
Shelley Carroll
Bio
Ms. Carroll is a 40-something year-old veteran public servant and mother of three adult children. She and her partner Hal live in Amherst NS with a sweet, anxiety-ridden rescue dog. Shelley loves running, red wine, and laughter.
She/Her
Stories (81/0)
- Top Story - November 2023
Morning Has Broken
It seems that over the past ten years or so, I’ve become a morning person. Hey, no one is more surprised by this phenomena than I am - with the exception perhaps of my parents, who no doubt remember none too fondly the chore of dragging my sorry arse out of bed on school mornings or for church on Sundays.
By Shelley Carrollabout a month ago in Humans
- Top Story - October 2023
Entering my Autumn YearsTop Story - October 2023
Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. ~ John Lennon Well, here it is. After close to 27 full years in the Public Service, I’m on the cusp of retirement. In fact, 74 days from the time of this writing, I will work my last day as a public servant. And then, on the First Day of Winter, 27 years to the day since I worked my very first shift as a correctional officer, I will become a pensioner.
By Shelley Carroll2 months ago in Humans
Dog Sh*t & Dust Bunnies
As I prepare to retire after 27 years in the Public Service, I suppose it’s only natural to take a look back at what has become my career. I know I’ll be replaced and eventually, I’ll just be a memory, a dusty pile of files tucked away in a corner cabinet. The work will carry on. Still, I’m grateful for the things I’ve learned and above all for the people I’ve met (and I’ll speak more on this another time - too many big feelings to process for this piece!).
By Shelley Carroll3 months ago in Humans
- Top Story - June 2023
Learning to Trust in “The Quiet”Top Story - June 2023
“Listen to the silence. It has so much to say.” ~ Rumi I woke up this morning and the only person I had to worry about was myself. Sure, I’d have to take the dog out for his morning constitutional, but going outdoors with Apollo is oftentimes as much a treat for me as it is a relief for him. Other than that though, my priorities were as follows: make myself a coffee, start the slow cooker, and maybe put on a bra. (Maybe I’m wearing one right now, maybe I’m not. That’s the beauty of hiding behind my computer screen. Only I know for sure.).
By Shelley Carroll6 months ago in Humans
Word Hunt
Merrill MacIntyre sat at his kitchen table staring at his laptop screen. As he sat there surrounded by sports memorabilia, dirty dishes, and dehydrated plants, he tapped his left hand nervously on the pub-style table’s surface and absentmindedly clicked his mouse with the right. He may as well have been watching paint dry as it would have been just as productive.
By Shelley Carroll6 months ago in Fiction
I See You
You go about each day as you usually do, trying to maintain some level of normalcy, of routine. You likely haven’t slept much and although you are tired - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually - you bolster yourself and aim to be productive as much for the sake of distraction as for the sake of structure. Who else will do this shit if you don’t, you reason.
By Shelley Carroll7 months ago in Humans