I’m sitting in the very cool afternoon light, beside a lake. A million miles away, seemingly, from an address like 1010 Park Place, and all that conjures.
That’s where you’ll find my latest post about a very special birthday card. I look forward to seeing you there!
XO Donna ❤️
Last week Facebook posted some photos I had shared three years ago… as their way of showing me they care about me. I don’t believe that for a minute, but I was happy to re-experience the thrill I had the day I took those photos.
For years I had driven past this patch of stone with all of it’s cactus plantings, but the full moon had been the night before, and on this morning every single cactus had a flower! I was so thrilled to witness this miraculous event that I stopped on my way to work to walk among them and photograph them. They even had a soft scent.
Seeing the flower photos again, they brought to mind a delightful comedy, “Cactus Flower,” starring Goldie Hawn and Walter Matthau back in 1969.
And they also reminded me of one of my favorite perfumes then, “Desert Flower.”
Wait, let’s revisit that… it wasn’t called a perfume, it was called a toilet water. And as much as I wanted to be sophisticated about wearing perfume, the name cracked me up. My younger sisters and I would laugh our fool heads off, wondering if they actually used toilet water to make it.
Truthfully, I didn’t care what they used to make it, it had every single one of the fragrance notes I loved; jasmine, ylang-ylang, cedar, patchouli, musk, vanilla, sandalwood, and ambergris. And more than that, it was advertised as Modern, Mysterious, Magnetic. All of the groovy qualities I wanted to embrace as a teenager. I felt delicious and decidedly modern when I wore it!
It’s only now, more than half a lifetime later, that I can see that toilet water was a very poor translation for eau de toilette. “Water for bathing,” not water from the toilet. But, it was a fantastic trip down memory lane. Thank you, FB.
XO Donna
We were camping in the rain when I heard news of the flooding in Louisiana. It seemed a world away, although from where I live in Austin, TX – to where it happened – is only 450 or so miles. Close, and even closer, when those floods affect someone you know. The way the news was solely focused on an Olympic swimmer’s bad behavior, I had no idea how bad things were in Louisiana. To my relief, my friends in Lafayette and Baton Rouge had “checked in” on Facebook saying they were alright.
Then I received an email from another friend. “Just a quick note to let you know, even though Lucy and Ricky’s house didn’t flood inside, things are bad for them.” (For their privacy, I have changed their names.) “Please drop her a couple words of encouragement.” That’s the kind of woman she is. I wrote Lucy that night, asking if there was anything at all that we could do to help.
She responded this morning, and we emailed back-and-forth for more than two hours. Lucy told me they’d been in their new house for less than a year, and thankfully the house was okay. While their new neighborhood in Greenwell was damaged, (see left) their old house and neighborhood in Central, (below) just three miles away, were ruined by the flood. They have three people living with them right now, and Ricky’s company was a total loss. “I am focused,” she said, “on keeping everyone fed and comfortable.”
Lucy told me it had been very emotionally and physically draining, knowing that so much of Louisiana is a total loss. “We will be fine,” she said, “I went through all of this during Katrina when we had 18 people living with us for four months. Back then, I saw the home and city I grew up in completely destroyed. This time I saw the home and neighborhood where we raised all three of our girls completely destroyed.”
I can’t imagine going through that once, but to go through it twice is mind-bending. Lucy agreed, “It’s definitely been an eye-opening and heart-breaking experience.” I asked why they had moved. “We needed more land for the race cars and motorhome.” It was good that they moved when they did. I pointed out that their toys saved them, and she laughed. “That’s true!” then she added, “I’m glad we moved, this house definitely saved our lives, and has given shelter to others.” Those others are her youngest daughter (who is expecting) and son-in-law, and a friend who has also lost everything.
“Last thing. . . looking on the bright side, we should have 5 1/2 people by next week. Our daughter should be induced if she hasn’t gone into labor by then. Can’t wait to get that baby in my hands!”
With all of her family history gone, she’s focusing on the good that is yet to come, because, that’s the kind of woman she is.
XO Donna
I know it probably seems like I’ve been “absent without leave,” but the last three weeks have been crazy-busy, stressful, and exhilarating, as if I’ve been riding a giant roller-coaster… and, mind you, I hate riding roller-coasters. I’m always afraid I’ll be that person… you know, the one who gets sick!
Long story, short: On July 15th we moved again, and downsized even further. On July 20th, up to our ears in boxes, we finally found our dream motor-home just up the road in Georgetown, TX. The owners have been a dream to deal with, too. Talk about getting lucky!
Then, on July 31st, the book I’ve been writing (for a couple of years) – Sick and Tired… & Sexy: Living Beautifully with Chronic Illness became available on Amazon. If you (or anyone you know) are dealing with chronic illness, I’m sure you will find this book to be both helpful, and a fun read.
I hope you all enjoy it. If you do, please tell your friends, and please write and tell me. I’d love to hear from you!
Here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Sick-Tired-Sexy-Beautifully/dp/1943658110
XO Donna
P.S. – I also wrote a new article for the online women’s magazine: 1010ParkPlace.com
I am writing at 1010 Park Place this week. Just click below and come visit, y’all.
http://www.1010parkplace.com/boxed-in/
XO Donna
I wrote about meditation in my book; how I struggled with it, but did it anyway. I benefited from my commitment, but it wasn’t until I began working with a personal coach last September that meditation became a focus in my life. I once had a boyfriend tell me that I was “too airy-fairy.” As it turns out, I wasn’t airy-fairy enough.
My coach urged me to surrender to meditation, to move from a place of “having to” into a place of willingness. She also urged an a.m. and p.m. practice. I resisted. I didn’t see how it could help beyond making me feel a little more relaxed.
Here’s what happened after I finally did surrender:
Here is what I realized: we are only having a one-way conversation with our Spirit/God/Higher Power/The Universe if all we do is talk, ask, pray, but never sit still and listen. We need to make time for answers, guidance, solutions, and inspiration to come into our lives. These charge us, like magnets, to attract just what we need in the form of wonderful coincidences and seemingly miraculous occurrences.
Here is a great article including a video (01:48 mins!) by Madeline Diamond:
http://www.huffingtonpost.comentry/a-tibetan-buddhis-masters-simple-guide-to-meditation_us_57850a79e4b07c356cfe8158
Take a few minutes to sit down, get still, and give inner-peace a chance. Let me know what happens!
XO Donna
…at 1010 Park Place. Come visit, and sit a spell.
http://www.1010parkplace.com/basket-case/
Thanks, loves!
XO Donna
I admit I’ve been called many things by many people, but I have never been called mellow. Or yellow, come to think of it. As in, “You’re yellow. You’re chicken!” I never backed down from a dare, but it might have been smart if I had. Read More
The good news this week – an MRI revealed that I don’t need surgery, and I now have a beautiful blue fiberglass cast. They come in colors and you get to choose. Since they didn’t have leopard (calling all designers) I chose a lovely cobalt blue. It allows me to type with greater ease, and I can drive my stick-shift again. I did like having “a driver” for three weeks – that’s definitely something I could get used to.
But here’s the really big news – my first article has been published in the online magazine 1010 Park Place! Their tag line is Make Life Count, and isn’t that what you are doing? Living well, staying inspired, and keeping it sexy!
http://www.1010parkplace.com/the-color-pink/
I am impressed with the caliber of the writers, and honored to be included among them. There are thoughtfully written topics as diverse as mixing a great cocktail, leasing vs. buying an auto and the difference between a man’s approach and a woman’s, the passing of a parent, and traveling to Europe.
I hope you feel compelled to subscribe – and I’ll meet you there every other Wednesday.
XO Donna
Mother’s Day is this weekend, and as we all know, it has become synonymous with cards, flowers, candy and restaurants, designed to show our children’s love for us.
Mother’s Day started after the Civil War as a protest to the carnage of that war, by women who had lost their sons. I’m ashamed that I knew nothing about it’s beginnings before today. The Mother’s Day Proclamation, (below) was written by Julia Ward Howe, the same woman who wrote The Battle Hymn of the Republic, a woman dedicated to abolishing war.
I believe that as women, we are powerful beyond our imagination. By honoring and celebrating the original intent behind Mother’s Day; our fierce love for our children and our strong desire for peace for all Mothers in the world, who 
knows what we can accomplish?
The holiday began in activism; it needs rescuing from commercialism and platitudes. I’d love to see a Mother’s Day for Peace.
That sounds pretty sexy to me!
XO Donna
Mother’s Day Proclamation, Julia Ward Howe, Boston 1870
Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts,
whether our baptism be that of water or of fears!
Say firmly: “We will not have great questions decided by
irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking
with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be
taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach
them of charity, mercy and patience.
We women of one country will be too tender of those of another
country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. From
the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says “Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance
of justice.”
Blood does not wipe our dishonor nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons
of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a
great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women,
to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the
means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each
bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
but of God.
In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a
general congress of women without limit of nationality may be
appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient and at
the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the
alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement
of international questions, the great and general interests of
peace.
Julia Ward Howe
Boston
1870
SexyPast60 