Friday, August 31, 2007

Where in the world is Susan Kay Rae?

It's not that my blog has lost its appeal (or could it be that no one reads it, so I am just really writing for myself anyway), but I can't think of anything at all to share with you. I personally think that aliens have sucked the brains out of my head and that I am just an empty, shallow shell of the person that I used to be. Yes, you agree?

Until I can find myself, again, enjoy this:

http://rememberingwholeness.com/tuttle.html

luv ya!

Friday, August 24, 2007

Klaus loves Susanne

Klaus is Steve's cousin and lives in Denmark. He recently sent me this email. He often inspires me with his words and he has an amazing understanding of the English language. (When he says he was paced by a moped, both he and his wife ride bikes to work in Copenhagen, approximately 15 miles each way. Did I mention that they are both very fit! :-). I hope this inspires you as well, and I hope you have someone that loves you so much that they remember exactly when you met . . .


It's a wonderful world. And today is a wonderful day. Today (Or rather at 22:08) 25 years ago Susanne and I met for the first time. And the world has never been the same since. To me it is still a question which I cannot answer. What is it, that makes Susanne able to so totally and absolute able to be just what I have been looking for? From a distance she is not the most beautiful girl I have seen, she is not the most intelligent, her taste of clothes has a lot to desire.....There are so many things with a lot of room for improvement..... from a distance.

But then.... when I get closer... It all smears away and I am just a lump of clay in her hands unable to see anything but her blue/grey eyes, feel the softness of her hair.... It is as if nothing else matters. What a wonderful world, what a wonderful day. If everybody could have just a little of the same happiness... On my way to work the wind was in my back, the sun was shining and I was paced by a moped for at least 5km. When I opened my mailbox a message from Susanne popped up.

All of my love to you and Stephen.

The Beautiful Quiet

It is 7:45 am on a Friday morning. Steve is in his office working; John and I have enjoyed 40 minutes of alone time and banter, and he has just left for the bus. Cameron and Gavin are snoozing and in 5 minutes I will wake them up so that they, too, can repeat the process and head off to school. The dogs have been out and have been crated. I almost don't want to make any move at all, as I enjoy my coffee and the beautiful quiet. It is meditation, mommy-style.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Dog Intelligence Test

We enjoy doing this recreational activity with our dogs. We give them the pistachio nuts that are really difficult to open, just a bit too tight to risk losing a fingernail over. Cee-cee, the WOW (wheaten terrier/chow mix) immediately figured out how to open it, spit out the shell, and enjoy the fruits of her labor. Gidget, the schnottie (scottie/schnauzer mix) still can't figure it out. Who has to open pistachio nuts for their mutt? I rest my case.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Swimming with the fishes

Today I enjoyed a bath with a new insect friend. He was lurking in the drain, Mr. Silverfish. Boy, did I hop out of there fast. What is it about the end of summer that brings West Nile viral mosquitoes, silverfish, and massive cockroaches indoors? Just a night ago during a trip to the commode I looked down - and mind you - I can't see much without my glasses - saw a 3 inch La Cucaracha waddling into my water closet. Speedy I was, leaping to safety. Then he made his big mistake - he followed me. I screamed. Steve asked "do you need me in there?" Crunch. No comment. I am a believer in the right to live - I don't demolish insects that help out in other ways, like spiders. But aggressive or bloodsucking (or ugly - sorry) insects have to go!

Why I am writing about insects? Clearly some time has been freed up since the kiddies went back to school. Do I miss them, do I pine away? No. I am with them so much I have accumulated time credits. I am enjoying their return to school and later, discussions about their day. I am basking in the time spent apart (makes the heart grow fonder!). I am discovering the fact that the house doesn't get dirty when I turn around - the mystery is solved. The doggies get so excited, they have already learned the new bus routes and bark when the big yellow monster rumbles down the street. School starts. Moms return to the YMCA to work out. Traffic comes to a standstill, lagging behind school busses. It's still hot but we start yearning for sweaters and fall fashions. It's a new year, American scholastic style. Life goes on.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Better Ways to fight the Common Cold

Airborne is a combination of vitamins and herbs intended to prevent and shorten the duration of common illnesses like colds and flus. I have recently used it and it is amazingly effective! However, I was speaking about it to the clinic nurse at our middle school, and she mentioned that she heard it could cause liver damage, as well as damage to the esophagus. I did a quick search and found that it is the high dose of Vitamin A, as well as some other vitamins, that could be suspect. According to the experts at the company that make Aireborne, no damage should occur if you are taking it as recommended - less than five doses a day for a short duration. I will refer you to http://purplekangaroopuzzle.blogspot.com/2006/01/airborne-cold-remedy-helpful-dangerous.html to get the details.

Here's a more opinionated viewpoint - Ken Savage - who states: " Basically Airborne is trying to slowly poison America. " He recommends an old-fashioned remedy, the "hot totty," (we called them hot toddies). Good point, Ken: "Sure this contains alcohol but if your cold remedy is going to give you liver disease, why not at least catch a buzz from it?" Definitely an option!
http://www.kensavage.com/index.php/archives/best-cold-medicine-side-effects/

Friday, August 10, 2007

Be a Co-Survivor


The Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness web site has tremendous information, support, and resources for all those affected by a diagnosis of breast cancer. While I am a cancer survivor myself, I have only been a remote supporter for friends of friends. I feel the time has come to do more than cash donations and pink fund-raising hair extensions. One very simple way to be supportive is to join a co-survivor group. Co-survivors help out where needed in many ways, including making meals, phone calls, driving to appointments, running errands, helping with household needs, and so on. You can be a friend, co-worker, neighbor, or perhaps a friend of a friend. For more information, visit http://cms.komen.org/komen/AboutBreastCancer/Support/Co-Survivor/index.htm
Please let me know if you should ever need my help.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Separated at birth - missing triplet located!!!


I think last night's John From Cincinnati was a bit of a downer . . . nothing was resolved and we were all left hanging. So, to amuse ourselves, I offer you this: a freaky-deaky coincidence. Check this out: Garrett Dillahunt, who plays Dr. Smith, looks amazingly like my sister's ex . . . as well as his identical twin! Freaky!!





Sunday, August 5, 2007

Garden detox


Dr. Andrew Weil recommends daily saunas for system detox. Who needs a sauna when we have summer in Georgia? An easy way to accomplish a deep sweat is to pull weeds after 10 a.m.

Especially invasive is grass, growing from the lawn into the garden beds. Isn't it amazing how we water, fertilize, cut, and groom our lawns and then must rip it out everywhere else? I could spray it (carefully) with weed killer, which is like chemo - it kills everything it touches. But when it is too close to living things that need to be retained . . .I prefer the alternative garden medicine of hand pulling. Getting in close, you see all sorts of amazing things.

Besides Jeremiah, my big fat bullfrog who "bau, bau, bau's" day and night, truly the masters of my backyard pond universe are Buddy and Sheila, my two dragonflies. Buddy prefers the pitcher plant, shown here. Sheila is too shy to get her photo taken. Click on the photo to get a closeup of this magnificent being.

Since my garden detox, I have showered and now am re-writing this post. I have on an Arbonne facial mask, my "Motherhood is not for sissies" T-shirt, and my pink "Bad ass (coffee)" shorts. Life is good.

Friday, August 3, 2007

Letter to my son




Please let me recreate a letter very recently received, written to my son by a very dear friend, Ruth Ultmann,whose late husband, Dr. John Ultmann, was both a friend and business associate of my husband. Dr. Ultmann was the Director of the Cancer Research Center at the University of Chicago. He was also the teacher of my doctor, Dr. Leo Gordon, from Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Please know, that I feel like a celebrity every time I receive a letter from Ruth Ultmann. Except for the fact that they were the most real, down to earth people that you could ever meet. So it is more like family, really.

Here is the handwritten note from Ruth:

Dear John,

To-day I came across all 3 sections of "your" poems written by John, and hasten to send it to you, remembering your nice letter last Xmas.

Hope you have had a good year, and that all of you are AOK!!

With all my love and very best to all of you,

Very sincerely,

Ruth

John was born 10/30/92 (same day as my dad), so these poems were written about a week later.

I believe this was the first haiku:

Dark Clouds: storms roar,
the tree bent, but did not break,
Calm weather, sunshine
the sapling sprouts.

John E. Ultmann
Chicago, 11/7/92

Haiku #2:
The storm has passed
as have dark clouds.
Calmness prevails,
A lusty cry from John Gordon
Happiness!

John E. Ultmann
Chicago 11/7/92


And a conventional verse:


John Gordon Rae

October 30, 1992 was a special day,
it marked the arrival of John Gordon Rae
Checking in at 08:34 with a lusty cry,
John was ready to go, yes even fly!
He weighed 8 lbs 5 1/2 ounces, even:
and was appreciated by Susan and Stephen.
Considering all that's happened the lat 2 1/2 years,
This happy birth resulted in many cheers.
Good health, long life to John we all proclaim
and to Susan and Raes we wish the same.

Dr. John E. Ultmann
Chicago November 8, 1992


Learn more about Dr. Ultmann:


I can't stop

OK, I admit, I am more than obsessed with the new HBO series: John from Cincinatti. I am actually learning new skills (I think). It is starting to crop up in my everyday converstations with everyone I interact with. For instance, I mentioned this to my husband, who is starting a new business, as a case for conversational marketing, based on what HBO has done with blogs, videos, web sites, etc., many for marketing purposes but also, many from fans that love the show.

I also mentioned it to my pilates trainer, who is also expanding her business. This is what you must do should you want to explode your business!

I have started to read more, and I am still having difficulty sifting through the vast amount of information (1's and 0's - thank you, John).

But. man! is this full of dialogue that every red-blooded male will surely repeat!!! (Ladies, they love to memorize lines from movies, dontcha know! Don't they all know the lines from Caddyshack? "But I got that going for me . . . which is niceshshshsh !(sp)"

OK, something I picked up from the Episode Guide: Shaunie comments, "The pigs got Grandma." Now, don't you want to watch that with your kin?


http://www.hbo.com/johnfromcincinnati/episodes/season1/episode1.html