Posts by Leslie Anne Tarabella
The Youthful Hostess
Despite having given birth to our firstborn son only three months earlier, I decided to throw a party to celebrate the Atlanta Olympics. Living in the metro Atlanta area, everyone was caught up with Olympic fever and of course, Southerners love any excuse to throw a party even if they have a new baby on…
Read MoreWhat I found in Carrollton, GA
I’m not picky about much (ha-ha), but I am selective about the groups I speak to. I want to know they are the kind of people I’d like to be with and that I would support their causes. I hit the jackpot with The Community Foundation of West Georgia and their Power of the Purse…
Read MoreLate Bloomer
I had the entire day blocked out to work on a new book, but alas, I began with the writer’s chores of procrastination and distraction. I only meant to clip a few roses and gardenias, but then noticed a weed. Then, I realized the mounds of drift roses needed thinning and, 3 hours later, was…
Read More5 year anniversary
Here’s the push you’ve been waiting for . . . call your doctor. Life is good on the other side of illness. Today is the 5 year anniversary of my PVI – Pulmonary Ventricular Isolation which corrected chronic Atrial Fibrillation. You can read about the procedure HERE. It was my second ablation and much more…
Read MoreExpress Lane Rules
I guess I had about 18 or so items in my buggy, but Sheila, who was working at the “10 Items or Less” lane said, “Come on through, honey, I’ll take you here.” I hesitated and told her, “Oh, I don’t know, someone with only a box of popsicles will show up behind me and…
Read MoreShirley said, “slow down”
We get a lot of slow-motion tourists in Fairhope, who drive at the speed of sleep so they can see everything unique our town has to offer, like stores and trees and stop signs. When I’m impatient with their slacked pace, I try to remember my friend, who loved Fairhope, and asked her husband to…
Read MoreWonderful Words of Life
Some parents dream their daughters will become the Mayor or a heart surgeon, but mine longed for the Doxology with a side of the Hallelujah Chorus — all from memory if possible. They would have traded me to the hippies, if it meant I came home a church pianist. “Reading two different staffs is like…
Read MoreUnless they are glass, leave them at home
It’s obvious what some of you received for Christmas. The commercial said, “Go ahead and wear them to the grocery store. No one will know.” Umm . . . we know. It’s obvious you are wearing slippers in public. We’re on to you. We don’t think you’re cute. We think you’ve escaped from a hospital…
Read MoreLearning to read shouldn’t make you cry
Harrison was a smart little toddler. Before he could speak, I would ask him to locate different countries on a globe, and he found them every time. Most adults couldn’t do that. He walked at 14 months old, which for babies was on the late side, but we were confident his little friend Matthew wouldn’t…
Read MoreI loaf you
In my long history of exploding food (technically, the hushpuppies weren’t my creation. I was only an observer – but there’s a biscuit story I’ve yet to tell . . . ), I’ve recently added a new exploding meatloaf. My grandmother once dropped her heaviest cast-iron skillet full of hot cornbread all over the floor.…
Read More