Someone You Know

Leave a comment

imageWe 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.

imageShe 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.”

imageI 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

AWOL

Leave a comment

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!

imageThen, 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

 

GIVE PEACE (of mind) A CHANCE

2 Comments

meditationI 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:

  • Within 90 days of wholeheartedly meditating, I realized I could retire. I was ready to take the risk and go for what I truly wanted.
  • 90 days after that, I was finished writing my book, Sick and Tired & Sexy, Living Beautifully with Chronic Illness.
  • In the next 120 days – the book is now ready to go to print, I just approved everything this morning!
  • I used The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo and got rid of all of my extra “stuff.” What is left brings me joy, and I have a new awareness of who I am, without all of my stuff.
  • I was invited to join the team of talented women writing at 1010ParkPlace.com.
  • A new book idea appeared for me, and I am making daily progress on a “spiritual murder mystery.”
  • And last, but not least – we move into an even smaller, but sexier, apartment tomorrow morning. This will allow us to travel and I can write-on-the-go.

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

What Else is Going On

4 Comments

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

 

The Real Mother’s Day

6 Comments

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 imageknows 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

TANGERINE DREAMS

6 Comments

imageEven though their name, tangerine, conjures up images of bustling souks and Moorish architecture for me, these little mandarin oranges have been cultivated in China and Japan for more than 3,00 years. They got their name because Tangiers is the port they were shipped from, bound for Europe and America in the 1800’s.

It seems about that many years ago that I was a little kid. Since their prime season is in the winter, as children our Christmas stockings were always filled with candy canes, assorted nuts, coloring books, and tangerines. So, I associate them with Christmas.

And it was during the holidays this year that I found myself faced with a 5-pound bag of the little cuties – organic, no less – and wondering what on Earth to do with so many, when I struck gold!

Well, golden-orange. I found cakes made using many different types of citrus, and almond meal. Baking with almonds goes back hundreds of years, and I found recipes of Spanish, Middle-Eastern, and Italian origin.

imageI sought out the commonalities in each recipe, put them all together, and created my own delicious recipe. Where our food comes from, it’s provenance, has always been important to me. It’s something that was lost when our food started coming in boxes. The act of spending time making this cake brings the rich history of many different centuries and cultures right into my kitchen.

I’m making this one for a dear friend whose parents and brother are visiting her this weekend in her new home. This is truly a special occasion, and needs a special cake!

Next time you’re in town visiting, I’ll happily make one for us to share.  But, call ahead, it’s not available in a box yet!

XO Donna

P.S. – If you are interested in my recipe, please leave me a note in the comments and I will gladly share it with you. 

Molto Moto

Leave a comment

Everyone came in to town last week from as far away as Florida and New Mexico for an opportunity to get together, celebrate, and to attend the MotoGP races. We were celebrating a friend who has accepted a teaching position in Little Rock, Arkansas. Besides being a gifted orthodontist, he also plays bass guitar “as a way to stay sharp,” and has become very good at it, even joining a band.

image

On Thursday night the band played it’s last show together, with lots of friends and family in attendance, cruising Ladybird Lake in downtown Austin, and timing our return so that we could watch the bats fly out at sunset.

image

Sunday was spent at COTA – The Circuit of the Americas track.  This was my first time there, and I was impressed with both the track’s size and it’s sophistication. MotoGP is the fastest motorcycle racing in the world.  Grand Prix motorcycles are “purpose-built,” solely to be raced on the track, often at speeds of 200+ mph for 18-21 laps, leaning over almost parallel to ground in turns with knees touching asphalt!

image

Image – mirror.co.uk

MotoGP races take place in more than a dozen countries and on multiple continents. Riders from all over the world, along with their crew, all participate and it was fun to hear so many people speaking so many different languages as we walked around.

There were lots of tents with vendors who would sell you anything from a t-shirt to a shiny new motorcycle – which would you prefer – Moto Guzzi? Kawasaki?  Yamaha? They even let you try them for fit, so I couldn’t resist this Ducati that was just my size. image

What a weekend!

XO Donna