Holy sheet!

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Three things – no, actually it was four- transpired within days of each other which resulted in me ironing our king-sized top-sheet today. It was not unlike eating an elephant. (How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.) But once I decided to do it, there was nothing for it but to make it work. Why exactly did I do this?

  1. I saw a Huffington Post article, “7 Skills Your Grandparents Had That You Don’t.” The photo that accompanied it was of a very old woman (probably my age – but that was ancient in the 1950’s) ironing. It was obviously written for a very young crowd because I know how to do everything, except on the list. (except haggling well)
  2. Last week we spent the night in a sexy new hotel by Hyatt in downtown Austin. Our bed was as large as a small island, there was a plethora of pillows, and the sheets were good cotton, perfectly pressed. Heaven.
  3. I saw a FB post by a friend asking,  “How do you fold a fitted sheet? I’m so frustrated.” I wondered what the response would be (I would have suggested youtube). What followed was really funny – only 2 people said look on youtube, the majority said, “Who cares?”  One braggard posted a photo of a wadded up sheet and said, “This is how i do it!”  The phrase that came to mind is: How you do one thing is how you do everything.
  4. My sweetheart dried a set of our sheets on High a couple of days ago. When they came out of the dryer the top sheet was a wrinkled mess and the top hem and piping were crunched up. I looked at that and remembered those hotel sheets. And the little old lady ironing. And Mr. Sheet-wadder’s comment.image

I got out my iron and ironing board and set to work.  That’s the thing with cotton sheets…they wrinkle until they’re old and worn, then they become silky and soft. Too bad our skin doesn’t do the same.  I miss the (dare I say, rough) texture of a line-dried towel and the crispness of the sheets. And they are never wrinkled and always smell great.

I don’t necessarily love ironing, but the process was very Zen-like. Be here now. God is in the details. Just 15 minutes later the sheet was a thing of beauty. I felt a sense of accomplishment. You, sheet-wadder, take that!  I look forward to using my freshly-pressed sheets. Too bad I don’t have time to change them now.

XO Donna

Nothing rotten about it

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imageIt’s back.  The ROT (Republic of Texas) Rally party in downtown Austin is tomorrow night. Motorcycles by the tens of thousands. Bands playing in the middle of Congress Avenue and Sixth Street. Road closures, traffic jams, wonderfully packed hotels, restaurants and bars.  Lots of people come to stroll around and listen to music and see the bikes and bikers. It’s a crazy, crowded, chaotic scene. There are quite a few things that I love about it:

  • We are always invited to a nice rooftop party at The Iron Cactus, and get to observe the parade below as it gets started and the bikes all roll in.
  • We get to see people that we often only see once a year.  Since the years are getting shorter, it’s as if hardly any time at all has passed.
  • We have developed a routine over the years, and we always end up being the last ones to leave Manuel’s Restaurant. I guess that makes it a tradition.
  • I love walking back to our room and spending the night in a hotel downtown when we’ve had enough.
  • Mostly, I love the diversity of bikes, bikers and biker groups.
  • imageThere are avid enthusiasts like ourselves.  Gay Pride bikers. Bikers for Jesus.  Mother Hen bikers. Buddhist bikers. Viet Nam Veteran bikers. Breast cancer support riders. I know that he roughest looking among them do charity rides for a causes close to their hearts. We all ride for the same reason – the pure pleasure of the journey.

Years ago we went to the Exposition Center where the rally itself was being held. It was hot, (mantra: it’s always hot during ROT) it had rained and there was mud everywhere. And in that mud, there were some very crazy goings-on. People misbehaving in spectacular ways. My friend Diane said she thought they should rename it “The Rotten Rally.” Every year I think of that and chuckle as I head out to meet our friends and have a great night. Watch for motorcycles, they’re everywhere! XO Donna

Just add streamers!

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imageI am waiting for a new friend to come to my house to buy my bike. I have been apprehensive ever since I got the message that she wanted it. You see, it’s one thing to say  you are downsizing and need to pass along the things you don’t use, and won’t need.  “I will sell my ____(fill in the blank).  I don’t use it, haven’t in quite a few years.” And it is another thing entirely to let go of it…and all the memories attached to it. (In spite of getting it tuned-up and putting tires on it that cost more than I’m selling it for). It’s a lovely “heart-chakra-green” city bike. I rode it all over Austin when I was younger and lived right downtown. I had a dear group of friends, and we would meet and ride out to dinner, then to the Posse for a pitcher. We’d head over to LBJ Library and jump curbs, do wheelies, show-off for each other, and work up a sweat! Then we’d head back south across the Congress Ave. bridge just in time to watch the bats fly out to catch their dinner, then we’d all go on to our respective homes.   I was in my forties. I was in the best shape of my life. I was fierce, and I was free! Those friends are all still friends – although my BFF Teresa has passed away. Cleaning the bike, I think of her, and wonder what she’d say about my dilemma. Oh, hell, I know exactly what she’d say! She’d tell me, “Awwww, go on. It’s just a bike. You don’t need a city bike anymore. What you need is a cruiser. With a basket. And a horn. And streamers on the handle-bars!” imageTeresa was like that. Always in the moment. And the next one. And the next one. Sunny arrived to pick up the bike.  To celebrate, I opened a bottle of wine for us. Two hours later, I am in love with Sunny! I know both the bike,  and everything it represents to me, will be honored.  Sunny is an amazing woman…and although I’m  losing a bike, I’m gaining a sister! We will downsize and get down to the “beautiful basics” in order to sell our home and move forward. I will strive to stay present every time I feel my breath catch and think that I can’t let something go. (Ultimately, I can’t take any of it with me when I leave this plane, right?)  Did I say how difficult this is???? I will remember why I am doing this, what the trade-off  is: I will feel free again! XO Donna

Sexy is an Inside Job

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A young friend posted on Facebook earlier this week, “Girls, would you rather be pretty, or sexy?” I was surprised to see that the majority chose pretty.  But, then again…sexuality is a confusing issue when constantly confronted in the media with the dilemma of pretty vs. slutty (masquerading as sexy).  Stepping fully into our womanhood, and owning it, is a tall order. It’s more than a way of dress, or of acting. Sexy is an “inside job.” It’s a state of being. Maya Angelou knew that. I am very grateful for the example of strong, passionate womanhood she offered to us! Maya Angelou   1928-2014                        Phenomenal Woman.image

The Silk Route

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imageI am so excited!  Tomorrow I am attending the Texas Women in Business Beyond 50 Conference.  This year it’s at The Renaissance  Arboretum Hotel.  For the first time, the vendors will be in the same room as the presenters,  making it easy to visit the vendor booths, and not miss the speakers! image But, that’s not the biggest reason I’m excited – I am helping a friend who is a vendor, and she has the most beautiful silk cases for throw pillows you’ve EVER seen! She used to have a manufacturing company that made beautiful artwork and  decor. (Think: all the goodies you see at Pier 1 or Z Gallery). Because of this, she had opportunities to go to Viet Nam to source new products.  I was fascinated; all I know of Viet Nam is from the French film ‘Indochine’ with Catherine Deneuve, and ‘Apocalypse Now.’ imageShe speaks fondly of her time there, and of the people: they laugh a lot, they are very warm, happy, and demonstrative. She and her husband enjoyed the colorful food markets, ate at delicious French restaurants, and they even saw where John McCain’s plane went down. She recalls traveling out to the country villages, and meeting the women who made these beautiful silk cases. She was surprised to learn two things: each village carefully protects their “artistic secrets” and passes them down. And, she wasn’t expecting to find immaculate women in blue jeans and white linen blouses working on these silks…not the factory atmosphere she expected at all!image If you attend, come find me and visit!  Stop by to browse, and buy yourself a pillow cover (or  three)! There are stunning Shantungs, and a passel of hand-painted cases made by women in a Cambodian commune established to help them stay out of prostitution and have a life off the streets. What a beautiful testament to women helping other women!     XO  Donna

If This Then That

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We got up at the butt-crack of dawn this morning in order to be out of the house by 8:30 am.  Maybe it really wasn’t that early, but it sure felt like it!  We had to take our new BMW motorcycle to the dealer for it’s 600-mile check-up. We need a good amount of lead-time in the morning, since neither of us is the “get up, get out of bed, drag a comb across our head,” type of person. We both need breakfast, and a cup or two of coffee.

The ride from our house to San Antonio was done mostly on back-roads through the hill country, with very little time on highways, and it was smooth sailing all the way! With the rain we’ve had this spring, everything is lush right now. Cactus are flowering, deer have spotted fawns, and goats are in every field with their kids clowning around nearby. And it doesn’t matter whether the fields are rolling and grassy, or hard-scrabble without a blade of grass in sight, that’s the good thing about goats – they’re adaptable that way! Cover 3

It would seem like driving/riding two hours down and two hours back would be a hassle, but the very best part of the day for us is our “lunch date” when we go. We always head over to Cover 3 for lunch on their outdoor deck. It’s like a mini-vacation! Great food, great service, wonderful ambiance. We talked about the fact that there are a lot of things that are up in the air that will stay there till something else happens first, and this is where life gets either very interesting, or very stressful, depending on how you look at it.

If  this then…?  Or, if that then…?  I like to have contingency plans for things. I may not follow any them, but I feel more secure if I know they’re there.  And I know that “Life is what whappens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”  Nothing is carved in stone. So we spent our time day-dreaming about “next steps” as we sipped martinis and enjoyed our lunch.

I’ve always been a big advocate of “date nights.” They’re important to get us out of our rut, I mean…routines, and keep our relationship fresh and sexy. But, I think I have become an even bigger advocate of an afternoon lunch date!  I can’t wait until the bike needs it’s next check-up at 6,000 miles.  But maybe I won’t have to wait that long!

XO Donna

 

Georgia on my mind

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For the very first time, I was drawing a blank as to my topic for today because there was nothing I felt particularly passionate about.  AbiquiuiBut, one thought has been recurring all day: Georgia O’Keeffe.

Why, yes, our last names both start with an O’K.  And we are both born in November, one week apart. And I have been to both her home in Abiquiu, N.M. and to Ghost Ranch, the subject of many of her paintings.  I love this part of the country. With it’s red dirt, eroded canyons, and pinon trees, it’s the real Wild West of my childhood dreams.  A place I could could have grown up to be a cowgirl!

What got her on an endless loop in my mind is that I heard a young woman refer to her as “Georgia O’Keeffe, you know, the artist who paints va-jay-jays.”  Seriously?  I had to laugh, I have never heard her referred to that way before.

You paint a few lousy flowers that reveal the similarity…and you’re branded for life!  Vajayjay

But, she did.  And they do. And at least you remember her name. Now, take a look at her life, her loves, where she came from, and what she walked away from in order to become the artist she did. You will realize her magic. She brought out the amazing detail and sensuality of common objects: a flower, a bone, a skull against the sky…even the barren desert. And with some of her flowers, yes, she rendered them much larger-than-life, voluptuous, and unapologetically sexy.  Exactly the way she lived her own life.

If you are not familiar with her work, just Google her name + images, and be prepared for a visual feast. Turns out that I am passionate about Georgia O’Keeffe. I only wish I could have met her!

XO Donna

 

 

Moderation in all things…

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Isn’t it wonderful when you visit with a friend and sit laughing over a latte the whole time? 

WaterlogueI met with my friend Sheri this week. We needed to catch up, and she has generously agreed to read through my book proposal for me, to help me look smart in front of an agent! She definitely has the background for it, and she’s learning to become a coach right now, so I feel lucky to have her input!

It was the first day of summer-hot weather here, and I was envious of the lovely sleeveless dress that she wore: it flattered her bombshell figure, and showed all of the work she puts in at the “Y,” and the outfit was topped off with a very stylish fedora.

I joked about being pale and needing a bit of color…I grew up with a surfboad-loving, Beach Boys music, California-girl fantasy. And Sheri lived in California, so she understands! I’m fortunate that both of my parents have genetic backgrounds with skin that tans effortlessly, and no skin cancer anywhere in my family. If it weren’t for the damned wrinkles….

We talked about kids, careers, about a mutual friend who’s a yoga instructor and just had rotator cuff surgery. (Hugs!) We can’t wait for her to heal, be out-and-about, and teach class again. We spoke of all the stuff that makes the world go round. But mostly,  it was wonderful to feel connected, understood, heard.

As she sat there picking half-heartedly at a gluten-free pastry, the conversation turned to food. I have been primarily “Primal” for almost two years now, and Sheri is beginning to explore alternative ways of eating. I was giving her ideas. She joked about being raised by “a fat family who spent all of their time in the kitchen.”  I responded that I spend all of my time in the kitchen, too…”it’s not being in the kitchen that’s the problem, it’s what you put in the pan!”  After we got done laughing, we decided it’d be a great topic for a blog…but, alas, I’m not a food blogger. Maybe one day you’ll see that article here.

Here’s where I went with that though – we all need to take responsibility for ourselves. If we know we need to change something to become healthy: eat differently, exercise, control our diabetes, cut out foods or alcohol to reduce inflammation, when we aren’t doing those things, we need to ask ourselves, “WHY NOT?”

Mostly, because it’s not easy.

It takes intention and attention to thrive. And it takes follow-through. Commitment to stay on the path 80% of the time. And that’s what keeps me on the straight-and-narrow…knowing that it’s ONLY 80% of the time. And, I love the results I get! 

More than twenty years ago, a holistic teacher told me that I could do anything I wanted 20% of the time, as long as I ate well and exercised the other 80%. It has been my motto ever since!  It certainly seems to be a better approach than “all or nothing.”

As Oscar Wilde said, “Moderation in all things, including moderation!” 

XO  Donna

Sacred Love

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As I write this I am listening to Sting’s “Sacred Love.”  I am a jumble of emotions today; my heart’s on my sleeve and I’m both excited, and on the verge of tears. Joy and sadness. Memories and new beginnings. Life is happening.

Today is my mother Evelyn’s  birthday, she would have been 83.  Last night her first Great-Grandchild was born. My beautiful niece Roxy (whose name is a nod to both my Mom’s middle name – Roxanne, and to Brian Ferry’s Roxy Music) had a precious baby boy last night!

MAC newbornMeet Mario Alexander Carranza.  He’ll be called Alex for short. (I lobbied for MAC, but nobody took me seriously!) He weighs 7 lb. 3 oz. and is 20.5″ long.  We had all hoped that he’d be born today, on Mom’s birthday…but if she had anything to do with the turnings of the Universe, she made sure he’d have his very own day!

This now makes my youngest sister, Elizabeth, the first of us to be a Grandmother. Of course, we could all tease her about it, (there are 5 girls in my family) but I don’t thinkFairy Godmothers there’s going to be any teasing…I think we are all awestruck!

This is the closest I’ll get to being a grandmother…so, I will gladly play the role of Great-Aunt, or Fairy Godmother, whatever is needed. I keep picturing my sisters and myself standing at the end of the baby’s bassinet, staring like we’ve never seen a baby before. But, this is different, he’s OURS!

I know that my niece will be a wonderful mother. If she’s got any questions, my sister will be a doting Grandmother, and there will be four more Aunties waiting in the wings. Or maybe just three…and one Fairy Godmother!

MAC 18 ours oldHappy Birthday, Mom! And welcome to planet Earth, Mario Alexander Carranza! 

XO Donna

Eggstra! Eggstra!

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We all know where Deviled Eggs come from, right? rabbit_easter_egg_04-500x500 No…not the Easter Bunny.

Since they don’t, and the main ingredient is a perfect egg, (one where the yolk isn’t as resilient as a Superball, and doesn’t have that nasty looking pea-green ring around it) I am going to share the recipe I finally mastered a few years ago for an egg that peels perfectly, has a tender white and a moist, golden yolk.  

(NOTE: The over-cooked, man-handled, psychedelic-dyed eggs that have been hidden under bushes, behind sofas, and in trees all morning are not good for eating, sorry. Although….we always ate them when I was a kid. Maybe that’s what’s wrong?)

This recipe is from “Classic American Food Without Fuss,”  by Frances McCullough and Barbara Witt, a go-to cookbook that I’ve been using for almost 20 years. The whole book is delicious and witty, as evidenced in all of their recipe notes!

1 dozen extra-large eggs at room temp. You don’t want fresh eggs, because they’ll be harder to peel, but that shouldn’t be a problem unless you live on a farm; supermarket eggs weren’t born yesterday. Put the eggs in a saucepan just large enought to hold them, cover with cold water, and slowly bring to a boil. Once the water boils, cover the saucepan and take it of the heat. Let stand for 15 minutes to cook the eggs. Put the pan in the sink and run cold water over the eggs (the Germans call this procedure “frightening the eggs” – it helps to loosen the shells). Once the eggs are suitably terrified, tap them against the side of the pan all over to crack the shells. Let them sit in the cold water until you’re ready to peel them.

Deviled eggs w prosciuttoCut the cooked peeled eggs in half, and transfer the yolks to a small bowl. Mash them well with a fork and add 6 TBL Hellman’s Mayonnaise (I use Duke’s), 1 TBL Worchestershire sauce, and 1/2 tsp dry mustard (Coleman’s).   Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stuff the egg whites with the filling and finish them with a shake of paprika if you like. You can also put the filling ingredients into a bag and pipe them into the whites. If plain old deviled eggs aren’t sexy enough, finish them off with a dollop of caviar. Add a bit of smoked salmon. Sprinkle with minced scallions or snipped chives. (I like a bit of ham, or prosciutto and chives for color. I’ve also added a touch of Wasabi. Get beautifully creative).

Wrap the egg plate loosely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least and hour before serving. (That gives you time to have a glass of champagne and relax.) Proudly present your Deviled Eggs at the family gathering, or to your guests: you will be the hostess-or-host-with-the-most, and you didn’t have to sell your soul for perfection!

XO Donna