Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

This mom is continuing to work on the new website Coasting With Bonnie and will share my travels in Europe and the US, but in a lighter and quicker form. It is focused on travel for savvy single senior travelers and we hope you will take a look, like it and follow along with us. www.coastingwithbonnie.com.

It's time again to say thank you to that wonderful woman who gave you life and is always there to listen or lend a hand when you have a problem . . . if you let her. I am certain my mom is in the place where special mothers go on the other side and I thank her for all that she gave me, but I want to also thank my three daughters (and my son) who have taught me so much by their life experiences and loving skills they share with their family and friends. I am grateful for them and that I have them to learn from, and thank God for giving me my time with them. I think being a grandmother is really the best hat I've ever worn, at least I believed this until I became a great-grandmother to Nolan and Theo. Little Theo was born on April 5 just turned 6, and these two little guys have kept me uplifted with their fun facetime adventures.

My grandchildren Cody, Leo Maxim and Natasha have brought me more joy than I can ever express, and I have no words to describe the love I feel for my great grandsons Nolan and Theo, who are a source of constant smiles. There is an unspoken connection between grandparents and grandchildren and one that no one can explain, but it's there and it's the best!

A special May 30th Happy Birthday wish to my #1 daughter Kathleen. You're the best Kat, and I love you!

I wish to honor all the great teaching nuns, professors and women in my family who have helped me grow and become the woman I am today, especially, my aunt Dolores (Marcella Joyce Stein), my mother, daughters & granddaughter Natasha, cousins Marcells & Jill who have shown me so much by the way they handle challenges and the love they share. Thank you to great women who have inspired me including HRH Queen Elizabeth II, Mother Theresa, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Queen of Austria "Sissy" and Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D. We all have a collection of great women whose books we have read, paintings we have admired, designs we wish we could afford to wear, recipes we wish we could duplicate, and exceptional political women who continue to fight with courage for our rights as women, but most of all I thank my dear women friends who have been there for me through the really tough times and the joyous moments over many years. I love you all so much and feel so grateful God put you in my life, especially the bi-coastal special angel 'steel magnolia'.

The Loquita Restaurant in the Santa Barbara Funk Zone is offerning such exciting menu items. Enjoy a fabulous Cinco de Mayo Brunch being offered.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo Festivities throughout Santa Barbara and Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Enjoy story up on SCI Toba Japan Sister Cities Dinner in Santa Barbara. Exciting news on 2026 Strawberry Festival in Ventura, including art competition and divine strawberry recipes (that I might be judging this year). Also lots of fun happening at Ventura Harbor this summer. Big wonderful news is that the Santa Barbara Four Seasons Biltmore Resort Hotel is said to be opening soon with a NOBU restaurant featured.

CA Strawberries Festival on the California Coast See Story in Kids K Section

Look for my friend Lauren's latest story in Tastes of Italia, the best food

magazine on everything wonderful that's Italian, features her Cooking Vacations site filled with Italian Cooking Vacation ideas for spring & summer. www.cookingvacations.com.

We hope your Mother's Day is peaceful and healthy. God Bless all the moms and we thank you for joining us this month. Look for our Father's Day issue in June, which will be devoted to men who make a real difference in our world. Special prayers for the people of Ukraine who continue to suffer. Special prayers for the Jews in Isreal and at home. Prayers for our President Joseph Biden who is facing so many grave challenges during his term as our Nation's leader and peace to the middle-east please.

Additional contributing writers are included on an individual issue basis. Please contact the editor with questions regarding any journalist assignments or requests. Email: writebc@aol.com