in Manhattan, 1930
Drive-In restaurant on West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles,1932
A life guard and a doctor attempt to save a swimmers life on Coney Island Beach, 1940. The woman in the center chose the worst moment for a smile.
Coney Island, NY, 1940
Victure Mature (my favorite "B" actor ever), Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth (both 30 at the time) meet at a movie premier in London. October 1956
Elvis Presley joins the Army, 1958
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev eating a hot dog in Des Moines, Iowa, on which he commented “It’s excellent… we make good sausages but yours are better”, 1959
Couple and friend being abused in a restaurant for the latter being black, USA, 1963
Minoru Yamasaki (right) posing with a model of the World Trade Center he designed, 1964
Portrait of hockey goalie Terry Sawchuk before face masks became standard in 1966
In 1967, challenging the all-male tradition of the Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer, at the time a headstrong 20-year-old junior at Syracuse University, entered the race. Two miles in, a race official tried to physically remove her from the competition. 
Arnold Schwarzenegger on his first time in New York, 1968
New York City sidewalks filled with trash during the 1968 strike of sanitation workers.
US President Richard Nixon jumps down from the trunk of a limousine which carried him and Pakistani President Yahya Khan (left, background) in a motorcade to Government House after Nixon’s arrival in Lahore on August 1, 1969
Children play a game on the Xerox Alto, one of the first personal computers with a graphic user interface, 1973. Its monitor was switchable between portrait and landscape mode.
Statue of Liberty as seen from Jersey City, 1963
President Carter with engineers and solar panels newly installed on the White House, 1979. President Reagan had them removed in 1986, to be reinstalled by President Obama in 2010
Barack Obama posing with a group of friends that called themselves the Choom Gang, Hawaii, c. 1979. Choom was slang for smoking marijuana.
Robin Williams joins the stunning women of the Denver Broncos’ Pony Express as pro football’s first male cheerleader and prances before 70,000 cheering fans in Denver’s Mile High Stadium.
Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan posing with clay soldiers at the Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, 1984
John Travolta takes Princess Diana for a dance in the White House, 1985
Love memoirs. I remember when....
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