Restaurant review for Mad Pita Express, Saint George, Utah

What can I say? This restaurant experience is like a rollercoaster for the tastebuds! If you want the exciting thrill of well blended flavors and ingredients, this is the place for you. The gyros are the best I've ever tasted and I haven't had any one flavor assault my senses yet. Everything is just perfect. The only drawback is there isn't enough lamb on the menu, which I for one would pay extra for.

Mad Pita Express
2376 East Red Cliffs Drive
Saint George, Utah

The Crazy Quilt

June 19th, I'll be celebrating 25 wonderful years with my husband.  Marriage is like a quilt and so many pieces and stitches are in that family quilt that if a part unravels, especially when there are children involved, it's hard to sew up the pieces, so think - THINK before you agree to marry and THINK before you get divorced and THINK before you jump into an affair.  Why is the fabric of our society unraveling?  Because we forget that we are all a part of this crazy quilt.  Put a real good stitch in there, people!  Quilts are a comfort.  Anything else is disposable, like a tissue and once used, just gets thrown away.

Something that I wrote a few years ago.

A Little Appalachian History


In the 1800s, most people in the hills were Baptist and some were Methodist. The culture was Scots-Irish. In the 1600s and 1700s Scotsmen owned the land in Ireland while the native Irish share-cropped. The Scots-Irish did not appreciate the English influencing their freedoms nor did they like the taxes imposed by England. They were against the oppressive Anglican (English) influence in the Irish and Scottish homelands. Some Scots-Irish emigrated to America and joined the newly organized religions when they moved to the mountains. "Missionaries" started churches and circuit preachers rode into several communities to preach every several weeks. (There was a shortage of preachers in some communities so these individuals would ride from town to town like salesmen.)

Sometimes, in the late 1800s until World War 2, when people lived in a community and wanted to worship God with the neighbors, they'd go to the community church building. (School was taught there during the week and town events took place on occasion.) Eventually in a generation or two, the citizens of those small towns became that religion by default and tradition.

 The Scots-Irish fight carried over here when the English wanted to impose their will on the immigrants. That is why we had an American Revolution in the 1700s. The New Americans said "Enough is enough!" Also most Scots-Irish had no hesitation marrying into the Cherokees and other neighboring tribes. It was the English, and their aristocracy that wanted to force out the Cherokee and the mixed bloods.

-Liesa Swejkoski

A Bit of History

Oh, those crazy 1970s!

Back in the wild and crazy early 70s, my cousin Douglas moved from Michigan to the LA area with his sister and brother. 

One evening, he attended a bizarre beach party.  He woke up in the pre-dawn twilight, face in the sand, only a pair of swim trunks covering his chilled body.  Feeling miserable and hung-over, Doug stumbled, bleary eyed into the bungalow he'd been renting.  Making his way to the toilet, things just didn't look right.  Doug realized, too late, that he'd walked into the wrong beach house. 

Looking up he saw Buddy Ebson (star of The Beverly Hillbillies sit-com) spreading something on toast in the kitchen.  Buddy, startled, gave him a look that meant business, grabbed a large knife and chased Doug out of the bungalow!  They both jumped out to the sand and even though my cousin had played football and was the typical meat-head jock, he had a dickens of a time trying to outrun old Buddy!  Doug screamed and apologized the whole time and finally got away. 

It's been forty years since that incident and I don't think anyone in the family will ever let him forget it.

My First Blog

I've never had a blog before.  As if I don't already waste enough time on the computer, here I am, writing my own little column.  Deep down, I know this isn't really a waste of time.  I'm writing books, promoting them and keeping in touch with friends.  You're all friends, by the way.  I love the ones I've had since childhood and all the amigos I have yet to meet.  Here is something you should know:  none of my friends own me or my time.  Sometimes I pull back.  This is due to time constraints and health issues.  This does not mean that I'm ignoring you.  In the months to come, I hope to update you on my books and have a little opinion column here.