Nancy Belle | The Fireside Post Nancy Belle | The Fireside Post
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Archive for Nancy Belle

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Nancy Belle. I am a reader. Books have been my safe haven for a great part of my life. My children all marveled at my ability to shut everything out and escape the turmoil around me, just by picking up a book. Much of what I know about this world is from the written word. My education is much greater than what is shown on paper, simply because I can and love to read. Having come to my senior years I have stories to tell and opinions to share, hopefully for your pleasure or enlightenment. Yet, perhaps some may not be in agreement or find my stories boorish, that's alright, too. Here's to my exploring and finding my way, with words!

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When I Was Just a Little Girl

Originally WrittenFebruary 17, 2015 When I was just a little girl I asked my mother, what will I be Will I be pretty, will I be rich Here’s what she said to me…. Que Sera, Sera, Whatever will be, will be The future’s not ours, to see Que Sera, Sera What will be, will be […]

17Feb2024 | | 0 comments | Continued
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There’s Moving and Then There is MOVING

There’s Moving and Then There’s ‘MOVING’ Started; June 22,2021, Finished; December 9, 2023 A friend recently told me that statistically most people move about 10 or 11 times in their lifetime. Wow! Once I started to put the facts together, there was no doubt I had that beat by over a mile. I was born […]

9Dec2023 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Is This The Way To Expose Your Light or Darkness

A week or so ago… A friend on Facebook posted about the Biden student loan forgiveness, currently in many discussions throughout MSM and Social Media. Following is a transcript of that post, no names will be disclosed. This is not about an individual. It’s about a pervasive attitude amongst too many, one that is destroying […]

4Sep2022 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Humanity

If Humanity In Our Current Millennial World Is Subject to Wantonness If Wantonness Determines Life or Death We Must Adjust The Dictionary ‘Humane’ Would Become Obsolete We Must Apply ‘Human’ To Other Entities Such As Dog Or Cat, House Or Car If Humanity In Our Current Millennial World Is Subject to Wantonness If Wantonness Determines […]

25Jun2022 | | 0 comments | Continued
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A Sketch or Memorandom of Old Mr Thomas Capps

Just a small microcosm of my paternal family history. Only wish it was also audio.

15Apr2022 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Slavery Was Not About Race!

From my Father’s line I have a 5th Great Grandfather John Cooke. He along with Nellie (his future wife) were kidnapped from London, as young teens. Both were promised a fun day aboard a ship sailing down and back again on the Thames River. They never saw London or their families ever again. They were […]

25Jul2021 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Lost Family

I have an Aunt (I never met her) Grandpa Clark’s oldest daughter Mary Elizabeth Clark b. November 3, 1904 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. I haven’t found records that state when she began working for American Reduction Company in Pittsburgh, but I do know she worked there because her occupation and place of work are on […]

12Aug2020 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Born White

I have lived going on 71 years. Life has been tough with most accomplishments, good or bad, having been a hard row to hoe. I can say, I never thought I would see the day that so many things that people do or claim to be, is because ‘They were born that way’. I’ve always […]

3Aug2019 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Fifty Years Ago July 20, 1969

July 20 1969… I was not yet 21 years old, married, to my Husband David who was not yet 23, with a Son Thomas who was 9 months old. We lived in North St. Louis County, Normandy, MO in a rented house ($100 monthly rent) we shared with my Father in Law Thomas, 61 years […]

20Jul2019 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Formal vs Self Education

Not many days ago… I was engaged in political debate with a person, who was quick to point out their higher learning and acquisition of a Bachelors and Masters, in something or other fields. I’m next to sure this was done to show their opinion was better formed and backed up because of same. I […]

27Jan2019 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Implication vs Assurance

I’m addicted to Facebook, no point in denying it! All my friends and family see me there everyday. Mostly I’m addicted to sharing my thoughts on anything and everything. Social media has given me an opportunity to not leave this world without showing out. I know you think I said that wrong and it should […]

9Jan2019 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Illegal Immigrants and How to Not To Do Anything About It

I am a hoarder of information, documents, letters, email, etc. Today I was forced to dig into the my archives for information someone wants, someone who had it, but didn’t take care of it. Any who I digress. While digging into the ramparts of my OLD emails, I found this little gem, from May of […]

28Jun2018 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Free Ranging Kids

The Clark Station on Mitchell, this was ‘Our Gangs’ pit stop on the way home from playing at Devil’s Backbone. My cousins and I would spend the day playing dirt clod war at ‘Bird Heaven’ or playing at mountain climbing on the 12th street side or sliding down the grassy steep hill on cardboard or […]

10Jun2018 | | 2 comments | Continued
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There you are Spot!!

Just saw this image of a beautiful pup on Facebook today and thought “There you are Spot!! and was immediately taken back to 58 years ago.  I was between 11 and twelve when Spot came into my life for a short little while. The sweetest and neatest little black and white dog, ever! My step […]

23May2018 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Purge Monsters and Poets

I once told my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Utz, that I wanted to be a writer or perhaps a journalist when I grew up. She did something, that not many in my young life, most did not do. She didn’t laugh, she didn’t say “Oh really” in that skeptical, high-toned way, people will do with […]

24Feb2018 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Scapegoat Politics…

Just some things rattling in my head this morning…. Today I see headlines about Marco Rubio being booed at a gathering to discuss the recent school shooting. Booed and pinned down to say yay or nay to the NRA, pinned down to say guns were responsible for the recent and past shootings. This is disturbing. […]

22Feb2018 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Why? It’s More Than Guns

I don’t mean to disparage the intent of the Florida survivors who are now passionately pounding the anti-gun message. Yet, immediately after the shooting, I saw and heard several young people who claimed to know the shooter. They, with disdain in their voices, described a person who was off, didn’t fit in, was a juvenile […]

21Feb2018 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Almost a Certainty

William Merritt Scotton, Sr. and Genevieve (Clark) Scotton, were married Wednesday, August 24, 1938 in St. Joseph, MO. She was a few months from 18 years and he was a couple of months into 21 years. They met by chance because he and Dorothy Castile were cousins and Genevieve and Dorothy were best friends. Merritt […]

23Jan2018 | | 0 comments | Continued
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How Cold is the Family Fold?

I come from a large family. Six women and two men make up the living siblings that all came from the same maternal loins. I am the oldest of this clan. My mother traditionally made me her helpmate in all things. I mean ALL things. For her I was the live in Nanny who brushed […]

13Dec2017 | | 4 comments | Continued
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Postcards From the RNC, Robo Calls That Is!

I keep getting robo calls from the RNC…. They desperately need $75 from me to fight the biased media and drain the swamp. What?? That is roughly 1/12th of my total monthly income. I have no problem telling them I am living on Social Security and not much of that, but I’m talking to deaf […]

21Nov2017 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Equality Is Not Tangible

I am all for equality between the sexes. Always have been, I guess. As a Baby Boomer, I have seen a whole lot of it not being that way. Equality is easily defined on paper and somehow in life it gets spread out, the lines get blurred and more difficult to find the easy divisions […]

16Nov2017 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Who Pulled Your Chain

Pardon my OCD a moment please. Sometimes I get intrigued (my chain gets pulled) by words and/or phrases I hear or read. The phrase in question “Shut your mouth your mind is hanging out” was spoken by one cowboy to another in a movie my husband was watching yesterday evening and I, by consequence, was […]

25Oct2017 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Curiosity is Not Alone in Killing the Cat

A curiosity moment led me to wonder, “Just what are the most probable causes of the Apocalypse and if any, the percentages of certainty?” I found many articles and many opinions on the subject and very little speculation or mathematics on how to rate each catastrophe with a percentage of ‘Most Likely’ to happen. What […]

12Oct2017 | | 1 comment | Continued
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NFL, NASCAR and America

So the Divisionaries continue to divide… It’s true that NASCAR has only had 4 black drivers in its history, notably one being a black woman. Yet, the popularity of the sport fades in the light of Football. Where 64% of Americans claim to be fans. Break that down to 73% of men and 55% of […]

26Sep2017 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Is There Such a Thing as a Drug Free Life?

I wrote this post on social media a few days ago… mostly to vent my frustrations and anguish…. It has been taken as low blow, a blindside, a side swipe and a less than honorable way to disparage someone personally…. It was suggested that I say it to someone’s face, rather than on Facebook of […]

23Sep2017 | | 3 comments | Continued
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It’s a Cat’s Life

I have a barn/porch cat, her name is Skeeter aka Trouble, who would dearly love to be an indoor/outdoor cat. Especially on cold days, 60 degrees appears to be her cue to want in.  She is in this predicament, because after being in the house for several months, or a year, I forget, she became […]

10Sep2017 | | 0 comments | Continued
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A 1964 Christmas Story

It was 1964. Life hadn’t been great. This particular year had been mostly a nightmare. My Mother and Stepfather had separated. Finances were next to non-existent. Me being able to attend school became a burden for my Mother. At only fifteen, I was resigned to possibly, never finishing high school. I was the oldest of, […]

12Dec2016 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Aren’t We Done Yet?!

I can recall earlier Presidential campaigns that were contemptuous to say the least and how I really, really could hardly bear the wait till the first Tuesday of November. This year is the worst I could ever have imagined. Although, recent postings on social media show us there is nothing new in this world and […]

4Oct2016 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Oh Lord Won’t You Give Me?

I loved and love Janis Joplin. I like the song she sang, Mercedes Benz, because it reminds me of a Church I attended with a friend when I was about 16. It was located in South St. Joseph. There was a neon sign outside proclaiming PENTECOSTAL SOMETHING OR OTHER CHURCH. A bright white two story […]

31Jul2016 | | 0 comments | Continued
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My Curiosity Defeats My Timidity

As the title eludes, I like to think I have a defense from fear. Many long years ago, my eldest son was about three. Our yard was fenced in and the best place for him and his sister to be in the summer. Our house was not air-conditioned.  This particular day I was visiting with […]

28May2016 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Karma and Life Lessons

Shorthand, I know what it is, but can’t read it. Many years ago at Lowy Enterprises. I received a promotion to work with Dave in Accounts Receivable. At high school I refused typing and shorthand because I didn’t plan on being any man’s secretary, Hah. So, one of my new jobs was to take dictation […]

5Apr2016 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Jelly and Rocket Science

Someone I love has a favorite expression, “it’s not rocket science”, he will say this when someone is having difficulty understanding his direction. Last Summer I attempted to make Elderberry Jelly. It had been nearly two decades since the last time I made this loved delicacy. Nearly every where I have lived as an adult, […]

19Dec2015 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Does Race Really Matter?

Transcript from Walla Walla Union Bulletin, Walla Walla, Washington December 20, 1950 Seattle (AP) – A blow on the head with a baseball bat in a neighborhood altercation was fatal Tuesday to Merritt Scotten, 33 year old Seattle pipe fitter. He died of a skull fracture Saturday night. Leon W. Venson 28 a neighbor has […]

25Nov2015 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Barking Dogs and Refugees

Nearly thirty years ago, I was living through a particularly rough patch of life. My husband and I were divorcing. All the usual ugliness that comes with divorce was going full force. My family was literally diminishing before my eyes. My oldest son was in the Navy on board the USS Forrestal which was in […]

18Nov2015 | | 0 comments | Continued
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The Cost of Illegal Immigration

Sometimes, I think with my heart and project my motherly instincts and experiences in an effort to understand others. In the case of illegal immigrants, I have often thought, if I were a Mexican mother living in the deplorable poverty and enduring the crimes that, reportedly, occur in Mexico. If the opportunity came, I would […]

13Nov2015 | | 1 comment | Continued
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Starbucks vs Christmas Cheer or Lack of

OK, here’s my tilt on the subject. I don’t recall Starbucks declaring an affinity to any religion. Not that they haven’t, I just haven’t heard anything about it. They are a business in the business to make money by making coffee. I have never had a Starbucks product. Probably never will, I find spending more […]

12Nov2015 | | 0 comments | Continued
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Life After Tuberculosis

As suggested by a good friend and cousin of mine, I will try to shine a light on a personal experience regarding Tuberculosis, the “Curse of King Tut”. The year was 1965 early Autumn. My mother’s estranged husband was taken to Mount Vernon, MO. This was at the time a ‘sanitarium’ for individuals with ‘lung […]

31Oct2015 | | 3 comments | Continued
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Perceptions and Homemade Bread

Before I get much further, I just want to say this is not, a crying in your beer or milk, sob story of a life in poverty. Now that’s out of the way and here we go. I am the second child of the nine children my mother gave birth to. If my mother was […]

4Oct2015 | | 1 comment | Continued