I have been collecting dolls since I was eight years old when I was confined to bed for a period of six months with a serious illness. My eighth birthday happened during that time and all the neighbors chipped in and filled two laundry baskets with books, games, toys, dolls, and craft kits that I could use while sitting in bed. The dolls were the seven inch "fashion" dolls from companies such as Duchess, Plastic Molded Arts, and Virga. I was absolutely fascinated with them and played with them constantly, albeit very gently because I wanted to keep them nice. Then for Christmas the year I was ten I got a wonderful Ruth Gibbs china doll. (More about those later) She and the dolls I had gotten when I was eight were the foundation of my now extensive doll collection. Over the years I would pick up inexpensive dolls at various places, but most of my dolls were never seen for lack of a proper place to display them. When my two older children were around five and seven my husband bought me my first "artist", a beautiful Asian baby. And still most of the dolls were never seen. Over time I joined a local doll club (Bux Mont Doll Lovers in Bucks County, Pa.) and finally!, the former boyfriend of our younger daughter, who was a carpenter, built me a wall to ceiling cabinet for the dining room. The point of this story is that I can't believe and am constantly amazed by, the lovely people I've met and friends I've made by being part of the doll world. They are the nicest people ever. I've attended doll luncheons, regional conventions, and UFDC (United Federation of Doll Clubs)national conventions. Everyone is so eager to share what they know about particular dolls and learn what I have to tell. What UFDC says is true - the study of dolls is the study of mankind and our history. I'm involved in a lot of things. I write and publish, sew, play violin, spend as much time as possible with my grandchildren, scrapbook and do crafts, and on, and on. I enjoy everything I'm involved in but nothing beats being with doll people at doll related events. I come home from those events on such a high, I can't help but think "who needs drugs?" Do you have a hobby that gives you such great pleasure? Please let me know. Nana

I'm headed to the Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown, Pa. today to set up a book signing for "Dinosaurs for Nana". Will let everyone know the date.nThis is all very exciting:)

Nana's Chat: My husband and I went to the New Jersey Shore on T...

Nana's Chat: My husband and I went to the New Jersey Shore on T...: My husband and I went to the New Jersey Shore on Tuesday and stayed one night with our daughter and son-in-law and three grandchildren. Desp...

My husband and I went to the New Jersey Shore on Tuesday and stayed one night with our daughter and son-in-law and three grandchildren. Despite the gray and misty weather we had a wonderful time, even went crabbing standing on a pier in chilly thirty mile per hour winds. I don't know what it is about the ocean. I have been mesmerized by it since I first went to the shore with my parents and grandparents when I was around age four. It has a strange hold over me and if I don't get there at least once in a summer I feel like something is missing from my life. It doesn't matter if its sunny, rainy, or windy, I could sit, walk, whatever on the beach and watch and listen to the ocean for hours on end. My husband and I spent our February honeymoon at the shore and I even walked on the beach in the snow. It probably sounds very corny, but I feel as if I've come home, like I'm where I belong when I'm by the ocean. It hits me as we cross the bridge from the mainland to the island and I can smell the bay. The sound of the waves crashing ont he shore at night when all is still, the bell buoys in the bay, the boat horns early in the morning when the fishermen set out for the day. And of course the ever present sea gulls. All sounds that take me home to another place and time. Maybe I was a fisherman's wife in Old New England. Who knows? Its just my favorite place to be

To contact me in regard to my post "Help Wanted" go to www.purpleturtlebooks.com

HELP WANTED - looking for out of the ordinary stories of how folks met their "significant other"

Nana's Chat: I woke earlier than usual this morning - 6:22 AM. ...

Nana's Chat: I woke earlier than usual this morning - 6:22 AM. ...: I woke earlier than usual this morning - 6:22 AM. Took my coffee to the screened in deck at the back of our house. What a treat that was. No...

I woke earlier than usual this morning - 6:22 AM. Took my coffee to the screened in deck at the back of our house. What a treat that was. Not a soul around. The back yard has about thirty tall tees, most of them oaks. All was quiet except for a symphony of birdsong. I have no idea what types of birds they were, but it sounded like there were hundreds of them, singing just for me. While they sang five squirrels frantically chased each other from one tree to the next. I love moments like that. They make my heart sing. They give me time to think without interruption, while enjoying Nature at its best. What moments do you savor?