Women’s Club of Webster: dedicated to serving our community

6 Oct

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a luncheon meeting of the Women’s Club of Webster, and the honor to present a talk about my Webster on the Web blog. It was their first meeting of the season, so there was a lot of discussion about events they have coming up, and the whole purpose behind what they do.

That purpose can pretty much be summed up in one simple phrase: service to community.

The mission of the Women’s Club is to make a positive difference in the lives of Webster community members, primarily through fundraising. The list of organizations and scholarships the club supports is impressive, including the Webster Comfort Care Home, the Webster Museum, service awards for high school students, the Webster Library, Webster NY Hope and many more.

They raise money through a wide variety of fundraising events — like the Fall Card Party, Christmas Cookie Sale and Spring Fashion Show — and community service activities like providing cookies for the Red Cross Blood Drive this coming Oct. 11 at the Webster Firemen’s Hall.

Their first big event this year is their annual Card/Game Party “Fun-Raiser,” Tuesday Nov. 7 at Glendoveers on Old Browncroft Rd.

This always fun social event begins at 10 a.m. with coffee and danish, followed by a buffet luncheon at 12:30 p.m. The games themselves will be played from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day includes 50/50 drawings and lots of beautiful basket raffles. A cash bar will also be available.

Tickets cost $40. Checks should be made out to the Women’s Club of Webster and mailed to Diane Miller, 428 Seneca Park Ave., Rochester, 14617. Deadline to order tickets is Nov. 1. (Click the flyer for more info.)

The Webster Women’s Club meets on the third Thursday of every month. This month’s gathering is Thursday Oct. 19 at Shadow Lake Golf and Racquet Club, 1850 Five Mile Line Rd., Penfield. It begins with a social mix-and-mingle at 11:15, followed by a meeting at noon, lunch at 12:30. This month’s speaker will be representatives from the Angels of Mercy organization, a non-profit enterprise working to help women discover their directions in life. Registration is $24, due by Oct. 12. Contact Carolyn Rittenhouse at 585-265-1303 to register or for more information.

I met a lot of great women at the meeting and learned a lot of great things. It’s certainly an organization worth supporting — and becoming a member of.

Which I have. I invite you to join me. For more information about membership, contact Nancy Melrose at (585) 330-9928.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/6/2023)

WHEN honored as Webster Chamber Business of the Month

5 Oct

Being as involved in the Webster community as I am, I’m a member of several community groups. Perhaps the one I’m most proud of is my affiliation with WHEN, the Webster Health and Education Network.

WHEN is a coalition of community leaders and residents working to empower Webster kids to grow up strong and substance-free. Founded in 1995 by Janine Sanger, who leads the organization to this day, WHEN has always been driven by a singular purpose: to advocate for and promote healthy, substance-free behaviors and lifestyles among our friends and neighbors.

The coalition is driven by more than 60 volunteer members representing various sectors of the Webster community, including business owners, faith-based organizations, youth, civic/volunteer groups, media, law enforcement, health care providers, substance use prevention professionals, and more. Their mission: to delay, decrease, and prevent substance use among our youth, because research tells us that the longer young individuals wait to use drugs and alcohol, the less likely they are to become addicted later in life.

It’s an ongoing battle, illustrated recently as the Webster Village Board considers repealing the opt-out law allowing for a cannabis retail shop within the village limits. (One is being proposed for the old Taylor Rental storefront on North Ave.) WHEN is circulating a petition about the matter, and several members have appeared at Village meetings to speak against the repeal.

WHEN’s service to our community was recognized at the most recent Webster Chamber of Commerce meeting as the October Business of the Month. It is a well-deserved honor, recognizing the amazing work this organization does.

New members are always welcome to join. To read more about WHEN and its programs, check out the October newsletter here. and the Facebook page here.

P.S. Signatures are still being collected on the petition against repealing the village’s opt-out law. Click here to voice your opinion.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/5/2023)

20 years of storytimes and counting. Join the party!

4 Oct

Reading skills are a critical component of educational success, and the earlier we can instill a love of reading in our young people, the better. It’s a goal we can all help to achieve with our own children, and any children we happen to have the privilege of teaching.

Jason Poole has been one of Webster’s most dedicated champions of that cause; he’s been leading storytimes and other children’s programming at Webster Public Library for 20 years.

(Keep reading for news about a party at the Recreation Center later this month to celebrate the anniversary!)

Jason Poole, currently the Webster Public Library’s Outreach Coordinator, was hired by the library on Oct. 3, 2003 as a clerk in the children’s room. He immediately started doing programming, working his way up the children’s library ladder, first as a library assistant, and in just a few years — after getting his Masters in Library Science — as a full-time librarian. Every step of the way, Jason was the story guy.

Every library worth its salt offers storytimes for children. But Jason has always found some unique twists to keep his young charges interested. For starters, before he came on board, live music wasn’t a common storytime element. Jason not only plays his guitar during his programs, but also writes songs. He also frequently teams up with other librarians to read stories, which was unusual but common now at WPL, which adds an extra layer of fun to every book.

Jason has even taken his storytimes on the road, performing at Ridge Park, at the village’s White Christmas celebration, at the Recreation Center and in the schools. And during the pandemic, he and his colleagues took the storytimes outdoors to the Harmony Park band shell on Phillips Rd., which is still a well-attended weekly event all summer.

It’s not all fun and games, of course. Well, it is fun and games, but Jason’s storytimes are not JUST about the stories. He explained,

Some people are good at doing educational storytimes, and there’s always a performative element to it. While I do want to incorporate those elements, the big thing I want is to create a safe space for parents and kids to have fun, feel safe and feel valued. Those things are really important. Some of the songs that I’ve written for storytime follow that theme of value yourself, of knowing that its okay to feel out of control, or sad or feel emotions.  

When I write songs for the kids and the grownups, one of those things I try to do is phrase it so a kid can understand it on one level, and the adult can understand it at a deeper level. I want everybody in my storytime to feel that they matter in that space. That’s really important to me. Everyone being welcome. 

I don’t want to be the focus…. I’m a performer but I’m also a facilitator.

The kids aren’t the only ones who get something out of Jason’s programs. They give him as much joy as he gives them.

“On a bad day,” he said, “I go into a storytime and see the kids dancing and singing, and realize this is the stuff that matters.”

In that space, it feels like what I do matters. It’s an honor and a privilege and I’m very grateful to have been in a place where I can be a part of that with everybody, creating a space for people to have that experience.

He added, “How incredible it’s been to be connected with this community. To see kids grow up and become adults and to have parents come up to me years later and tell me how much those storytimes meant to them.”

“I can’t believe I’m being paid for doing this.”

Haven’t seen one of Jason Poole’s storytimes recently? He holds them every Wednesday from 9:30 to 10 a.m. at the Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Rd., so come on by.

Even better (or also), join the fun when Jason joins his youth department colleagues to celebrate his storytime anniversary with a party at the Webster Recreation Center on Saturday Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. Of course there will be stories, but also, pizza and cake!! Registration is not required but encouraged so the library knows how much pizza to buy. Click here to register. (It’ll take less than 30 seconds.) See you there!

For your enjoyment, here’s a selection of photos from Jason’s history with the library:

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(posted 10/4/2023)

“Our Voices Carry” at Autumn Fanfare

3 Oct

Our very own Webster Marching Band will host their 37th annual Autumn Fanfare field show and competition on Saturday October 7 at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd.

Autumn Fanfare is always a spectacular evening of storytelling through music, marching, and even a little bit of acting. There are always huge set pieces involved to move the music-story forward. This is an awesome opportunity to see what our hometown marching bad has been up to, and be impressed by the incredible amount of hard work these kids put in every year to create a show that will blow you away.

This year’s production is called “Our Voices Carry.” The band describes the show this way:

You are strong. You are worthy. You are enough. You are not alone. Our show tells a story of survival, healing, and the power of affirmations.

Based on a Rochester mural by Sarah Rutherford called “Stories of Strength,” each movement embodies a different window and message within the mural. Together we use our physical and musical voices to carry a message of hope and positivity. Follow along as we interpret each window’s story and use the field to bring it all to life!

Gates open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10, available at Herman’s Farm Market (741 Five Mile Line Rd.) and the Webster Recreation Center (1350 Chiyoda Dr.). They can also be purchased for $12 at the gate.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/3/2023)

Help the Webster Wolves go to Cooperstown

2 Oct

I had a happy meeting with one of my neighbors the other day.

I met Brenda Gray when she was coming up my front walk to tuck a flyer into my porch door. Despite my having lived on Fuller Ave. for more than four years, I’d never met Brenda, so that was a happy thing. But I was also pleased to find out about the cause she was promoting, a bottle-and-can-drive fundraiser for her child’s Webster Wolves 12U travel baseball team.

The team is making plans to attend the 2024 Field of Dreams Tournament in Cooperstown next summer. It’s a trip of a lifetime for these young athletes, but it’s very expensive, so fundraising has begun in earnest.

The flyers she was distributing were designed especially for our neighbors, but she’d love even more participation. She’s encouraging everyone to return their bottles and cans to Nickelback Can and Bottle Return, 659 Ridge Rd., and let them know your donation goes to “Webster Wolves LAIR.”

Or, even easier, drop them off in her driveway at 93 Fuller Ave., and she and her kids will take care of them for you. You can even text her at (585) 857-8687 and they’ll come by to pick them up from your front porch. Returnables will be accepted through Feb. 15.

The team is also running a raffle, with a pretty cool grand prize: a gift certificate to watch a Red Wings game next year in Naomi Silver’s private suite, complete with a food and beverage package and VIP parking. You can even bring along 15 friends. It’s a $1200 value, and tickets are being sold for $25 each. (They’ll also have a table set up at the Trick-or-Treat Trail in the Village on Oct. 28 to sell tickets, so keep an eye out for that!)

To get your tickets, email Brenda at brendalynng@gmail.com and she’ll hook you up.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/2/2023)

Panel discussion focuses on the purpose of youth sports

1 Oct

I had considered pulling today’s item into my most recent mailbag, but I thought the message it sends is much too important to be lost amid all that noise.

Too many parents and guardians have lost sight of what youth sports are all about: the joy of competition, staying fit, learning new skills, having fun with friends, enjoying that the great feeling of winning, and learning that losing is part of the game. Bad behavior from adults at games sets a bad example for our athletes and ruins the game for your fellow fans.

On Thursday Oct. 12, the Webster Youth Sports Council will sponsor an important panel discussion to address that issue.

Titled “Athlete Wellness: A Panel Discussion on the Purpose of Youth Sports ,” the event will begin with a keynote speech by sports psychologist Dr. Craig Cypher, followed by a panel featuring:

  • Shawn Strege, Webster Schroeder athletic director
  • Brandon Gartland (Schroeder ’16), Oswego men’s basketball player
  • Dr. Katherine Rizzone, athletic orthopedic and rehabilitation doctor
  • Jay Verna, Webster Recreation fitness coordinator
  • Jim Scheible, U of R Women’s basketball coach
  • Jeff McCaffrey parent and president of the Youth Sports Council

The panel discussion will begin at 7 p.m. at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. Registration is not required and there’s no cost for participants. Free child care for children 18 months and older will be provided.

For more information, visit the Webster Youth Sports Council website and/or the Facebook event page.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 10/1/2023)

Heritage Square: a historical treasure just minutes from Webster

30 Sep

Sometimes I get so focused on what’s going on within the borders of Webster that I fail to notice some outstanding attractions just a stone’s-throw away. This weekend, I explored one of these hidden gems when I visited the Heritage Square Museum in Ontario.

Heritage Square Museum is a 19th-century living history museum. Located just 12 minutes east of the Village of Webster at the north end of Ontario Center Rd. in Ontario, it includes ten individual buildings spread across 13 beautiful acres, which reflect what life was like for many of the Town of Ontario’s earliest settlers.

Despite living in the Webster area for almost 30 years, I’d never visited Heritage Square before Saturday, when I took advantage of the incredible early fall weather to drive out for their “Apples, Apples, Apples” day. True to its name, the event featured an apple pie and ice cream social, demonstrations related to the apple industry and apple crafts. This all in addition to all of the historical homes and shops which were just begging to be explored.

I spent a very enjoyable hour or so wandering among the buildings (my favorites were the old Hojack Railroad depot, the schoolhouse, the log cabin and the jail). The buildings were attended by very knowledgeable volunteers, who all had interesting stories to tell that brought the history to life.

Of course I also had some homemade apple pie and ice cream, enjoyed while listening to the incredible harmonies of a trio called “LED.”

What particularly impressed me about Heritage Square is how beautifully the buildings and grounds are maintained, which is especially notable given the museum is run exclusively by volunteers. And it takes a lot of volunteers, from the docents and barn sale workers, to tree trimmers and cafe staff, to guides for the school groups that visit every spring. And every one of them is equally passionate about preserving and sharing the history of their town.

I highly recommend that you and your family visit Heritage Square Museum. Seeing history firsthand, walking in the steps of our great-great grandparents, is really the best way to understand and appreciate history.

Heritage Square Museum is located at 7147 Ontario Center Rd., Ontario. It’s open weekends through October from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and guided tours are available. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and kids 16 and under, $20 for families.

On Sunday Oct. 22, the museum will host its 2nd Annual Halloween Happening from 1 to 4 p.m. Trick or treat through the historic buildings, hear spooky stories, and enjoy kids crafts and games. Halloween snacks will be available for purchase. Cost is just $5 per car. Don’t forget to wear your costume!

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 9/30/2023)

Webster community mailbag

29 Sep

Let’s get right to it …..

Oklahoma!, presented by the Webster Theatre Guild, takes the stage this weekend.

Shows are scheduled for

  • Friday Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday Sept. 30, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Friday Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday Oct. 7, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

All shows will be held at Webster Thomas High School, 800 Five Mile Line Rd. Tickets are $20, plus $2 transaction fee if ordered online), and are reserve seating. Tickets will also be available at the door. Click here for tickets.


Next, this very special event from Webster Comfort Care Home.

Community members are cordially invited to Their Light Shines, a Celebration of Remembrance on Tuesday evening Oct. 3, where you can light a luminaria in honor or memory of your loved one(s).

Luminarias can be purchased for $10 each and will benefit the Webster Comfort Care Home in its mission to provide no-cost, compassionate care to the terminally ill and their families.

The Celebration of Remembrance will be held at the Comfort Care Home, 700 Holt Rd., from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday Oct. 3. Rain date will be Oct. 5.


Our very own Webster Marching Band will host their 37th annual Autumn Fanfare field show and competition on Saturday October 7 at Webster Schroeder High School, 875 Ridge Rd.

Autumn Fanfare is always a spectacular evening of storytelling through music, marching, and even a little bit of acting. There are always huge set pieces involved to move the music-story forward. This is an awesome opportunity to see what our hometown marching bad has been up to, and be impressed by the incredible amount of hard work these kids put in every year to create a show that will blow you away.

Gates open at 5 p.m. and the show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10, available at Herman’s Farm Market (741 Five Mile Line Rd.) and the Webster Recreation Center (1350 Chiyoda Dr.). They can also be purchased for $12 at the gate.

More to come about this.


Don’t forget about the Capital Improvement Project vote on Wednesday, Oct. 11

The Webster Central School District has proposed an $85 million capital improvement project that will impact all 11 schools with zero tax impact for district residents. The project will include renovations and improvements to all of the schools. The project will be voted on by the Webster CSD community on Wednesday, October 11, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Webster Schroeder High School’s gym, 875 Ridge Road.

To learn more about the project and the improvements to each school, click here. You can also sign up to receive periodic communications from the district regarding the project. For details, please visit the capital improvement project news story at www.websterschools.org.


The West Webster Fire Department will hold their annual Fire Prevention Open House on Sunday Oct. 15, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the fire station on Gravel Rd.

The afternoon will include firehouse tours, fire safety displays, equipment displays, live demos, refreshments and more.

There’s no charge, and the entire Webster community is invited. For more information, visit the WWFD Facebook page here.

While we’re on that subject, remember that the Webster Volunteer Fire Department always holds its open house during the village’s Trick of Treat Trail, this year scheduled for Saturday Oct. 28. Stay tuned for more information about that.


The next Friends of the Webster Public Library Book Sale is just around the corner, Oct. 18 through 21.

This is always a great opportunity to stock your home library. Hardcover books are just $1, and paperback books just 50 cents.

Members of the Friends of the Webster Public Library can visit Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. for a first look. Membership in the Friends of the Webster Public Library is required and can be purchased at the door.

The general public sale will be Thursday, Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon. Friday and Saturday are BYOB Sale Days; bring your own bag, and fill it for just $5.

The sale will be held at the library, 980 Ridge Rd. Proceeds from the fall book sale directly benefit library programs, book collections and other special projects.


Our Penfield friends, Schutt’s Apple Mill on Plank Rd., have a couple of fun events planned for this fall.

On Tuesday Oct. 24 (one week before Halloween), Schutt’s will host their Trick-or-Treat at the Farm event from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. It’s a family-friendly night where you can walk through the orchard on a Trick-or-Treat Trail to find some fanciful jack-o-lanterns and sweet treats. Costumes and flashlights are encouraged.

This is a free event and no registration is required.

On Saturday Nov. 4, Schutt’s will host a Holiday Farm Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from 9 a.m. This is a great opportunity to support 35 local businesses while shopping for personal and gift items.

For more information about both of these events and others, click here. Schutt’s Apple Mill is located at 1063 Plank Rd.


Pumpkins on Parade at the Webster Recreation Center is back, Saturday Oct. 28 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

This is a one-mile long trail lined with creatively and whimsically-carved jack-o-lanterns. Every year the Rec Center puts this on (this is the fourth annual), it’s been bigger and better, packed with post-trail treats, photo opportunities and more

I’ll be providing more details about this, but for now, start planning your pumpkin carving, because the Rec Center is going to need a LOT of jack-o-lanterns.


Finally, check the flyers below for details about lots of great upcoming programs at the Webster Public Library, including:

  • the Readers, Writers and Connections program for budding writers
  • Teen Library Club
  • National Hair Day storytime
  • Family Night
  • a movie matinee
  • a Halloween craft
  • line dancing for kids
  • a clay class for children and parents

The Webster Library is located at 980 Ridge Rd.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Follow Me” link on the right side of this page.

(posted 9/29/2023)

Annual fun run brings 4th graders together

28 Sep

On Thursday morning, all of our district’s fourth graders, from every one of our seven elementary schools, gathered at Charles Sexton (North Ponds) Park for the annual Cross-Country One-Mile Fun Run and Walk. This run has been held for more than 50 years, a fun way to encourage our young people to stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I love this event for so many reasons. It doesn’t just teach our kids that exercise can be fun. It also gives them a chance to see old friends, meet new friends, do something together with all of their fourth grade classmates, and really feel part of a community.

I didn’t have the chance to stop by, so I was delighted to see the following post on Facebook from Jennifer Ward. She was there to proudly cheer on her two sons, Mason and Jax Calkins, who stuck together through the whole run to complete it together, despite its challenging distance. I thought it was a great representation of what this day means for a lot of our young people.

Jennifer wrote,

In the face of adversity, these two stand tall, their bond unbreakable and their unity unwavering. No matter how challenging the circumstances, they remain steadfastly united, drawing strength from their unbreakable connection. Through thick and thin, they navigate life’s trials together, providing unwavering support and encouragement to one another and throughout all of the chaos and emotional madness each day brings, I celebrate them.

I’m certain their experience is just one of many other equally inspiring stories … how that mile was a child’s first-ever; how they achieved something they never really thought they could; that amazing feeling of accomplishment and self-worth you get when you cross the finish line. (Not to mention how proud it makes parents.)

What a great day for all involved. Thank you to our WCSD phys. ed teachers for pulling this together every year, to the transportation department for providing buses, to Fleet Feet for providing the race bibs and fancy finish line which made it all official, and to all the parents who came out to cheer. The big smiles from the kids make it all worth it.

Thank you to Jennifer Ward for the photos.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 9/28/2023)

Sample new shops, win prizes in new city-wide shopping tour

27 Sep

This looks like a fun event, and just in time for the start of the holiday shopping season (well, at least for me).

It’s a Rochester-wide, nine-day shopping tour called “Shop-Tober-Fest.” I call it a tour because the event will take you around the city, sampling lots of cute shops which have lots of unique gift ideas for your favorite people.

The event doesn’t even start for another week, but already 20 local businesses, artisans and entrepreneurs are signed up. In town, that includes Farm House Fabulous (in Ontario, and the host of this new event); Lala of Webster; curated by JUSTINteriors; Kittelberger Florist & Gifts; and SoJo Boutique. Other participating shops are in Fairport, Pittsford, Brighton, Victor and downtown.

Here’s how Shop-Tober-Fest works

Buy a $5 ticket for Shop-Tober-Fest via Eventbrite and visit as many of the participating shops as you like between October 7 and 15. Your ticket will give you access to the map of the shops along with a raffle ticket for each one (sent via email after registration). Every store will be raffling off a prize of a $100 value or more and you’re eligible to win them all! But you can only enter each shop’s raffle by visiting the store in-person.

This is a great opportunity to show your love for small businesses and uncover some one-of-a-kind gifts, charming home decor items, delectable treats and more.

Best of all, proceeds will benefit the Wilmot Cancer Center.

So click here to register. Your map will be emailed to you so you’re ready to hit the shopping trail on Oct. 7!

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com“Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 9/27/2023)