Category Archives: News and Events

Southern Girl Relocated to the Wild West – James Interviews Camilla

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November 29 2020

New interview! Thanks to James of JQM Literary for this lovely interview. We chat about what has influenced our four published books and being a southern girl relocated to the wild west. Join us … Photo of Team TLC, Halloween 2020 …

JQM LITERARY CHAT WELCOMES Camilla Downs

Team TLC 2020 Thanksgiving

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November 26 2020

Last night after Thomas and I watched our 3 episodes of The Clone Wars, I got busy in the kitchen. Love the popping sounds the cranberries make. ❤️❤️❤️

We started the transformation last night. Step 1: Rearranging furniture and the tree up. Rest time after that! Later today or tomorrow we’ll add the multi color lights to the tree, along with the ornaments. ❤️🎄💚

Breakfast!! I’m still trying to perfect vegan baking (been vegan for 3 years now, I’m a slow study!), so when I come across something already made for me, I grab it!! I’m like a kid in a candy store! I’m a pretty good cook, but baking is hit or miss. 🖤😂🤣🖤

We had an appetizer lunch (my vegan plate with the bread, along with the dips and chips), followed by a sweet nap in the rocking chair.

I’m thankful that 4 or 5 years ago, I spotted a friends Facebook post, at the ribbon cutting/breaking ground for the place we now live. I got myself on the waiting list. Around January 2019, I got a call asking if I was still interested (I had assumed the project had been abandoned). After 6 months of delays we finally moved in around this time last year.

It was pure hell those 6 months. I’m thankful I stuck with it. I kept giving notice we were moving, then had to rescind. The last time I gave notice, our apartment got rented. And, then, this one got bumped again. Spent 3 days being homeless before finally getting to move in. So, I am going to soak in and savor every last bit of the goodness of this place. ❤️❤️❤️

2020 Thanksgiving – A game of BINGO via Zoom, sharing what we’re thankful for, and chatting a bit. Team TLC, The Romano Duo, and Team Schutzler. I have two gorgeous nephews. Look at them.

Heather is my step-sister, Frank’s daughter. This was so much fun, Heather Schutzler, Patty Romano, Frank C. Romano Jr, Thomas Darnell, Lillian Darnell(who was busy doing her own thing), and Brian Schutzler. ❤️❤️❤️

I’m so proud of the homemade vegan green bean casserole I’ve made for the last 2 years. So, photos from beginning to end. It’s mine and Thomas’s favorite holiday dish.

It was so good!!! 😋🖤😋

Vegan, stuffed turkey loaf with vegan gravy
Vegan dressing
Vegan green bean casserole
Cranberry sauce

Delicious!!

Thomas and Camilla extra movie night – “Christmas Vacation”

Fun Old Fashioned Family Christmas …. 😂🤣😂

We usually watch this with The Romano Duo on Thanksgiving night. Settled for watching it at about the same time as them. ❤️❤️❤️

Swimming in the Cold With a Manual Sweeper and The Shadow Whisperer

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November 19 2020

Just back from a swim. This is the first time I’ve ever had access to an outdoor, year-round, heated pool. (YAY!!!) The water felt amazing, heated to 80 degrees currently. We’ll see if I can keep it up as the temperature drops. 💙 💦 🏊‍♀️ 💦💙

November 22 2020

This manual sweeper is in the top ten of best purchases. Lillian and I split the cost of this so that she could help clean the mess she leaves behind after eating.

Some of my C18 friends will understand. She doesn’t have lip closure, and has issues with sitting close to the table, leaving lots of crumbs and bits on the floor. Another win for both of us!! Go Lillian!! 🎉🎉🎉 And, yay for me!! 🎉🎉🎉

November 26 2020

Spotted this morning. Before Lillian came into my life, I don’t think I would have ever been as observant of shadows. She’s the Shadow Whisperer, and has taught me much. 🖤❤️🖤

Memories: Millennium Tahiti Cruise With Aerosmith and Billy Idol While Touring Great Britain With a 1976 Mississippi State Map

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November 16 2020

Haven’t found the 45 record yet. But, finding all kinds of fun stuff. That time I WON a 12 day Tahiti cruise! Not only that. The Millennium cruise. That. Was. Fun. 🎉🎉🎉

Still haven’t found it. But, think I’ve figured out why I’m half deaf and have neck problems. 🤣😂🤣 And, why do I still have these? 😳

I actually have very little memory of being at each of these concerts. So, a good thing I’ve got the receipts. 🤣😂🤣

I actually didn’t get to see much of the INXS concert! The folks I went with were determined to find a way to sneak backstage, and we spent most of the concert trying to find a way. Crazy Fools! Hahahaha!

I just remembered that I loved The Cult, too. I’m almost positive I saw them in concert …

… This was one of my favorite songs. Loved dancing to this one!

I could have sworn it was with all these other “memories”. No luck yet. But found the mementos from the trip to England and Scotland in 2000. That trip was a mixture of fun, beauty, awe, and stress. The person I traveled with assumed they’d be able to easily drive us around!!! 😳😱😳 I was tasked with navigating and didn’t get to enjoy the scenery. Overall, it was amazing, though!

Okay. The 45 record was not in my little wooden chest of treasures. However, if anyone’s looking for a 1976 Official Highway map for Mississippi, I’ve got you covered. WTF?! 😛

The Victrola Arrived – Birthday Gift for Thomas

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November 16 2020

Thomas’s turntable arrived today. He chose to use birthday money from my dad to get this. Thomas told me I could pick out the style, and he chose the color. What fun that was! It’s also an FM radio. 🖤🎶 🎼 🎵🖤

The one problem with being a minimalist, having gotten rid of many possessions …. I got rid of all my albums, except for one lone 45, “Hang on Sloopy” by The McCoys. 🤣😂🤣 Now I must go dig it out of the closet so Thomas can give it a whirl.

Happy 15th Birthday to Thomas Darnell

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November 13 2020

Happy 15th Birthday, Thomas Darnell!!

Thank you ….

for making me laugh
for intelligent, spirited conversation
for running errands with me
for helping me
for sharing your love of history with me
for sharing your passion for politics, our world, and humanity with me
for the hugs you share with me
for sharing your spirit with me
for helping me to learn about true love
for choosing me.

You are my heart. I am so very proud of you. I love you!!! ❤️❤️❤️

We had an intimate, masked, socially distanced celebration with The Romano Duo and Robert, graced with absolutely divine vegan cupcakes from Batch Cupcakery. I took my selfie after everyone left! Ha!
Thomas received some great gifts!

A basketball, volleyball (so we can use the great courts here), a shirt, a hoodie, a desk chair, a homemade card from Lillian, a turntable, an album, and a photo book of our date days over the past year. I still need to make a homemade card or poem for him.

 

Fireplace Stove With a Brand New Cushy Desk Chair

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November 5 2020

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas to me!! 🎉🎉🎉 I have wanted one of these for about 5 years. 🔥❤️🧡🔥 🎉🎉🎉

November 7 2020

I’m embarrassed to even post the photo of the chair on the right. 😳 Thomas’s birthday is on the 13th of November. He’s been using my old desk chair, bought before Lillian was even born! It’s got a good, solid frame, but definitely needs to be recovered. Plus, I would never buy a leather chair now.

Anyway. Happy early birthday to Thomas!! A brand new cushy chair, chosen by him! It arrived in pieces and he mostly put it together by himself. You deserve this Thomas Darnell! You are an amazing, compassionate, and empathetic human, and I love you!!! ❤️❤️❤️