We are a small husband/wife gourmet cupcake place. Our inspiration comes from our eclectic background. I taught in Abu Dhabi for one year and spent time visiting cupcake spots with character. Mike has trained with an award winning culinary arts team and had the honor of working with James Beard prior to his time as an Intelligence Analyst travelling through the Middle East, Horn of Africa, and Asia with the United States Army. His MBA certainly helps us with the small business arena. My mom won awards for her down home cooking.I read cookbooks for fun and grew us in a small business arena in the heart of the Catskill Mountains.My family owned the local “gertrude’s” ice cream shop. My current background is as an English/ESOL Instructor. Prior to that, I worked in Merchandising in the Garment District and held other jobs including a manager of a bookstore in Orange Beach, Alabama. We try to do one thing and do it well. Come visit. (Update) Our store closed last December (2015) after Michael was diagnosed with cancer. It was caught early and hopefully it will stay in remission. We cut back on our hours and eventually we followed the doctor’s recommendation for a life with less stress and closed our store. I still love writing, and teaching English, so you’ll see me around and I hope you will continue reading the blog. With the store closed, I found more time to write and was able to get published. I am now a published writer on Amazon, so if you google me, the publications will come up. Michael and I are enjoying a life with less stress and finding more time to get some important things done like enjoying down time. You haven’t heard the last of us! Published writer of fiction/non-fiction and poetry: The Bella Online Literary Review; “Down in the Dirt” magazine v 144 (April 2017); “The Horror Zine” Summer 2017 hardback; “Mused Literary Review” (2017) and “The Stray Branch.” (Fall/winter 2017) We found out this past July 2017 that his cancer has returned but the VA has a plan for his cancer which has now metastasized in his small intestine stage 4. Stay with me for the journey as friends who listen are appreciated.
Thank you for listening.
You’ve got a nice layout for your blog. Nice colorful cupcake baking cups. Thanks for your comments on Paris 11/13/15 and the follow.
Thanks. Somewhere between mine and my husband’s background, we have a wealth of International experience that crosses many cultures, many languages, and many ideas on what defines “utopia”. We have covered Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Orient. What we lack is time in South America..so there is still some uncharted territory for us to explore.
Looking forward to following your website in 2016.
Thanks for stopping by and joining my blog. Bienvenue!
I guess I should tell everyone that our store closed due to my husband’s health. However I keep on writing because I love writing and would love to be published once again. I have written freelance for the Mobile Press, the Baldwin County Register, and have had poetry and short stories published previously in anthologies. I hope as in the words of Creedence clearwater Revival: I can get my act together and do some writing now.
Thank you for following my blog. I look forward to reading yours.
Jovina, Your recipes sound delicious. I look forward to trying them!
Very nice to learn more about you and Mike. Thank you for following my blog, I will certainly take time to visit yours as well. I hope your day is a happy one! 🙂
I read your comment on Lynz’s blog and had to write something to you.
I taught a group of Arab students too and got a poor evaluation- it seems so long back. Having spent hours and hours preparing for each lecture, I was shocked but not surprised when my evaluations came out. IT was almost as if they wanted only Arab speakers to be their instructors and someone who would give them grades and taught as they dictated. Too much of a good thing is said to be bad and so the case must be with them. I lost my job too and am now doing something very remote from what I am qualified for- all thanks to that poor evaluation.:)
Susie
Thank you Susie for sharing the comment with me. Fortunately at the other university that I work with, my evals were good and I continue with them. The other University program is a private academy within the public university. Yes, I found out there is a revolving door with the English teachers. On the other hand, Saudi’s are no longer being funded to come to the states because of economic restraints.
That is good news indeed ! Both counts. 🙂
Hi
What is your email- would like to send you one.
Susie
Prayers for your husbands continued remission and good health. A simpler life is a good thing.
Yes, simplicity is the best. Step by step, we arrive there.
Oh my gosh, you two definitely have your hands full. I am so sorry that you have to go through all this and only hope for the best for both of you. Sending all good thoughts your way 🙂
Thank you. Mike is receiving a shot of lanreotide 120 mg once a month. In another month, this will be 3 months and they will see if it is inhibiting the growth of the cancer cells.
I truly hope for all the best for both of you
Thank you. We appreciate it.
We are doing well. Mike is responding favorably to the lanreotide and it has now been 10 months and his cancer is in remission. Things are improving and more even keeled. Thank you.
Thanks for stopping at my site and becoming a follower. Looks like you both have also very interesting lives. The common bond…Army! I should have known. LOL.
I hope that Mike is pulling through the cancer stuff. I know from my own experiences with the VA it can sometimes be challenging in getting the right treatment.
Cupcakes are a great way to heal the world!
I love that you are teaching English as a second language classes. What a wonderful way to off set the bad press that immigrants to the US are getting. Keep up the great work.
I teach English now as I am also a certified teacher. ESL was a great way to see the world@ The VA in Tampa is one of the best , we are lucky. We are both great cooks and come from a line of entrepreneurial spirit. I have a masters in Linguistics with a minor in TESOL and English.
I taught in the U.S. at the university level so my students were here legally on a student visa, so I haven’t encountered any problems. I did like being in other countries but in the end, we are most comfortable in our own country. Isn’t that true but I guess for you, you stayed in another country. We hope to travel again one day. Thanks for following me.
Im sorry for Mike’s cancer and hope y’all have good insurance for his medical care. I take care of my Dad who has had 3 strokes, so I know how those medical bills can quickly add up. I run a small business with my sister. So I know what you mean by making rest a priority. It is here, that I take my away times.
p.s. I’m in the Army Reserve now. I’d like to Thank your husband for his service.
Thank you.
What job do you have in the reserves? Where did you enlist?
With mortuary affairs. Enlisted while in LA. Now back home on Guam.
How unique> surely a different story.
I was in the USN and that helped with fielding the cost for my higher ed. Good for you!!
A military couple! How awesome.
yes, especially since we met after the military. Thanks.
[…] so when she says I make the grade, I have to believe her! If you haven’t checked out her blog I urge you to make the […]
Thank you Murioposis. That is the nicest thing anyone has said to me this year.
How is your husband doing?
Holding his own nicely. Thank you!
Thanks for when I am tired and I reread all your kind remarks. Although I don’t covet tea and sympathy, your support for myself and my husband touches me greatly. Thank you. It is a long life but shorter with friends and those who believe in you.