Victoria Ponders

Author of “Surviving Sue”

  • Feeling Fortunate

    No, this post isn’t a substitute for a thank you note to a few fantastic gift-givers in my life. It’s just an extra, extra shoutout of gratitude. I don’t know how I got so very lucky, but I have dear ones around me who seem to crawl in and know exactly what makes me smile.…

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  • Unexpected Encouraging Words: “You Might Fail”

    My dad, Sonny, always had plenty of advice to offer but he wasn’t the type to pipe up with unsolicited input. If you wanted to know what he thought about something, you needed to ask. His face gave away little unless he wanted you to see what he was thinking. It was a vocational asset…

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  • Lisa’s Patch Jacket

    This is my first post back in the WordPress saddle for 2025 and I want to share how grateful I am for the opportunity to step away, work on some other projects and spend loads of time with family and friends. I know I missed many of your posts and for that, I’m sorry. I…

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  • “A Memoir You Will Not Soon Forget”

    Thank you, Beth, for your beautiful review, full of kindness about my book, “Surviving Sue”. I love this sentence in your review because it so succinctly summarizes my hopeful intention behind sharing the complicated story about life with Sue. Building resilience with compassion. Yes! I would highly recommend this book to anyone as an engaging…

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  • Santa Sue

    (I shared a portion of this post a couple of years ago and couldn’t resist a ‘take two’ moment today…a smile about my complicated mother and her love of Christmas.) My mom, Sue, was a party girl at heart and Christmas was her favorite holiday.  Even when money was tight, she’d find ways to rally people…

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  • Don’t Whine

    Margaret Atwood offered fabulous advice for writers fourteen years ago and I missed it. Thank goodness for the almighty algorithms that serve nuggets of wisdom. I don’t know how that happens. Sometimes I like it, but other times? It definitely feels invasive…seeing something in my social media feed which addresses a complaint – unuttered –…

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  • Live Every Minute!

    Sounds bossy, I know. Live Every Minute! But stick with me. I’m mulling the enchantment of books…words and creations…illustrations that transport us; nudge us about what matters most. Kindness. Consideration. Love. I won’t pretend to understand how the Universe works, but I am delighted when coincidences appear. I’m delighted when I meet talented people and…

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  • Loving Lisa & Supporting Her Team

    I adore my intellectually disabled sister, Lisa, and many long-time readers know how grateful I am for the caring team which surrounds Lisa in her CILA (community integrated living arrangement). Her loving group home, staffed by dear ones who’ve become extensions of our family over the years. Staff members who work for the Clearbrook organization…

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  • Smiling – “Real Big”

    I’m not sure I’ll find the right words to share what’s in my heart today, but I’ve put my fingers on the keyboard, so let’s find out. I found myself crying in the car the other day. Not from grief or sadness but the overwhelm that comes when joy invades. Straight to the heart. Reminding…

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  • Six Questions 😉

    I’ve never responded to a blogging prompt before, but who can resist an invitation from a dear friend who tagged me in? The delightful Melanie McGauran wrote a beautiful post recently, prompted – literally, by the charming Pete Springer who invited Melanie to peel back the layers and tell us about her blogging life. It’s…

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“Surviving Sue”, a special story about resiliency and love: Eckhartz Press (paperback) and eBook on Amazon.

Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“

Visit Resources on Atkinson Group Solutions for more.

Podcasts

Listen to the “Sharing the Heart of the Matter” podcast.

Workshops

Chicago Writers Association Speakers Bureau – Writing for Wellness; Navigating Elder Care with Grace & Humor

About Me

Learn about five books that inspired and supported my writing journey by visiting my personalized book review page on Shepherd.

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