November 2017 - Valerie Archual

Don’t Let “Black Friday” Take Precedence Over The Turkey Table

November 23, 2017 Valerie Archual Comments 2 comments

Ahhhh, Black Friday. The joyous, long awaited day of shopping that officially kicks-off the holiday season of spending. But the words “Black Friday” have always just seemed so drab and negative to me. In my mind, I picture a large mushroom cloud hovering above, while dozens- thousands- no millions of us, run scrambling and rushing in different directions, screaming in pure chaos… “Black Friday!!!” When you think about it… I mean, minus the mushroom cloud and all. I always thought,…

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Downtown Dashin’ A Family Tradition

November 17, 2017 Valerie Archual Comments 0 Comment

In the Archual house, Thanksgiving is the official kick-off to celebrate the holiday season! (no Christmas music is played, no holiday movies watched, or candy canes eaten, until then!) But for us, it starts well before that juicy turkey and all its trimmings are placed on the bountiful table. It begins around 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. Come rain, shine, or freezing temperatures, (and we’ve endured them all) the Archuals pack up and head into downtown Roanoke to participate in…

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Proud To Be A Navy Brat! Written by a Veteran’s Daughter

November 10, 2017 Valerie Archual Comments 0 Comment

Veteran’s Day, November 11, is the official US holiday that observes those who have served in our United States armed forces. We celebrate this day on November 11th, as it is the anniversary date of the end of World War I. When I think of a veteran, of course, I think of the one that is closest to my heart. My Dad. I tend to paint a portrait, that of a young man, close to my son’s age. My dad…

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Punderson Manor, Newbury Township, Ohio

November 3, 2017 Valerie Archual Comments 2 comments

In late September, my husband and I were, once again, back up in Ohio, but this time we “planned” our stay a bit ahead. We decided to spend one of our nights at the Punderson Manor Lodge, in Newbury Ohio. When we called for a reservation, there were several rooms in the “new wing” available that fell within our budget. This kinda bummed me out. If I was gonna stay in a “historic” hotel, I wanted to at least stay…

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