Thank you! Iām hoping it will help me get writing again.
I solemnly swear Iām up to no good! LOL!
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My challenge entry 
As Iāve previously said this was the challenge for me.I love anything relating to music,dance and history.
For this challenge I first looked at what inspired my craft and then I looked at what I could do to bring some of the Museās inspiration to my craft.
The muse I chose to draw inspiration from was Euterpe,the muse of music.To do this I created a spell based on the song Greek God by Conan Gray to keep me protected from people I donāt like.I created a Crystal grid with rose quartz,amethyst and obsidian and let the song charge it.
I also made a collage.
Blessed Be!
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For my challenge, I had chosen Erato, and I wanted to learn some more about her.
Erato, one of the nine Muses, the Patron of lyric and erotic poetry or hymns.
She is often depicted playing the lyre
the first known use of Erato was in 1557, the Greek Muses of lyric and love poetry.
Erato is the Muse of lyric poetry, particularly erotic poetry, and mimic imitation. In the Orphic hymn to the Muses, it is Erato who charms the sight. Since the Renaissance she has mostly been shown with a wreath of myrtle and roses, holding a lyre, or a small kithara, a musical instrument often associated with Apollo.[2] In Simon Vouetās representations, two turtle-doves are eating seeds at her feet. Other representations may show her holding a golden arrow, reminding one of the āerosā, the feeling that she inspires in everybody, and at times she is accompanied by the god Eros, holding a torch.
Erato was the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Mnemosyne, and the sister to Calliope, Clio, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia and Urania.[3] Her father gave Erato to Malus, eponym of Malea, as a bride and by him became the mother of Cleophema who bore Aegle (Coronis) by Phlegyas.[4]
Erato Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster.
I have a relationship that is complicated and I have in the past tried to fix it, the old fashion way. So now I will try (I will succeed) in fixing this relationship. He is an old friend, we stay in touch but there is a strain in the relationship. I have decided to use a Spells8 love spell.
I started this spell on Friday as suggested by Spells8.
I used the Pentagram in the center and placed a Rose Quartz Crystal on top of the Pentagram for extra strength & energy. These are the words I will use after the nine days are up.
May the Goddess & God of light, the Muse Erato of love
grant me my wish
and quite our hearts
I place my desire in your hands for you to do as you will
and as we deserve each other & bring us closer to one another.
This harms no one
So mote it be!
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I learned alot this week. I had no idea what a muse was. I felt drawn to Urania for a few reasons. First of all because she is the muse of astrology. I remember as a little girl I would read the horoscope section of the newspaper. This was way before home computers or Google!. Lol! The second reason is because Uranus was named for her. My astrology sign is Aqaurius and Uranus is my ruling planet.
I couldnāt find much information on her and what I found Iām not sure if itās accurate so correct me if Iām wrong. She was the first born muse of Zeus and
Mnemosyne. She was the first master of Pegasus and saved him from Zeus.
I also read a book called Witchcraft Astrology Guide from Kindle Unlimited. There was some good information, but some information on moon water that is iffy.
This was interesting and I learned alot!
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The Mother of Muses
Delaware Art Museum, Samuel and Mary R. Bancroft Memorial
I chose Mnemosyne, The Mother of the Nine Muses, for inspiration with pulling together My Family History. Iāve been sorting through numerous banker boxes of photos, slides, videos and even old school reel to reel tapes, letters, books, newspapers and pondering which stories to pass on to younger family members. Taking inspiration from two of the nine daughters of Mnemosyne, Thalia (comedy) and Melpomene (tragedy), I will include both the comedy and the tragic tales.
I no longer have any living grandparents, parents, aunts or uncles and it appears that I have become not only old but āthe history keeperā. 
I am moving towards embracing this monumental job as part of a loving legacy.
I really get into the sorting, the detective work and noticing the details like; how really cheap (22 cents ) gas was when I was a teenager, the nice floral print on mumās skirt, and how the local beach sure looked wild in the 1940ās. I just couldnāt get my head around telling the stories.
Then I started to notice all the synchronicities.So, Iād wonder why I hadnāt any photos of my paternal Grandmother and then Iād find an old photo with her name in the back. She looked so young, I didnāt recognize her! Iād try to remember the various addresses where my Mum lived and Iād find a 35 page speech she wrote for the Vancouver Historical Society including, you guessed it, all the addresses she lived AND worked at. Iām enjoying the extra āzipā and am much more hopeful now I know that the Mother of Muses has my back.
Interesting thing is, Mnemosyne reminds me a lot of my Grandma Mary. Since becoming aware of the coincidences Iām starting to feel guided by a grounded, no-nonsense but loving maternal companion. I found a great āspeech to textā app and planned a outline to tell my story.
Whoever my muse is, I am sooooo grateful for the direction and company. I am also, grateful for this Weekly Challenge of the Muse to nudge me into learning about this Goddess and her gifted Daughters. Oh and reconnect me with my second mum, Grandma Mary. 
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Mnemosyne : As the Titaness of Memory, Mnemosyne has absolute control and divine authority over memories. She did this for the dead, allowing them to regain the memories of their past lives. She may even have domain over recorded images like video or photographs, objects of visual memory.
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Mnemosyne is the name of the main hovercraft in The Matrix Resurrections. āMakes senseā, wrote one user on a Reddit forum, āif they are approached by rebels from the ship that bears the name of the Goddess of Memory, to awaken their memories.ā
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Mnemosyne, Greek goddess of memory, was considered one of the most powerful goddesses of her time. After all, it is memory, some believe, that is a gift that distinguishes us from the other creatures in the animal world. It is the gift that allows us to reason, to predict and anticipate outcomes, and is the very foundation for civilization.
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museum (n.) 1610s, āthe university building in Alexandria,ā from Latin museum ālibrary, study,ā from Greek mouseion āplace of study, library or museum, school of art or poetry,ā originally āa temple or shrine of the Muses,ā from Mousa āMuseā (see muse (n.)). The earliest use in reference to English institutions was of libraries for scholarly study (1640s); the sense of "building or part of a building set aside as a repository and display place for objects relating to art, literature, or science" is recorded by 1680s.
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My muse for some time now has been Circe, the first witch of the Greek Gods.
Circe was born to Helios, a son of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, and brother to the goddesses Selene and Eos. She is also cousin to Zeus, the King of the Olympians. So you could say that Circe was born into quite a noble family. A granddaughter of at least two Titans and related to the sun, moon, and dawn, big things should have been laid out for her from birth.
Except, thatās where her ancestry gets indistinguishable and a little problematic. One possibility is that she was a daughter of Hecate, an ancient deity that pre-dates the Olympians and whom Zeus honored above all.
Circeās other matrilineal probability is Perse, an Oceanid nymph and one of several thousand daughters by the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. Perse is also the mother of Aeetes, keeper of the Golden Fleece; Perses who was killed by his niece Medea; and Pasiphae the Queen of Crete. What makes her lineage a bit tangled is that Perse can also be closely identified with Hecate, a virgin goddess who had no regular consort.
My very own painting of Circe by John William Waterhouse:
Growing up, Circe was all too aware of her shortcomings. Unlike her sister Pasiphae, she would not be married off to a mortal to rule over humans and bear mythological beasties (see my previous article on the Minotaur). Also, unlike her brothers Aeƫtes and Perses, she was denied a kingdom of her own. So she stayed with the throng of Titans and Olympians and kept to herself.
It was during this isolation that her gifts were developed and honed. Whether it was due in part to her maternal parentage, or whether it was her fate, Circeās magical abilities manifested into both potion making and spell casting.
Ulysses and Circe. Illustration for A Wonder-Book and Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Harrap, c 1930).
Sheās been both muse and subject for many, but sadly sheās almost always seen as a villain.
Was Circe really to blame?
This is popular opinion and aids the narrative that permeates much of classical mythology and history, and fulfills exactly what Steven Sora ( The Triumph of the Sea Gods ) and Sigmund Freud (the Madonna-whore complex) refer to in their works. It is the old trope of women interfering or causing good men to go bad, and Circeās story is merely one such example.
But Circe is, at least, in fine company. She sits quite comfortably alongside the likes of Helen of Troy, Pasiphae, Clytemnestra, Hera, Hecate, and a host of other ladies whoāve all been labelled as troublesome. Perhaps itās finally time to view Circe in another light, that of being considerate and generous, intelligent, clever, headstrong and independent.
Image Source: Circe - After Dulac from the collection of Erica Berkowitz | Artwork Archive
For me, Circe worked hard and developed her craft. She did it in exile through trial and error until she became a master at herbal knowledge and spell casting. I spent this week channeling Circe as I studied and restudied herbal knowledge. I have a goal of learning recalling from memory, the medicinal and magickal properties of 100 herbs by the end of this year. This week I studied Angelica, Aloe, Basil, Bay leaf, and Catnip. Circeās relentless pursuit of her witchcraft has been a wonderful inspiration for me this week!
References:
āCirceā by Madeline Miller, fantasy novel published April, 2018
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Would very much like to work with Thalia. To start this challenge off, to welcome her energies, decided to light a candle. Meditating on what color candle to use, decided on a grey candle. Why grey I ask? Feel a fairly large aspect of comedy is taking something dark and making light of it, and taking something light and making dark of it, hence greying the situation/subject out.
Taking a few funny lines from the Snark Bible, by Lawrence Doreman. Feel Thalia would like this book.
āTo err is human, to blame someone else shows good management skills.ā
āHR manager to job candidate āI see youāve no computer training. Although that qualifies you for upper management, it means youāre not qualified for our entry-level positionsā ā
āNature, not content with denying him the ability to think, has endowed him with the ability to write. - A. E. HOUSMANā
āWhen the gods wish to punish us they answer our prayers. Oscar Wildeā
āāāāāāā
In my early 20s, felt it was and still is important to have a good sense of humor, and I applied such through the course of my life, and laughing at myself from time to time. Especially, when dealing with the metaphysical, when situations got weird or even scary, poking fun at it and myself helped cope and push through those dealings.
There was a time, felt like I wasnāt making progress, falling behind, my waves of life crashing against the rocks. Was listening to this song, the lyrics made me laugh but also realized I was pretty miserable and bitter, and I laughed some more:
āCause every time you laughā
āI feel so guiltyā¦ā
āIāve lost the ability to paint the cloudsā
āIām stuck in this slow motion dark dayā
āCause every time you runā
āI fall behindā
āAnd so I hear, my voice againā
āThe tale of the bitter man, here I amā
(Excerpts from song āOnly For The Weakā by In Flames)
I have gotten like this sometimes, when I did, heard this tune faintly in the back of my mind, I laugh and accepted for a time.
(This is the grey candle I lit a few nights ago, it even has a funny shaped to it)
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Iāve spoken quite a bit recently about how Persephone has been my muse, both she and Hecate are the Goddesses that call to me the most.
Iām just in love with Persephoneās back story. Whilst I didnāt get dragged down to hell in a chariot by Hades, her story does mirror my own in many ways.
I was quite sheltered as a kid with an overprotective (and as it turns out toxic) mother. When I started exploring BDSM and met my husband, it was like opening a door to a new part of myself and I followed him willingly. It was only through stepping out of my sheltered world that I was able to see how controlling and manipulative my mother had been, and that there was far more to life than she wanted for me. My husband has never held me back and encourages me to explore and be myself, much like Hades does with Persephone.
Can I also say that I consider the Moon to be a muse? Iāve never really paid much attention to the moon cycles before discovering my witchy side, but Iāve become very attuned to them the last few months.
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Sensitive information may be triggering!On Pinterest I found a good pic of the 9 muses and I picked Melpomene tragedy like a infinity sigh it goes up and down and well this year feels like Iām going down on the infinity symbol so I chose to make a Athame while I do my shadow work! I got a picture of my Athame, you can see a coffin piece at the bottom. It turned out okay for the first time. I am happy and my husband joined me for this challenge!
It helps to keep my mind sane for this tragedy. Meanwhile, me and my family will figure out what to do next and this will change my course of life!I am scared and fearful but I canāt lose hope. As you all no my son went to the hospital twice and diagnosed with schizophrenia. It effect 1 /100 people in America and there is a stigma to people with disabilityās but weāre people with dreams and hopes and aspirations for life! Everyday I pray for his recovery. Itās fine Iāll be fine! I wish I could be with him but heās safer in there for know! I am doing some shawdow work and taking the mask off trying to live one moment at a time and accepting my life for what it is! I believe there is hope he will get better and soon we will not be in crisis mode anymore
9 muses
I felt inspired to make my Athame out of epoxy itās still drying and I hope it turns out well! I set an intention to stay positive through this process of rehabilitation and recovery! Day 6 know with my uncrossing spell! I made a candle with yarrow and thyme and put some shungnite and clear quartz with soy candle wax! Know I just need a sigil to draw on my candle! Thanks for all your inspiration and may you all find a muse to help you in your creativity!
Blessed be!
Jeannie
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This challenge is now CLOSED 
What a stunning show this challenge has been- thank you so much to everyone for exploring and sharing about their magickal muses! 
Iām still in the process of reading through all the entries shared, but everything Iāve seen so far has been a real work of art 
A Props and Presents post will soon appear with shout-outs and prize details. Please keep an eye on the main page of the forums.
Note : This post will remain open for continued discussion for a few more days, but no additional prizes will be given after today.
Blessed be!
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@Jeje Awww Jeje, you are so sweet- Iām blushing! 
Thank you so much for kind words and also for the perfect offerings- so many wonderful things, how did you know all my favorites?! 
Many thanks back to you, Jeje, and a huge congrats on your artwork- I hope your painting went/is going well and that you had fun bringing it to life! Great job!
@Torista Hahaha the internet is indeed like going down the rabbit hole and finding a wonderland of information! I think youāve got a fantastic hook and story base going- I am loving the direction of your story! 
I hope inspiration continues to flow for you, and should you reach the publication stage I would love to read the whole thing! Great work! 
@Mary25 It sounds like Terpsichore swooped in and swept you off your feet, Mary- sometimes you do just have to give in and dance! 
You found your freedom and had a really lovely dance session- Iām proud of you for letting go and allowing yourself to rock to your own beat! Sometimes the unplanned things in life are the most meaningful- especially the things we donāt know we need until they happen Great job, Mary- youāve got the soul of a dancer in you!
@Kasandra Thanks again for your lovely piece about Arcane, Kasandra! Iām really looking forward to watching it
@Amethyst The world of fanfiction is an amazing one, Iām constantly blown away by just how much quality writing is out there for anyone to enjoy- and for free! A round of applause to you, Amethyst- fanfic writers donāt get the credit and praise they deserve! Youāre a hero! 
And ohhhh~ what a prayer I have my guess from the line āmischief to manageā 
The prayer made me smile- itās such a beautiful play of words and humor all wrapped in a gorgeous and flowing rhyme. I hope Calliope sparked something for your writing, but even if not- this prayer alone is a huge writing success in my book! Bravo!
@LadyAuld.ofChico Perhaps Euterpe has had a loving hand on your shoulder over the years, Lady Auld- it sounds like you carry quite the connection with music! 
And even if it is difficult to find recorded ways to honor a muse, I think that could be a blessing in disguise- you are free to build your own bond and connect with them and what they stand for in your own personal way 
May you continue to thrive with your love of music, and may Euterpe always watch over you as you jam! 
@Susurrus Beautiful work with your reflective journaling, Siofra- Iām glad to hear youāve recovered some light again! 
Those are some lovely journal prompts and it sounds like theyāve helped you gain control over tragedy and find your harmony once again. Well done!
@Jem1 Lovely work, Jem! You have so many wonderful creative talents, I think Euterpe is lucky to have been blessed with your focus this week The collage is stunning as always- I love how the clouds wrap around the song image. It looks like Euterpe and Her music is watching lovingly from above 
Bravo!
@Debra2 Your spell set-up is beautiful, Debra- beautiful work! I hope that everything works out as you wish it to and that you can find what you are seeking out of love. May Erato watch over and guide you! Beautiful chant and lovely job!
@Ostara It sounds like youāve discovered a bond with Urania, Linda- congrats! There is indeed a dearth of information on the muses and what is out there can be rather contradictory 
But perhaps it is a blessing in disguise- you are free to pursue your work with Urania in the way that you feel is best! Thank you for sharing what you uncovered, and I wish you all the best with your continued studies of astrology 
@Janis Mnemosyne! How creative, Janis- I had explored the muses themselves while putting the challenge together, but this was a delight to learn more about the musesā mother- thank you so much for sharing your wisdom! That is a wonderful mission- may I ask how youāve been enjoying the speech to text app so far? Iāve had mixed luck with the voice to computer programs, and would love to hear if that one is working for you! Anyways- lovely work and I am so happy that you enjoyed the challenge theme. The most wonderful bit is how it helped reconnect you with your Grandma Mary- such a beautiful story to tell, I was smiling while reading your entry!
@Satu_TheGreenWitch Hooray for Circe! 
Youāve done such great work exploring her background- I hadnāt heard of her possibly being a daughter to Hecate, that is really interesting And that pictureā¦ oh, what a treasure! Beautiful work and exploration of Circe, Kate- thank you so much for taking the time to share your findings!
@Eliza_01 Yay, Eliza- Iām so glad you choose the Muse of Comedy, Thalia sounds like a delight! I really love how you touched on the connection between light and dark, comedy and tragedy. And those quotes made me chuckle- theyāre perfect! 
Really great job here- thank you so much for sharing! 
@IrisW Iām glad to hear you are still thriving in your connection with Persephone, Iris- She has really won Her way into your heart And yes, I think the Moon can absolutely be a muse! Perhaps the moon is even one of the most traditional muses- inspiring humankind with its gentle and mystical light. Likely long before people even had words to share, the moon has been there urging us on 
Great job and thanks for sharing!
@Jeannie1 How wonderful that your husband joined you for the challenge, Jeannie- you are blessed to have such a loving and supportive partner at your side! I know things have gone up and down for you lately and I continue to pray for your sonās recovery, he is lucky to have his family (including his very loving mom) there supporting him as he heals. May the road continue to rise upward for you, Jeannie, and may be there be many happy times and blessings coming to you soon! Lots of love!
Great job, everyone! The Props and Presents Post for this challenge is now live- thanks again to everyone for embarking on their journeys with their muses. It was a delight reading your experiences!
Once again, bravo! 
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Thank you @BryWisteria! I have found some light but now itās finding the balance. I take 2 steps forward then something knocks backward 5 steps. I know it will be slow going, but if there could be a reprieve between the events that would be amazing too. 
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Thank you
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OH! I never thought about charging with music - that is simply brilliant! I canāt wait to try that 
thank you1
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Thanks so much! I hope to write some tomorrow.
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Travel Witch,
You always have built me up 
like a seed that needed the water 
to grow! When I feel the worst you remind me to keep shining!
I really want to thank you! I canāt thank you enough! 
You really made me cry tears of joy 
and healing!
You have truly touched my life many times . Thank you, for your friendship that is truly a gift, & I look forward to every challenge! I always love those emojis too! I always get a kick out of the emojies! 
Jeannie
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@Susurrus Iām so glad you found some light! And trust me when I say I know the feeling of one step forward, two steps back- when we get stuck in a rut it is really tricky to get back out again. But every step forward is still a step in the right direction, and you will eventually get to the place you envision yourself to be! 
Iām cheering for you!
@Eliza_01 Youāre very welcome, Eliza!
@Amethyst Itās my pleasure, Amethyst! I hope your writing is going well!
@Debra2 Youāre very welcome, Debra!
@Jeannie1 Awww Jeannie, you are so kind- reading your message felt like a hug, thank you so much! Iām sending many thanks and so much love to you too- it sounds like we lift each other up, because your cheerful messages and warm personality always brighten up my days! And haha hooray for emojis- Iām so glad you like them too! Lots of love!
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Thank you @BryWisteria & just for a little boostā¦ of where I find the lightā¦
Yesterday I had a rough, hard morning that continued with yelling & crying, not a good look. So there was my 2 maybe 3 steps back. So I finished with the tears about an hour later & only someone higher than myself knows why, but I decided to organize ALL of the paperwork that I had collected since my mother started declining in July. I went through EVERYTHING. I was on the phone, sending/receiving emails from her final providers. I organized certified originals of items into an envelope so I know where they are & all of the copies are in 1 section & the court papers are in another. Then I have the packet of information that I am going to need for filing the taxes on the estate & I have 4 letters with verification in envelopes ready to be mailed (with tracking receipt) to the remaining places that need to be notified. (No one tells you who is going to notify who & who else needs to be notified. So the calls & emails were trying to figure out who told who my mother passed.) Actually, no one tells you anything about what it is that you are supposed to be doing & if they did, honestly the first few days are a blur.
When all was said & done everything that I had to get done & organized took over 3 hours. It didnāt feel like it, but it did. I was no longer mad or upset, but I was raw & sensitive. So there were some conversations that were harder than others. Only because 1 of the hospice workers knew my mother from when they both worked at the same hospital. & everyone at the nursing home loved her too.
Once I was finished with that though, I took the rest of the day off so to speak. I moved to the living room because my daughter was going to be home soon. We were talking & I knew that I needed to rest & not get into anything except maybe mindless TV. I wound up falling asleep talking to her for an hour. Then my husband came home & gave me a kiss & hug. His hugs have been amazingly refreshing & I feel itās safe & warm & everything is okay.
After that, I still had the sensitive raw feeling, so I was laying on the couch & we watched TV & I got to talk to my husband once the kids had all moved to their rooms to do their things. Itās hard getting used to as the kids get older, they do their own thing in their rooms. A lot of which involves using their phones.
I had drawn Uruz 
for the day & I honestly at first (it was before 7 AM when I drew it) was a little confused, not that I donāt need strength on a regular basis, but I couldnāt see why I needed divine assisted strength to get through. I had made oodles of progress forward but I felt like I was abruptly shoved backward a few steps. By the end of the day I felt like I had this huge relief, a tremendous weight lifted, but I was raw & open still.
I went to bed early & when I say that I was out, I woke up & thought it was 7 AM & I was late (my husband wasnāt in bed with me anymore). So I wandered around, peeked into my sonās roomā¦ he was still in bed. I went out to smoke a cigarette (I know bad habit, least of my problems right now, working on that another time) & I noticed my husbandās truck was in the driveway. I checked the timeā¦ it was 5 AM! I slept through the night, but it felt like I was awake & ready for the day but that I was only asleep for maybe a couple of hours. It was a crazy, disorienting feeling for a few minutes.
I was relieved by the afternoon & felt accomplished, proud, I had made it through a tough day on the lighter side of life like things are taking more than 1 baby step forward. This felt like 3 giant steps!
Today I drew Fehu 
Fehu - 1st Rune of the Elder Futhark & Freyaās Aett
& I am making a list of things I need to get done before Friday night. We have a potential snowstorm starting Friday evening & going through Saturday. Weāve heard between 3 & 8 inches right now, but as they narrow it down every few hours, we get more toward the 8 inches.
I am going to add that there is a lot of journaling with & without prompts happening. I need to get the feelings to go somewhere!
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So sorry you had a bad morning yesterday @Susurrus, but getting through all that paperwork must have taken a great deal of pressure off you. Just changing the name on our cable bill was a challenge for me because I had to have a copy of the death certificate and other paperwork to do so. So I understand somewhat. Iām wishing you luck for today and hope that you donāt get as much snow as theyāre calling for!
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