Ghent Fever

Release, Nourish, Celebrate!

2011-01-02T18:34:00.003-05:00

One of my friends/coaches Tonya Leigh Williams has just posted a great write up on her Savoring Life blog about the Unresolution movement and what to do instead of setting the same old resolutions for the new year.

I particularly like her idea of beacon words that you use and post everywhere to inspire you to get to your end game. You can read more about Tonya’s perspective on beacon words, get her unresolution worksheet or sign up for her Slim, Chic and Savvy program by clicking here.

I’ve been having a hard time choosing just one word of the year so the idea of three beacon words really resonated with me. I didn’t have to think very hard when deciding mine – Release, Nourish, Celebrate!

Release – I need to release all the things holding me back from stepping fully into my power at work, as a writer, and to take control of my health. My new acupuncturist is a major player on the team that will help me do this.

Nourish – This one is more than just about stocking up on healthy foods although I’m excited to do that too after too many sweets over the holidays. In 2011 I plan on nourishing my creativity too, filling it with self care and inspirational adventures, deeper connections with other writers and my family. The photo is Islay Bear surrounding himself with things that serve him – like his best friend Larry the Lobster who never leaves him.

Celebrate – if I have to pick just one word to sum up where I’ll be in 2011, it’s celebrate. After all that release and nourishment, I’ll be able to more fully step up in every aspect of my life and can already feel what it feels like to celebrate that!!

I happened to glimpse the clock in the bedroom at 11:11:11 on 1:1:11 and am taking that as a sign from the universe that I’m on my way.

Releasing blockage
Surround with all that nourishes
Celebrate success!

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

2010-12-22T17:31:00.003-05:00

It has been an absolute whirlwind since my last post! In a sales position, the 4th quarter is always the busiest - the final push to close deals in time to count them in the current year, before the clients leave for holiday vacations.

And in the background, important things have been happening. My guest post on SUCCESS, my word of the year for 2010 is up on Christine Kane's blog today. Writing it gave me a chance to reflect on this amazing year. The year I learned how successful and resilient I already am, the year I was pushed out of one job right into the job I always wanted on Wall Street, the year I got officially published as a haiku poet, the year I strengthened connections with people who nurtured me, the year I got rid of things that didn't serve my essential self.

It will also be the year my new White Dog Haiku website goes live (any moment now!) which will include my new blog called "write here, right now" where I will be talking about my passion for haiku, children's book writing, other authors/poets I've had the privilege of meeting, my tips on writing haiku with pointers to great resources like Berry Blue Haiku, and how I've used haiku with kids of all ages.

I am stepping up in a big way in all facets of my life and I thank you, faithful readers, for taking that journey with me and supporting me every step of the way. So if you haven't already done so, go read my post on SUCCESS and hang on for the ride because 2011 is almost here!

Gratitude this Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T09:27:00.004-05:00

As I wait for my sisters and their families to arrive today, I am feeling so much gratitude! Gratitude that I have this wonderful home and husband and the means to host Thanksgiving, thankful for all the people in my life that make it so rich and fulfilling, grateful to my rescued Westie for opening me up to a whole new level of love and joy, grateful for feeling healthier than I've ever felt, and so much appreciation for being exactly where I'm supposed to be.

One of my friends and mentors, Christine Kane, has written an ezine article that says it all. With her permission, I have copied it here. Be grateful for all that you have and experience more happiness and wealth than you've ever known.

Why Gratitude Makes You Happy & Wealthy

by Christine Kane

Gratitude is more than being thankful one day a year. Gratitude is a practice. For some, it's a way of life.

Why do some people swear by the practice of gratitude? Why do these people have joy-filled and abundant lives?

In other words, why does gratitude make you happy and wealthy?

• Because gratitude is about presence.

It's about waking up in this moment and being here - really being here - and noticing what's around you. Most people are so busy thinking about the next thing, or about their horrid past, that they don't wake up and look around at their present moment - the only moment there is.

• Because gratitude is about honoring YOUR precious life.

Do you ever compare your life with someone else's? Do you ever wish your life were better and more like [insert famous person's name here]? Sometimes we can lose ourselves in wondering how we "measure up" to some standard set by our families or by the media. Comparison is the mind killer. The antidote is gratitude.

Gratitude requires that you validate your own life. (And you really don't have any other life, do you?) It forces you to say YES to the gift that is you. The choices you've made and the changes you've gone through -- they have brought you here. Even if here is a place that needs a little adjustment, that's okay. There are always gifts in any present moment.

• Because gratitude is about attracting.

It's difficult to attract abundance and joy if you are constantly saying "no" to what IS. You say "no" each time you focus on the future or past, or when you criticize something that is in your present moment.

Attraction is about saying Yes. When you say Yes, you shift.

Gratitude says, "Yes, I love this!" And then more of this is attracted, because the this is what you're focusing on.

• Because gratitude is about choice.

How you translate any situation is the situation. What you choose to see is the truth (for you).

This isn't proposing that you live in denial or phoniness. It's reminding you that your translation of any life situation is your choice. We've all heard stories of people who have ignored others' translations of their talent, their projects, their art, their looks, their lives. These people chose their own translations and succeeded. You always have a choice when it comes to how you look at things. Choose to choose gratitude.

• Because gratitude is about wisdom.

I think people believe they're being smart if they criticize, complain, and focus on the problems of the world around them.

Smart? Maybe.

Clever? Sure.

But not wise.

It is wise to look for and find the knowing place in your heart. It is wise to choose joy. It is wise to honor your riches. It is wise to focus on and grow the blessings of your life.

• Because gratitude is about recognition.

Use your power of focus to hone in on beauty and on what makes your heart sing. Recognize the spirit in your life. It's all around you waiting to be noticed. In the words of Franz Kafka, "It will roll in ecstasy at your feet."

• Because gratitude is about receptivity.

Gratitude makes you receptive. It makes you a vessel, waiting to be filled.

I carry a tiny notebook with me everywhere I go. In it, I write down song ideas. I write down quotes I hear. I write down ideas for stage stories. As I do that, I become more receptive, and more ideas and songs come to me. It's a tool that says to my subconscious, "Send more my way!" And the subconscious always responds.

Gratitude is the same way. It says, "I am receptive! Send more!" And more arrives.

• Because gratitude is about creativity.

Creativity is really all about attention. (So is genius.)

When I write a song, I build a relationship with that song. I spend time with it. I get to know it. I pay attention to it. Artists do the same thing with drawings. They spend time in rapt attention, and the drawing is born.

Gratitude is how we Live Creative. It is a creative act to notice and pay attention to the moments of your life. Some days it's an enormous act of creativity to find things for which to be thankful.

Start today.

And have a Thanksgiving of presence, creativity, and gratitude!

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

Tips for Coping with Breast Cancer

2010-10-04T18:43:00.007-04:00

It almost feels like it was all a bad dream already and I just finished radiation a few weeks ago. I credit my successful breast cancer survival experience to a positive attitude, my robust support network and the top notch medical care I got from Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the radiation oncology unit at St Peter's in Albany. Here are some of my coping mechanisms for getting through it in one piece.

1. GET ANNUAL MAMMOGRAMS

After a suspicious spot on my annual mammogram that needed more study, I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer Stage I in May 2010. Lucky for me, it was small and caught early so, according to my doctors, a lumpectomy and radiation would give me as much survival rate as a full mastectomy.

I had my lumpectomy and sentinel node surgery on June 15^th, 2010. Although margins were all clear and no nodes were involved, one of the edges was too close for comfort. Because I wasn’t going to have chemo, my doctors highly recommended a second surgery to take more clear margin from that area which I had on July 6^th. My radiation treatment, 28 to the full breast and 5 boost treatments just to the tumor site, ended on September 20. Since my tumor was estrogen and progesterone positive, I am now on Tamoxifen to shut down my ovaries for the next 5 years.

2. LEVERAGE YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK

My friends and family did a great job in helping keep my spirits up throughout the whole ordeal. They kept me bedecked in pink stuff to make a statement and keep me and my caregivers smiling. They sent cards, books, letters and good luck charms, prayers, positive energy and white light to let me know they were thinking of me. A few even painted my name on their arms and walked in my honor to raise money for cancer research. They took me out to dinner to celebrate successes. I came home from my last treatment to 33 long stemmed pink roses. My wonderful husband was with me every step of the way, picking up the slack at home when I was too tired or sore. Even my dog snuggled in a little gentler, a little closer when I was hurting. They all did everything that Kelly Corrigan, fellow survivor and author of "The Middle Place," suggests on her Circus of Cancer web site.

3. CONNECT WITH OTHER SURVIVORS

Connecting with other survivors helped give me perspective and remind me that I had control over my own treatment. One of my favorite tips was to fit cancer into my life and not try to fit my life into cancer.

I sought out the best imaging specialist, surgeon and oncologist. A college friend pointed me to the Boston Breast Diagnostic Center in Wellesley MA when there was a chance a biopsy was needed. They were amazing, compassionate and had the most up to date equipment making the whole thing so much easier. Since advanced cancer research that Dana Farber Cancer Institute was able to apply to my sister's bone marrow transplant for Hodgkins treatment saved her life, I went straight there after my diagnosis. Feeling that I had the best care possible helped reduce worry.

I chose where and when I would have my treatments. I scheduled surgery after a writing workshop I enrolled in and moved radiation treatments around as I needed to work around important meetings at work. Since radiation was a daily event, I needed to do that locally and not in Boston so I did my research and found the radiation oncology team at St Peter's Hospital.

I opted out of chemo and oncotype testing. After seeing what my sister and other survivors went through, I didn't think a single percentage point better survival rate was worth the toll it would take on my body.

I insisted on a Breast MRI even when my surgeon didn’t feel one was necessary.

I started eating more cancer fighting foods, doing yoga and qigong, taking appropriate vitamin and mineral supplements and getting regular massage.

I found the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Site and PinkTogether communities where survivors shared their stories.

I got a good comfortable well-fitting cotton support bra (two of them so one could be laundered while I wore the other) and wore it 24 hours a day. Title Nine had my favorite, the Quest Bra. I literally lived in this thing ever since the biopsy!

I brought my own gown to the pre-op for surgery and radiation - a Jillie's. It's long sleeves, thick material and decorative style made me feel less vulnerable and more in control every step of the way.

I put a big calendar up on the fridge and with a big red X crossed off each treatment as I finished it.

I asked for (and took) Ativan the very last week of radiation when the burn was so painful on my sensitive skin that every time I even thought about another treatment that would make it worse, I broke down. Some people don't have much reaction to those "healing beams" but I sure did!

4. ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS

I asked a million questions. I reached out to friends who were doctors to get their opinions on what was being recommended to me. I reached out to survivors to find out what to expect of the next stage in treatment and tips for dealing with side effects. I prepared a list of questions for every doctor I visited along the way. I reviewed my questions with friends and relatives to make sure I didn't forget to ask something important.

5. TELL PEOPLE

And I told people. At first I thought I’d keep it to immediate friends and family but word leaked out and I ended up waging a fairly public battle on the internet and at work. I kept a journal from day one, updated my Facebook and Twitter status often, and wrote blog posts to keep friends up to date on my progress. The more people I told, the more encouraging stories I received back. There’s nothing like sharing personal cancer stories to deepen any relationship!

Together we are stronger! I am a survivor and happy to share my story! Let’s all work together to help other women and to find a cure for breast cancer.

Happy Graduation to Me!!

2010-09-20T19:57:00.007-04:00

It's over! I'm done! Last treatment was today at 1:15pm! Despite the fact that this last week felt like several years all on it's own, I made it through....with flying colors (mostly red and purple!) And they gave me this certificate to prove it!

I know of no way better to get my endorphins flowing than to make people laugh and to give unexpected gifts. As hard as it was to voluntarily succumb to more beams when I was peeling and hurting worse than ever, I dressed up in all the pink stuff my friends sent over these past three months including the outrageous pink and orange wide brimmed hat, pink jewlery and bright pink hospital slippers with shiny bling for my one last treatment.

As hoped, I put a few smiles on their face when I walked in the door. The staff at St Peter's Radiation Oncology was wonderful - this picture is me with two of my nurses Patty and Sharon. I know how hard it was for them to keep sending me in there when my skin looks like it does but they were amazingly compassionate and caring every visit and took the time to look at it every time.

We also brought 3 dozen Golden Harvest Farms cider donuts for all those I interacted with and all those behind the scenes - the receptionists, physicists, the researchers, so many others - who came out to get a sample and say goodbye. And for the doctors, nurses and radiation techs David brought bottles of Hudson-Chatham winery's Pomme Bolle (hard cider made of the Hudson Valley's Northern Spy apples), directions to the winery, and free wine tasting coupons. If we get a few new customers out of this then maybe that's the reason I chose St. Peter's.

And then I got home to 33 of the most beautiful pink roses you have ever seen from my college buddies who always seem to have the most impeccable timing!

After an early dinner with our friends Jennifer and Berry in Hudson, David opened us up a lovely Querceto Chianti Classico to celebrate, the flavors of which are taking me back to the hills of Tuscany.

It has been a long 3 1/2 months. Thank you to all of you for helping me summon the courage to get through it all with your notes, facebook comments, phone calls, light and love. Now it's time to rest, heal and get back to the rest of our life without interruption. And plan that next trip to Tuscany among other things!

Celebrate every moment like White Dog does

2010-09-16T11:49:00.004-04:00

With three treatments left I have a bigger smile on my face than my delicious dog does in this photo!

We can learn so much from our pets - most importantly how to live more fully in each and every moment. Islay Bear shows me this every single day. He loves to run at full tilt when we let him out - chasing the latest scents as if he'd never done it before, following new trails, happy as can be, greeting each visitor as if they are the most important thing in the world to him, handling each treat as special requiring inspection and careful consumption on his most favorite corner of the rug.

And he knows. Knows mom needs a little extra loving these days. He snugs a little longer in the morning, waits patiently for me to fully wake, gives me gentle kisses and then carefully guides me out beyond the bedroom where all the fun and food is.

Three more treatments! That's it! I'm going to follow my dog's lead in this time and enjoy every single moment in the now and not anticipate more beams or resulting effects. I am going to accept the warm smiles and positive comments the staff doles out each day. I am going to smile broadly as I walk into the treatment room knowing these will be the last times I experience it.

I wrote a haiku to try and capture this lesson:

White Dog shows the way

every moment of each day

much to celebrate

Anxiety sets in but I am armed!

2010-09-13T15:35:00.003-04:00

Today, I completed my 28th radiation treatment, leaving just 5 more to go!! As one of my wonderful friends put it - I can count them on one hand now!!

It is getting harder and harder to drag myself in there every day with the Irish skin under my arm all blistered now with worsening sunburn effects. They keep telling me that my skin looks a lot better than some of their patients at this point in the treatment but that only makes it harder - knowing it can get worse! After a few pep talks from FB friends, sisters and other cancer survivors over the weekend and a discussion with my oncologist's nurse I am now armed with Ativan to help with any more pre-treatment anxiety. However, once I picked it up from the pharmacy, I felt so much better knowing it was available to me that I didn't need to take one today. The brain is a funny thing!

I made the mistake of telling the nurse who was checking my skin that I felt brave after picking up the Rx and didn't end up taking it today after all - and that's when she got mad. She sat down beside me and said stop feeling like you need to be brave. "It hurts and you are allowed to admit that! You've had cancer she said and that is a big, big thing for anyone. Staying positive is important but not to the point where you are keeping all this anxiety in."

Ok, ok! I get it!! So here is my blog post admitting that my skin hurts, I hate cancer, it's hard to stay positive at the tail end of all this, and that I can't wait for it all to be over!!

But not one to stay in bed and wallow over it, this "7" on the enneagram has her ammo:

My wonderful David is now driving me to treatments every day so that if I need the Ativan I can take it....and I don't have to go in alone
I've dusted off the oxycodone that I didn't need after surgery and am taking it before bed so that I get a full night's sleep.
During the day I'm taking "Vitamin I" (ibuprofen) to keep the swelling/pain down as well as using the saline packs my nurses gave me
I've got all of you in my court sending good vibes and notes and staying connected so I can ask for help.
I've got all my pink stuff out to make me laugh and remind me of all of you.

10 Day Countdown!

2010-09-07T10:43:00.006-04:00

I am all relaxed from a week of vacation, some fun events, and visits with good friends! I am rejuvenated and ready to dive back into work full of energy and renewed enthusiasm. It is amazing what time off does to the soul and the mind - and so important for all of us to indulge in every now and then.

23 down and 10 to go!! My 10 treatment countdown starts today and that fills me with joy and relief. The burn effects from the radiation are now somewhat painful for this pasty white irish girl's skin but the 10 day countdown posted on my fridge is how I'm going to get through it (that and a little extra aloe from the monster plants we have growing in our bathroom!) I have been exing off each day as I complete a treatment and took great delight in marking my last 10 treatment days with their number last week. Exing them out will be my own mini celebration and my big red sharpie pen is ready! I'm already planning my goodbye gifts for the wonderful St. Peter's Radiation Oncology staff. So far a mixed case of Blanc de Blanc (sparkling wine) and Pomme Bolle (hard cider) from Hudson-Chatham Winery tops the list.

I'll be mostly working from home these next two weeks and very appreciative of a boss and team that understands that this is necessary at this point in my treatments. We have all been remote workers at IBM for so long that it's not a big deal and we've all adjusted to it with tools like blackberries, instant messaging, conference calls, and webcast presentations. There is still nothing like face to face meetings to gel us as a team though and I look forward to September 21st when will have our next team get together.

Thanks for all the continued support and good wishes. I hope you all had a relaxing Labor Day Weekend and looking forward to the beautiful fall weather that is already starting here in the Northeast.

Resilient Hummingbirds

2010-08-29T10:03:00.006-04:00

Ah, the last vestiges of summer! I am looking at a week vacation bounded by two three day weekends from radiation and enjoying every minute of it! The weather has been cool enough to spend a large part of every day on our deck. Whether it's the dry weather, the very awesome DrySnap we had put under the deck, or David's close mowing of the lawn -or maybe a combination of all three - I don't know but the mosquitos have been leaving us alone this year even at sunset when they have previously been at their worst.

The hummingbirds, on the other hand, have been everywhere! These little birds are amazing and beautiful. They hover right in front of us as if to say "thank you for the tasty nectar" as they make their way between the brightly colored flowers in pots on the deck and the feeders that David has been keeping filled with fresh sugar water. We delight in watching them play, chase and dive bomb each other to get the best spots on the feeder. We can pick out their unique chatter as they buzz around now and even see them in the trees when we look closely enough. They can live up to 12 years they say even with their long migrating treks to and from Mexico every year. They stock up on goodies now and hit the road soon for warmer climates south - resilience extraordinaire!

Speaking of resilience, I am well over my halfway point with radiation treatment now. I am keeping a calendar of appointments on the fridge and delight in crossing each day off with a big red X when I complete one. There are more Xes than not now and that means it will all be over before we know it. Monday they will do one more CT scan to make sure things are still all good with the mapping. The seroma caused by the surgery will hopefully have shrunk and they will be better able to target the site for the 5 boost treatments they will do just to the old tumor site at the end of the treatment schedule.

We are celebrating our 4th wedding anniversary and the 9th year since our first date began this month. This week we will spend a few decadent nights at Blantyre Castle in Lenox mid week and see Crosby Stills and Nash at Tanglewood.

We are so lucky to live in the amazing upper Hudson Valley. We have been devouring as much of the local summer bounty as we can get our hands on - like fresh farm eggs from chickens we know at Kinderhook Farm, deliciously ripened heirloom tomatoes in all sorts of wonderful colors, blueberries and peaches as sweet as chocolate, super sweet corn from Love Apple Farm, and all kinds of other fabulous veggies freshly picked from local farms like Hawthorne Valley Farm. Our good friend and Uplevel Coach Christine Kane has recently posted a great article on 22 Ways to Squeeze Every Last Drop out of Summer Before it Ends.

What will you be doing to take advantage of the last morsels of summer?

One third full

2010-08-17T17:14:00.008-04:00

Today was 11 out of 33 radiation treatments. I am one third of the way through! And yes, I am celebrating that!

Until now I haven't really had any noticeable side effects but it's definitely starting to take it's toll. I realized that I can't drive up and down to NYC twice a week and have any energy left over for anything else....like the work I am driving down there to do for instance. I have to drive because the train schedule is not conducive to making a 3:15 appt (the last one of the day.) So mother nature is once again banging me over the head to tell me to slow down. To work from home more, prioritize things and go down once a week instead of twice a week until this is all over.

It's forcing me to ask for help too, something I have not typically been very good at. For my early morning appointments I ask David to drive me up and back. I am going to bed by 9pm these days too and taking a nap or two during the day when I can so he's doing most of the household stuff too. Thank god for a strong support network!!

So I am counting my blessings that things are rolling right along and keeping focused on that my treatment glass is 1/3 full! And I am doing as much as I can to make sure I am treating my body as well as I can as it's being barraged with radiation. I am taking probiotics, calcium, magnesium, fish oil and flax oil and doing my Qigong cancer fighting energy exercises. I have started drinking a barley grass cocktail every day, am eating healthy, using my new living water sticks and getting regular massages. I have connected with a holistic doctor at St Peters and hope to start some acupuncture soon as well. During every treatment I think about those radiation beams as a healing light coming directly from heaven through the machine to me. The tiredness is not unlike what you feel after a day at the beach. Nothing that a little extra sleep won't fix.

Before you know it, it will be Sept 20th when I'm done with all this!

Thanks for walking this journey with me. I can feel you all right here beside me!

Radiation routine and Silk Road Ensemble

2010-08-09T15:49:00.008-04:00

Day 4 of 33 treatments. Mostly the appointments are fast - after parking my car with the complimentary valet, I go straight back to radiation bypassing the main waiting room, get a locker for my stuff, change into my Jillie's gown, put my stuff in the locker, and before I sit down they call me in for treatment. I lie back, put my arms up over my head, they do some minor adjustments to line me up on the table using the tattoos, and they throw out a few numbers to make sure the settings are all correct. Then Raphael and Christine step out of the room, the machine moves from one side to the other making a soft buzzing sound, and it's all over in 2 minutes. I get dressed and hit the road.

Mondays I meet with the nurse and Dr. Gasson to check in on any side effects and my overall well being. So far nothing much - just a faint pink color starting to appear. They sent me off with some 100% aloe and aquaphore samples to use in between treatments. Nothing else is allowed except a good washing with unscented Dove bar soap.

Having the weekend off from treatments was nice. Saturday David, Islay bear and I explored Windham up in the Catskills. We stopped at some scenic view spots and took in the glory of the Hudson Valley.

We met up with some of our neighbors and went to Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, on Sunday night to hear the Silk Road Ensemble and Yo-Yo Ma. What a wonderful experience! Talk about expanding one's musical horizons - most of this music has been around since ancient times and they use some ancient instruments as well - the sheng and bawu mouth organ was the most different looking but we also loved the gaita (Galician bagpipes), pipa and conch shell horn - and we got to experience it in this ultra modern setting at Tanglewood.

Many of pieces they do are commissioned works pulling together all these different sounds and genres. One of the quotes from the program really struck me - "we can better address our differences if we appreciate our commonalities." This sentiment applies to just about every situation but the commonality last night was the music - the same sounds heard by people around the world for hundreds of years and we were hearing it right then played by people from around the world. And an art director like Yo-Yo Ma with a vision to bring it all together. Really wonderful!

A healing light

2010-08-03T18:06:00.006-04:00

What a trip! The radiation machine is like a big robot moving about you as they guide it from the other room. The laser beams are lined up by the "tattoos" they mapped me with during the simulation last week. Today they just took xrays to make sure the depth and the alignment is right. Tomorrow the radiation begins. Each treatment only takes a few minutes.

One of my friends suggested that during each treatment I can meditate on it as God's energy being laser focused right where it needs to be to heal the area. I like that image!

Although the science of it all is rather astounding. Dave, the intern was there again as this is another teaching hospital. He's in from Syracuse University where he says the other students are jealous of his time at St. Peter's. It's apparently one of the top places in the nation for state of the art radiology technology. I don't know how they used to do it but I guess there must have been a lot of manual manipulation of the machines, not unlike a mammogram. Everything here is all automatic so that the beams will go exactly in the same place every day for six weeks.

They'll do another simulation halfway through to make sure things are still lining up properly. I am not supposed to lose (or gain) weight to keep things right where they were on date of the simulation.

The only thing I'm supposed to put on the area is 100% aloe vera to minimize any irritation. My wonderful husband David brought a small tiny aloe plant into my life when he moved in with me in 2002. This plant has grown huge, has had babies, and is now in two very large pots in the window in our bathroom as you can see. I was trying to figure out what on earth I'd do with them .... well now we've got just the healing job for them! Once again, no coincidence.

Nor was my sighting of the great blue heron that flew over my car on my drive up from the city today. Mom's with me. Always with me. Letting me know in wonderful ways.

Kelly Corrigan, My New Breast Cancer Mentor

2010-07-23T13:28:00.010-04:00

I am now reading a wonderful book by Kelly Corrigan called The Middle Place that more than one of you sent me. It is a heartfelt memoir of her breast cancer diagnosis/treatment journey and I couldn't let another day go by without writing about it and HIGHLY recommending it to all of you that have or had breast cancer or know someone who does/did. I feel as if am connecting with her on a very deep level as I read her very personal account of what she went through and how she handled it with such grace, humor, and the occasional meltdown supported by her wonderful husband, friends and family. I had read a brief synopsis of her story in O Magazine but this book took me so much deeper into her world.

Kelly has taken it a step further with a website called the Circus of Cancer where she posts videos, pictures, tips for how to help your friend with breast cancer. And it is this last piece I feel most compelled to write about today.

I think Kelly must know you all.

She somehow saw that you all flooded my inbox and mailbox with cards, letter, emails, phone calls, texts.

She must have listened in on our phone calls as you asked about David and called him too knowing he was going through this right along with me.

She has to have watched as you sent me referrals of doctors, survivors, websites, books, resources, connected me with college buddies who are now breast surgeons or functional medicine MDs and were there to answer my every question any time I needed another opinion.

She certainly laughed along with me as you sent St. Peregrine medals and lucky charm necklaces right off your own necks, funny old photographs, gifts of your own handmade art including sculptures with hopeful words on it like Success, Abundance, Love, and Hope, a cute stuffed dragon names "Scorch", a pink ipod shuffle loaded with the King Singers, a whole set of silver and pink jewelry and a giant box of pink stuff - bags, notebooks, journals, pens, toothbrushes, pink linen tops that buttoned down the front, soft t-shirts, pashminas, pretty slippers, aviator sunglasses with pink rims .... all with funny post it notes about what each item was for including a pink ring that said "you may want to wear this on your middle finger." The picture of me above is me in the hospital waiting room with my sister Cindy between procedures wearing or holding as much of it as I could.

She was there as you offered help of all sorts - from making dinner to celebrating the small victories with champagne to taking in our mail or watching our dog when we were in Boston, to weeding our garden, doing laundry and cleaning up when I couldn't lift things after surgery, tips on what to eat/not eat, sharing your own stories or simply just listening to me without ever once forcing a cancer conversation or pushing advice.

And she must have felt it when you visited me, hugged me, sent me positive energy, let me know you were with me every step of the way.

So thanks for channeling Kelly Corrigan and doing all the things you're supposed to do when your friend has cancer.

I get "mapped" on Monday with tiny tattoos to guide the beams and radiation begins the following week at St Peter's hospital in Albany NY. They say I might be a little tired like after an all day visit to a beach but I am not scared of this part of the treatment at all. It will be inconvenient for trips to the city for work but is coming at a time when things are slower there anyway as clients and colleagues take much deserved vacations.

I'm all clear!

2010-07-12T18:40:00.006-04:00

My re-excision pathology came in all clear, as expected! Dr Troyan called the minute it came in with the good news. Now that's a great surgeon! One of my survivor friends called her the cadillac of breast cancer surgeons and I totally agree. She invokes confidence that she knows exactly what she's doing, she gives you as much time as you need when you meet with her, and has a bedside manner and rapport that makes you forget you are not her only patient. I see her for my post op visit on Monday and hopefully this will be our last visit. It was not a surprise to me as my gut tells me I'm cancer free but it is nice to have scientific proof.

I'm feeling great and barely remember I even had surgery. We had friends over this weekend to celebrate with a little bubbly, a great BBQ, and did a little retail therapy at Macy's where there was an amazing annual sale going on. Of course most of the things I bought weren't off the sale rack but I did balance them out a little with a few real bargains. Other friends came by with a freshly baked batch of local blueberry muffins and hugs.

Now all that is left for me is the 6 weeks of radiation and a five year regiment of tamoxifen. I've met with Dr. Gasson at St. Peter's just two days after my reexcision and am scheduled to be mapped on July 26th and start the preventative daily treatment on August 2nd.

I have been fortunate to be connected with several breast cancer survivors this week who also had their treatment in Albany - one who went to my very same radiology oncologist and loved him. They were glad to hear that I am keeping the power over what is done to me and researching options over and above what the MDs are telling me is best. One of the women found a place in Schenectady that does IGRT - a technique that preserves healthy surrounding organs more than the traditional method. I am looking into this and will let you know what I discover. For now though, I am happy with where I've landed and ready to complete the final treatment steps to keep cancer at bay.

I am also exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine to assist with whatever side effects might befall me. This I would have done anyway as I am nearing that age where you don't need Radiation or Tamoxifen to get hot flashes.

I've gotten lots of suggestions for books to read about breast cancer (Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book) and how others have dealt with it gracefully (Kelly Corrigan's The Middle Place) which are now sitting by my bedside but the one I'm devouring right now is the old favorite The Wisdom of Menopause by Dr. Christiane Northrup. There are so many wonderful tips in it for foods to eat/not eat, herbal options including Chinese medicine for easing the symptoms and maximizing the power of the rewiring that is happening inside our bodies at this time. We are all scared of this menopause thing but Dr. Northrup maintains that this is a healing time when women stop thinking about others and can finally focus on themselves ... in a real brain-to-organ physical way. Unresolved issues may manifest themselves in maladies (like breast cancer) but in the healing of the disease we have a chance to heal the underlying issue.

For me one issue that has resolved itself through this process is my unhealthy fear of hospitals. When I was 2 years old I was hit by a car when sledding at a relatives house and spent two weeks recovering in a hospital. My mother was in another hospital in another city having my sister Karen so the trauma of being in a hospital over night alone was compounded by not being able to see my mother during the day. The result was that walking into a hospital ever since has spiked my blood pressure and anxiety levels.

Now my sister is calling Brigham and Women's "my hospital" and my husband is telling me what a good patient I am. I don't need to hold anyone's hand or have an entourage go with me for my doctor's visits. I write down all of my questions ahead of time and get what I need to out of each visit. I find out just what I need to about procedures that will be done yet I know when I've had enough and don't need to hear the gory details. I even chose to have this last surgery done with a local anesthesia and would do it again.

I hope that my story can help others deal with their diagnoses. Each of us handles this stuff differently and there's no one way to do it. But knowing others have come out the other side in tact and that there are options can help ease the anxiety. We have the power to heal ourselves, I truly believe that and it's more than just the healing of the medical challenge. One of my wise friends on learning of my journey said "you know a new level of courage and joy these days, don't you?!" She is so right!! Menopause? Bring it on!

Emerging on the other side of breast cancer

2010-07-07T10:29:00.007-04:00

My "second carving" is over and was a piece of cake. I showed up at 6am at Brigham and Women's hospital yesterday for my 7:30am surgery, was headed home by 11:30am and climbed into my own bed back in Ghent at 3pm. I was as calm as could be, especially after the versed and other goodies they put in that IV. The pink hospital slippers, pictured here, from my friend Kathy McSweeney Kelly cheered me up as I recovered. Much better than those boring old brown ones they gave me at the hospital!

Today I am feeling like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and ready to get back to work - emotionally anyway! I was going to take the week off but instead am working from home taking full advantage of technology like instant messaging, conference calls, blackberry to reintegrate into my job while letting the stitches fully heal.

My surgeon, Dr. Troyan from Dana Farber Cancer Institute, said that things went as planned, she got what she needed. She'll call when the pathology results are in to scientifically confirm it was enough clear margin to move on but basically she gave me the "all clear." This was considered minor surgery so they were able to use local anesthetic plus IV sedation leaving me fog free within a few hours instead of a few days.

I summoned all of your good wishes and positive thoughts to keep me calm despite the difficulty they had in finding a viable vein to use for the IV and the strangeness of feeling aware - and actually talking to them - as they wheeled me in and out of that operating room. At some point I must have gone out because I heard them asking me if I had a nice nap and a lot more time had passed than I thought.

It feels great to be on the other side of breast cancer. Radiation and tamoxifen are next but those are simply to guard against future cancers. Today, for the first time, I feel truly able to celebrate my cancer free status without caveat. I didn't realize how heavily the second surgery was weighing me down until it was over yesterday.

David and I will be married four years on August 11th and planning a semi-local romantic adventure to celebrate. We feel very blessed, are appreciating every moment on this earth just a little bit more and finding it easier to be fully present in each and every one of them.

I am a Breast Cancer Survivor!

2010-06-29T10:21:00.005-04:00

Results are in, nodes and margins are clear!! I saw the surgeon last Thursday and my oncologist yesterday and am pleased to report that my status is now considered "breast cancer survivor" and officially cancer-free since June 15th!!

This is clearly something huge to celebrate and you can bet that I am doing just that!! I celebrated with a trip to visit my aunts in Virginia Beach last weekend. I am continuing the celebration by recommitting to a healthy lifestyle, my exercise and yoga programs, filling our home with leafy greens, fresh fruit, whole grains and organic free-range everything. I am also adding regular oriental massage and looking into pilates as well as planning a killer 50th birthday culinary/wine adventure to Provence in 2012.

Yesterday at Dana Farber, we also discussed my recurrence prevention treatment and I feel empowered about my ability to choose what is done to me and my body. Although my two sentinel nodes were not involved as well as all my margins around the tumor, one of those margins was within 1 cm and considered "very close." I could have gone directly into radiation from here but because I am so young and have so many more years to thrive, my surgeon and oncologist strongly recommended we go back in to get a little more clear margin.

I decided to go with their recommendation so my second surgery is scheduled for July 6th at 7:30am back at Brigham and Women's Hospital. This will be a much easier surgery and require only local anesthesia plus IV sedation (similar to what you get at a colonscopy) so I'll be out of the hospital long before lunch, back in Ghent in time for dinner, and not have that two day recovery from general anesthesia. This made it much easier for me to decide to do the second surgery which will decrease my chance of recurrence. Since all my body's healing energies are already focused in this area from the first surgery, my healing from this second one will be even quicker than the last.

About three weeks after the surgery, I will have whole breast radiation daily for 6 weeks which I will do locally in Albany at St. Peter's Breast Center. There should be little to no side effects from the radiation or tamoxifen and I'll be able to still go into the city 2-3 days a week as normal. Since my tumor was estrogen and progesterone positive, I will also be starting hormone therapy and I'll be taking tamoxifen to block the estrogen receptors. Tamoxifen will help prevent my original breast cancer from returning and will also helps prevent the development of new cancers in the other breast.

There were no surprises from pathology but the size of tumor is just 1mm into the range they consider Stage II so the oncologist surprised me by bringing up the idea of chemo in addition to radiation. Adding chemo to my treatment would only increase my survival rate by a single percentage point over what I'm doing now - the lumpectomy/radiation/tamoxifen. Having seen what chemo does to the body, for me the slight increase in chance of recurrence from not doing it was not worth the havoc it would wreak on my quality of life. I chose not to go this route and hopefully this will be the last time I ever need to discuss chemo with my oncologist!

David and I both are appreciating and celebrating every moment even more now that I am a breast cancer survivor and as many of you predicted I am emerging even stronger and feeling more resilient than ever, ready to charge into each day with full intention and focus. I thank you all for taking this journey with me. Knowing you are all there with those positive vibes, prayers, mojo, light, love and support makes all the difference in keeping me positive and looking forward to the time when I would be cancer-free. That time has arrived and I hope you will all celebrate with me!!

I am a breast cancer survivor!!

Appreciating Every Moment

2010-06-20T08:52:00.004-04:00

It's a glorious morning and I am once again sitting on Our Back Deck with Islay Bear. Relaxing, enjoying the view, healing. I walked the property this am to snap a few pictures of the wild flowers growing like crazy this year before David gets on the mower and cuts them down. The clover is just spectacular and attracting all sorts of bees and other insects to it. The small yellow butter cups and purple wild flowers are everywhere. There are major patches of wild thyme and wild black raspberries in places they've never been before. And all growing back after their hard winter. And I'm sure they will all grow back again stronger than ever after their pending "hair cut."

I feel some solidarity with them! It feels kind of like my comeback too. I am feeling better and better after surgery on Tuesday - a little discomfort still but I'm not even needing the CVS frozen pea ice packs anymore. Clever person who came up with that idea so we don't all have to use/waste real frozen peas anymore to get that perfectly molded ice pack.

My angels are all pampering me, not letting me lift or bend so as not to disturb the healing or stitches. Xiomara came this weekend to give David a break so he could work the Hudson-Chatham Winery tasting room for the Father's Day event. She was a whirlwind! Helping me do laundry, weeding the herb garden, sweeping the floors, tidying the rooms, scrubbing the stove, keeping me company and making the most delicious chicken and black bean dish for dinner.

I'm not even feeling the least bit nervous about the pathology results coming next week. I know they will show clear margins and no node involvement. And many of you have said your gut is telling you the same. It is a new normal after being diagnosed with cancer and I still have the radiation treatments to go through but I feel that the worst is behind me and celebrating every moment more than ever now. I could dwell on the "why me," be scared about surprises next week, or the knowledge that I am now higher risk for other bad stuff for the rest of my life but that won't serve me as well as being so thankful for all the things I have right here, right now. Like the beautiful wild flowers and black raspberries, my husband, my dog, my loving friends. This moment is the best of all!

Gratitude

2010-06-16T17:37:00.003-04:00

Today I am giving thanks to all of you for all you've done to support me through this. Your prayers, light, love and good wishes worked!! I felt the calmest I have felt since diagnosis waking up yesterday morning knowing that it was all going to be over later in the day.

Dr. Troyan said the surgery went as expected, no surprises and that the nodes looked and felt normal. She took two sentinel nodes and the pathology results will be in in seven days or so. She'll call me then to go through them.

I am starting to feel human again after the anesthesia has mostly worn off and already beginning to eat normally! I don't even really need the pain meds and my sisters and husband and nieces and nephews are all pampering me. The pink clothing, notebooks, mens, pencils, hats, wine, journals, folders, jewelry are all around me representing all of you. Today a beautiful fruit basket showed up which we are all devouring. The tips I got from survivor friends and surgeons all helped to prepare me for what I was about to go through and how to ease my recovery. We now own three bags of Peas from CVS that are a cleaner version of using regular frozen peas to numb the area. I'm set with pillows for the car/seatbelt and proudly wearing my button down the front pink clothing.

I meet again with my surgeon/oncologist June 28th when we will map out my course of follow up treatment (likely to be 6 weeks of radiation up in Albany.) Next weekend my sister Karen and I will fly down to Virginia Beach to visit my mom's sisters. Flights and accomodations have all been booked.

Thanks so much for all you did to boost me up and send healing energies through the universe. You are all now listed in my gratitude journal.

I am ready!

2010-06-11T08:50:00.006-04:00

I already feel like a survivor and cancer-free. I can see myself celebrating of negative results with friends and family although my lumpectomy surgery is Tuesday June 15th at 12:45 am.

Your emails and Facebook posts, cards and calls have done wonders for my psyche. I especially love the stories you all are telling me about your own or a loved one's successful battle with cancer. The survivor stories remind me how far treatment has come and how many before me are now thriving having been changed in a positive way by their experience.

I have been hard at work in New York City this week doing everything but thinking about cancer or hospitals or surgery. I'm going to a children's writing workshop all day Saturday. I've scheduled a 90 minute massage on Sunday before we leave for Boston. I've got lunch scheduled in Cambridge MA with some dear college friends on Monday.

And I'm already looking beyond surgery to give myself something else to focus on. My sister and I are planning a visit to see my aunts in Virginia Beach two weeks after the surgery where we plan to celebrate a successful surgery, hang, laugh, shop, visit, drink a glass of wine or two and remember my mom.

For the next week or so I will be putting my attention on healing and being a "good" patient. My support network is rallying around me to help keep me positive and the last thing I want to do is take anything out on them. I'd lie if I said I wasn't scared but I am ready for this. I am ready for it to be over.

I feel the universe reaching out to hold me up with all the light and love you are all sending me. I am literally warm inside with the energy of it. And soon I'll be sending it all back out with the celebration of being cancer-free!

Health Update

2010-06-07T15:17:00.006-04:00

It is a strange time between a cancer diagnosis and treatment, something I have recently found out first hand. Thankfully, I have done a lot of work this year that prepared me to put it in perspective and deal with this recent setback in the best way possible.

Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with Stage I Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer. It came out of the blue but was caught early via my annual mammogram. I was called back for a second scan to check a suspicious looking area and then they wanted a biopsy. At my wonderful friend Kathy Kelly's urging, I went to the amazing new Boston Breast Diagnostic Center in Wellesley MA to get a second opinion. I was sure Dr. Levin would tell me it was nothing and didn't need a biopsy but we moved right one from what she saw on the ultrasound. Even then I was sure the pathology would be clear. It was not.

There's a tiny mass, 9mm in size, looks to be contained and treatable via lumpectomy plus radiation. After the Breast MRI which supported the prior diagnosis and suggests that the lymph nodes are probably not involved, Dr. Levin said my experience should seem more of a nuisance than a treatment which was comforting to hear. I met with the surgeon and the oncologist about a week ago and they agreed with Dr. Levin's assessment and we put a plan in place.

My outpatient lumpectomy surgery is scheduled for June 15th, next Tuesday, at Brigham and Womens in Boston. My surgeon is Dr. Susan Troyan from Dana Farber, my oncologist is Dr. Ann Partridge and my patient advocates are my experienced cancer survivor sister Cindy and my wonderful husband David. I will stay with my sister Karen for the first few days after surgery and home with David and Islay Bear as soon as I feel up to the trip.

It is a very strange time between diagnosis and treatment but I feel that I am in the best hands I can be in medically and expect to be reporting that I am cancer free very soon. They say it will be about a week before we know how the pathology turns out - we're of course hoping for clear margins, no lymph node involvement and nothing more than they can see on the scans/MRI. I have a follow up meeting with the oncologist on June 28th to decide the course of radiation which I will do here in upstate NY locally.

The picture above is a picture of my new friend Amy Grimes' forearm just before she set out on the Relay For Life which of course brought tears to my eyes. I have been getting all sorts of cards, good luck charms, pink jewelry, uplifting emails, and cancer fighting eating tips from people which is helping keep me positive and focused on the amazing things I have in such abundance.

Please keep me in your prayers on June 15th and keep up with those annual mammograms, ladies!

How To Reinvent Yourself

2010-05-19T09:49:00.003-04:00

Today's post is from Christine Kane's eZine and used with her permission. She is one of my favorite singer songwriters and life coach. She is wise beyond her years. I love what she has to say here in this short post about reinventing yourself and living authentically. Click HERE to see her speak about it in video form. And do sign up for her free teleseminar!

How to Reinvent Yourself

by Christine Kane

There's change in the air.

More than ever, people are being called to stop living superficially, to let go of a life of "shoulds," and to create authentic purpose-driven days full of happiness, wealth, and spirit. Everyday and everywhere, women are reinventing themselves. It's almost as if it's impossible to stop this amazing flow!

And of course, there are many who might know this truth - but they hold back because they don't believe it's possible for them. (If this is you, then read on!)

I've been through two major reinventions. And I'm telling you from personal experience, it's not only possible - it's imperative to your happiness!

Reinventions are not just external. They often require huge paradigm shifts. In fact, true reinvention happens on the inside more than on the outside. (It just that by the time people start to notice you've reinvented yourself, they can only see the external changes!)

But it doesn't have to be dramatic or painful. In fact, my friends, it's quite a hoot! You'll thank yourself for it, I promise!

So, from Christine's "Been-There-Done-That" files, here are five tips for How to Reinvent Yourself.

1 - Use the Power of Intention

Usually, reinvention starts when someone looks around at her life and says, "Wow. This is NOT working. I am not happy."

The next step after that?

Intention. I LOVE and LIVE BY the power of intention. It's why the Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program begins with intention – and uses intention throughout the transformation process. Intention starts the ball rolling.

Ask yourself: What do I want to create more of in my life? Who do I want to BE? Use these answers to begin crafting an intention.

2 - Don't Wait for the HOW

Don't worry about HOW it's all going to happen. This will only stop you in your tracks. When we try to make the HOW happen, we aren't allowing the Universe (and our soul!) do its work. We're so busy opening up the oven to see how things are going, that nothing really gets cooking!

The true lesson of reinventing yourself is trust. You have to trust the power of your intention, and the power of this process. It's easier said than done, but it never stops being the ultimate lesson!

3 - Slow Down to Speed Up

After you set your intention, there might be a slow down period. That's because you have to let go of some of the old in order for the new to arrive. During this time period, most of the people in your life will think you've lost your mind. :-)

One of my self-reinventions was the transformation of my music career into an on-line model that included coaching and mentoring women. When I began this transition, I experienced one whole year of questions from my musician and songwriting friends: "Ohmigod, what's going on? You're NEVER on the road anymore!" They were downright worried for me.

I had to clear out the old. I had to slow down to speed up. The "slow down" period is why so few people want to reinvent themselves. It can be very uncomfortable to keep your focus on your intention, while everyone wants you to justify your choices.

(Trust me on one thing, okay? When things pick up again, everyone will want to know your secret! It will suddenly seem like you did it effortlessly!)

4 - Take Action

Slowing down to speed up doesn't mean you sit back and watch television. You must take action. You might feel, at first, like you're stumbling and fumbling - but a steady movement forward helps the process.

People who believe it's ALL about positive thinking are forgetting that human beings are meant to take action and use their bodies, too. Our bodies are a huge part of our powerful creative system! Use yours and take action!

5 - Get Support!

There aren't a lot of places in the mainstream world to find encouragement and wisdom when it comes to reinventing yourself. So, you need to seek out support! Coaches, mentors, books, audios – they are all terrific resources!

Don't try to do this on your own, okay?

In fact, here's a video I just created to speak about this very deep level of transformation! Click the link below to watch it – and then join me for a free coaching call!

Click this link

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a
F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

Keeping that ego at bay

2010-05-03T11:50:00.008-04:00

Today's post is inspired once again by Christine Kane and her post on being true to your authentic self despite what the pesky old ego is trying to whisper in your ear.

I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of the 100 authors featured at this weekend’s Hudson Children’s Book Festival with my “White Dog Haiku.” It was overwhelming to be surrounded by so many established authors and poets – and when I walked in to set up my ego said “Who do you think you are trying to pass off this little self-published book of haiku as a real children’s book?”

My table was located between two celebrity, award winning authors, Hudson Talbott and Alexandra Siy. OMG. Their tables were filled with award winning titles and kids, teachers, parents were flocking to them. It would have been easy to feel embarassed about my table with a single self-published paperback title. But I stayed in the moment and talked to every person who came by. They were attracted by Islay Bear’s cute picture.

I sold and signed 8 books, talked to kids about their dogs and the haiku they are writing in school, and had some of the most inspiring conversations with Hudson and Alexandra. They encouraged me to keep going and build on my White Dog Haiku. Kids love poetry and schools are always looking for speakers to come teach a module – this was evidenced by the fact that 30 kids came to my haiku reading session and the steady stream of them coming to my table. At one point my neighbors came in holding big signs up "I LOVE WHITE DOG" and "White Dog Haiku" (the picture above) making a big commotion and attracting lots of attention to my table.

Hudson and Alexandra pointed me to resources and offered their own help as mentors on my writing journey. Instead of being deflated trying to compare myself to others, I am even more energized at what I am putting out in the world.

I just submitted my haiku to a soon to be published online haiku magazine and in the next few months to some Children’s Book publishing houses. My first rejection came in very quickly from the haiku magazine editors the other day. My ego tried to say “See, you have no business submitting anything to anyone, you have no idea what you are doing!” But instead of closing my notebook and hanging up the pen, I researched what they were looking for in haiku. I read articles on writing haiku and trolled haiku websites and wrote and wrote. I submitted some more that I feel really good about. No rejection on those yet – I will let you know when I get officially published. It’s coming any day now. Despite what my ego says.....I am an author!!

Words to Live and Work By

2010-04-28T15:58:00.004-04:00

How cool is this?! I just discovered this great site called Wordle

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The words in the picture above are words that are important to me. Go to Wordle by clicking on my Wordle to put in some of yours and create your own.

There's a gallery of Wordles that others have posted if you need a little inspiration. Have fun!

Thank Your Mentors

2010-04-27T20:02:00.005-04:00

Today is the day to remember with great fondness and to thank all our mentors but also to realize that we all are mentors and touching people's lives whether we know it or not by just being ourselves every day.

Sue Ludwig, one of the people I met in Christine Kane's Uplevel Your Life and Business programs, has a wonderful post up on Christine Kane's blog today along with a poem that blew me away.

Do yourself a favor and click this link to read the full article on Christine's blog today "Fledgling to Flight: Why You Matter as a Mentor" and I will pique your interest by posting Sue Ludwig's amazing poem "Fledgling" she wrote for one of her mentors (with permission of course!)

Fledgling

In the light of possibility

you stood.

And though I saw you clearly
with your half smile
and knowing eyes

I wasn’t quite sure
why you cared.

Now I realize
you lead from a place of
intention,
decision and
passion.

I see how your gifts,
your knowledge,
mentor mine.

Your path,
decidedly open,
clears mine

because you have been a traveler
on this very road
you unselfishly guide.

I experience your strength as you hold

only

my best self for me

even when I’m a flightless baby bird.

You know the depth but see the buoyancy,
know the doubt but see the hope.

You show me through your life

that the road is winding, imperfect,
breathtaking

and every step of the way

worth the journey.

———–

Sue Ludwig is the President and Founder of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists. She is a consultant to neonatal intensive care units around the country, a national speaker, and a published poet. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children.

Go more fully into everything

2010-02-26T08:24:00.005-05:00

"Go" was an interesting Upword to be considering this week because much of the past month has been about resisting my natural urge to go, go, go. Being in a job transition I have been dialing down on my old job before the new job is ready. This resulted in a very slimmed down email and voicemail inboxes and a very anxious me.

My life coach, Tonya Leigh Williams, has been encouraging me to chill out, stop racing, enjoy the slow period, notice how it feels to have time to just be and focus on being more fully present to the things that I am doing, notice how I feel – how my body feels – as each unfolds. She says that there’s no better way to make a difference in the world than to be more true to your essential self and just be that instead of worrying about what’s next on my plate.

So instead of using this Upword to get back into go, go, going I’ve used it to go more fully into each thing I am doing one at a time instead no matter how small.

I used to think that if I wasn’t busy something was wrong. Being a self starter, if it was slow I’d get out there and get things going. The quintessential “multitasker” … I’d get as many things going as I could …. usually unable to do anything very well.

But lately I’ve been focusing on being more present in everything I do. With the help of my life coach and Christine Kane’s UYL program I’ve been noticing not just “go, go, going.” I realized that this slow period at work gives me a chance to better connect with me and is all happening for a reason.

Early this week, I hosted a client at a great two day session on “Be Ready For the Future.” I focused on being fully present, taking in all the great content, listening to what my client thought of the sessions.

I left my PC back in the hotel room, kept bringing myself back to the present moment instead of letting my mind wander to a million different things. At breaks and mealtimes I spent it conversing with the speakers and my client about the topics that were just presented instead of stepping out to email or twitter or FB.

I learned a lot about the challenges my client was facing, what topics resonated and didn’t, and built a deeper relationship with her than I might have otherwise resulting in some meaningful follow ups to dive deeper into a few topics.

After the session was over, I had planned to drive into the city and stir some stuff up with my other clients, colleagues, anybody. Get those to dos flowing again, push along the new job. But as luck would have it the forecast was for big snows. We had already lost power at home and David was running the house on the generator we bought after last year’s ice storm. Something told me that I should drive back home and focus on us!

Good thing I did because the snows cancelled trains, messed up roads, kept people home. Instead of being stuck down there all by myself, I was able to go home and be with my husband, dog, neighbors and actually enjoyed “roughing it” together. The generator allowed us to work during the day but at night we turned it off and kept each other warm with body heat.

So here’s my call to action for you. Do it – stop racing, go more fully into each thing you are doing. Stop thinking about the next twelve to-dos on your list. Be comfortable if there are none on that list! Notice how you feel, what your body is saying as you experience each one. As you are being true to your essential self and showing up more fully to each moment you will learn more about that wonderful person you are too.

Giving Thanks

2010-02-21T11:25:00.010-05:00

It was hard to know where to begin on this Upword. There are so many things for which I give thanks. I am finally keeping that gratitude journal that Christine Kane and other coaches recommend and it truly is phenomenal to reflect on and write down five things I am grateful for each day ending every day on such a positive note. Reading back through them gives me so much joy.

Lori Koop was asking for something a bit different though last week.She wanted us to reflect on what we thanked OURSELVES for. At first this didn't feel quite right to me. However it rang some bells and reminded me of posts I had recently read.

With the level of interest this topic is getting, it seems like this is something too few of us do but would benefit from doing more. The more I thought about it, I realized that if we aren't loving ourselves first, we block our ability to fully love others.

Emily Long, another UYB colleague and amazing poet in her blog Healing Pages had perhaps one of my favorite posts on the topic called "Gratitude for the One Person Often Overlooked." Like me, Emily reflects in her piece that "When the thought of putting myself on my list first popped into my head, I hesitated. It seemed a little self-centered or narcissistic to say I was grateful for myself."

I was right there with her. I thank everybody all the time and was actually excited to start a gratitude journal as part of Uplevel Your Life program homework. We all get so many blessings from the universe every single day that pulling out the top five is sometimes difficult for me, a 7 or “the enthusiast” on the enneagram. But putting me on the list? That wasn't even something I've even contemplated...until now.

Coincidentally, Tonya Leigh Williams, my fabulous life coach, has also asked us to reflect on this in her blog this month and has even come up with a fabulous free “A Girl After Her Own Heart” tool. Two of her morals on this self love lesson really resonated with me:

* You cannot expect someone else to recognize what you don’t see in yourself

* Self-love is the best gift you can give yourself and the world

Another one of our UpLevel Your Business colleagues and friend Stacey Curnow also recently had a great post called "Write a Love Letter to Yourself in 3 Easy Steps." Stacey remarks that when we don't focus on loving ourselves first, we aren't likely to be serving others from a place of joy and grace but instead from one of sacrifice and suffering.

Ok! Ok! I'm a believer now! It's important to be grateful to me too and appreciate the gifts I give myself and others.

So here goes – I thank myself for

* living, eating and drinking consciously
* always showing up with a positive attitude
* being there for my husband, sisters, neighbors, and knowing when to say no so I can still be there for me
* giving myself the space to let my creativity flow
* investing in myself with Uplevel Your Life and Luscious Lean Living programs as well as hiring Tonya Williams as my life coach this year
* caring enough about myself to get healthy, start an exercise program, go for regular checkups
* being open to the possibilities
* breathing
* creating this warm, beautiful environment we call home
* adopting my wonderful dog, Islay Bear, from Westie Rescue
* giving myself the gift of yoga
* establishing and focusing on keeping worthwhile connections strong in life and business
* following through with self-publishing White Dog Haikus and launching my writing career
* filling my home and body with healthy foods
* the courage to eliminate things I have saved that no longer serve the me I want to be

What do you give yourself thanks for today? This week? This year?

What compels you?

2010-02-11T17:24:00.010-05:00

The Upword of this week is COMPELLING.

The definition of compelling that I like most is “requiring urgent attention.” It makes me think of one of my coach's favorite phrases “What you resist will persist.” Passions are that way – they are like a magnet - you can’t stop yourself thinking about them, obsessing about them, running after them.

Lori Koop, creator of Upword asks “So what compels you?” “Where do your passions lie?” “What excites your inner spirit to think about?” Well …. lots of things as a "7" or "The Enthusiast" on the Enneagram scale! They include -

Cuddling with my husband and my dog
Enjoying local gourmet food and wine and giving back to the community
Fabulous music like the King’s Singers close harmonies that reach in and touch my soul
Singing and harmonizing, using my God given gifts
Entertaining and making people laugh
Being fully present for my husband, my dog, my family and friends
Being the best me I can be and true to my essential self
Connecting at work, in life, on social media
The thought that we are all connected in the universe
Helping other people achieve their true potential
Building deep roots, relationships and communities
Making a difference in the world
Travelling - experiencing and understanding other cultures
Writing: particularly white dog haiku and children’s stories
Sharing our blessed abundance with people we love
Learning more about wine, especially NY wine
Supporting causes like Quality of Life for Long Term Cancer Survivors, Animal Rescue, Wine For Water, Heifer International, ALS

“By feeding our own passions,” says Lori, “we now become compelling – attracting others with our energy… Our light, now sparkling, allows others to see.” I so feel that! I think that’s why I like going to live concerts, broadway shows, live performances, why I prefer live sporting events to watching them on TV, why I choose live education sessions to online or recorded ones. When I am there in person, I can feel the performer’s or the educator’s energy, it’s infectious and yes, compelling. I can only hope that I do the same for others when I am connecting with them.

So the question I’ve been wrestling with this week is not so much what compels me but more how can I be more compelling for others? One thing I know for sure: to be compelling, you have to show up. You have to focus on being fully present, not thinking about the next thing on the list. And it's not about doing a million things - it's about focusing in on the ones that move you, saying no to those that don't.

I do a lot of formal and informal mentoring. I love giving back by helping people succeed in life, in love, in career and infusing them with a positive perspective. I am part of IBM’s coaching community now and have been chair of our IBM TriState Women’s Networking group for several years. I mentor on MentorNet, at IBM, and for the College of the Holy Cross, my alma mater. I get so much from these interactions that it truly has become a passion for me and much more than a hobby. It fuels me as much as I sense it fuels those I work with.

In addition to writing more on this blog and evolving my Children's Book writing passion, on my list to do this year is to take advantage of all the in person mentoring and coaching training, tools and systems I can get so that I can better compel others achieve their true potential.

Through all my Upleveling work with Christine Kane, and my work with my coach Tonya Leigh Williams, I know that I can be even more compelling, more inspiring to others by learning even more, sharing what I’ve learned, being fully present as I do this this instead of trying to do too many things at once. Not trying hard to "make a difference in the world" but being your true authentic self which will effortlessly accomplish that.

I’d love to hear what are you doing that compels you or others, where your passions lie. I compel you to leave a comment and share it!!

Discovering me

2010-02-09T13:56:00.004-05:00

The Upword of last week, designated as such by Lori Koop, was DISCOVER. One of the most important things I discovered was that keeping up with my weekly Upword posts every Saturday is sometimes not going to be possible! And I'm letting myself off the hook for it. My ongoing promise to my readers is to TRY to share my reflections on the word of the week each week but if I don't get to it I'm ok with that.

Discover turned out to be a very poignant word for me this past week. As I am in the middle of job change, there is a lot of self discovery going on, a lot of discussions about jobs, a lot of thinking about what I do and don't want out this next position, a lot of going deep inside to feel my feelings about it all. And being halfway through Christine Kane's Uplevel Your Life program, I was also reconsidering my intention and where I'm putting my attention.

As a 7 on the Enneagram, I am driven to do, to fill my time/brain with lots of things to focus on so that I don't have time to feel the feelings from the last thing because I'm on to the next one. With the help of my coach Tonya Leigh Williams, I decided my discovery question for myself last week was "what happens if I completely focus my attention on whatever I am doing?"

For instance, would I discover that I have time to feel my own feelings? Would I realize that I'm full and be more mindful of what I'm putting in my mouth when I'm not opening mail at the same time or looking at a magazine? Would I discover that I get more writing done if I don't just try to fit it in between all the other things I am doing but really schedule time for it and focus on it? Would I be able to be more present to my sisters and my husband and whoever I am on the phone with if I am not constantly checking twitter and facebook?

The answer is a resounding YES! It's amazing what putting my attention to the present moment can do. I did eat less, I did write more, I did more fully connect with the people I was interacting with in person or on the phone. It did leave time to feel the feelings when I wasn't distracted about what was coming next.

I wasn't able to tweet or blog or facebook as much but I was able to catch up on all of that when I wasn't otherwise occupied. And I discovered that it was ok. In fact, it was great! To put the attention where I am right then and feel those feelings - not just go through the motions of the activity or the interaction thinking about other things.

So thanks again Lori for Upword. Now that this post is up, I'm already starting to muse about this week's word....COMPELLING.

Free to Smile

2010-02-04T08:57:00.009-05:00

I'm late in posting my thoughts about Lori Koop's Upword for last week "Free" but a post by Stacey Curnow today on "100 Things That Delight" inspired me to finally sit down and do it.

In her Upword post on the Word "Free", Lori asked us to write down the thoughts we were celebrating this week. "Write it down. Small or large, it doesn’t matter, " she said.

When I started musing on the word free - I thought about how great it is that in this country we are free .... free to practice whatever religion we want, free to dress how we like, free to speak out against things in public, free to go follow our dreams. The only thing that holds us back from being completely free is ourselves, our own thoughts, our egos trying to keep us on some path to perfect or follow society "norms" that causes us to be cautious, stay safe, not get out of that comfort zone of the familiar or what is "expected."

One of the things I'm learning going through Christine Kane's Uplevel Your Life program is that we are free to think positive thoughts. Our brain may try to focus us on what can go wrong and create negative thinking patterns but we are free to change this - to turn this around, think about whatever it is in a new way, create a positive vision of what it could be like and let the universe deliver.

My aha moment of the week happened today. It is that I've been doing this on some level all my life. Stacey's post on the "100 Things that Delight" reminded me of something I wrote years ago that I called "1000 Things for Troidles to Smile About."

Similar to Stacey, I wrote my piece when things weren't going so well for our family back in 2000-2001. My mom was struggling with the final stages of Chronic Lymphocitic Leukemia and my sister Cindy was suffering from long term side effects of the treatments she had to cure her Hodgkins Disease. No one in my family was smiling much about anything. I felt it my duty to bring some positive thinking into the game and distract everyone from the not so good things with some of the great things, funny things, blessings that have been bestowed on us that might lighten the mood.

I remember starting this on a tablet of lined paper - writing down a firehose of things that came out of my head and passing it around to my sisters for them to add their own when we were all in a car going to visit my mom one day. We laughed, we cried, we reminisced and we shared it with my mom. At some point I typed it into the computer and there is has sat until today.

Many of the things on my list are personal to us and won't mean much to many of you but I am hoping that Stacey's and my lists will encourage you to write down your own list. Be sure to save it in a safe place in a file or a notebook or on the computer so at some time in the future when you need it most you can pull it out and share it with your loved ones.

So my musing on the Upword of last week - FREE - reminds me that we are free to smile even when things look bleak by reflecting on the many many blessings we are given.

Here are just a few of my 1000 things for Troidles to Smile About.

Sisters
Finding the only thing in the discount store worth buying
Banning smoking on all flights
Ice cubes
Making popsicles from juice
Finding a pumpkin with good hair
Running into old friends in unexpected places
Chinese checkers
Having a cleaning lady
Ivy
Eidelweiss
Staying overnight in a castle
Playdates
"Evely Fliday, I have a gud tyme!"
Cutting one of GG's homemade afghans to make a doll blanket
Mulch
Squeegies
Thomson's Water Seal
The Home Show
Mousse
Primping and preening
Curling irons
Duct tape
Rich aunts who live overseas
Yoko Ono in the morning
"Hafta"
"'Pose ta"
Knowing why Eskimos wash their clothes in Tide
Inchworms
Petunia
Hannah, Hildegard and Gertrude
"What's the matter, Hannah?" "I don't know."
"Beats neither!"
Making the school play
The French Impressionists
Driving kids to music and dance lessons
Recitals
Telling people that Debby likes to lift heavy things
Family bonding sessions
Debby jokes
The big pine tree at 190 Walzford Road under which we held secret meetings
You gotta wanna
Telling people in other cars how they could drive better when you know they can't hear you
Ye Olde Tavern
Olivia
Being able to pronounce Lake Chargoggagogmanchoggagogchabunagungamogg
Paying off the balance on all your credit cards
Cappy Turtle
Deadbee Turtle
Sunny Turtle
Carrying a turtle
Cooking without a clue sessions
What a small world it is
Coincidences that aren't really coincidences
Deja vu
A Ruby Turtle
The Fonzies and the Potsies
Mo-mos Surprise
Belly flops
Spelling bees
"Chlamydia is not a flower"
Erma Bombeck
"Babies and other Hazards of Sex"
Pygmie hammocks
"Today I saw a bud"
Park and ride
Byes
Homemade potholders
Gummy worms
Sleeping under the tree on a carrot bed
Uncle Sam and Santa
Snow people
Painting Cindy's bald head for Easter
Slumber parties
Ralphie and Alfie
Cricket infestations
Spiral staircases
Coming home to a clean house
A clean car
Ed the Bibdog Dobbster
Beagley the Dalemeister Beagley
Recycling
Susan's haircuts
Dad, the Nurturer
Debby sleeping all night at the hospital
Knowing how to flush out catheters
In-laws
Sending email over the information super highway
Correspondence kits made by dad
The Troidle family extended calendar
Watching old movies on cable
Mom's bird collection
The Subaru
Tom Bombadil and Wurzel
Nimnum
Car phones
Meeting cousins you never knew you had
Midnight mass
Michael Burgo
Being president of the Holy Cross General Alumni Association
Depositions
Mediation
Being president of Ocean Beach Club I
Presidential inauguration
Desert fever
Swollen legs for 8 weeks from an allergy to dust on Mt Saint Helen's
New York bagels
Debby moving to Chicago
Kathy making Christmas dinner
Chutney
Mom's poached eggs
Prozak
Prednisone
Betty and Barney Bunny with Buster and Babies
"Ain't no bug, ain't no monkey, give me a hug, I'm a Funky!"
Organizing photos into albums
Angels
Cards that make you cry
Octagon decks
Still getting stuffed animals from your mom when you're 32
Roger
Frequent flier miles
Lillian Vernon goodies from Aunt Cindy
Taking off the pool cover
Donner and Desiree
Nutcrackers
Nuns
Bishop Clark
Jesuits
Spider theatres
Nerbus people
"Good job catapillar!"
"I am so proud of you!"
"Fibonacci!"
"But CeeCee, there are TWO boyfriends here, and your friends Debby and Kathy"
"No wifes (in the PlayMobile castle)"
Facial expressions that tell all
Husbands/Boyfriends who get all this

Befriending Dragons

2010-01-28T11:59:00.010-05:00

As long as I can remember, I’ve had a fascination with dragons. As a child with a big imagination, my favorite genre was fantasy – stories about magic, witches, fairy godmothers, trolls, elves and the more dragons the better. I always wished I was Samantha on "Bewitched" so I could twitch my nose and clean up my messy bedroom. Even still, I am a Harry Potter fan - devouring each new volume days after each was released. Thoughout my adult life, I seem to have amassed a small collection of dragon sculpture, pottery, candles and even a few stuffed animals which feature prominently.

There are many different definitions of dragons. From Wikipedia, “dragons are legendary creatures, typically with serpentine or otherwise reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of worldwide cultures.”

Some depict dragons as breathing fire or even poisonous. According to Wikipedia, “They are sometimes portrayed as having especially large eyes or watching treasure very diligently, a feature that is the origin of the word dragon (Greek drakeîn meaning "to see clearly").

But dragons are not seen as evil everywhere. In many cultures, they have a great spiritual significance. For instance, in Asian cultures dragons are often thought to be magical creatures, representative of the forces of nature, religion and even the universe. There, they are associated with wisdom.

I like the Asian view of dragons. All of my dragons are nice, friendly dragons – most of whom are obviously smiling not hurting anyone. Two of my most favorite ones are bejeweled wrought iron friendly types warming my hearth that I picked up from a wonderful artist whose studio I visited in Boston, MA many years ago. Since she didn’t sign her work, I can’t point you to her unfortunately but I can show you her gorgeous pieces!

I never thought much about my dragon fascination until I read a piece by Tammy Vitale, a wonderful raku artist we met at Christine Kane’s Wide Awake Weekend. Tammy recently posted an article about dragons on her blog that really resonated with me. Like me, she is a big fan of dragons and creates some gorgeous representations of the ones that live in our imagination. Being the dragon fanatic that I am, I jumped at the chance to commission a few amazing pieces from Tammy which will soon take their rightful places among my collection.

Although they have been given a bad rap as evil, mean and nasty fire-breathing creatures that have to be slain to get at a treasure, I prefer to think of them as the manifestation of our own power – and that it is our dragon selves who are guarding the treasures of our deepest thoughts and desires.

As Tammy puts it:

Dragons are creatures of the imagination. Perhaps even guardians who push us to prove that we indeed do want to go there (wherever “there” may be and wherever that may take us). Dragons help us move toward higher levels of consciousness and out of our comfort zone.

As my readers know, I have been working through Christine Kane’s Uplevel Your Life program and attacking some of the deepest stuff that has been zapping my energy. I like to think of it as befriending my dragons to get at the treasures – my deepest desires, my own wisdom, and clues to my essential self – that I have hidden deep away behind obstacles (a.k.a dragons) to protect them from even myself. It has been an enlightening experience to tap into some of this stuff, befriend those dragons, and clear away the obstacles that have been keeping me from achieving my true potential.

So now I look at my collection of nice friendly dragons as evidence of the achievements I’ve made in my life. Each befriended dragon has opened new doors, exposed new treasures, and is helping me harness my own power.

I encourage you to befriend your dragons too and consider Tammy Vitale’s dragon definition and call to action….

Perhaps the Dragon is only yourself that you don’t yet recognize. Take on her power. Take on her fierceness. Take on her willingness to protect that which she loves – the things that sparkle and shine and make her life beautiful.

What happened when I Listened this week

2010-01-23T09:09:00.008-05:00

Lori Koop, an amazing wabi sabi ceramic artist that we met at Christine Kane's Uplevel Your Business program this fall, has come up with an ingenious way to continue the upleveling dialog with an Upword of the week.

I have so much amazing self-discovery with choosing a "word of the year" instead of a resolution (or what Christine Kane calls a Resolution Revolution) that I jumped right on this. With an additional word to focus on during each week in addition to my word of the year (this year it's SUCCESS) I am sure to achieve even more depth and self understanding.

I am keeping an online Upword journal now The Upwords come out each Sunday so on Saturday morning I have decided to dedicate some creative time to blog about my experience with each one and share them with you.

Lori's Upword this week was LISTEN.

As a Type 7 on the enneagram personality scale, I tend to be a doer - trying to fill my life with things, sounds, projects, multitasks, too much stuff. One of my friends jokes that all you have to say to me is "Kathy do you want to..." and I say yes. A focus on the word LISTEN helped me to hone in on what’s important, what’s begging to be heard amidst my usual self-created din.

Usually I have something rolling in the background no matter what I’m doing – TV at home, radio in the car. I thought it would be interesting to see what I can hear when those things are off. I decided that I to listen better to my heart, my surroundings, my loved ones, my mentors I needed to turn off the TV, news, negativity, gossip.

It has been a very interesting experiment to turn all the background stuff off! I did hear things! I was able to listen better! Here's a partial list of what happened.

• I focused better on my Uplevel Your Life lessons and homework.
• I remembered more of my dreams and had the aha moment in my previous post.
• I listened more carefully to my husband, my dog, my coach and my colleagues
• I was more fully present to whatever I was doing.
• I connected to my thoughts while walking on the treadmill or sitting quietly in between tasks
• I noticed resistance to certain thoughts (i.e. going to the gym) - first resistance, then a turn around to an urge to do that very thing I was resisting.

And it all showed me I need to do this more. I can walk to perky Irish step music or Christine Kane's Wide Awake CD on the treadmill but if I walk in silence I hear more of my own thoughts coming through.

If I turn off the background noise during the day and LISTEN better I more effectively accomplish what I am working on with fewer distractions making me more SUCCESSful.

As an enneagram type 7, I tend to keep busy so I don't have to acknowledge my negative thoughts, the things I am resisting. Seven's rarely admit they have any problems. Or more likely - admitting there might be a problem, but we don't have it.

This week, my coach, Tonya Leigh Williams author of the great JustBLiving blog, helped me reach in there and first listen then explore the thoughts I was resisting and see how listening to them and really understanding them would neutralize them, even turn them positive. So by giving myself the gift of listening to the thoughts that were “swimming around in there” I am working to acknowledge the negative ones and turn them into positive ones.

In searching for the appropriate image to include with this post, I came across the image and "The Story of Tapihritsa" on Kabir Kadre's web site whose message is "Listen carefully and do not be distracted." Taphritsa is obviously talking directly to me!! And maybe to you too.

This Upword stuff really works! I am excited to explore 51 more of them this year and share my experiences with my readers each Saturday. Why don't you sign up for Lori Koop's free Upword service and share how these words are helping you....in the comments here or on your own blogs.

Today's Aha Moment

2010-01-21T09:42:00.006-05:00

I am finally doing Christine Kane's Uplevel Your Life Program - I am on Day 18 of 49 wonderful days of it. When I started it I knew I would get some useful systems, tools and techniques because I already get some of those from Christine's blog posts and ezine and I knew this program had them in even more depth and would fire me up to do them one step at a time. But I was skeptical that I'd get any real aha moments. I kind of knew what was in there being a groupie all these years. Boy was I wrong!

Today's lesson is about Being the thing that you most want. My "word of the year" is SUCCESS so I supposed to Be Success. I'm supposed to start thinking thoughts that successful people think and feeling as I already am successful. Hmmmm....this is exactly what my weight loss coach has been telling me too. This means I have to stop old habits and look at things from a new perspective, find a new pathway. Banish those negative thoughts that "I can't do it", "I am a failure", "I don't have any willpower", "I never can commit to systems, " "this won't work for me" and instead think thoughts that a successful woman would think, imagine I am feeling the way a successful woman feels.

Christine uses an example in today's lesson of imagining that you have a big steel door in your home that you go out all the time. It opens to scenery you know, a perspective you are familiar with, the way you go every day. She asks us to imagine ripping it out and moving that door to a new place in the house - opening up to a whole different set of scenery, a different perspective, a new path out.

My aha moment is that this is exactly the recurring dream I've had for many many years. This must be my subconscious/the universe trying to tell me to try a different path, look at things differently! All this time and I've not been listening to it. At least not understanding what it was trying to tell me.

The dream always is that I am starting somewhere familiar - a house, an airport, a hotel - but forgot something I have to go back for before I can go where ever it was I was headed (to a flight, a bus, a meeting). This might be a bag, a person, my purse, a favorite jacket. The problem is that all the doors and pathways back are different and I can't get back to where I left the item - I open a door I've never seen and there is a pool there I didn't know existed and people I haven't seen in a long time. I get in an elevator but it goes somewhere entirely different than where I thought it went. It's not a scary dream so much as a frustrating one.

I think what I need to do in my dream and in my life is explore these new pathways, these different perspectives. Meet the people in the rooms I didn't know existed and let it roll the way the universe (and ultimately I) intend it. Stop worrying if I miss the flight or am late for the meeting and open up to whatever else is out there.

So hold on - this is going to be one heck of a ride!!

p.s. If you haven't heard of Christine Kane, go check out her blog, listen to her music, sign up for her ezine or one of her Uplevel Programs. I'm only one of the people she is helping to uplevel and the testimonials from hundreds others are equally as powerful. Feel that vibration in the universe? It's Christine calling you.

2010-01-17T15:04:00.003-05:00

The devastation in Haiti from the earthquake and it's aftermath is bad and getting worse day by day. Please join us in supporting the WineForHaiti initiative by donating wine and/or participating in the wine auction. Details can be found at Palate Press's web site at http://palatepress.com/2010/01/haiti/

You Got to Have Friends!

2009-12-15T09:12:00.003-05:00

I have been following Stacey Curnow, a wonderful life coach I met recently at Christine Kane's Uplevel Your Business Seminar. She publishes an eZine that always hits me right where I need it. This week, Stacey's eZine focused on the importance of friends and celebrating with them over the holidays. I already have several parties planned and found this to be particularly poignant this morning so I have reposted it here with Stacey's permission. Enjoy!

And do check out Stacey Curnow's great blog. She also happens to be have a guest post up today on Christine Kane's blog.

You Got to Have Friends!

You may not feel like you have the time or energy to create special gatherings with your friends, but studies show that maintaining good friends has great benefits and is truly worth the effort.

Research shows that people who have a large network of friends live longer than those who do not, whereas close relationships with children and relatives, in contrast, had almost no effect on longevity.

A study out of Brigham Young University showed that it is, in fact, a strong correlation—almost as strong as the correlation between smoking and mortality.

Another recent study showed that people with a strong social network have fewer cardiovascular and immune problems, probably related to lower cortisol levels (a stress hormone).

Companionship provided by friends seems to help people cope with stress, ward off depression, and boost self-esteem. And there’s the simple fact that friends often encourage you to take better care of yourself.

So, for all those reasons, and for plenty of other ones, why not get some friends to come over for the holidays?

Three Great Ideas for Gatherings:

1. Keep it simple. Instead of planning a huge Christmas party in just a week, gather with your girlfriends only (that’s what I’m doing this Friday).

Send a quick invitation (evite.com is great for this) and plan a super simple meal and one signature cocktail or ask everyone to bring their favorite appetizer and a bottle of wine.
2. Have a post-holiday party. Between work and family, it simply may not be possible to see our friends over the holidays. One of my favorite parties in past years was held on Boxing Day.

In Britain the wealthy had a tradition of giving gifts to their servants on the day after Christmas. (And let’s face it: if we lived over 100 years ago, we would have been the servants! So let’s celebrate it!)

Ask your friends to bring holiday leftovers and least favorite presents for a silly gift exchange. If this date is still too close to the hubbub, look to a date in mid-January. Your friends will be excited to put something on their 2010 calendars.
3. Host a “giving back” day. The holidays are a great time of year to focus on what is truly important—our ability to give to others.

In lieu of (or in addition to!) your annual holiday party, invite friends and family to join you in preparing food for a homeless shelter or wrapping presents for moms and their children who are in a shelter from domestic violence. You’ll be amazed at the thanks you’ll receive—from your guests. Making this sort of giving easier and more fun is one of the greatest gifts you can give your friends.

(If you like the idea of service to others, but it would truly over-extend you to plan a party around it, please join me in supporting the entrepreneurial efforts of women all over the world with the Midwife for Your Life Lending Team.)

Four Tips for Hosting a Great Gathering:

1. Here’s my best advice: Be a guest at your own party. That means that you have everything done before your first guest arrives so that you can really enjoy your company.

2. Be like Santa: Make a list and check it twice. (I’d be happy to send you my list. It includes everything from menu planning to house prep. Just press reply to this eZine, let us know you want it, and we’ll email it right to you.)

3. Ten minutes before the start of your party, pour yourself a drink or simply take time to breathe and appreciate all that you have done to make this party possible.

4. Try to be the first person your guests see when they arrive and the last person they see when they depart. Greet each guest warmly. Ask to take their coat and immediately offer them a drink and show them to the food.

So—this holiday let’s celebrate what’s truly important: valuing ourselves and our connections to others, being of service, and enjoying ourselves while we’re at it!

Reprinted with permission from the author, Stacey Curnow (www.midwifeforyourlife.com).

White Dog Haikus and Things We Learned From Our Westie - my first self published book!

2009-12-04T16:15:00.007-05:00

Well I've gone ahead and done it! I've self published a book on Lulu.com. If any of you have been following me (@KathyTroidle) on Twitter, you know that David got me hooked recently on writing White Dog Haikus. Between the 50 or so I've written and all the pictures I've taken of Islay Bear in three months, the logical thing to do was to publish it! Rather than take it to a publisher I thought I'd just go ahead and do it online myself. Half of all my proceeds will be donated to Westie Rescue of NJ where we got our beloved Islay Bear. You can buy "white Dog Haikus and Things We Learned from Our Westie" by clicking on this link.....

Important Things We have Learned from Our Westie

2009-09-08T12:05:00.003-04:00

So our big news is that we're new parents! We adopted a 5 1/2 year old Westie from the Westie Rescue of NJ and he is bringing us joy every minute. He's definitely the dog for us as he is quite the "mellow fellow" as David calls him. He's housebroken, patient, cuddly, not skittish about strange or loud sounds, loves everyone he meets and is as gentle as can be. He came to us with ear and eye infections and skin irritations but all that has cleared up in the past few weeks and he is one handsome boy! He's at the groomer for the first time today so we will see whether or not we recognize him when he comes home.

I'm amazed at what things we can learn (or relearn!) from animals. Here a few of the things we've learned from our wonderful Islay (EYE-la) Bear.

Hold no grudges
Trust unconditionally
Find a way to tell people what you need even if you don't speak their language
Don't settle for dry kibble
Sit in the sunny spot when you need some Vitamin D
Notice your surroundings - smell EVERYTHING!
Barking is rarely necessary
Live in the moment
Nap often
Be patient
Grass can settle an upset tummy
Leave a calling card wherever you go to let them know you've been to visit
Celebrate the small things
Be friendly to everyone
Always be on the lookout for safe hiding places for precious things
You're never too big to sit on someone's lap
Eat only when you are hungry
Let people know you love them
Long walks are the best!
Car rides are gateways to new adventures
Seek out new adventures every day
Stick close to whoever's in the kitchen
Stretch first your front legs, then the back after a nap
Smile for the camera
Minimize the drama
If you quietly stare at someone long enough they will notice you
It doesn't have to be pretty as long as it's comfortable
A little bacon makes everything taste better
There's nothing like a good tummy rub
Move things around in your room if you don't like where they put it after they leave
Snuggling up with an old shirt can make you feel better if you miss someone
Dad rocks!
If it itches, scratch it!
Don't be afraid to expose your soft underbelly every now and then
It's fashionable to wear white all year 'round
When you're done being petted, move to another spot nearby if they won't leave you alone.

July 4th activities

2009-07-09T15:09:00.002-04:00

David barbecuing in the rain - how many of you have similar stories and pictures this June?! Luckily July 4th was a beautiful weekend and we were able to enjoy a picnic on the Tanglewood lawn while listening to the amazing Diana Krall with our weekend guests. The wine bottle and wine glass sticks from Wine Enthusiast that Bryan and Diane brought us drew many comments from fellow picnickers. For once we were the ones with the cool gadgets!! After the show, the Tanglewood folks delighted us all with some spectacular fireworks!! We were just missing the 1812 Overture or some other patriotic music playing in the background.

Herb Garden and Deck Railings!

2009-07-09T15:00:00.001-04:00

Every day a little closer to done on the renovation. Last weekend my friends Bryan and Diane were up and they built me a wonderful herb garden.... right off the kitchen so I can see it every day and easily get to the herbs when cooking. Two kinds of thyme, rosemary, tarragon, basil, nasturtium, lavender, salvia, russian sage, and salad burnet! Yum!!

For weeks the contractors have been working on finishing the deck - we almost used the wood for an arc it has rained so much in June! But today the railings are going up and the cool wire ones so we preserve as much of our view as possible. Can't wait to stain it and move all the furniture up so we can have meals out there and relax in the sunshine that I just know must be coming.

2009-06-14T09:41:00.000-04:00

Friday night we attended the 2009 Hudson Valley Wine Culinary and Wine Pairing Dinner and it was a lot of fun. Hudson-Chatham Winery for whom David is the Director of Sales won 6 awards! Check out the Hudson-Chatham Wine blog to see more.

Montefioralle, Rignana and Cafaggio

2009-05-19T14:34:00.003-04:00

Our guide took us to Montefilliore - a walled town we passed every day. One of the highlights of this town is that it was the home of Amerigo Vespucci - navigator who figured out that America was not the Indies. And then it was off to lunch at Rignana and a local winery called Cafaggio.

Mimmo Baldi cooking lesson at Ripertoli

2009-05-19T14:09:00.004-04:00

Mimmo Baldi is one of the best chefs in town. He used to own Vescovino - a high end restaurant overlooking the Tuscan countryside - but decided to simplify and now owns only the best Enoteca in Chianti. He regaled us with stories and his perspective on the importance of taking time to cook with family and enjoy meals together. We certainly enjoyed this one! We started with his special zuccini flower fritters, moved on to tagliatelle with shrimp and asparagus, and finished with roast pork. Dessert was a delightful lemon custard with fresh strawberries. Yum yum and triple yum!

Ripertoli Adventures - First days

2009-05-11T12:50:00.003-04:00

My my my. These first few days have been adventure packed and food/wine filled. On Saturday, David and I popped into Greve to pick up some things at the market. This was not as easy as it sounded - the place was teeming! Poor David had to park all the way up the hill and carry heavy six packs of water up from the Coop. Guests began arriving about 2pm and we had tuscan snacks and wine ready. At 4:45pm or so Jonathan from Chianti Travel picked us up in the van and brought us into Greve for a wine tasting with Pier Paolo Brondoni at Enoteca di Gallo Nero. After a few hours in Greve we came back to Ripertoli for a wonderful dinner cooked by Marisa, drank more wine and crashed early.

On Sunday we slept in a bit and enjoyed a light breakfast at the villa. We headed into Panzano for the market and to meet up with Mimmo and Ariana Baldi. Ariana showed us through the market and Dario's butcher shop. We all found bargains. Shoes for me of course. David bought chickens and fried polenta and we headed back to the villa for a delightful lunch on the terrace. After long siestas, we were off to Lamole for dinner where Filippo and Paolo took great care of us as always.

Today we went to Castello di Querceto for our first Tuscan winery tour. Marco showed us around the property and castle as well as the amazing wine cellar with wines as far back as 1904. We got to see the Querceto vineyards from the top of the tower and terrace. Beautiful! Julia hosted us for an amazing lunch (crostini, lasagne, cinghale, tiramisu) after a great tasting of five Querceto vintages. Then Julia walked us through the cinghale vineyards a bit and we squeezed back into the car bound for siestas at Ripertoli. Tonight it's off to Osteria di Passagnano for a Michelin star dinner and views of Antinori vineyards.

See more on http://ripertoliadventures.com/blog

Coreglia and Lucca

2009-05-08T10:26:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we had a wonderful never ending lunch in Coreglia with Alec Nacamuli and Ann and then explored the walled town of Lucca. We made it back in time to help Mimmo and Ariana Baldi celebrate the grand reopening of their Enoteca. We met up with Carlo Faggiani and Karena - the leather shop owners - and toasted to everyone's success. Today we are finalizing plans with the Elena our tour guide, buying food and wine for snacks and refreshment for guests at the villa, and trying to catch the internet up so we can blog about it all! On our way to Lamole, we picked up Peter and Christina from Britain who were attempting to walk from Greve to Lamole for lunch. It's only about 9 km but all up hill!! We had a lovely lunch together overlooking the Tuscan hillside watching swallows float around on the wind currents and dive for insects. I like swallows!

Panzano on Sunday

2009-05-04T09:41:00.001-04:00

Spring has sprung here in Tuscany. The flowers are beautiful - although we aren't yet sure what these hanging purple ones are called. David is demonstrating his vast viniculture and viticulture knowledge as he shows me how and why they've pruned the vines as they have in various spots. All in all a glorious trip so far. Had my first black truffle slices on pasta in Greve-in-Chianti today. Yum!

Our first night in Greve-In-Chianti

2009-05-03T05:13:00.000-04:00

We arrived at Ripertoli last night and had our first tastes of Tuscany in Greve-in-Chianti - the closest "big" town near the villa. It is the weekend of the flower market so the piazza was all decked out. Sadly the light was fading so the shots are a bit dark. But keep watch right here.... more more more to come!

The Tullys at home in Hemel-Hempsted

2009-05-03T05:10:00.002-04:00

Nigel and Deborah Tully, our friends and Tuscan villa owner/business partners, hosted us at their stunning farm home in Hemel-Hempstead when we were in the UK last week. The purpose of the visit was to finalize details for our wine tasting trip at their villa in Ripertoli. Poor Deborah badly broke her ankle a few days before they were supposed to go to Ripertoli and make sure things were in order for us. Their beautiful lab-greyhound Tina was the cuplrit for Deborah's fall but as you can see, they've made up. We will miss them at Ripertoli but glad Deborah is recovering well.

Deck Progress

2009-04-21T09:55:00.003-04:00

The guys are back today even though it's threatening rain. So far so good ...

From Ghent Fever

Let the Deck begin!

2009-04-16T09:19:00.005-04:00

The front entrance is almost done now - they'll be coming back to do the new mahogany front door and bluestone threshold. Today the big machines are here digging the foundation holes for the deck. I'm so glad we'll be able to enjoy that this spring and summer. As the weather gets nicer we're dying to hang outside. Although it is almost like being outside in our great room with it's wall of giant windows.....

Front Entrance coming to life

2009-04-10T08:57:00.005-04:00

Ok, these guys are fast! I am so excited to have a front entrance that will be worthy of the rest of the renovation. Jim has suggested slate for an accent on the front to match the stone steps. The columns will be white to match the trim on the rest of the house. And I've asked for the new mahogany door to be stained a deep dark brown. Can't wait to see it all come to life!

Renovation 2009

2009-04-08T19:22:00.003-04:00

We have finally revived the renovation work and have the guys back (well - new guys) to finish up the front stoop, guest suite wall where they had to cut through for plumbing and replacing the brass hinges all over the house with black ones. After they finish up the stoop, they will start on the deck! Just in time for spring/summer entertaining.

Speaking of entertaining - my sisters and some of the kids came to visit last weekend. That baby Lucy is too cute!

Travels

2009-03-03T09:33:00.005-05:00

It has been a very busy month! First, I took vacation and went with David on his business trip to San Diego and then we spent 4 days with David's sister Donna and her wonderful family. In the top picture is Donna, Kenny, Delaney and Glenn. And in the bottom is little Kendall with her great uncle David.

Just a few days back from that trip and I was off on my own business trip to Barcelona and Paris. I haven't had a moment to blog or post pictures but wanted to let everyone know that I am still alive and happy. You can track me on Twitter and Facebook now. With the Blackberry versions of those applications, I am able to easily update those from whereever I am. And I continue to be amazed at the people from my past life that are finding me on these social networks! I did take some photos and will do a much longer post on these travels but if you're anxious to know more sooner than I can get to it, see my posts on Facebook and Twitter.

Turkeys!

2009-01-23T12:02:00.004-05:00

More mysterious track makers appeared today.....an entire flock of wild turkeys! How amazing to watch them so close to the house! I guess we've created the right environment for all these creatures to hang out together with us. It's a pretty amazing sight. All kinds of birds continue to enjoy the squirrel proof feeder and the deer are everywhere. It's a wild life extravaganza! Working from home is such a great thing.

Bambi!

2009-01-21T12:06:00.004-05:00

Well three little track makers came to see me today ... a whole family of little deer. Here's a shot of a few of them munching down on what's left of the feed block. Hopefully they are leaving their deer ticks elsewhere! And they better stay away from my tulips....if any actually come up among the rubble that is. I am surprised to see them this close to the house and road in the bright daylight.

Inauguration Day - Be Inspired!

2009-01-20T09:09:00.004-05:00

Oh my gosh. A huge day in American history. I am filled with the inspiration of it all. I came across this link today and it so captures why I am excited. We are the change. We will all be part of the solution to getting America strong again. How thrilling that Barack Obama and his team could reach so deeply into our souls to make this day feel like our day. Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon says/sings it best....be inspired! Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon's "Song For Change"

Birds and Wildlife!

2009-01-16T15:02:00.004-05:00

It really works! The Will Bill's Bird Feeder David put up keeps squirrels away and birds are flocking to it. Look at everybody sharing the ports and waiting in the bushes or on the ground for their turn. We have bluejays and cardinals and finches and chickadees and downy woodpeckers and flickers and doves probably so many more! It went up when we weren't here to watch the squirrels trying it early on but we occasionally see one trying again - they get a small shock from a battery that "electrifies" the top and bottom plates. It doesn't bother the birds at all but any sort of critter will get a shock. So they try and then leap off!

I am also wishing I could have seen all the wildlife that made all these wonderful tracks in the snow last night. I did catch a doe munching on the feed block David put down but apparently she called in the crowd overnight.

Christine Kane's "Resolution Revolution"

2008-12-31T10:51:00.010-05:00

Our dear singer-songwriter amazing friend Christine Kane has once again published her "Resolution Revolution" article to kick off the new year and has encouraged her fans to use it on their own blogs. I have tremendously benefitted from this approach to focusing on a word that helps me get through the year in a better way than I might have otherwise. Rather than try to put my own spin on her idea - this year I give you Christine Kane herself. Be sure to check out her blog. In the month of December she allowed guest bloggers, including yours truly, to talk about their words of 2008. I have been getting so much inspiration from these posts. Read, enjoy, and be inspired!! And set a great intention for 2009....it's going to be a great year!!!

Resolution Revolution: A Better Way to Start Your Year
by Christine Kane

The regulars at the gym were joking about it early in December.

"Have a good workout now," they said. "Cuz you know what it's gonna be like in about three weeks!"

That's because all the folks who have - yet again - made their New Year's Resolutions will show up. They'll stick around for a while. Then, around Valentine's Day, the regulars get to have their old gym back.

Last week, I overheard a radio talk show. The hosts were discussing the most common New Year's Resolutions and the average success rate. Among the most common were Get Organized, Be More Spiritual, Lose Weight, Quit Smoking, and Spend More time with Family.

I don't know about you, but this kind of To-Do List approach to life transformation does little to inspire me. And it doesn't surprise me that the success rates were low.

Why Resolutions Don't Work

The reason most resolutions don't work is that they address only one level of your life.

The DO level.

It's the DO-HAVE-BE model.

It goes like this:

"I will DO this thing." (i.e., Lose weight) "So I can HAVE this other thing" (Self-Esteem) and I can BE this thing. (Confident.)

The average New Year's Resolution doesn't address the core of the issue:

The "BE" level.

The best order for creating positive change in your life is the BE-DO-HAVE model. This means you start from the BE level. When you begin changing on the BE level of your life, then the DO level and the HAVE level follow more easily.

When you start only on the DO level, then the blocks on the BE level will often become the obstacles you can't overcome.

A Better New Year's Ritual

Several years ago, my friend Kathy and I decided that, instead of making resolutions, we would pick a word that would guide us throughout the year. It would be our touchstone. It would remind us of living our lives at the BE level.

This didn't mean that we didn't take action. It meant that our actions were inspired from the BE level. In fact, I took more action than ever with this new approach!

For two years, I've blogged about this inspiring way to begin the year. The response has been huge. So have the success rates! I regularly hear from people who have created big changes in their lives because they focused on one word.

How to Choose A Word

Look through the list below. Get quiet and listen to your Wise Self. Pick a word.

Then, hold that word in your mind throughout the year, and let your word guide you to take action.

Here's an example:

Let's say you're one of the many people who would normally choose "Get Organized." You're tired of chaos and clutter. So, you think, "I need to get organized. That'll be my Resolution."

But then you read this article. You decide to try this new approach.

You sit with your clutter. You spend a few days pondering words. You realize in an "Ah-Ha!" moment that you hold on to lots of things. You're scared to let go.

So you choose the word "Release" because it inspires you in a bigger way than "Get organized."

So, every time you approach your clutter you remind yourself of that word. "Release," you say softly. You start to let the clutter go.

Eventually, you realize that you're still holding on to lots more than just physical clutter. You realize that you hold onto resentment at old relationships. "Release," you remind yourself.

You realize that holding on is affecting your diet and health. "Release" applies to some of the extra weight you've gained as well. Throughout the year, you can see clearly how much you hold on. "Release" is your touchstone. It grows you throughout the year. It becomes your guiding force, not your harsh standard.

Your clutter became your teacher simply because you shifted your intent towards it. This wouldn't have happened if you'd opted only to "Get Organized."

What word to choose?

Many people know immediately which word resonates with them. For others, a little contemplation is required.

As you read through the list of words, see if one stands out. It's tempting to choose four or five, believing that you can do it all! (Or that you're so messed up, you can't possibly narrow the mess down to one!) I recommend that if you can't choose just one, choose no more than two.

One is ideal. It gives you focus. If you master that one word, you can choose another one in June.

Compassion

Delight

Generosity

Effortlessness

Wealth

Gratitude

Abundance

Creativity

Willingness

Change

Growth

Freedom

Mastery

Kindness

Health

Presence

Acceptance

Courage

Confidence

Self-Love

Action

Forgiveness

Forgive

Release

Trust

Knowing

Patience

Friendship

Fun

Grace

Laughter

Love

Expansion

Exploration

Adventure

Openness

Discipline

Awe

Awareness

Risk

Gentleness

Choice

Spirit

Prayerfulness

Power

Allow

Artfulness

Attention

Beauty

Joy

Focus

Ritual

Heal

Order

Clarity

Pioneer

Peace

Laziness

No

Yes

Deliberateness

Commitment

Savor

Integrity

Listen

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

2008-12-28T17:05:00.005-05:00

I couldn't resist this one last post today. The glorious sunsets here always mellow me out, touch me deeply in a spiritual way, and make me feel so grateful for all we have been given. Abundance, the Lord's incredible abundance, showing itself to us again today in a spectacular way. Thanks to Christine Kane I no longer make resolutions for the New Year but instead choose a word to focus on for the year. Last year abundance was my word. It helped me relax through all the renovation financial issues at the end of the project as well as the troubling economic downturn, keeping my attention on what abundance there was instead of what was missing (i.e. cash!) And lo and behold our appraisal came in where we needed it and we will once again even have financial abundance. The sunset this evening locked in the word abundance for me again in 2009. May you all experience similar abundance. Happy New Year!!

Christmas!

2008-12-28T11:22:00.004-05:00

Christmas just sort of snuck up on us this year. Between the power outage, the upper respiratory ailment, the two feet of snow, and the trips up and down to New York City for work I barely had time to decorate. We never did get a tree. And with the economy, it was a lean year on the gift front. But we did spend Christmas Eve and part of Christmas Day up in Westford with my sisters and their families. And the day after Christmas we hosted the entree portion of our First Annual Fowler Laker Road progressive dinner. Peggy and Sarah hosted us for yummy appetizers, Loretta and Paul had us all for a divine salad, David made a spectacular Pork Crown Roast with my homemade applesauce and sides everyone contributed and Tovah and Alan outdid themselves hosting us for 14 different desserts. Eric and Alex brought wine to complement all the courses. None of us has felt this full in a long long time. It was deemed a success and we will definitely be making it an annual tradition.

Blizzard December 2008

2008-12-28T10:58:00.003-05:00

We've truly arrived! This year, David has joined the ranks of the locals helping neighbors out after blizzards. Here you see him merrily trucking along the road on his John Deere to plow people out. I've never seen him so happy - except maybe when he was helping neighbors clear their driveways of fallen trees with his trusty chainsaw.

Yesterday we invested in a generator of our own so that we will be self sufficient in case of another extended power outage. This probably means we will not have a power outage for years - similar to what happens when you bring the umbrella and it never rains - but we still felt it was a great "piece of mind" investment. I will be sad not to have a concrete reason to go stay at the Mount Merino Manor again but we maybe we will book a weekend for our anniversary sometime just for the fun of it.

The winter has just been gorgeous around here! I couldn't resist taking more photos of the icicles that decorated the front of our home ... or the squirrel who has figured out how to get to the suet despite all our attempts to block him from it. One of our neighbors got a Red Rider double barrel beebee gun. Another has been greasing the pole with vaseline. And still another is using metal slinkies to slow their progress up the pole. David is considering getting a paint ball gun so we can all at least recognize repeat offenders. The hunter among us, well he's the only one effectively really doing anything to reduce the squirrel population.

2008-12-21T10:56:00.005-05:00

It's a veritable winter wonderland!! A truly Christmasey, Currier and Ives scene out there. And a cosy one in here snuggling up to the fire. Having our power restored after 6 days made us appreciate the little things so much more and even though we have around 2 feet of snow now, we are all happy it is not ice!!

The birds are grateful to David for dutifully filling their feeders and the squirrels are pysched that he got them a feed block. The nuthatches, cardinals, finches, bluejays, titmice, red bellied and downy woodpeckers and others are all out there merrily munching on seeds.

Weather like this brings out the best in people. We all banded together as neighbors and helped each other out - David took his chainsaw on the road to cut up trees that were blocking people's driveways and after he finished plowing us out he took a few swipes up and down the neighbors drives too. Neighbors responded with fresh baked cookies, invites over for home cooked meals, showers, and lots more. We stocked up on goodies at the store and expect to hole up here for a few days making soup, roasts, chili and other comfort foods to get us through this latest storm.

The fact that we don't have gutters is making the icicle experience one worthy of showing off. We are getting teased by David's sister in San Diego about our "enjoyment" of the four seasons ... but today reminds us why we do love it!!

2008-12-14T18:00:00.004-05:00

Mother Nature reminds us again that she is such a tremendous force! We had a huge ice storm last week that blanketed everything and was so heavy it knocked down trees, limbs, power poles, etc. Lots of damage all over but luckily no trees through roofs or cars or anything. We've been out of power since about 1am Thursday and have been roughing it ever since. Well, roughing it is a bit of an exaggeration since we're now holed up at the luxurious Mt Merino Manor. The cold was one thing but not being able to use the toilet or take a shower, quite another. So about two nights into it, when we found out the power wasn't coming back until Tuesday, we rang up our friends Rita and Patrick at Mt Merino (it was wedding central in 2006) and they kindly took us in. Our neighbors are faring a bit better since their homes can be heated with wood stoves and propane fireplaces. Ours works for the living room but doesn't help with the rest of the house and the ceiling is so high that it takes a long time to heat even that room with just the fireplace. The Kosnicks next door hooked up a heavy duty generator so they can use the lights, toilets, and watch TV as of about 4pm today. Now we know to fill the bathtub with water before a storm like this and perhaps get a generator ourselves when they restock (currently a 200 person waiting list!) But you have to admit that it is beautiful out there, especially with the light twinkling through the ice coated branches. Check out these photos from our house. And stay warm!

2008-12-05T16:44:00.003-05:00

I just had to share with you what I'm seeing out my new windows. Thanksgiving was a blast hosting everyone here and my next blog will be on that but this view deserved it's very own entry.

Appraisal done, mantel installed just in time

2008-11-24T11:16:00.004-05:00

It's been a crazy morning .... well last few days actually. We furiously toted and unpacked and stuffed and cleaned and hung pictures and touched up paint and cleaned out mouse dropping out of sock drawers. All done just in time for Renee to come appraise the place for our refinance. She loved it, took pictures, looked at plans, and commented all the way through how beautiful it was. She even asked how much we paid for the renovation which hopefully will give her a context for where we need the appraisal to come in. Our cleaning lady comes this afternoon and she's going to faint to see how much we've gotten done since she was here two weeks ago. I told Jim this morning as he was installing the mantel (a piece of the tree we previously used as our old window ledge) and helping us hang the Avignon picture that the fireplace alone should bring at least 100K! More pictures later but enjoy what I'm looking at right now from my couch potato position. Judy made sure the mountains were visible too. There's something about that view that opens the soul....let's hope it did for Renee!

Stone fireplace installed!

2008-11-22T16:54:00.004-05:00

What a difference a day makes! Our mason got here today - yes on a saturday - to do in the inside masonry in time for our appraisal on Monday. Jim will come back and install the hearth stone tomorrow so we can put on the faceplate and cut the mantel piece (from the window ledge we had in the old front room which was a big piece of tree) but I couldn't wait to post the photos and turn the thing on!! It couldn't be better. Frank, the mason, continues to rave about our fieldstone. He loves working with it and the finished product is 100% better than any cultured stone can look. Our goal with the colors was to bring the outside in -- and now we have literally brought it in. Can't wait to have you all visit. See you soon!

Chimney done, Fireplace installed

2008-11-21T09:32:00.003-05:00

The scaffolding for the second chimney was dismantled before I left on my trip to Florida last week. It looks as wonderful as the first one of course, also built from the stones on our own property. They still need to come inside to do the stone around the fireplace but at least the fireplace is installed and working now. After the scaffolding was gone, the trucks came in to regrade the ground, level the piles. They can't seed for grass until spring now but it looks much much better than it did when I left. David's been hard at work while I was gone last week moving and storing bins and boxes downstairs. We've got more to do before the appraiser comes (cross your fingers that it comes in where it needs to for our loan) on Monday but things are looking great in here! We've been privy to some spectacular sunsets and it always reminds us why we did all this.

Punch list making me punchy

2008-10-30T18:41:00.003-04:00

David comes home tomorrow after two weeks away. Thank god! I can't wait to give him back all the day to day stuff with the final renovation details. The fireplace is still not in - electric, gas, sheetrock, channels, all ready now and the masons have just about finished the chimney. But the fireplace installer keeps coming - pointing out something that is not right - and going away again. He's supposedly coming at 11am tomorrow now. That's his last chance as far as I'm concerned. I already called Amanda's to complain about the delay. The good news is that the downstairs bathroom is done now and the hardware for all the closet doors came in. So tomorrow we'll be just about done with everything (she says cautiously!) besides the rest of the unpacking as you can see from the library shot. But I know you are all dying for some more pictures so here you go! The killer sunset this evening from my beautiful living room reminded me how grateful I am for all of this despite unfinished punch lists :-)

PODs and Fireplaces

2008-10-24T12:02:00.005-04:00

The PODs are gone!! Loretta and Paul helped me clear them out yesterday and they have been returned as of about an hour ago. When David gets back we have lots of moving up to the attic to do but at least everything is now in the house. It's quite the process watching them load the empty containers back on the truck. It's such a pleasant way to move ... all on our own time on both ends (packing and unloading). I may never do a traditional move again. Actually, I hope never to move again period!!! The fireplace saga continues. Apparently the unit we got which is most efficient and puts out a lot of heat has a different spec for installing than others and the wall is too deep ... with not enough clearance or something. They're ordering a ceramic part and a template for the stone to go around the curve of the front to accomodate stone. Poor TJ now has to sit in the nook there and fix it all on a 27 degree day. All should be finished up next week.

House warming Octovah fest!

2008-10-22T12:35:00.008-04:00

Well we did it! What a difference a week makes! We got most of everything moved in and put away - lots up in the attic - in time to have 11 people over for a housewarming/"Octovah" Birthday fest. Christine Kane entertained us all and Tovah and Alan brought an amazing feast ... including a vegetarian delight of quinoa and squashes and a birthday cake for all the October birthday babies. We are an little October corner of the world here with an unbelievable 7 of 11 of us (including neighbors Tovah, David, Peggy, Alex, Eric and my friends Steve and Xiomara) celebrating. We had wonderful fellowship, laughter, sharing and feasting - it was a spectacular way to warm our home. So there's still a punch list going - but we're in and loving it. Unpacking will be happening for months. The PODS are supposed to be picked up Friday, second chimney work has started, front and side doors are getting finished, guest suite bathroom is still to be hooked up ..... we are still recovering from the long days and nights to get this far but we are thrilled to be back in and enjoying our dream home. Come visit!

Moving in....almost

2008-10-13T12:50:00.003-04:00

We're exhausted! We moved in all weekend...... well most of our stuff anyway. We kicked the contactors outside and emptied the PODs. Sorry, no photos - too busy unpacking!! It is like Christmas seeing what's in those old boxes, finding Tupperware lids we thought we lost forever, etc. There will be a large yard sale in our future. I have to head out to NYC then Chicago this week and hopefully when I get back COO will be signed and our bed will have been moved in. Sunday Loretta and Paul came over to share a beer with us and we stayed to finish our first loads of laundry in the new house and enjoy the spectacular sunset.

Hand Railings to the guest suite

2008-10-09T17:53:00.004-04:00

Railings to the guest suite are up and look beautiful. I got my first peek at the guest suite carpet too - needs to be vacuumed but the color works nicely. They've put finishing touches on - more trim around the doors, the range hood cover, and toe kicks in the kitchen. Tomorrow they'll cover the post in the living room and hang the track lighting there. Hopefully they'll also put up the screens since all the remaining living wasps in Columbia County came in today to get warm. My contribution today was to put my shoes in the shoe boxes - the wasps and ladybugs thankfully were not interested in the closet! We'll move furniture in tomorrow (maybe!) and over the weekend so our move in is truly within days. The COO is coming Tuesday but he said we could move in before that. Not sure I can do that until the bugs are gone and Barbara comes to clean on Tuesday but we'll see :-) Still need to get the guest suite bathroom installed but hot water is all hooked up. There is a spa bath in my very near future!!! And the laundry is piled up to capacity. How do you like my little laundry nook?

Closets!

2008-10-05T17:06:00.003-04:00

Huge progress today! David finished up the closets and I moved most of my clothes in. And what's even more unbelievable is that there's plenty of room left!! David has become an expert Elfa Shelving installer after doing them for us in Dobbs Ferry and here. We moved in the red love seat so we could get at the bar stools and the drawer in the dresser that had the key to the other POD. I was able to open both PODs - especially that one that's been in storage for 2 years -and look inside today reminding me of what's actually in there! I wiped down the walls in the living room and hallway too and cleaned the dust out from all the drawers and cabinets. But best of all, I cleaned up our bedroom - threw all the construction mess out the door - and that will be our first place to make our own. They've got some more finishing work to do but they'll have to do it somewhere other than in our bedroom. Paul Trapanese will finish grouting the tile in the master bath and we think the shower doors should be coming this week too. So with any luck, when I get back from NYC on Wednesday I can sleep at the new house!!

Front stoop, bathrooms and more

2008-10-03T10:51:00.006-04:00

Wow wow wow!! Front stoop is delicious - using our own fieldstone and featuring the large stone from the underground railroad that the previous owner had in the old one. Water is hooked up as well as most of the appliances. The washer/dryer room is an extremely tight fit but I take after my mother and fold the clothes on the couch anyway so in this case, size really doesn't matter. I am just happy they fit in the nook!! The tile backsplash in the master bath is also beautiful as is the finished shower complete with goose neck arm and rain shower head. The french doors and glass side lights are nice in the library. And I love the lily pendant lights and sconces. The toilets, sink and lights in the powder room are now in but the mirror from Tim's that I had hoped to go in there is just too big. David's been working on the closets and pictures of those will be subject of the next post. We still have workman's dust everywhere but as you can see....also workmen! Hope to be living there soon.......

A Surprise for Kathy!

2008-09-30T20:47:00.002-04:00

Kathy is away for a few days and I don't think she knows about the latest development at the house. Frank decided to face the front porch with the field stone from the wall near the lake. Shhhhh ... don't tell ... this is just between you and me!

From Renovation 9/30/08

Just about finished:

From Renovation 9/30/08

Guest Suite painted

2008-09-28T12:56:00.005-04:00

My wonderfully handsome David, painter extraordaire, has finished up the painting of the guest suite. That dusky blue color ("Montpelier") mixed with a quart of white looks really nice - we're naming our new color "Fowler Lake Blue." He's working to scrape and seal the floor down there so the carpeting can happen this week. Then he's off to work on the closets so we can move the clothes over. I am leaving for Chicago most of next week so he'll be the one coordinating the moving of everything in when the floors are ready. Everything has a coat of floor dust on it - I'm going to get help cleaning all that up first. Here's a picture of the master bath vanity with light kit attached and did I tell you I love the chimney???

Finishing touches continue

2008-09-27T12:22:00.003-04:00

Check out these finished wood floors! They told us they'd look great but not how much better even the old floors would look. Mike did a spectacular job. The first chimney is also done - it really came out beautifully, complete with some mossy stones for real character. They've finished framing the second chimney and the masonry will start on that next week. And our furniture has arrived! Two PODs worth!! I'm dying to get in there and remind myself what the heck is in that one from Albany but the key to it is now locked deep in the other POD. Oops. They've asked us not to put any furniture down until midweek next week. Darn! David is now painting the guest suite - using that dusky blue color we tried upstairs mixed with a quart of white to lighten it up a bit. We will ultimately tile in there but for now we're putting down Berber carpet. Schrader's is coming to measure on Monday and installation will be Wednesday we hope. We're going to check to see if we have enough tile from either the master bath or the hallway to do the guest suite bathroom floor also. To our untrained eye it looks like we do but we'll ask the tile guy next week. Jim's finishing up baseboards and railings and front stoop. Maincare is coming to hook up the gas wednesday too so COO should be able to happen shortly after that. And just to remind you all of our beautiful view and why we've gone to all this trouble - check out that color changing around the lake!

Hard Wood Floors

2008-09-23T10:11:00.002-04:00

We have an artful master on our hands. Mike kicked everybody out of the house so he could sand and finish his masterpiece. So the rest of the crew is working on the outside - framing out the new chimney, working on the stone, etc. The floors will take a few days and we may not even be able to put a rug on it by the weekend but should be able to move the furniture (and us!) in by then. We ordered our what I think will be the perfect gooseneck shower arm for our rainshower head yesterday - a Grohe arm will hopefully fit the Moen shower head - faucets.direct confirmed that they think it should. Light bar is now up in the bathroom and hallway sconces have been delivered so every day it's getting closer and closer to that COO. PODS will be delivered to the new house Thursday and we will have as long as we want to unload them from there. I must say, this has been the least stressful move we've ever had. Whoever invented PODS is a genius!

Island Uba Tuba is in!

2008-09-18T11:36:00.006-04:00

Phew! What a scary thing that was. I snapped a few pictures in the beginning but when the rollers started moving the wrong way I couldn't watch anymore and went out to the car to wait it out. But thanks to Jim and the guys the granite top for the island on and looking beautiful!! Plumber is there doing some final things, Paul is there finishing up the tile, electric guys are there hanging more lighting, the first chimney is nearly done. TJ is working on the post that will support the granite overhang and the rest of the finishing is happening. On my way back here, I passed MainCare who will hook up the propane tank so the ground can be put back. By end of day tomorrow everybody will be cleared out so Mike Wemitt can refinish the hardwood floors. I changed the PODS to be delivered there next Thursday. What's a week in the grand scheme of things? We'll be in soon enough.

Fieldstone is our friend!

2008-09-16T14:01:00.006-04:00

The stone looks amazing! I got to meet Frank and his crew today and they told me that fieldstone is always the best to use. We are truly lucky to have had so much of it on our property. Frank confirmed there is plenty for both chimneys and the facing on the wall leading down to the guest suite. The concrete is poured and sealed. Electric is hooked up and working - it was so neat to see our beautiful light from Tim's that we've had for at least three years finally on!! Ceiling fans are installed. The propane tank is buried, trench dug, and Maincare has been called to come hook it up. More finishing work is underway inside and Paul is coming back to finish the tiles on the bathroom walls. The appliances have all showed up too. Jim's also working on the design for the front stoop and I'm meeting with the glass door guy to choose and measure for the master bath shower. We'll still have the PODs delivered Saturday but it looks like we won't get the COO for another week. Mike still has to refinish the floors and everyone has to be out of there for him to do it. That's the way it goes I guess. At least the PODs are packed and ready to go.

Concrete, Masonry, Finishing

2008-09-15T10:23:00.004-04:00

It's a beautiful day in Ghent and a flurry of activity at 271 Fowler Lake Road today - the excavator is digging space for the propane tank. The cement crew is pouring breezeway, garage, and footings for the deck, fireplace, compressor. TJ is completing the last of the finishing work around the windows. The electricians are hanging more lights and hope to get the final electrical inspection done in the next day or so. And the masons are working on the chimneys. Appliances get delivered tomorrow and Jim's going to come get the washer and dryer so they can finish the plumbing, electric and venting for that. The bathroom ceiling was finished last week. At this pace, we might just be able to move back in on Saturday as planned!!

Master Bedroom and Bath

2008-09-12T11:46:00.005-04:00

What a pretty blue! David finished the first coat in the master bedroom. Vanity is back in place in the bathroom. Shower ceiling is going up, more window framing is in, excavation for the fireplace, front stoop and the air conditioner are in. We have now passed the electrical inspection so now it's just a matter of the COO and we're back in. Today the electricians are there installing our cool petal ceiling fans, my lily sconce, our pendants over the island and maybe even the chandelier! The cement should be poured as well today but the weather doesn't look like it will cooperate with that plan. It's been overcast all day and they are calling for rain. But it's held off so far so by the time I get back over there it might all be done. We still need to pick sconces for behind the bed, order the track for over the propane stove, choose bathroom towel rods and light for over the powder room sink.

Thoughts About 9/11

2008-09-11T18:51:00.002-04:00

The seventh anniversary. It is unbelievable that it has been seven years since the World Trade center buildings toppled and the pentagon was hit and the fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania. The memorial services were extremely touching today and many of those feelings from that day came back as we all remembered the victims. Our story? 9/12/01 was supposed to be David's and my first real date. And then the towers started falling down. David was still working for IBM then so we could communicate via our internal instant messaging system when the phone lines were all jammed....he was in Virginia and I was in White Plains so neither of us were in peril but close enough. The events of that day catapulted us past any artificial barriers to making a go of our new relationship - he talked me into letting him drive up to be with me and accompany me to two NYC friends' wedding in CT that weekend. We held each other and cried and comforted and grew through the realities of the day together. After that weekend, you couldn't keep us apart. Seven years later we're still going strong as are the victims families and America. An event the terrorists thought would bring America to our knees only succeeded in making us all stronger and more resilient.

Chimneys, Grout, Painting and more!

2008-09-11T18:17:00.007-04:00

More great work the past few days! Lights were done up outside the bedroom. The chimney extension is going up in preparation for the stone mason. Kitchen faucet hardware was installed. Window frames were installed and stained. The top to the master bathroom vanity came back with the right edge finished and the guys got it installed today. And the bedroom is finally getting painted once we settled on the right blue ("Exhale") - and it looks beautiful!! This shot is an early one of David trying to cover all of the other samples. One coat did it - this Aura paint from Benjamin Moore with primer built right in is the best. More floors were tiled and grouted - this is a view looking towards the front door from the kitchen and you can see the laundry room on the right. We've been looking all over for the stacking kit for the washer dryer and finally just ordered a new one from Kenmore. Late today, they dug the spot for the new front entrance - the excavator and cement guy will be by tomorrow to finish that and pour the foundation for the garage and breezeway.

Granite!

2008-09-08T16:04:00.002-04:00

Part of the countertop came in today and we couldn't be more thrilled! Uba Tuba turns out to be a beautiful choice. The colors are just right with the floor tiles, the cabinets and the paint. The sink we chose for the island though is too big - and any sink (even just a bar size one) is going to be a nightmare to install. Our options were to let them do it in two pieces if we insisted on an undermount sink, switch to a smaller drop in sink, or bag the sink all together. So we've just decided to nix the second sink. Paul has been working on the tile floor in the hallway and the intersection of the two aisles looks beautiful. We made his day when we decided to do with straight 12x12 tiles in both hallways instead of the original diagonal plan. He's going to work our tiles from italy into the design on the wall under the window and will do the ceiling of the shower in 12x12s (which until today he didn't realize we wanted tiled.) Ross and Justin are working to hang the lights now - when I was there they had finished the front and were working on the patio area between the master bedroom and kitchen.

Floors and finishing

2008-09-05T09:49:00.007-04:00

The wood floor is all installed and are just beautiful with "picture frame" edges around the kitchen, the stairs down to the great room and the fireplace. Mike Wemitt will come back to sand and finish it next week. Paul Trapenese has the kitchen tile floor just about done too and looks great too. Jeff and TJ have been working on the window and door framing - their attention to detail is spectacular as you can see with our very own "carol maryl" showing one off. They've also finished the laundry chute flap and two way linen closet door. Today the master bath vanity top was delivered and the color is a great complement to everything in there. They didn't polish the stone on the edge near the tub though so it might have to go back if they can't do that on site. I popped my head into the old basement for the first time in awhile - the radiant heat panels and little Peerless Pinnacle heater are down there but much of what used to be in there is long gone (big oil tank, carpentry bench, etc.) Next week they will do the cut through the guest suite so we have an inside way to get to that side of the basement. David is driving down to the Container Store in White Plains today to get the hardware for the master closet. He'll install that himself. As big as it is, we can already tell there is not enough room for all my stuff :-)

Great Room Floors!

2008-09-02T20:24:00.007-04:00

More great progress while I was off visiting my sisters in Medway and Westford MA. The guys have just about finished the kitchen tile and laid out the great room hard wood floors in a single day. They've also finished up the wood floor in the master bedroom and hallway. The tiles are just what we had hoped they'd be and similar to the colors of the shale that's all around the house. David and Jim installed the master bathroom vanity today after the plumber was through with the "T" for the sinks and marking where the hardware for the tub will go. Jack did finished the radiant heat panels in the hallways. David and Loretta painted "Etruscan" in the hallway over the weekend and it looks fabulous. Not so with the paint I got for the bedroom however - it turned out to be the wrong color and has to go back. They mixed me up "Montpelier" instead of the "Amsterdam" that we finally decided on. We got a call that the outside lights are all in and the vanity top/sinks will also come tomorrow. It's going to be hard to go back to work while all this is happening!

Cabinets and Range Installed, Granite Templated!

2008-08-29T17:08:00.007-04:00

More big stuff every day - kitchen cabinets are all installed. One panel to the left of the island sink was sent wrong and reordered (wrong style on the bottom) but the rest is done. The range is in (oven door to be replaced as it arrived dented!) and the other appliances will be delivered any time, probably next week. See David standing in the space for the new green technology Liebherr refrigerator! M&J Granite was there today to template and will now get to work on finishing the stone. That should be done within two weeks or so. Our master painter finished the master bathroom in "Almond Yellow" and the vanity was moved in. Stone for the top of it comes Tuesday. Most of the flooring in the master bedroom was laid out by Mike today. The finishing work on the window wells has been started by our crack carpentry team of TJ and Jeff and the HVAC guys, Jack and Al did more work on the A/C today. I picked up the lighting for the island, the chandelier and sconce for the dining room and the ceiling fans. I like the calla lily sconce so much we're going to order them for the hallway too. But today I noticed (and had Loretta from next door confirm) that the electrical boxes for the hallway sconces are too high so we'll need to get Ross to move all 5 of them and repair the sheet rock where they were. They're not going to like that but hey, this is our house! Gas, water lines and electric aren't finished yet but hopefully that all rolls next week.

Teeming with activity at 271!

2008-08-27T15:07:00.006-04:00

There are so many people in there today I couldn't get around to take many pictures! Here's what I could snap. Jeff finished oak stairs to the guest suite last night and they look beautiful. TJ and Jeff are installing the kitchen cabinets with all the puzzle pieces mostly all fitting together. The 36' Capital stove/range came today and was almost a disaster - it didn't look like it would fit through the front door. But out of the box and with storm door hardware removed, the guys were able to squeeze it through. The island sink and all the faucetry were delivered and we picked up the black ceramic farm sink today from Ackermans so the granite counter templating can be done later this week. We also prepped the bedroom for it's "montpelier" blue paint but Mike, the floor guy, showed up to start laying out the slats before we could start painting in there. We're saving big bucks by reusing the flame birch flooring from our old bedroom. It's only about 4 years old and still in great shape. Jack and Al, the HVAC guys, were there to finish the panels for the radiant heat in the entryway hallways. Meanwhile, Jim's out back starting to harvest the field stone from the old stone wall - he's sure there is plenty of it and all of a fairly uniform size and color to more than cover what is needed for the chimneys and retaining wall. After snapping these shots, I got out of everyone's way and started pulled all the boxes out of the basement and now am laying out my paper and bubble wrap supply to begin organizing for packing.

The greatest neighbors ever!

2008-08-25T17:50:00.012-04:00

Big changes every day now! Sara, Peggy and Loretta - our truly wonderful neighbors - all pitched in on the painting over the weekend so we had it ready today for the cement board in the kitchen to be installed and kitchen cabinets to be unpacked. I think they look great up against our newly painted walls. We particularly like the wine rack (which we can't wait to fill, empty, fill, empty) and the tall pantry cabinet on the cathedral wall. The beaded wainscoating style really suits us. Our beautiful Slate Solutions "Multicolor" tiles arrived for the entryway and kitchen as did the island sink, the bathroom vanity and the lighting for the bathroom. "WinterWheat" tiling of the master bathroom continues and final parts of radiant heat installed so bedroom flooring can go in tomorrow. Oak stairs to the basement are being put in as we speak. I spent a couple hours at Mario's picking out paint for the bathroom ("Acorn Yellow"), bedroom ("Montpelier"), library and hallway ("Firenze") today. Two out of three ain't bad I guess - in the light of our space, the "Firenze" orangey color I picked that went so well with the floor tiles in the store just wouldn't work in the hallway behind the green wall. So back to visit Dottie at Mario's tomorrow for something a little more complementary (in the brown/taupe family) for there. Today Jim walked us through the plan for the deck. Our old deck was 16 feet deep so since we're using the old wood we'll make it 16 feet vs. the 14 feet that was originally architected. A deck that big will reduce the light that gets in to the guest suite/office but we're already planning to light it well to compensate. Since we're not doing the screened-in porch on the side (at least not for now), we'll put deck there too. Jim will start bringing the field stone up this week and we'll have the fireplace delivered so they can start installing as soon as they can. The granite folks come to template Thursday. I've taken vacation to start packing. It's hard to concentrate on work anyway - and most of the clients are also on vacation. Yippee!!

Painter Extraordinaire!

2008-08-23T09:31:00.005-04:00

As soon as we picked and delivered the paint, our painter started right away - working until the sunset on Friday and back bright and early Saturday morning. Isn't he the cutest painter you ever saw?! The plum raisin wall will have the stove, sink, dishwasher and cabinets up against it and the springfield green wall is where the large pantry and refrigerator will go. We'll use that green throughout the great room as well. And the electricians hung our pendant light in the hallway where the two entrance paths converge - we've only had that for what....two years? We had them tie it up so it would be out of the way of moving stuff in but at least it's finally up!

The kitchen is here!!

2008-08-22T13:32:00.006-04:00

How about that - the kitchen has been delivered as promised! It looks to me like a big set of puzzle pieces or a set of german blocks out of which one builds a castle with their father in time to display for Christmas. I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's done. We've bought the paint - "Plum Raisin" for the kitchen and "Springfield Sage" for the rest of the living room. David's going to try his hand at the painting to get it done sooner (and cheaper!) Tiling continues and wood flooring will begin shortly now that the radiant heat parts have been finished. The wood for the new part of the house was delivered this week and our old flame birch flooring will be used for the library and master bedroom. We go to the lighting store tomorrow to finalize the inside and outside sconces, ceiling fans, pendants and chandelier orders. The stone estimate came in and is very reasonable so we're going to give the mason the go ahead to use the field stone and go as soon as can. We still hope to be in around labor day or just after. Oh and I have I told you the leaves are changing already down around Fowler Lake? Check it out - that's the view from our new master bedroom by the way.....

First bathroom tiles!!

2008-08-20T19:15:00.006-04:00

Lots is happening while I'm away. David just sent me this one photo of the first tiles going up in the master bath shower. I got so excited that I had to post it right away!!! Slate Solutions "Summer Wheat" looks like it turned out to be a great choice. We just heard that the vanity top isn't going to be done until Aug 29th so that's now the thing that's delaying finishing a bit but the kitchen cabinets come tomorrow and once that's done we should be able to move back in!!

A break from Renovation

2008-08-17T13:12:00.004-04:00

We took time out on Friday to have dinner with our singer-songwriter and blogging friend Christine Kane in New York City. We ate a delicious dinner at the trendy Asia de Cuba on Madison Avenue and caught a glimpse of the Empire State Building as we helped Christine catch a cab. Be sure to catch Christine's blog as well as her new web site BeMyRecordLabel.com

Closing in on finishing

2008-08-17T12:46:00.003-04:00

Sheet rock has been taped and guest suite done - next week they will sand and prime, paint, and the wood flooring and tiling will begin. Sinks, faucets, vanity and fixtures will all be delivered next week as well as the kitchen cabinets themselves. Once the cabinets are in, the granite guy will come do the template for the counter and take the sinks back with them to cut the perfectly sized holes. In addition, the concrete guy will pour the floors for breezeway and garage and the fieldstone from the back will be brought up. This next two weeks may be the busiest ones yet as multiple crews are called in to crank away on the finishing work. We're choosing colors for the walls - so far we are leaning towards a plum color like "merlot" for the wall that includes the kitchen and a dusty green of some sort for the rest of the room. Most of the lighting has also been chosen but just needs to be ordered. It's all getting close - we're still hopeful that we'll get back in over Labor Day weekend.....keep your fingers crossed!!

Fastest sheetrockers in the east!

2008-08-01T20:12:00.004-04:00

Check it out! The sheet rock is basically finished after just two days. They've still got some taping and finishing work to do but the upstairs is coming together. It's amazing to step inside the rooms now - they feel like real rooms now that the walls are filled in. They can't sheet rock the guest suite until the electrician and plumber finish their work down there but that will come in the next week or so provided Jim can shake them loose from their other commitments for a bit. The cement guy is working to finish the breezeway/garage foundation too. Today we picked out vanity and mirror for the master bath - a beautiful shaker style cabinet with a double sink, inset glass doors and lovely wrought iron hardware. Jim and David finalized the plan for the tile last week and our tile guy will get to work shortly. We still need to work on that lighting but that will have to wait until we get back from our business trips next week. We think the kitchen cabinets are coming in August 18th and Jim's putting two crews on to finish things up once that happens so with any luck we really will be back in at the end of August.

2008-08-01T09:59:00.004-04:00

As we drain all of our savings to pay for the end of the project things are getting a little scary - waking up in the middle of the night, etc. I read my singer-songwriter friend Christine Kane's blog this morning (as I often do before starting the workday) and it hit straight and to the point on "How to Have a Great Day". If you don't already check out her blog, I highly recommend it. And order a CD or two while you are at it! On her blog, she shares so many practical tips on everything you need to live life in the best way, to be successful, to combat your fears, to build your courage, to stay positive, things you can learn from your pets, and so much more!! And she does it with humor and candor and from personal experience. Some of my classic favorites: At the beginning of the year, Christine suggests instead of a New Year's Resolution, you have a Resolution Revolution - choose a word for the year and use it as a mantra. Mine is "abundance" and it helps when writing those checks to contractors or to quell the money fears that keep me up at night. I also love her post on How to Get off the Hamster Wheel and Get on with Life.

The Drywall Crew

2008-07-31T15:26:00.001-04:00

The Drywall crew has taken over the house. They work very quickly and in a few hours, the house goes from looking like a construction site to look more like a house. They started with the high ceiling work in the living room. They started early so get the hottest and hardest work out of the way.

Finishing work has begun

2008-07-27T10:04:00.002-04:00

Jim has been cracking the whip on everybody to get them moving on the finishing so we can get back in the house. As soon as the electrical inspection was done the insulation began immediately and is going in fast. It was amazing how quiet it was in the rooms where it had been nearly completed. Sheet rock has been delivered and that will go up this coming week. Jim made sure that the sheet rock folks knew exactly where to stuff and where not to stuff - such as around the windows that will be finished in wood and in the shower shelf nook that will be tiled. Temporary stairs have been built to the guest suite - these will ultimately be done in oak. And Jim showed us around the excavation for the breezeway and garage. We decided to reuse the pretreated cedar decking materials that are in good shape from the old deck (which Jim actually built for the previous owner!!) This will save us money over getting all new materials of course and we feel like we're doing our part for environment as well. Our own field stone for the chimneys and reusing our old decking and flooring where possible. Yesterday we picked our granite countertop - uba tuba it's called. Flooring guys (slate solutions tile and five inch birch wood) are ready to go once the sheet rock is done. We still need to pick all the lighting and bathroom fixtures....but it's feeling like we might actually get back in there within a month!!

Stairway to Heaven

2008-07-19T09:03:00.004-04:00

The stairway to the guest suite was cut this week and the custom windows in the great room have been put in. The excavation is in full swing as you can see - foundation will soon be poured for the garage and breezeway and it will be ready for whenever we can afford to build them. The electric inspection is set for early next week and then insulation and sheet rocking can begin. And the propane tank has been delivered looking nice and shiny. Since there's more project than budget left, we're making some tough decisions - we're going to defer the tongue and groove for the ceilings and sheet rock them over to start much to my dismay. But that will allow us to do the deck now so it will look more finished and a nicer place to hang out. Jim has assured us that it's easy to add that later when we build back up the savings. We've finalized the design and material for the tile floor and the wood floor estimate is in. They will start as soon as the sheet rocking is finished. Time to pick lighting and fans and bathroom furniture and fixtures. One of the exciting things that happened was the discovery of the remnants of a fieldstone wall in the backyard which they are going to be able to use for our stone chimneys. That will save us big bucks as the stone we had initially chosen turned out to be very pricey. Using rock from our own land would have been our first choice anyway had we known it was possible so we're thrilled!

Electric and Cement

2008-07-07T21:12:00.004-04:00

It was a big family week last week - baby Lucy Keniry was born in Boston and Kathy met all the Southerland clan in Belton TX! Pictures of all of that coming soon. Not too much looks to have gotten done while we were away but really it did. The electrical outlets and recessed lighting boxes are all in, the concrete was poured in the basement and more of the siding got put up. We haven't spoken to Jim since we've been back but are expecting a new estimate on when we'll be finished enough to get the COO (Certificate of Occupancy) and be able to move back in....with or without kitchen cabinets! We might move the deck, the finishing of the guest suite and garage/breezeway into a later phase or David's going to solicit help from the neighbor in finishing it himself. I tend to think we'll be going with the former since David's consulting gigs seem to be picking up but who knows.....anything is possible!

Siding!!!

2008-06-21T09:53:00.003-04:00

We're on our way now! The beautiful parchment color Hardiboard siding is going up quickly and the concrete for the guest suite is soon to be poured. We did find out that the kitchen cabinets are going to take longer than we thought but the will be gorgeous when they're done. If the cabinets come in sooner, we still may make July for getting back in there. But we're ready to stay until August if we have to. In the meantime, the electric is done and the radiant heat installation has been completed. We've chosen a nice bold slate tile for the flooring in the entryway, powder room and kitchen and close to a decision on the tile for the master bath. We're deciding between summer wheat and multicolor slate tile too. We've also chosen the stone for the fireplace and ordered out the fireplace itself.

Ghent Fever

Release, Nourish, Celebrate!

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

Gratitude this Thanksgiving

Why Gratitude Makes You Happy & Wealthy

Tips for Coping with Breast Cancer

Happy Graduation to Me!!

Celebrate every moment like White Dog does

Anxiety sets in but I am armed!

10 Day Countdown!

Resilient Hummingbirds

One third full

Radiation routine and Silk Road Ensemble

A healing light

Kelly Corrigan, My New Breast Cancer Mentor

I'm all clear!

Emerging on the other side of breast cancer

I am a Breast Cancer Survivor!

Appreciating Every Moment

Gratitude

I am ready!

Health Update

How To Reinvent Yourself

Keeping that ego at bay

Words to Live and Work By

Thank Your Mentors

Go more fully into everything

Giving Thanks

What compels you?

Discovering me

Free to Smile

Befriending Dragons

What happened when I Listened this week

Today's Aha Moment

You Got to Have Friends!

White Dog Haikus and Things We Learned From Our Westie - my first self published book!

Important Things We have Learned from Our Westie

July 4th activities

Herb Garden and Deck Railings!

Montefioralle, Rignana and Cafaggio

Mimmo Baldi cooking lesson at Ripertoli

Ripertoli Adventures - First days

Coreglia and Lucca

Panzano on Sunday

Our first night in Greve-In-Chianti

The Tullys at home in Hemel-Hempsted

Deck Progress

Let the Deck begin!

Front Entrance coming to life

Renovation 2009

Travels

Turkeys!

Bambi!

Inauguration Day - Be Inspired!

Birds and Wildlife!

Christine Kane's "Resolution Revolution"

Resolution Revolution: A Better Way to Start Your Yearby Christine Kane

Christmas!

Blizzard December 2008

Appraisal done, mantel installed just in time

Stone fireplace installed!

Chimney done, Fireplace installed

Punch list making me punchy

PODs and Fireplaces

House warming Octovah fest!

Moving in....almost

Hand Railings to the guest suite

Closets!

Front stoop, bathrooms and more

A Surprise for Kathy!

Guest Suite painted

Finishing touches continue

Hard Wood Floors

Island Uba Tuba is in!

Fieldstone is our friend!

Concrete, Masonry, Finishing

Master Bedroom and Bath

Thoughts About 9/11

Chimneys, Grout, Painting and more!

Granite!

Resolution Revolution: A Better Way to Start Your Year
by Christine Kane