Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

S8 E6: The Happy Tea and the Tower Nobody WantedWelcome to Tea, Toast & Trivia.Today, I’m pouring a cup of The Happy Tea as we revisit one of history’s most surprising reversals of opinion—the story of the Eiffel Tower, once mocked, resisted, and nearly dismantled before becoming one of the most beloved landmarks in the world.What can this famous tower teach us about patience, beauty, and the slow work of acceptance?Settle in, pour yourself something warm, and join me for a quiet reflection on first impressions, endurance, and the joy of what remains.Rebecca🎙️Tea Toast & Trivia Podcast🫖It’s All About TeaMusic by Epidemic Sound“Paris in Spring” by Trabant 33https://www.epidemicsound.com/music/tracks/0231d807-be5a-3e85-93ab-d808d53d3190/

S6 E14 Kim Mooney on “In an Instant” I stood quietly, looking out the window on a Thursday morning in May 2018. The sky was clear and bright, that crystal-clear blue we so rarely get on the West Coast. Not a cloud in the sky. As I took a sip of my tea, the air filled with the scream of sirens. The shrill sound of the fire trucks and ambulance drew closer and closer. Suddenly the vehicles were in front of my house. They stopped, lights flashing. Men were jumping from the vehicles before they completely stopped, running toward the house directly across the street. I froze in my spot and watched, fascinated in the moment by these running action figures. Within minutes they were back on the sidewalk. In that instant I knew something bad had happened. I ran. Kim Mooney “In An Instant: Stories of Resilience and Courage” Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I am delighted and thrilled that my long-time friend, Kim Mooney has joined me on Tea Toast & Trivia to discuss her new book, “In an Instant – Stories of Resilience and Courage.” Kim’s career has been an eclectic one, moving between teaching and hospital administration and back to teaching. With Kim’s first published story in 1970 came a prize – a typewriter. A few short stories and a series of poems were written on that typewriter and then it was set aside in a drawer. Her first book, Hidden Daughter Secret Sister; A Story of Adoption, was published in 2020. Thank you for joining Kim and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you, Kim, for sharing the profound and life-affirming stories of nine ordinary people who chose to live extraordinary lives with courage and determination. As always, Kim, your candour and compassion come together to encourage a deeper appreciation and recognition that life is precious and worth living. “In An Instant” is available on The FriesenPress Book Store and Amazon. Music by Epidemic Sound "Serene" By Johannes Bornlöf https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/vFlIclgNCs/ "The Bloom of Her Skin" By David Celeste https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/8KN2JKoLoG/

S6 E12: Misty the Cat . . . Unleashed: The Spirited Adventures and Amusing Antics of an Asthmatic Feline on the Loose “A little voice inside my head tells me that I’m joking too much and should get more serious for at least one chapter. Okay. Sometimes, I let out a small moan when walking around the apartment. I’m not unhappy – I’m loved, well-fed, and sheltered – but there are still things a cat thinks about. Such as, who were my mom and dad? Where are they? Are they still alive? Do I have siblings somewhere? Why am I an “only cat”? Chapter 27 “I Get Serious, Not Sirius Radio” Misty the Cat…Unleashed” by Misty and Dave Astor Welcome to Tea Toast and Trivia!Thank you for listening in.I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Today, we are on an extraordinary virtual journey, bridging the 3,923 kilometers between Montclair, New Jersey, and Vancouver, British Columbia, to meet up with Dave Astor and our special guest, Misty. Misty has just published his first book, which I believe has the potential to evolve into a stimulating series of adventures co-authored with his companion (aka servant), Dave Astor. I have waited over a year for this conversation to happen. It has been worth the wait. It is time to put the kettle on and join in as we delve into Misty’s world of thrilling tales and embark on an unforgettable literary expedition. I am pleased that Dave has graciously agreed to act as translator during our conversation. I have not had the opportunity to learn “meow” or feline language, but thankfully, Dave is an expert. Thank you, Misty and Dave, for this remarkable conversation. Misty – your book is brilliant. I appreciated your discussions on the intricacies of furballs, rubbing up against legs, and why cats make the best pets! Dave, thank you for the 2024 feline memoir “Misty the Cat…Unleashed.” Your friendship with Misty inspires us. I love tagging along with you and Misty on your daily walks – and now I have experienced Misty’s blockbuster adventure. Listeners – Thank you for joining Misty, Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. Dave Astor is the author of the 2017 literary-trivia book “Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time,” and the 2012 memoir “Comic (and Column) Confessional.” You can connect with Dave on Amazon and his blog, Dave Astor On Literature, his YouTube Channel, and read his award-winning weekly Montclairvoyant humor column for Montclair Local. He was a longtime National Society of Newspaper Columnists board member who still copy-edits the organization’s newsletter. Dave is a former magazine writer/editor, newspaper reporter, and freelance cartoonist; a graduate of Rutgers and Northwestern universities; the husband of French professor Laurel Cummins; the father of Maggie and Maria; and (happily) the servant of Misty the Cat. Music by Epidemic Sound "Careful Now" By Arthur Benson https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/g0TQCCspnE/ "No One but Yourself" By Claude Signet https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/l89C9VoigE/ "Sneaky Fingers" By T. Morri https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/8sZv9s0Kgi/

S6 E4: Celebrating “Up Helly Aa” with Sarah McBurnie January 30, 2024, the Last Tuesday of January. The fire festival of Up Helly Aa is happening. A huge torchlight procession of hundreds of Vikings is marching through the streets of Lerwick, carrying flaming torches and singing traditional Norse skalds. Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am you host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. I have arrived in Lerwick, Shetland to meet up with my friend, Sarah McBurnie who was our guide on our 2018 Shetland adventure. Up Hella Aa is happening. Sarah has invited us to celebrate Shetland’s Norse heritage with her. I have always wanted to attend Up Helly Aa, so join me for a Viking adventure that promises feasting, music, and dancing! Up Helly Aa or Up Holy [Day] All A Celebration of Norse Heritage! On January 30, 2024, the last Tuesday of January, the fire festival of Up Helly Aa is happening in Lerwick, Shetland. This festival carries a rich tapestry of influences that give it a unique flavor and significance. The first influence stems from the Yuletide celebrations, which traditionally began on the 5th of January, known as Old Yule, and culminated in Up Helly Aa, 24 days later. This final day was marked with fire, feasting, and frolic, creating a lively and festive atmosphere. The second influence is rooted in the old Shetland custom of guizing, where individuals disguised themselves, visited friends’ houses, performed turns, and then revealed their true identities. This tradition added an element of surprise and merriment to the festivities. The celebration of Shetland’s Norse heritage is a central pillar of Up Helly Aa. In the north of Scotland, the Vikings, who were feared in other parts of the world, are celebrated as symbols of strength and resilience. The Norse heritage is embodied in the iconic sight of a burning longship, symbolizing the journey of a deceased Norse Jarl to Valhalla, an evocative and powerful tribute to the Viking legacy. The amalgamation of these influences creates a vibrant and captivating Viking adventure at Up Helly Aa, as participants pay homage to Shetland’s rich and enduring Norse heritage. Northlink Ferries has taken this opportunity to look back at the other years that were significant for Up Helly Aa: Up Helly Aa through the years. Edgar Hopp "Phoenix Rising" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/IKHlHvgHSN/ Kikoru "Clouds Over Mountains" https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/EbaDeotpAO/

S4 E19: On Location Victoria British Columbia  - Emily Carr, James Bay Inn and Beacon Hill Park Tea Toast & Trivia Podcast hosted by Rebecca Budd On Location, James Bay Inn and Beacon Hill Part Victoria, British Columbia. Passages from Emily Carr’s Autobiography “Growing Pains” Public Domain (Canada)Voice and photography by Rebecca Budd Music by #EpidemicSound 1) Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen  “End of an Era” https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/dgEeXjlQge/ 2) Howard Harper-Barnes “A Leaf Falls” https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/vCliROg8VZ/ 3) Johannes Bornlof “I Will Love You To The End” https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/VAhZ2EgIiq/ 4) Howard Harper-Barnes “No One Else on Earth” https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/722bbcNU24/

S 2 E50: Klausbernd Vollmar on Colours of Life "Every colour has its personality and a different impact on us. Colour sends out a vibration like every person does. This vibration interferes with that of its onlooker. That’s why we like certain colours and dislike others even if this is mostly unconsciously.." Klausbernd Vollmar, Scientific Psychologist, Author Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling over 7,500 kilometers to  Cley-Next-The-Sea, an idyllic artists’ village situated on the River Glaven in Norfolk, England. I am meeting up with my dear blogger friend, and professional author, Klausbernd Vollmar, who is an authority on colour theory and in the language of symbols in dreams and art. Klausbernd Vollmar graduated with a (MA) in German and Nordic literature, philosophy, geology, and linguistics at the University of Bochum/Germany. In Finland and Germany, he worked as assistant professor specializing in symbol systems. Winning a postgraduate scholarship by the Canada Council , he came to Canada and worked for four years as lecturer at the McGill University/Montreal. He was an editor of several magazines in Germany, Canada, and Greece. Klausbernd studied and graduated in general and clinical psychology at the Ruhr-University/Germany. Working in Germany and England in a private practice, his writing specialized on colour and symbolism.  His website is www.kbvollmar.com I enjoy following the extraordinary adventures of The Fab Four of Cley on their blog, The World According to Dina. I continue to learn from the vibrant discussions that open new avenues of exploration. I am thrilled that Klausbernd has graciously agreed to share his insights on colour theory with us on Tea Toast & Trivia podcast.  He wrote that “I dealt life long with colours as my friends.” This is your invitation to join Klausbernd and me in an extraordinary conversation on the vitality and influence of colour in our lives. So, put the kettle on add to this exciting discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia. Dear listeners, thank you for joining Klausbernd and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And remember –  you are only an internet click away from Klausbernd on The World According to Dina, where you will meet up with The Fab Four of Cley. It is a place that welcomes life-affirming discussions.  Until next time, stay safe, be well.

Season 2 Episode 29: Sylvia on the Joy of Music Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am delighted that Sylvia, a remarkable blogger and dear friend, has come back on Tea Toast & Trivia. We are once again bridging the 4,245 kilometres, as the crow flies, between Florida and British Columbia I have followed Sylvia’s blog, Another Day In Paradise, for many years.  And the name says it all. Sylvia has created a place that welcomes and encourages life-affirming conversations. In our last podcast conversation in February,  Sylvia and I thought to explore the idea of travelling. Sylvia has traveled extensively, visiting forty countries, and embarking on two round-the-world trips. And then the world changed. Who would have known that the entire world would enter a period of solitude? In a recent blog post, Sylvia wrote, “Wishing you all a peaceful Wednesday. Remember that happiness is the new rich, inner peace is the new success, good health is the new wealth and kindness is the new cool.” Sylvia’s courage during an uncertain time inspires me. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion on TeaToastTrivia.com

Season 2. Episode 14: Another Day in Paradise with Sylvia Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am delighted that Sylvia, a remarkable blogger and dear friend, has joined Tea Toast & Trivia to bridge the 4,245 kilometers, as the crow flies, between Florida and British Columbia . If you consider travel time, a road journey between us would take 3 Days, 5 Hours, 9 Minutes. I often wonder how a Google search can produce those exact time measurements.  And here we are connected within minutes as if we are in the same room. I have followed Sylvia’s blog, Another Day In Paradise, for many years.  And the name says it all. Sylvia has created a place that welcomes and encourages life-affirming conversations.   When you visit Sylvia, you enter a place of sunshine, warmth, blue skies, and lush vegetation. It is truly Paradise. Put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com Safe travels wherever your adventures take you.  And remember you are only an internet click away from Sylvia and Another Day in Paradise. Music by Howard Harper-Barnes "The English Affair" Epidemic Sound