France 🇫🇷 or Scotland 🏴, which would it be?
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? My maternal grandparents were Scottish immigrants, born and raised in Glasgow, who came to America for better jobs and religious freedom. My grandfather fought (and was gassed) in WWI, and never fully recovered his health after that experience. They were born Catholics living…
Keep readingPoor Directions to The Great White Way
What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail. For most of the first 25 years of my life I wanted to be an attorney. My career path seemed to be set in stone, as from an early age, I remember my father saying someday I would make a great lawyer. When…
Keep readingOutdoor Mass in Honor of Fr. Kapaun
Please see my latest freelance assignment! https://www.cathstan.org/local/mass-at-st-jude-church-in-rockville-honors-memory-of-father-emil-kapaun
Keep readingNothing Gold Can Stay
Yesterday, September 24, 2025, my last aunt passed away. I only had three to start with and the last one living, my dad’s baby sister, died yesterday at the age of 88. She was seven years younger than my dad, and she grew up in my hometown. She graduated from high school the year I…
Keep readingNot An Anniversary To Look Forward To
How are you feeling right now? Sad. Nostalgic. Brokenhearted. That’s how I feel right now. Today is the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall near my hometown of Port Sulphur, Louisiana. On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina lifted my parents’ home off of its foundation and deposited it, broken in half, across the back…
Keep readingJettison Me Back
What TV shows did you watch as a kid? Growing up in the 50s and 60s, we were a one-tv household, which was housed in a large piece of furniture. There was no remote and because we were 60 miles southeast of New Orleans, we only got three channels, the three main networks NBC, CBS,…
Keep readingFood of the Gods
What’s your favorite recipe? You might as well ask me who’s my favorite child! Seriously, I cook every day, and of course I have my favorites. My favorites depend on the season. There are things I love making when it is cold out like Carbonnade Flamande, which is the famous Flemish beef stew we ate…
Keep readingMichelle, Ma Belle
Where did your name come from? Michelle, ma belleThese are words that go together well (ooh)My Michelle Yeah, I haven’t heard that one, lol. For a while I heard this every time I was introduced to someone whether at work or a social activity. As the old saying goes, if I only had a dollar…
Keep readingPharrell Taught Me Well
What positive emotion do you feel most often? The lyrics of the 2013 hit “Happy” by Pharrell Williams really do answer this question for me. Clap along if you feel like a room without a roofClap along if you feel like happiness is the truthClap along if you know what happiness is to youClap along…
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Michelle Blanchard Ardillo 