Recently in Food for Thought Category

I don't know if most people would put these two together, but for me they do go together. Music has always been a big part of my life. No, I'm not musical in anyway, but I love to hear music and feel it. I LOVE to dance, but don't do it very often. Anyone who knows me well knows how much I love to dance, especially with friends. Right Anita!

I recently took a trip to Alabama to see Pauline and other friends. It was nice to get away and I LOVE the south. I'm definitely a southern girl in my heart, even though I was raised in the North. It was a wonderful trip filled with lots of visiting, laughing and some crying too. This is what normally happens when we get together. One of the strangest things about this trip for me was the travel to and back...

I left San Jose on March 17th my flight left at 6 am. I really don't like flying very much at all and would prefer to drive everywhere I go, but unfortunately sometimes it's just not possible. I was on a small airplane, but I didn't mind, because I always book an isle seat. When on walks a tall man 6'6" or so with a big barrel chest. Right behind him was a younger man about 24 and about the same height, a bit smaller but definitely a large guy by most standards. With them was a young man about my height, probably 12 or 13 and he to was built very solidly. I want you to know when I say big, I mean very solid not over weight. The older man and the youngest boy sat behind me and the 24 ish year old was my seat mate.

We introduced ourselves and I thought that would be that, because I wanted to nap. But I could tell he was nervous. I asked him if he he'd traveled much and he said that he did, but he didn't like little planes. So we started visiting. George and I had a wonderful time, we talked about where we were going, what we were going to do once we got there. We talked about where we lived, which he lives about 10 miles from where I live. We talked about work. He works here in Morgan Hill. It was one of my most enjoyable flights! He was such a sweetheart.

As I boarded my flight in Salt Lake to come back to San Jose, I was making my way back to my seat and I heard a voice call my name and it was my friend George. The funniest thing is we were seated next to each other again. Different side of the airplane and different rows from last time. I didn't even know when he was flying back. We were both shocked and happy. I was happy because I was seated next to him my friend instead of the two men that were flirting with me from my last flight. They had asked me to trade seats with one of their seat mates so we could "talk" more. Not that I was seated by them on the last flight, thankfully, but I had run into them in the isle a few times. I like to get up and stretch on flights. But when they saw I knew George my seat mate, they left me alone. Yeah!

I think it's pretty amazing that we were on the same flight and that we were seat mates again. I haven't had an opportunity to go to Starbucks and see my friend yet but I hope to later in the week. Another funny thing is that when I put on my headphones and was listening to a little music (sometimes I listen to it pretty load), he laughed because he had the same songs. Small world isn't it!

So now I have a new good friend, George...

Most people hate to hear me say that I'm getting in shape or that I have to lose weight, because I'm a good size already. By comparison to most, I'm pretty small. I'm not going to go on and on about how much I want to lose or anything else. Because we all know what will happen, I will hear you don't need to lose any weight, you're not fat, what I would give to have your body etc.... But I'm not where I want to be.. That is that. I have set goals that I want to achieve, and am working my way to them.

My main goal right now is toning. To tone you actually have to burn excess fat and turn it into muscle. Burning fat is the hard part. To burn fat you have to take in less calories than you use on a daily basis.  I have had 3 children, not to mention they were big babies by most peoples standards. This stretches the skin making it easier for most of us women to just say I'll never look as good as I once did so why try. Well I don't think like that.

So what does that mean for me. I have been exercising almost every day for about two weeks now. I walk/ run anywhere from 2 to 4 miles, plus I use the bike at the gym, for a couple more miles and spend some time on the machines sculpting. I have cut my calorie intake way down, by watching portions, by eating much smarter and counting those calories.

I love the way I feel when I exercise, I always have. Not only the endorphins that my body releases, but I love the physical exertion. As I start a rep the feeling of my muscles contracting and relaxing, the burn that can only be felt as your muscles tear in order to let new cells form. I love the feeling when walking, of forcing myself to just keep going faster, and feel the muscles in my legs burn until you reach that plateau where it is easy again for a while. It is something that no one can describe to you, you just have to feel it yourself, it takes me to my happy place....I know strange, but I love it!

Yes, I have exercised off and on pretty much most of my adult life, whether lifting weights, power walking or classes. I'm glad that I have because I feel good about myself. I may not be the sexiest person out there, but I'm comfortable in my own skin. Does that mean I like to put on a swim suit and strut around for everyone to see, no it doesn't. But I at least put it on.

On the other side of exercising. I have 3 older sisters Judy, Marcia, and Helen. Helen is 3 years older than I am, she had her first heart attack at 25, yes I said 25, she had a triple bypass. A few years ago she had a pacemaker put in, today she is on the heart transplant list. Marcia had her first heart attack about 4 years ago, she is I think 4 years older than me, she might be 5 years. Judy well we wont go into all of Judy's conditions, they are far to many to name.

After Marcia had her heart attack, I was talking to my doctor Dick Swartz. He used to be a very well known heart surgeon before an accident that left him unable to operate, so he became a family doctor. He is also a very dear friend of mine. He contacted a friend who was a heart surgeon and sent me in for some test, echocardiogram, stress test and who knows what else, I was there for hours. I wont go into how gorgeous this doctor was, but he was fine ladies. Before I left he told me that I had the heart of a 25 year old and to keep doing whatever it was that I was doing. Quite the pickup line I thought!

So if for no other reason, we should exercise for our health....Even if you don't want to put on a swimsuit.

Today I needed to run to Target to get a few things, mainly moisturizer for my face. I need one with more SPF, the one that I currently have only has 15 and I wanted more. I like it when people think I'm younger than I really am and I'd like to keep it that way.

I walked around put a few items in my cart that I needed and went to look at the moisturizers, man there are a lot of them. Some pretty pricey! I found one that had SPF 30 so I thought this is the one. I also found a coupon for it on the self so I was happy.

I walked up to the register to pay for my items and started a conversation with the older checkout lady. I laughed and said I hope that cream works, when I handed her the coupon. She started telling me she is 71 years old and started listing all the face work she has had done. Her eyes, a face lift, and her forehead (which was cut from one side to the other). I have to say I wouldn't have guessed she was 71, she looked great and didn't even look like she had any surgery done. You know how peoples faces looked pulled, hers didn't. Her forehead was flatter than mine.

She did tell me that if she could lose 50 pounds she would have a tummy tuck, but didn't know if she would be able to do that.

She gave me the name of her Doctor. I didn't ask for it, I guess she thought I needed it!!!!. LOL! She even wrote it down for me. Then she informed me that he is in Southern California. To Bad!

I hope next time I go to Target I can see my new friend!

I met Sherry about 8 years ago. She was a woman who sat in the very back at church and seemed very content with her life, she never asked for anything and didn't want anything that seemed like charity. She didn't have much and couldn't work. We stayed just acquaintances for many years, which on reflection has made me very sad. I became more aware of Sherry and her kindness when we attended an auction for the scouts, she had crocheted a blanket that turned into a pillow that was auctioned off. Knowing Sherry's situation in life, we bid on it, and kept bidding on it until we won it. My boys loved it and she saw that they were fighting over it, so in just over two weeks time she made two more, brought them to church and gave them to my boys. "Now they each will have their own" she said. That may not seem like much to most people, but she used what yarn she had, to earn what she could to buy her food. I offered to pay for them and she wouldn't let me. That is the true beginning of our friendship.

I asked her to make a few baby blankets for me, which she let me buy. She would tell me how much they were and I would pay her double, because she charged way to little for her beautiful work. Our friendship started to grow stronger when I was called to be the person in charge of the ladies organization in my church. It was going to be a lot of work, I felt very unqualified and inadequate for the task in front of me. The weird thing is that I knew it was coming, I could feel it. She looked at me, smiled and said you will be good at this.

Within about a year after this, I had been diagnosed with Celiac Sprue. An autoimmune disorder which left me unable to eat many of the things that I had in my pantry. I went to my friend and asked her if she could help me so I wouldn't have to throw away good food. She excepted and I took her way more than she was expecting. She was very grateful and I was so grateful to have been able to find away to help her without her refusal.

A few years past, I was still busy with the ladies organization, but my friend was having trouble. In her eyes there was pain. I would see her in tears often and sometimes she wasn't there. I would beg her to go to the doctor, but she would say it was just her arthritis in her back. She hated doctors and anything like a doctor. She got a bad cough that took forever to go away. Then one day I was helping her to her van because the pain was so bad that she had to go home and then I really started to worry.

She wasn't at church for a couple of weeks and then I received a call that she had been taken to a local hospital. I raced there and arrived soon after she did. She had been unable to get up, she tried and fell. Being a large women they had to call the fire department to get her up. They were able to talk her into going to the hospital. She was frightened and so was I, but I talked her into staying so that we could find out what was wrong. They ran tests and the next day they found the cause, it was breast cancer that had gone untreated for years and spread. Her mother had died of breast cancer. She wanted to leave and just go home and not face what was happening. We talked and talked and talked, I promised her we would do it together. She finally decided that she would undergo some radiation treatments. They told her if she did she would have 6 months to a year of life. If she didn't it would be 3 months.

My friend was unable to walk due to the cancer in her bones and her weight. So they put her in a nursing home. I went to visit her there just a couple of times. I had to have some foot surgery and the smells there were more than I could bare. Thankfully within a couple of months she was able to find a spot at the local Hospice center. At first I went about once every couple of weeks, because she had lots of visitors. One day I was sitting at home and it hit me. I had promised her that we would do this together,where was I in the together part of this, so I started going there on a regular basis, at least twice a week.

One day she looked at me and said, you are so busy, you don't have to come here so often. I smiled and said "I promised you we would do this together, girl your stuck with me to the end." The months past and our friendship grew more than I could ever have imagined. She truly became my sister and I truly loved her. As the time wore on and the days grew short, I went every other day. When she would wake up and see me sitting there she would apologize for sleeping and I would remind her that I'm there because I just want to be with her. In the last week it was pretty rough, she thought she had the stomach flu and she didn't want me to get it so I didn't get to visit for a couple of days. The next time I saw her was the day before she left, she could talk a little but couldn't open her eyes. Her sister, her dad and a neighbor was there, as I walked up to her bed I touched her head and told her about how beautiful it was outside, about how much I loved her and that she was my friend, that she was important to me. I talked to her as I always had and she quietly said I'm ready to go now. Tears streamed down my face as I fought for control. I said than go my friend you know we will be ok here. Eyes still closed she said I love you, I love you to my friend. I waited there for several hours as her family talked with her, with some response, but not much. We had a tradition when I left her room I would stop at the door, wave and tell her I loved her. When I left I stopped at the door, said my goodbyes to her family and walked away. I turned back around, walked to her door,stopped and called bye Sherry I love you. She waved her hand and said some words that we knew was I love you Arlene. The next morning was Thanksgiving and I was at Hospice early that day and stayed for a couple of hours. Her sister, father and I talked to her with no response. We all told her that we loved her and that we would miss her but she could go. As I left I knew it would be the last time I saw her still alive. I received a call a couple of hours later, that she had peacefully left us.

When I went back to Hospice to meet with her family and friends, I will never forget how different it felt. When I was there that morning the room was empty but felt crowded and then the room was crowded and felt empty.

Sherry lived for 9 months longer than was expected. She worked on things she loved until about a week before she left us. I counted everyday with her a blessing. She was a true friend and I miss her very much. I wont remember the day of the month that she left, but I will always remember the time of year, because I was truly Thankful for her.

Right now I am so thankful that I had the training that I did in my karate classes. Not only did Jon teach me so many great self defense methods, he also taught me how to be aware of my surroundings. I think that might have made all the difference in my life today.

A few weeks ago there was a rape in Morgan Hill. A woman was out running and was attacked. I always watch around me especially when I'm alone, but with that news I have been much more aware. Today it was close to the end of my walk/run. I usually do about 2 to 3 miles. I was in a remote part of the neighborhood, where there are no houses currently. To my left, past a ditch, a small park like area is a road, to my right a field area and in front of me ditch, field and fence. I saw a white Suburban slow down on the road to my left and the next thing I saw he was on the road across the field to my right from me. I acted like I didn't notice and kept walking towards one of the roads at the far end of the remote area. Then they turned onto the road that led straight to me and nowhere else. In my head I was thinking, "if I can get to the end of this street before he gets too close I can get across the field to the houses." So I kept on walking but much faster and they kept approaching slowly. By the time they turned on the street that was nearest to me I was half way across the field and almost to safety. They sped up and I ran and was all the way to the street by the time they reached the end of the road. They quickly turned around and went back the way they came. By the time they were able to get back out, I was on a neighborhood street with houses, cars and people. They stopped at the stop sign and watched me and then went the other direction. They turned down a side street and I went full throttle home. I knew some men were working on a house across the park in front of my house and there are usually people walking dogs in that park. We have two parks in our neighborhood. So I knew if I could at least get close to my house someone would hear or see. Thankfully I didn't see them again.

So I guess no more exercising by myself for awhile. Too bad--I was really enjoying those endorphins.

Yesterday I visited a new gym that is opening near my home. Typical thing for the New Year, feeling like a marshmallow and want to get back in shape. I walked in and a woman came over and introduced herself. Her eyes were the scariest eyes that I have ever seen. They were a brown color with red edges and red streaks. Freakyyyyyy! I immediately thought Vampire! This woman has Vampire eyes, at least how they describe them in books and the movies. I am thankful that I have manners and could keep from staring, but it was hard! They do walk among us!!!!! LOL!

I can't believe it's New Years Eve and on the threshold of a new year. The past year has held so many changes for me. With the biggest and hardest for me, being our move to California. Most people who know me, know I'm a pretty level headed person. At least most of the time, there are a few gray areas, but all in all I try to be. I am finally starting to adjust to living in California. Do I like it yet? NO! I feel completely out of place here.

It's hard to go to the grocery store and ask a question. Either they can't understand you or you can't understand them.

The other issue is the smells. Man, does it sometime smell awful around here! I have an exaggerated sense of smell so everything that most people smell is stronger and worse for me. We have mushroom farms and garlic farms and who knows about the other farms that I haven't even experienced yet. We live in a small town just south of San Jose and I LOVE the area because it's not so cramped, and less of a big city. It is an oasis and it feels perfect except for the smells.

As for the California weather that I had heard so much about. Most of the time it is foggy, cloudy and or rainy. The sun does show more than it would in Ohio right now, but I've been told that right now it is the rainy season. So I'm still waiting for all the gorgeous weather.

I never had any desire to move to California and anyone who knows me knows why. Lets say it together E A R T H Q U A K E S ! Thankfully I haven't felt one, but I don't relax about it either.

Other than our move the year had been a good one for us. We all were pretty healthy and happy. Except of course the boys when they didn't get their way. I asked David if he wanted us to go on the strictest parents television show, but he declined. He always tells me how grateful he is that he has a cool Mom and that he is just a teenager, he is supposed to complain.

So with the new year in front of me, I say a prayer thanking for the past and one for the future also.

After hearing the shocking news of Michael Jackson's early death, I would have to say that I was stunned. We had heard rumors that his health wasn't the greatest, but this actual death was hard for me to grasp. I will miss Michael Jackson. No, I didn't know him personally, and I've never been to a single concert or show he did. But Michael taught me a lot. He taught me to see past color, to see past the flaws that each and every one of us is born with. Everyone has their own opinion on why Michael changed his looks, why he went from black to white, but you know what? When it really comes down to it, it isn't anyones business. Why do people get their noses changed, wear colored contacts, get Botox, or get their breasts enlarged or reduced? It's their choice, and they don't need to get anyone's permission.

I personally think he didn't want people to think of him as a black pop star, but as a person. Just like you and me. He was a boy trapped in a grownup body, like many other people. He was a grownup who never got to have a childhood, never got to lay around all summer long and just play from sunup to sunset. He spent his childhood working, practicing, doing shows, and trying to live up to the expectations of everyone in his family. I could truly empathize with him. Having lived the life that I had as a child, If I had unlimited money, I would have bought a Neverland and gotten exotic animals. I would have also wanted to share it with other children. Truthfully, tell me you wouldn't have wanted a Neverland when you were a child or now as an adult!

Soapbox;

Now for the man who hid from us, who covered his face and the faces of his children. What do you expect? He wanted to be left alone. Have you ever listened to any of his songs? He was accused of crimes that were awful. Even when he went to trial and was found innocent of those crimes, the damage was done. He was plastered all over tabloids and magazines. Every move he made he was watched, like so many other stars. I must say that if I were followed 24 hours a day 7 days a week every day of my life, I would probably be called all sorts of things. What happens when an awful picture is taken of you? You throw it away, or your loving friend or family member throws it away. How would you like it if they sold it to the highest bidder? Then to have it plastered on the cover of all the tabloids and magazines? Not fun, I'd have to say. How would that make you feel about yourself every day?

I do have to say that I am really upset with the media coverage about his children. Hello! They are children and they just lost the most important person in their lives. Back off, people! These innocent children have had their lives dragged through the mud after just losing their dad. Who cares who their biological dad was? They were Michael's children and he loved them. That's what these children need to hear, not all the garbage.

I have decided not to buy tabloid magazines anymore. I would buy them when I would go on trips to pass the time on the plane, but no more. I will not give anyone any reason to scrutinize someone else's life. I can not imagine what my life would be like if people followed me around all the time. Selling the pictures of me not at my best, or of me not in the best mood, along with the good pictures. I have to say I would lose my mind if everywhere I went people were trying to get the dirt on me. I have heard people say "the stars love the attention" or "they knew what they were getting into when they wanted to become famous." My reply to that is when I had children I thought I knew what I was getting into, and I was wrong on many accounts. Does it mean I'm not happy I had children? Of course not! I wouldn't trade them for anything and I love them beyond measure, but it is harder than I thought it would be.

Last but not least I want us all to think of what kind of society we are creating for our children and grandchildren when the people who entertain us on the screen are also the people we judge by standards that we ourselves would not want to be judged by. We watch them every minute to make or break them. Remember back when the only pictures we had of our favorite entertainers were the ones they actually posed for? I think we should go back to then. This is their JOB. Let them leave it at work so they can try to have somewhat normal lives.

I received this in an email and loved it. I don't know who the original author is but I thought it was so true. I hope you enjoy!

Invisible Mother.....

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this??
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.' I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, no one will ever see it." And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.' I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.

It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOMS!

Just like all the other Twilight fans I know, I was excited when I heard that Summit would go ahead with the making of the next book in the series New Moon into a movie. I was anxious to hear if they would be replacing director Catherine Hardwicke and the writer Melissa Rosenberg. After having seen Twilight I felt that they needed different people in the production of New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. I am a movie person. I love watching movies and re-watching movies. I didn't think Twilight had lived up to it's potential. I felt it could have been so much better. I've read all the articles about low budget. There have been other low budget films that I feel made better use of what they had. The fact is that the next movie needs to be better. Not only are there young girls who went to see this movie several times it was also their mothers and older sisters. I've read several places where surveys were done and most of the women who said they would see it more than once were over 25. Summit has to realize that if these films don't continue to get better they will lose a lot of the fan base. Let us compare to Harry Potter, the first film was good, but once it was successful they spent more and more on the sequels. Each film got a little better until it reached a plateau of great special effects. I hope Summit, Melissa Rosenburg and Chris Weitz will stick more to the book and have some good special effects . I would personally like to see Edward Cullen sparkle instead of just sweat. I am also anxious to see Jacob Black shift into a wolf. Good Luck to all of you and here is hoping for a brilliant production of New Moon the second book in the series that we love.

I was ready for a New Year. November and December seemed to fly by and yet seemed to last forever. We lost Paul's grandfather at the beginning of December, which was hard on all of us, but especially the boys. They seem to have gotten back to a sort of normality, each still struggling and dealing in their own way. I've learned a few things about myself also in the last few months. Sometimes rocks even crumble every once in a while. So I am grateful for a brand new year; here's praying that it will be a smoother one for our family than the latter part of last year.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

As some of you know we recently had a very tragic accident in our family. My father-in-law was killed in a motorcycle accident. He loved riding and being with his family and he was doing both at the time of the accident. He was a wonderful man and father and I will miss him more than I can express. My own father died when I was only nine and Dave was my father for more than 16 years. He was the only father that I truly knew. I am truly thankful that everyone was together at the time he passed. As hard as it was it was a little easier knowing that we were all keeping each other strong. Some of my favorite times were early in the morning when we were visiting and he would be up, and so would I. Sometimes we talked and sometimes we didn't and it didn't matter. I am glad that he knew how each of us felt about him and we knew how he felt about us. It shall take a long time for the pain that we all feel to ease, but I am grateful to know that I will see him again and that he is up there watching out for all of us.

Thank you to all those who have done so much for our family.

So, this past July I turned the big 40! I must say it was a little hard to accept that I was actually the age that I used to think was ancient. As you can imagine, in the weeks and months beforehand I did a lot of soul searching and thinking about my life. The main thing that I think I came to is that I am pretty happy with where I am and how my life has turned out. I have a wonderful, very loving husband and three wonderful boys. Are they perfect? No, but guess what-- neither am I. I have a few regrets but who doesn't? I wish I knew then what I know now. I wish that I would have stayed in college and finished, or at least gone back when I was much younger, but I didn't. So now as I decide when and if I will go back to finish, it is a little daunting. I wish that I would have said "thank you" more often than I did. I have had people ask me what my midlife crisis is going to be. I personally do not see myself as a midlife crisis person. but I recently started karate and I guess right now that is my midlife crisis.

I read a few weeks ago in a trash magazine(Star, People or Us which I only read when I fly on airplanes) that they have started making the sequeal to the Sisterhood of the traveling pants. It will have all the same actresses in it and it will focus on things that took place in the last book. So everyone keep your eyes open next summer. I do have to say that I am hoping that some time in the future that she takes the time to write another book for this series. I personally think there were a few cliff hangers in the last book.

I started this blog over a year ago and really didn't have a clue what I was doing. I did have some pretty specific ideas of what I wanted and didn't want. The good news is I think we have it almost the way that I hoped it would be, thanks to the hard work of my sweet husband, who wrote me a special program to rotate the pictures at the top every time you click on "The World according to Arlene" and every time the page is reloaded. If you click on the picture it will bring it to full size. For a while I was not able to load new pictures because I didn't know how and there was no easy way for me to do it. But now with some special magical computer knowledge, my husband has devised a way for me to add new pictures, and the highlighted words in the different entries will take you to other sites with more information. I hope that you will take some time and just explore.

For those of you who know me you know that I suffer from celiac sprue. I am not able to eat anything that contains wheat, rye, barley, oats or a few other unique grains. Oats are bad only because of cross contamination with the other grains. When asked what I missed most about my limited grains I would always reply "I miss oatmeal". When I was first diagnosed with celiac, I looked for a pure source of oats that I could eat and was unable to locate any. About a week ago I was reading in my Living Without magazine and noticed that a few of the recipes called for gluten free oats. I quickly called Paul and asked him if he would google and see if he could find some and to my wondrous surprise he did: GlutenFreeOats.com. I have to admit I cried. In the beginning when I first started to limit my diet to foods that didn't include gluten it was extremely overwhelming to realize what I couldn't eat. But with time, just like everything else ,it became much easier. I have had oatmeal 3 times this week. I am also looking forward to making oatmeal lace cookies soon.

Today while cleaning my kitchen, I saw a man run right through my back yard. I ran to the door to see if I could see where he went, but he was gone. About half an hour later, I was out pushing Matthew on the swing, because it was an absolutely gorgeous day-- then I saw the same young man (he looked to be about 19) running through my neighbor's yard!

He kept approaching other houses as if he was checking them out, walking up to open garages and just looking about. I decided that I should make sure everything was on the up and up, so I called the police. As I was talking to the dispatcher, he disappeared for a minute and then reappeared with another man. Then they both disappeared just as the police rolled up. (It took them about 4 minutes-- not bad.) I was happy to see him and explained what I had been seeing and he went off searching for them. Then another policeman came, and another, and another, plus one in an unmarked car just for good measure. I was very happy to see so many police, because I wanted to make sure these men didn't get away in case they were casing the neighborhood or breaking into anyone's house.

After a short while the policeman came back to my house and explained that the man was a meter reader and the other man was a contractor working with three other guys in a house down the road. I thanked him for coming and apologized; he assured me they were happy I called because it could have been something totally different.

But I am still perplexed: what meter man runs through yards and looks in people's open garages? My doors are staying locked.

It has been a busy couple of weeks around here. The boys are back in school with the difference that Matthew has also started kindergarten this year. This will be his third day of school and he seems to be loving it. He tells me every day when I pick him up that he stayed green and asks "when can I go to Toys-R-Us to get a toy?" Paul had told him that he could get a toy if he was a good boy and kept his card green for a while; for him, "a while" is one day.

I naively thought that I would have more time on my hands and in a way I do, but just not exactly how I thought. I have organized a few cabinets and gone through a few things, but the boys are each on different schedules, David is up at 5:50 am to catch the 6:50 bus. Thomas and Matthew are up soon after David leaves. Thomas needs to be dropped off by 9:00am and Matthew needs to be out to catch the bus by 12:25pm. As soon as Matthew is on the bus, I have a little bit of time before David arrives home about 2:50pm, and then I leave to pick Thomas and Matthew up from school at 3:15pm. I always feel like I am watching the clock.

I just wanted to say sorry to everyone that comes to my site to get updates on my family. I haven't learned how to put pictures on my website yet. I haven't wanted to bug or bother Paul with this because he has been busy with work and traveling. I do hope that soon I will be able to sit down and have him show me. I am sure that it will take several times for me to learn this, so please be patient with me. I do, however, know how to post movie, music, and book reviews, so I hope to get caught up on those soon too.

I am Arlene, Arlene I am. Arlene, Arlene do you like pickled beets? Who, me? No, I do not like pickled beets. Would you like them here or there? No! No! I would not like them anywhere! Would you, could you try them and see? I would not, could not try them! I do not like pickled beets. You may like them. You will see. Who, me? I would not, could not like them, will you let me be? Try them, try them, and you may. If you will let me be, I will try them and you will see...

I do like pickled beets, I do, I do! I would eat them here or there. I would eat them anywhere!

Thank you Anita and Matt I do, I do like pickled beets and I probably wouldn't have ever known if you guys weren't such great friends and surprised me with them for my birthday.

Coach Carter (Widescreen Edition)

by Paramount

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course In Miracles (New York: Harper Collins, 1992)