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Gram’s story-Episode 4

Laura Devane was back at the Bellaire Senior Center for her weekly yoga class. She wryly considered the coffee break her personal grilling by class members about her previous life in New Mexico before returning to Virginia. She didn’t mind the frank curiosity, because it gave her an opportunity to review her life decisions and what they had meant to her as a young woman. The reflections, however, brought up some intense memories that she had managed to resolve or bury...

Good morning, folks,

I’m at the final edit stage of my new non-fiction book and have found a title I think will resonate with many individuals these days. The book’s title, A Respite for Caregivers: Learn Simple Holistic Approaches to Self- Care, speaks to busy people who are devoted to caring for others, minimizing time left for their personal wellness and stress release. Most of the techniques presented can be accomplished in 5-10 minutes or repeated or combined with other healthful...

Laura was greeted by Kelly, the receptionist who was young, friendly, casually dressed. Kelly was lovely with long, flowing black hair and a bright smile.

“Hi Laura. Your folks are ready for you. I think they’re as interested in your stories as the class itself. You’ve been getting great reviews!”

Laura’s forehead wrinkled in a surprised reaction, as she laughed, “Oh my, I hope I’m not creating a drama!”

“No, you’re fascinating, and it’s fun to find out how other people have lived.”

Laura smiled...

Hello my friends,

You have not heard from me for a while due to “severe cloudy weather.” My laptop screen became damaged and I had to replace the computer, which is not a quick thing to do from a rural, economically depressed region of the country. Even ordering and receiving a replacement took several more days than planned. There was also a delay in backing up my hard drive and transferring data to the new computer when it finally arrived.

Additionally, after an uplifting lunch with an author...

My computer is having a serious glitch so my correction will be brief.

In my last post, I introduced our neighbor Stella, Calli’s canine friend from sound the corner. I described her as a Great Dane. I mistakenly thought someone identified her as such.

Today, I found out she is a purebred Irish Wolfhound. While she is a large dog, she did not strike me as the size I expected of an Irish Wolfhound. Although about 160 lbs., her “big” brother weighs 238 lbs. and is a few inches taller than she....

This is just a brief message to announce how pleased I am to have a book signing scheduled for my recently published book, Disappearance at Sycamore Grove: A Journey of Courage, Forgiveness, and Acceptance.

The book signing will be at Main Street Books, Frostburg, MD, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 11:00 am-2:00 pm. The venue is a lovely, cozy, small-town bookstore!

I'll share more details with you as planning continues.

Calli, my fuzzy consultant, and I have been working on finalizing the...

Laura entered the Bellaire Senior Center for her weekly seated yoga class. She planned to focus on balance today, helping her students develop increased awareness of their body's position in space. Initially, she would use the chairs for support to focus while seated, and then, if members chose to stand, she would use the chairs to further their balance practice safely.

Members called out their greetings, and Laura conducted the class with quiet confidence and attention. She ended the session...

Hello folks,

Thank you for signing up for my newsletter/blog. As you will see, I’ve included the first episode of Gram’s Story, along with a brief aside about one of my favorite topics: dogs.

Gram’s Story-Episode 1 “Hometown”

Laura Devane entered the Bellaire Senior Center on Wednesday morning. Sally Diggins, the Senior Center Director, had called her a month before to discuss teaching a seated yoga class once a week, and possibly offering some tai chi classes later in the year to a group of...

I've decided to update my current website, www.4stepsconnect.com, and this is a new version providing information about my author journey.

Upcoming news will include serial tales about Gram's story. Gram is the wise grandmother, a fascinating character and inspiring figure in both my Bridges of Resilience, and Disappearance at Sycamore Grove books.

Additionally, I'll be sharing progress with you on my next non-fiction book, Beat A Retreat, mentioned in the podcast you'll find tagged in the...