Writing Adventures Coffee Share

Good morning, Everyone.

There is a brisk chill in the air here on the south shore of Long Island. Winter is not far away. Get yourself a hot cup of coffee. Let’s catch up.

If we were having coffee together, I would tell you the week was cluttered. It started with nausea and the fear that I may have contracted The Bug, but after standing on the Urgent Care line for an hour and a half outdoors with my back to the wind, the happy diagnosis was a typical stomach bug; WHEW! This gave me the go-ahead to rest for a day, then pick up with helping my mom with all kinds of home business affairs, take care of the husband as he recovers from knee replacement surgery (the scar is unbelievably unnoticeable, and he is walking about nicely and can drive!), schedule needed appointments, start on Christmas card and calendar designing, and get back to writing.  

If we were having coffee together, I would report that I got to go on a field trip to New York City Lower East Side armed with a list of questions, a camera, mask, and umbrella. I am researching Lillian Wald and the Henry Street Settlement House for Book 2 in the Becoming America’s Stories Series. I needed to visit the house. Group tours are not available yet due to the pandemic, but I did score a private tour with a knowledgeable young woman, Katie Vogel. She took me through the house, which was fascinating. Although updated for community activities, the archives, photographs, beautiful crown moldings brought out the essence of this historic landmark. Briefly, Lillian Wald founded the settlement house with help from progressive philanthropists. She began the visiting home nursing service, pushed for nurses and nutrition programs in schools, instituted community clinics, provided a place for labor and social activism to meet, and was a strong voice for peace, women’s suffrage, and addressing the needs of the poor. Henry Street Settlement House will play a part in my story characters’ lives.

 Anyway, I had to forgo my usual train travel into the city and drove (thank God for GPS). After circling the blocks for parking, I surrendered to a garage. I had a wonderful visit. Seeing and walking through the house gave me a firsthand feel as to how people gathered and interacted inside and outside this historic landmark. 

After the tour, I walked to Orchard Street to drop off Daily Bread and Becoming America’s Food Stories to the Tenement Museum ( a 10-minute walk). I am scheduled for the live Book Talk on December 8th at 7:00 PM EST (here is the link.).  The bookstore and select tours are opened on a limited schedule.

From the Tenement Museum, I walked to Mott Street, where my story character, Lily Taglia, lived in 1911. It is no longer a sprawling Little Italy neighborhood as a bustling Chinatown is now occupying the shops and apartments. There is so much to do and see! Rain threatened. I needed to experience the walk from the fictional home on Mott Street to the real Henry Street Settlement House. I had walked around this neighborhood last year to see where the bakery could have been located, school and church. I love research.  

As I walked, I imagined the children in my story running through the street, cutting through shortcuts in the park (Seward Park and the Seward Park NY Public Library was in existence in 1911) and finding a respite for play at the Henry Street Settlement House. The walk was a little over a mile, doable for kids in those times. I made it back to the parking garage just as the skies opened up to the forecasted rain. I managed to navigate out of the city and onto the parkway that led me home, with a treasure trove of information and experiences playing out in my head. Now I have to write the story. 

Today, as the story mulls in my imagination, I have to take care of errands, pull Christmas decorations out of the attic, visit Mom, and attempt to get some cleaning chores done. First, feed the cat and pour another cup of coffee. 

If you had purchased a paperback or ebook Daily Bread—Thank you!

Take a picture of you with Daily Bread, and I’ll send you Reader’s Swag and add you to the Daily Bread Reader slideshow, coming for the New Year. Kid pics are welcomed with parent or guardian permission. Don’t forget to leave a rating and quick comment on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

Big thank yous go out to Eclectic Ali for keeping the Weekend Coffee Share up and running.

Have a good week, Everyone. Make it great.

Be well. Be safe.  

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