Robert K Stephen (CSW)

August 10, 1971: Munich: Letter from Margaret Mary Stephen to Her Mother-in-Law

At last we are in a civilized country. We arrived in Munich from Bled after a 9-hour train trip and both Robert and I are exhausted. We both had showers and I washed our clothes. The water was black. The train had started in Athens. No food and the toilets were sickening. Our friend tookContinue reading “August 10, 1971: Munich: Letter from Margaret Mary Stephen to Her Mother-in-Law“

Reflections of Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog: The Benefits of Coffee

“Many people do not feel that they can get through the day, or even the morning, without a cup of coffee (or two or three). Having a cup of coffee becomes a way of taking care of yourself, a way of stopping, a way of connecting with others or with yourself. It has its ownContinue reading “Reflections of Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog: The Benefits of Coffee”

Dylan’s Quote of the Day: Busyness as Self Destructive

“Filling up your time with busyness is another self-destructive avoidance behavior. Instead of facing up to your problems, you can run around like crazy doing good things until your life is overflowing with commitments and obligations and you can’t possibly make time for yourself. Despite all the running around, you may not really know whatContinue reading “Dylan’s Quote of the Day: Busyness as Self Destructive”

“Travels to a Different Time” : August 9, 1971: Finally in Munich: Hello Fritz: Drinking Beer and Eating Sausages in the Shadow of Hitler: Hunting Wild Pigs in the Moonlight: 230 Kilometres an Hour in an Alfa Romeo Spider on the Autobahn

Bedraggled we got off the train in Munich at 2:30 in the afternoon. We made it to the Excelsior Hotel in Munich. In comparison to the barren accommodations of Yugoslavia this hotel was LUXURY but at $29 a night we could spend that on rooms in Yugoslavia for two weeks. We both had our firstContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : August 9, 1971: Finally in Munich: Hello Fritz: Drinking Beer and Eating Sausages in the Shadow of Hitler: Hunting Wild Pigs in the Moonlight: 230 Kilometres an Hour in an Alfa Romeo Spider on the Autobahn”

Passage of the Day: “Workaholism”

“If you feel stressed and dissatisfied by family life, for instance, then work can be used as a wonderful excuse for never being home. If your work gives you pleasure and you get positive feedback from colleagues, if you feel in control when you are there, if you have power and status and feel productiveContinue reading “Passage of the Day: “Workaholism””

“Travels to a Different Time” : August 3, 1971: Bled, Yugoslavia: Letter from Margaret Mary Stephen to Daughter Barbara and Son Andrew: Woman Obsessed with Upcoming Trip to Munich

Time is getting closer for our German trip. We go by train on August 9th and it is an 8-hour trip. We leave at 5:30 a.m. and I can’t imagine what shape we will be in when we arrive. Fritz has made reservations for us at a hotel in Munich. I guess I am nutsContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : August 3, 1971: Bled, Yugoslavia: Letter from Margaret Mary Stephen to Daughter Barbara and Son Andrew: Woman Obsessed with Upcoming Trip to Munich”

“Travels To A Different Time” : Letter From Margaret Mary Stephen to Her Mother on August 3, 1971, Bled, Yugoslavia

It is August 3rd and we are in Bled in the Julian Alps. We arrived yesterday. We will stay here until August 9th and then travel to Munich by train. We will meet our friend Fritz there and he has a car. We may stay in Munich for a week and take a cruise onContinue reading ““Travels To A Different Time” : Letter From Margaret Mary Stephen to Her Mother on August 3, 1971, Bled, Yugoslavia”

RKS Wine: The Okanagan’s Mayhem 2020 Riesling and My Treatment for Riesling Hesitation Syndrome

I am very discerning about Ontario Rieslings and I don’t want to stir things up about why. I have much better luck with British Columbia Rieslings. Trust Mayhem to cause a bit of mayhem with its Riesling as not only was it aged in stainless steel but neutral French oak. EEKS! Oak and Riesling! DoesContinue reading “RKS Wine: The Okanagan’s Mayhem 2020 Riesling and My Treatment for Riesling Hesitation Syndrome”

RKS Film: PBS Documentary “American Reckoning” Unpleasant but Necessary Viewing

“American Reckoning” is a mostly uncomfortable documentary about the emergence of the 1960’s Civil Rights movement of the “negro” in the United Sates of the 1960’s as fleshed out through the 1967 murder of NAACP activist Wharlest Jackson Sr. killed by a car bomb in his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi. Wharlest Sr. was in someContinue reading “RKS Film: PBS Documentary “American Reckoning” Unpleasant but Necessary Viewing”

“Travels to a Different Time” :August 4, 1971; Bled, Yugoslavia: Greasy Eats and Food Flies in Anger!

Out for dinner of greasy stuffed green peppers. Mom lit up a cancer stick so I didn’t talk to her for awhile and she took a tantrum and said, “All right Robert if you continue to be such a child I will leave you the money and go home.” Who is the child here? ThenContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” :August 4, 1971; Bled, Yugoslavia: Greasy Eats and Food Flies in Anger!”