I'm in Virginia tonight. I'm lounging back on a tiny couch in a lovely hotel. The kids have swam lap after lap in the pool. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. And the Georgetown Hoyas are on ESPN2 which is exciting because we don't always get to watch them play on the shore. Yes, I know, it's depressing.

We are meeting some family in the mountains tomorrow at a ski resort. I'm not sure I'll be back on here again for the remainder of the week unless something has to be said. I intend on spending the time writing and shopping. Vacation = shopping, n'est pas? I don't really ski downhills. I can run into trees just walking in the woods, thanks.

The kids keep coming in, wondering if I'm playing a game and snatching popcorn from the table in front of me. They are now 8 years old and such fun; they have the best personalities. Every place we go together is more like an adventure. My daughter reminds me she still hasn't been to Texas. I'm not exactly sure what that is all about or why she even mentions it but it is kind of funny. They have been in more states already than most people I know. They have no idea how good their life really is.

I will be back in the new year, re-charged and refocused on my goals. A few days of different scenery can work wonders. I hope to have some great pictures too.

Happy New Year!

You cannot give to people what they are incapable of receiving - Agatha Christie

It's Christmas Eve. No snow although I have watched with interest the news showing all the places in the country covered with it. I even muttered "Praise the Lord, I currently live on the shore!"

Well it's true. I am not a huge fan of blizzards, snow, blowing wind, or freezing rain. This body was made for the equator or as close to it as possible. While I love to witness the seasons, I could do without all the extremes. For my family and friends in the Midwest (and beyond), I hope your electric is restored, your fireplace is welcoming and there is cheer no matter where you go. I miss you all especially during the holiday season.

I have noticed this year that most people on the planet are not very nice. Have you come to this realization? While I am certain they are lovely humans to those they love, they go about their way in the world without a care of how they treat other people they don't 'really' know. Sometimes, I wonder if they ever consider they could be "entertaining angels unaware"? I know I have run into a few honest-to-goodness angels in my day to day activities. One minute they were there, encouraging me and flowing with love for all in their vicinity, and the next minute they were gone from sight. Do you believe in things like this? I am fond of telling my children, "just because you don't believe it, doesn't make it untrue". Are you a believer of angels? Have you ever encountered one in your daily round?

For today, I'm asking for peace. Peace in my mind, in my heart, on our planet. I hope this Christmas is overflowing with peace and love. I do understand how difficult it is to receive such a gift. You do have to be in a place to accept and receive peace and love. I hope you look toward the new year and seek peace for yourself, seek a safe place where you can learn to receive all good things to yourself. You are so deserving. God bless you on this Holy Night.

The more we allow ourselves to recognize the wisdom and truth in other spiritual paths, the closer to Wholeness we become. - Sarah Ban Breathnach

Time flies when you're having fun! Look at the years that have gone by and I've changed, for the better in my opinion. I'm not where I need to be but thank God, I'm not where I used to be either. I'm sorry I've been away so long but the race isn't always to the swift and I've been on quite a journey.

It's currently Hanukkah and in a few days, it will be Christmas. Yes, I know I'm not Jewish and you're probably not either. But I am always a fan of Hanukkah purely because the faith of the Maccabees and their fight ensured that the Jewish faith would continue. Do you realize if they didn't rebel and win their freedoms, that there would have been no Jewish community for our Lord to be born into a century and a half later? I am grateful for their victory and for the restoration miracle, the abundance of oil that burned for 8 days in the temple.

I hope you are having a peaceful holiday season. My wishes for you are for you to enjoy the ones you love. Pray for those who challenge you. Live each moment of every day.
God bless you now and into the new year.

What's the earth with all its art, verse, music, worth-

Compared with love, found, gained, and kept? - Robert Browning

This day I find myself seeing much more clearly. Life has handed me some amazing challenges and many blessings at the same time. What do you do with that? Do you run? Do you kneel? Do you stand and accept both with outstretched hands?

I've done an immense amount of work since I have been here last. I've changed a few goals. I've begun to work with the years of my writing to see where the story will take me. I also have been inexplicably changed by some in my life. It has all been good to see more clearly now the reasons I did not understand. For so many years I have forgotten the most important things and almost lost touch. Illness has helped to set me straight and remind me my spirit is much stronger than first believed.

I hope to be back again soon to share more.

Today is a simple, slow day. The sun is shining and the gladiolus outside of my front porch are blooming. Absolutely gorgeous! I have never planted them before but I do believe I'll add more to my garden next year.

The kids are in the playroom and I'm attempting to do some work. Writing that is.
I have so many thoughts and ideas in my head and plans for my future.
I hope you do too. I am in the goal setting mood today and that means I hope to put a date on my aspirations so as to bring them into existence. Will what I dream of happen today? Who knows? What I do know is that if I never toss it out there, nothing will ever happen.

I know many women who want to do more with their lives than laundry and dishes. Women who aspire to be actresses, singers, writers, artists. We are all these things right now and we just don't realize it. We have success in our daily round; we manage a life right now rather successfully. We need to just project our bigger buried dreams into the universe for them to take shape and bring us success also.
Let's embark on this journey together. I am tired of saying "If Only I had..."
Let's just leap and the net will appear.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. Joseph Campbell

So now it's 2004 and I haven't been on my blog for a long time. I am ashamed of myself. I've had a full year so far. Visited Disney in January, the kids were sick so our vacation became an adventure. I came back truly relaxed and once they were given proper medicine, they were well again. I have been busy as of late with the garden and the bounty of vegetables that springs from it. I have been freezing everything in sight. Fresh tomatoes are the best though so it is worth it.

I am heading to the great Midwest at the end of this month to visit family. I am sure that will be noteworthy so stay tuned.

I met Edwin McCain earlier this year with Stef - that was a lot of fun although I got in trouble for the really late night (4 a.m.) Oh well, you only live once, right?

I am re-reading "Simple Abundance" again (it's a yearly book, you know). I wish everyone would read this book and allow it to saturate their lives. It has changed me so much it is amazing. Sarah is my favorite author...still.

Enjoy your summer! I plan on coming back again soon.

Oh my gosh! It has been forever since I've been on my blog! What is wrong with me? Well Christmas shopping and then there is family to drive you insane. Life is never dull.

I saw the Return of the King on opening night - all I can say is this movie rocks big time!! Can't wait for the dvd! Did everyone just love that kiss that Aragorn planted on Arwen at the end.....swoon!! And Legolas did some serious tail kicking in this flick. I was impressed.

Wow! It's been a long time since I've been on here. Well I have been busy tending to summer. We went to the beach again and that was a lot of fun. The kids are in love with the ocean especially in the early evening. They would run down and play there almost every night.

We just had a full weekend of parties - one for my birthday and one for a bridal shower. It was a lot but so much fun! I know we had kids everywhere and they were running around, sliding down the water slide and having a great time. We had a great feast and I felt relaxed and at ease. I only have a birthday party every 10 years so this one was extra special.

I have a passage in Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach that I read religiously every year around my birthday. It is called "A Birthday Ritual".
Sarah says "Many people who love you will try, but no one can celebrate your birthday exactly the way you need for it to be observed. That's because no one really knows the year you've just completed; no one else has lived it. Birthdays are new beginnings, but they're also moments of personal closure.

Every birthday, not just the ones marking a new decade, is a significant milestone. Every age brings with it three hundred sixty-five Real life lessons.

"We turn, not older with years, but newer every day." Emily Dickinson

I just finished reading something in the recent People magazine about some 1980's bands that are re-grouping and going out on tour again. What a scream! The one that I already knew about was Duran Duran. What I think is amusing is that they have been together all this time minus, of course, a few original members. But that was a good thing. If they hadn't of split up, John Taylor might not have a nose by now due to his old coke habit.

The best part is that finally Simon LeBon looks good again. He looks like his old self.
He was doing something totally horrible for a while there. He was downright ugly! I couldn't stand it!

If you don't know, I was totally and completely in love with Simon. He stole my heart and kept me away from making huge mistakes with a few boys while I was in high school!
So here's to my smashing older man. May he always be in command of a stage somewhere. If I find myself in front of that stage one of these days...I'll keep a lighter in my purse in case "Save A Prayer" is on the play list...

It's now the middle of July! Oh my gosh! Time does fly especially in the summertime! It's going to be August soon and that means my birthday! Yahoo! This year I will be another year older. Hopefully wiser. Definitely in possession of more gray hair although none that will ever been seen by the public.

Usual things going on...searching for a new cell phone carrier, talking to my sister, Cindy, sitting in the sun while watching the kids play. It's tough. Of course, the maid never shows up so I have to ALSO clean the house. Darn that woman!

I wanted to tell you about my ex-husband, Bryan Adams. I have loved him since I was in high school. I have all his albums on tape and cd (no small feat considering the first album I searched two continents for a copy on cd!)

Anyway I use to say he was my next husband. Everyone would just laugh about that. Ha ha! Right. So I was telling someone this one time and one of their friends leaned over and said "What did you say?"
I said "He is my ex-husband" and that girl looked at me like I was a celebrity or something. She kept asking me about Bryan and all this stuff.
I just said in a quivering voice "It's so hard for me to talk about him sometimes, please stop with the questions." Of course, I was all teary eyed.

It was terribly amusing and ever since then, Bryan has become my "ex-husband". I don't think he minds too much. I saw him on my birthday in 1997 - I was right next to him in the FRONT ROW and he winked at me so I think he understands. I hope he's amused too. He is a great singer/songwriter. Still my all time favourite. He was the best birthday present I have ever received up to that point.

UPDATE:  Now in 2019 I have been blessed to see Bryan again and again with my husband, Patrick.  He loves him or maybe he just loves indulging my love for Bryan.  Whichever it is, it makes me happy.

I was lying in bed this morning with a little cereal munching man. My little Dave Brian wakes up so early (6 a.m.!) and his bedroom door is sticking so he can't get out by himself...what does he do? He screams at the top of his lungs until someone comes to get him.

So here we are watching the morning news and weather - it's getting boring so I flick over to cmt and vh1 to see what's going on with some videos. VH1 had "we are the 80's" on. Well, you know, I'm all about that so I stay on that channel a while. Well who shows up but....

...Bryan Adams! Yes, it's my ex-husband! He's singing "Run To You" and I'm loving it. Never mind that I own this video collection - that's not important. It's that I can see it on t.v.!

Isn't it great how a video or song can transport you to another time and place? This was a great way to start the day.

If you don't know the story about Bryan being my ex-husband, I'll tell you some other time.

Well I made it home from Tennessee! Actually came home a day early due to weather and the fact that I had *done* all I wanted to/could do with two year olds!

It was wonderful there - very beautiful. It seemed like everywhere you drove there was a small river coming out of the mountains and spilling over rocks. Very peaceful.
I visited went to the aquarium and into the Smokey Mountains park several times. I even went to Dollywood and spent a morning riding up one of the mountains on a ski lift - that was adventure! Gorgeous views way up on top of the world (or so it seemed like we were on top of the world!)

All the food we had there was great (this is the South, you know).

Dave and Diana were absolutely fabulous on the ride down and back home (7 1/2 hours is a long time for 2 year olds!). So they were rewarded them with a new swing set! Yahoo! It has 3 swings (one for me!) and a big tower attached that has a slide, rock climbing stairs and a sandbox underneath the tower. They deserved it.
All in all it was a great week. This week my Godmother, Elaine, is coming to visit. Should be an adventure! I don't know what we'll get into - maybe just sit out on the deck and sun...

I have been busy packing for our trip to Tennessee later this week. I am excited to be getting away - not that any vacation is a real relaxation vacation with twins. However, I plan on spending our time enjoying them and how much fun they are. I will tell you all about my adventures when I return...promise!
Other than that it's been the usual around the Eastern Shore. Happily awaiting summer now that I have a new backyard fence. I have my cowboy hat on most days - retinol therapy, you know! - so I don't get too much sun on my face. It's nice to be able to sit and watch the kids instead of chase after them.

Just wanted to send along happy thoughts to you especially. I'll be back after vacation!

Okay so it's going to be 85 degrees outside today and I'm still playing on the computer!

The fence is up in the back yard now and the flowers are blooming beautifully in the front and back yards. It looks like we've lived here for a year or so already!

Here's a fun quiz. I enjoyed it anyway. Strange questions but then it's Wednesday in April with weird weather so it screams for something to do. Enjoy!



You are a descriptive writer. An avid reader of
Robert Frost, perhaps, you LOVE to use flowery
words and use the paper and pen as your canvas
and paintbrush. You prefer to paint a mental
image rather than simply toy around with
people's minds. A very inspired person, you
love to be in nature and usually are a very
outdoorsy type of person. A writer with a
natural green thumb, perhaps?


What's YOUR Writing Style?
brought to you by Quizilla

Where there is great love there are always miracles - Willa Cather

Today is a very special post. Why? Because yesterday I was given the special opportunity to talk to my Godmother, Elaine.

I lost contact with her when I was very young due to my family. She is really my cousin but I don't ever remember her as such. I remember her as this wonderful and beautiful presence in my life. I remember her always as a calm and loving person and always wished she was my real mother.

And you know what? She is. She is my Godmother. I don't know how she was chosen for this task but I know that it is as God intended it to be. I am so thankful she is a reality in my life now I can't stop thinking about her. I'm dreaming up and devising ways of seeing her! I just know that I feel so very loved by her. I always have even when she was absent in my life. I have my baptismal cross still to this day and many of you have seen it because I have worn it so much. Through that cross I know that Elaine has always been present with me.

"Each life experience leaves a layer of memory like a deposit of sediment: things weve loved and moments of contentment we've cherished that when recalled, reveal glimmmers of our true selves." Sarah Ban Breathnach

I am so sorry to have been away for so long! Gosh! What on earth could have kept me from writing...? Life perhaps?

Anyway my sister, Cindy, graced me with her presence last week. It was spring break...at least it seemed like it for me! We had a great time (I thought). I don't think her kids enjoyed themselves but hey, when are teenagers ever really impressed by anything?!

I have yet to finish the pictures I started. Too many, I supposed. I can't make up my mind if I should start at the beginning and then work my way back or just stick the stupid things in albums and forget about them! AAACCKK!!! I need advice - please feel free to email me with anything that you think I could use.

It seems like forever since I've posted something! I am sorry! I have been so involved with my version of spring cleaning...putting up baby clothes into space bags, re-arranging the furniture, getting the spare bedroom in order for my sister, Cindy's visit at the end of the month and re-arranging pictures into albums.

Whew! Just typing that makes me tired...

I finally saw "The Two Towers" on Sunday with Marg. It was such an awesome movie!!! As if I have to tell anyone...even if you don't know the story, you should go just to see the New Zealand countryside! Is this trilogy a tourism thing for that country too? Unbelievably breathtaking!

Oh, and as if I need to mention it, Aragorn is extra yummy in this flick. ROWR!! He's such a man's man. I do believe I'm feeling a little elvish...hee hee!

And Legolas was quite sweet to gaze upon in this movie too. He has certainly come into his own...rowr! I can hardly wait for the next movie - heck! - I can hardly wait to own the extended version of this one!!! Nothing like wishing my year away...

I just wanted to tell you I am around...busy doing the usual: chasing twins, cleaning up after them, shopping, reading....the list goes on and on.

When we ask for Light we see remarkably well.
We see with clarity.
And what we can see if we look deep within is that the authentic self is the soul made visable.
Sarah Ban Breathnach

I just wanted to stop in and tell everyone that yes, we have a lot of snow. Good thing we own a real tractor so we could get out of the lane! Seriously, I measured 17 inches of snowfall and that was where it didn't drift. It's ridiculous. It's pretty. The geese -Canadas and Snows- are crossing the fields in front of our house, looking for the pond and hopefully food. They are so pretty and although the Snows wreak havoc on the fields wherever they go, they are so pretty when they fly. They look like sparkling snowflakes falling into perfect formation on the ground.

We also went out and purchased some corn to feed the deer when they trek out of the woods behind us. The snow is so deep that won't be able to find food for at least a week of warmer weather.

We even spotted a bald eagle on the 15th of February. He circled our back yard and perched on the tree that the buzzard's usually hang out on. If you have never seen a live bald eagle in person you are missing something and need to see one soon. They are magnificent creatures - their wingspan alone is awesome! Luckily we have a spare pair of binoculars in the house so we could see him up close too. What a wonderful blessing he was.

For when you seek and follow the wants and whispers of Spirit, your good fortune in Life and Love is assured, here and now - Sarah Ban Breathnach

It takes great love and courage to excavate buried dreams. Today is the day set aside for love, a perfect occasion to call forth the dream you buried long ago with disbelief.
Sarah Ban Breathnach

Happy Valentine's Day - I wish everyone a beautiful day filled with happiness.