There's not much on the mind this time of year except for him

The Scourge of Perfectionism

I think it was Voltaire who said, "The perfect is the enemy of the good." Too often in my 30 some years I've come to find that true. The desire to get something so perfect has a way of leading me to one of two dead ends: I don't do anything or I do it very late in the game and have to rush in order to meet a deadline and completely exhaust myself. After a period of dormancy my perfectionism seems to be rearing its ugly head once again and has been driving me just a wee bit crazy... just a tiny bit. Don't know about you, but the paralysis that comes with it is plain old awful. Simply put, I hate it. It's a miserable state to be in, and it's unsustainable. In the past when a close friend or family member has shared a struggle or deep desire to achieve something my regular counsel has always been to do your best and to trust God to do the rest. We are, after all, only human no matter how hard we work to prove otherwise. Funny how we need to repeat certain lessons in life and constantly need to remind ourselves of that we are not God, but He is.

And that is tonight's deep thought before heading off to bed. Sweet dreams.

Note to Self

When invited to join a friend for a day trip always keep the following in mind:

-Just because a friend invites you, do not depend on your friend to do everything. Take a look at train schedules and maps, etc. Acquaint yourself. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.
-When traveling to a new place and especially small villages, try to print out a map (Google or Mapy.cz) of certain locations. For example, the train station you intend to depart from.
-Never be so shy or afraid to ask for help or directions.
-Always pack extra snacks. Throw in nuts, raisins, chocolate. Did I say a chocolate bar? ;) You might think you only need that one sandwich and bottle of water, but you never know what might happen during the course of the day or night. For example, you might miss your train and be stuck in an antiquated train station (at least from the 50s but possibly pre-war with 1950 updates) without any vending machines and no food options whatsoever.
-Don't try to pack too much in. Be realistic. Don't start climbing a hill at 5 or 5:30 pm and think you're going to reach a wine festival and then catch a train by oh, say, 7 or 8 p.m.
-Keep in mind that the sun does go down and when it does, boy, is it dark out there in the forest.
-The flashlight app for Androids comes in handy. Equip your phone.
-When leaving home, always wear walking shoes - whether they be sneakers or tennis shoes or hiking boots. Avoid sandals. Forget about fashion. Be realistic.
-If you do not have proper walking or hiking boots, do not attempt to walk through forests and climb hills.
Period.
-If you've made the mistake of wearing improper attire, check your anger and frustration. IT'S YOUR FAULT. NOT YOUR FRIEND'S.
-Should you decide to stray off the beaten path, expect to find the unexpected. For example, fences, locked gates, ravines, thorns, snake holes, weeds, bees, wild boars, etc.
-When you ask for directions from two people at the same time and those two individuals give you conflicting answers, DO NOT FOLLOW EITHER ONE. They are inevitably wrong.
-Do not assume that a train station bearing the name of a village is actually located in that village. It could be named after the neighboring village.
-Always pray.


The above represents valuable lessons learned from yesterday's day trip to Litomerice and Velke Zernoseky. There were a few other villages thrown in, but it was too dark and I could hardly read the signs. After 3 train connections and helping out a Russian wunderkid and two clueless Americans get Czech money and metro tickets, I took a midnight bath and slipped into bed around 1 a.m. feeling very, very, very grateful to be home (and not sleeping in a scary train station in the middle of nowhere).

My 9/11

On the morning of September 11, around 8:40, I was exiting a PATH train from Hoboken, N.J. at the subterranean level of the World Trade Center. Minutes later while I was walking up the steps of the commuters’ “mole hill” — a host of escalators and stairs ferrying New Jerseyites to the main concourse — police came running, yelling to get out of the way. I didn’t raise an eye brow – such is life in NYC. But it was no ordinary day. Soon EVERYONE started running to reach the ground level. Never one to follow the crowd, I made an exception.

At the ground level people were scurrying around. I exited on Vesey Street – not my regular route.  Outside a crowd gathered, mesmerized by the fiery hole and debris. The air had a terrible industrial smell. Instinctively I tried to call home but without success. Word on the street was that a chartered plane had accidentally crashed into the North Tower. I found that kind of strange, but had no better explanation. As debris continued to fall and air quality worsened, I decided it would be better to exit this “war zone” and get to my building. Instead of walking I jogged.

At One Chase Manhattan people were attempting to go about their normal routines but there was a heavy uneasiness in the air. As I stepped onto the 59th floor I met one of our firm’s partners who normally had a ready joke but Andy was less than chipper. He looked at me with a distraught expression and said, “There are people jumping.” My heart sunk as I entered our lobby. Turning the corner I was making my way to my cubicle when a plane came into view through our conference room windows looking out upon the Towers. As the second plane exploded, everyone came running out and so began our descent down 59 flights of stairs. That was it. It was no accident. We were under attack.

I miss New York every September. My heart aches as I think of friends. I remember the look on their faces, how we tried to encourage and support each other every step of the way. I remember the surreal feeling of downtown Manhattan. I remember reconnecting (after 8 years) with an old classmate from high school who called out my name amidst the crowds. I remember taking a ferry with my roommate later that day, and being hosed down by NJ firemen and EMTs in Hoboken upon our arrival. I remember hug upon hug after we finally returned to work. I remember the warm embrace of the El Salvadoran man who picked up our office’s recycling every day. I remember meeting a young woman from Cantor Fitzgerald who called in sick to work (her offices were on the top floors); she was one of maybe two team members alive and she was searching for answers, struggling to make sense of life. I remember and I hope.

I did not know anyone personally who died that tragic day, but, I was there. I saw the destruction and shook with fear and anger. But I also experienced a real and amazing sense of community in the weeks that followed. For me September 11 is a stark reminder of the very real presence of evil in this world, the fragility of life, and that we should take no day for granted. And, it is an enduring lesson of sustaining faith and hope in the midst of tragedy, disaster, and injustice.

Follow me on Tumblr

Friends,

I started a Tumblr account a short while back as I am nearing my limit on blogger for photos. I kind of got sick of fiddling around with bloggers limits and quirks with positioning.

In seeking to present more of my photos, I have found Tumblr much easier. I can't say it's perfect (I would have designed a few things much differently) but it sure is a whole lot easier to display photos. That said, I'm not saying a complete goodbye to this site as my blog posts date back some 5 years now, but I do want to let you know where to find more frequent updates on my happenings.

Please check out http://voiceofchristine.tumblr.com/.

Blessings, Christine

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Saturday was an exquisite day (actually every day since as well). My friend from Zimbabwe had the wonderful idea of going paddle boating on the Vltava river (Moldau for you classical music whizzes and German speakers). It cost us 250 Czech korun for an hour (15 USD). We took a bottle of white wine, some water, and some sandwiches and had a great time on the river. I've tried this in the Potomac basin in DC as well as the Englischer Garten in Munich, but I think Prague is the best for this type of thing. We paddled all around, even an island. 

Jolly Old England

As I turned another year older recently, I took advantage of an offer to meet up with a friend in Bath, England. It was only 4 1/2 days, but oh was it worth it! Bath is an outstanding example of Georgian architecture and it has a treasure trove of ancient Roman baths. I loved learning about Georgian England as well as the Roman Empire and the process of visiting the Roman baths. I've posted some of my photos on tumblr. Click here.

Berlin - Teaming with History

Just got back from 4 1/2 days in the capital city of Germany, Berlin. It's a city that never stops changing. Last time I visited was in 2006 right before the demolition of the Palace of the Republic. On Monday I was in the vicinity of the Berliner Dom (Cathedral) and felt like something was missing... well, the big orange metallic monstrosity of building was no longer. To complete and integrate this quarter of Berlin, Germany has decided to rebuild part of the former Stadtschloss, a fake Baroque copy of the palace. It's a controversial decision which only time and construction will tell how it turns out.

Despite horrible rain Saturday through Monday, I managed to walk all around Potsdam, including the site of the famous Potsdam Agreement between Truman, Stalin, and Churchill. I also visited the new DDR (East German Republic) interactive museum which seeks to show what life was like during communism and under surveillance of the state. It was pretty neat, but way overcrowded. I think perhaps worse then DC's Spy Museum. One crazy fact I learned was that preschoolers all had to squat on toilets at the same time - that is there was joint potty time if you can imagine. I also dropped by a new exhibition on the Stasi (secret police) and watched some of their surveillance film of people taking walks in parks, youth hanging out on the streets, athletes competing, etc. East Germany was one of the most heavily watched societies in the world.

We also went on a free tour offered by the Sandeman company. Our guide Barry from Ireland was outstanding. He provided just the right amount of historical context without overwhelming us with facts. One of his themes was the reuse of different sites or monuments in Berlin to meet the needs of the changing ruling regimes. At the Memorial to the Victims of War and Tyranny - a site used both by the Nazis as well as the East German regime there now stands a poignant sculpture of a mother with her dead son by Kathe Kollwitz. The city is simply teaming with history.

Well, there's so much more I could say, but I'll stop there for now. If you'd like to check out pictures from my travels click here to several galleries.  

London 2012: To be, or not to be: that is the question

Since I was a young child, I have always been captivated by the myriad athletes who devote years of their lives to preparation for the Olympics; both those who succeed and earn gold as well as those who fall short of a medal. Some may find boring the long human interest stories with which networks break up competition, but I eat it up. I remember learning about the lives of Russian and Chinese gymnasts, being sent off hundreds of miles away from families to go to sport schools and who can forget Dan Jansen. Well, somewhere along the way I added "attending the Olympics" to my at least once in my life "to do" list.  So, I'm trying to go to the London 2012 Summer Olympics since it's seemingly close. However, it's not going so well. Unfortunately, I missed the March deadline to join the lottery (who knew?). I really should have done my research early on! Then I discovered a way to go through the official U.S. site. Well, I confused days and thought the 2nd chance lottery was today, but it was actually yesterday. NICE! After two strikes, I'm not yet giving up. There are a few sites selling tickets at quite a profit as well as some that are offering packages. Tonight my friend Liz and I found a Czech site offering 3 event tickets plus coach transportation (bus from Prague to London - SWEET) plus accommodation at a university dormitory for about 1,000 USD. That might seem like a lot, but I'm not so sure... We shall see!  

Lidice

Yesterday I visited the site of Lidice, a former town which was razed to the ground on June 10, 1942 by the Nazis, who believed the town was somehow linked to the assassination of Reichs Protector Reinhard Heydrich - Hitler's right-hand man. The men of the village were rounded up and shot; women were sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp; the vast majority of children (82) were gassed on a bus ride to Lodz, Poland, and a few children were selected to be adopted by Nazi parents. The town buildings were burned and then detonated so literally nothing but bare foundations were left. The Nazis cut down trees and even destroyed burial grounds. After the war ended, 143 Lidice women returned and 17 children were reunited with their mothers. The Czechoslovak Republic agreed to build houses for women who survived. We walked pass these houses - the first of which were completed at Christmas 1949. Here are a few pics from our trip.

The Lidice Memorial is a touching tribute to the town and it's inhabitants who perished. The exposition starts with a short movie after which you proceed through several exhibits showing life before the war; pictures of townspeople; the doors to the church; letters from children to their relatives asking for stockings, a spoon and fork, some food, new clothing which were received after they had been killed; and testimonials of survivors - mainly children who were selected for adoption. We walked around the grounds as well and looked at the foundations of the St. Martin's Church, the school dating back to the early 18th century, and the farm house of one of the Horak family. Very sobering to say the least. Only 20 km from Prague.

If you'd like to learn more check out the video below:



My interest in Lidice was sparked by the recent release in the CR of a new movie about the tragedy. I thought the director tried to pack in a bit too much, but it was overall really well done. I'm sure it will be an Oscar contender for best foreign language. Here's a trailer to the movie with English subtitles:

A Saturday Afternoon at the Cemetery

But not just any cemetery... a couple Saturdays back I joined a Polish friend on a beautiful afternoon walk of Olsanske hrbitovy or Olsany cemetery. There was so much to discover from 18th century grave stones, dedications in Czech, German and myriad other languages, upside down doves, interesting displays of urns, the British POW cemetery, Soviet Red Army cemetery, monument to Tsarist Russia, Bulgarian cemetery, WWI cemetery and a Russian Orthodox church that was just beginning service with the beautiful lull of a women's choir.

Since it's a pain in the neck to post more than 1 picture on blogger, I started to experiment with tumblr. Here's the link to my cemetery photos. Enjoy! Olsanske hrbitovy photo stream

Spring at Last!

It's officially spring in Prague and it's BEAUTIFUL. Last weekend my highly competent and absolutely lovely Polish friend organized a hike to Sächsische Schweiz (Saxony Switzerland) National Park, which is basically the border area between Germany and the Czech Republic along the Elbe river. If you take the train from Prague to Dresden you get off after Usti nad Labem and Decin at Schoene. From there we took a ferry across the river to Hrensko and then a short walk to the border crossing and to Schmilke. The area is filled with amazing sandstone formations and gorgeous forests. Highly recommend it! However, it's not for the faint hearted. There's some pretty steep inclines. We went UP and DOWN several times. My poor, poor knees took a bruising, but they survived. I definitely wont be doing that type of hiking every weekend, but just perhaps once a month :)

May Flowers

Well, the old adage "April showers bring May flowers" is true every now and then! Recently I spent a couple of weeks in the U.S. for my sister's wedding in Asheville, NC and for family and friend time in Charlotte, NC, New Orleans, and Washington, DC. For the most part I experienced spring or early summer weather especially in the South.The night before flying back to Prague I checked the weather and saw 0 C and chance of snow listed. I literally freaked out - this after spending the previous 10 days in 75 F. I thought for sure there had to be a mix up with Celsius and Fahrenheit or something so I kept checking different sites. To make a long story short, when I did get back to Prague, it was about freezing in the dead of the night but it was a high of 55 F during the day. Thankfully, the second of my two short but sweet days in DC the temperature dropped like 10-20 degrees so it wasn't the shock it could have been when crossing the Atlantic. But better yet, each day I've been back in Prague it has seemed to grow warmer and the sun has come out pretty consistently. This Wednesday I got out of the bldg for lunch with two colleagues and along our way we passed a gorgeous row of short (or miniature) lilac bushes along the street. The fragrance was intoxicating. We had lunch on the terrace of the restaurant and it was glorious feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. I never quite understood the Egyptians' worship of the sun until that point :) Okay, that might be a tad of an exaggeration, but I've certainly learned how sweet a sunny day is.

And, go figure, the World Hockey Championship is taking place right now in Slovakia. I don't understand how hockey (which I alway thought a winter sport) carries on into the spring and early summer, but it does! Too bad for the Czechs, they lost earlier to the Swedes in a semifinal. I was told by a Czech-Canadian friend that the tournament does not include the very best in hockey as the NHL is still at play, but that doesn't seem to matter to most Czechs. I passed many a person wearing Czech national team jerseys and painted flags of Czech or Russia on peoples' cheeks. There was a big screen set up in Old Town Square for fans and those curious in watching the Russia - Finland game. I thought about it for a second and decided home was calling me hither...

Popping Ears How Sweet It Is...

NOT!!!!

I seem to be getting hit left and right with annoying (thankfully not serious) maladies. Today's development was rather severe popping in my ears. This is something that I've struggled with the last 2 years or so. After about three trips to ENT specialists I was recommended to see an allergist. It turns out my allergies affect my inner ear canal. The problem has been under control since I started taking aerius (antihistamine, 5 mg desloratadine) and twice daily Nasonex, but for some reason my ears are acting up this season despite my regimen. I was really really frustrated earlier so took an extra allergy pill and an extra squirt of Nasonex. I do think my heart sped up temporarily, but it was short lived. My ears seem to be better, but not perfect. I really hope I will not be spending much more time writing about medical issues save for updates regarding healing. 

I'm ALL EARS should you have any recommendations! :)

ARGHHHH!

Friends,

I need help! I've never so badly wanted to scratch my skin off. ARGHHHHH! HMMMMPHHHHH! I started with eczema in January and most recently was diagnosed with pityriasis rosea (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001874/). I had never heard of pityriasis rosea until about a week ago when I went to the dermatologist. The "mother" or "herald" patch - a round oval looking like a scab on my abdomen - was the telling sign along with radiating red spots all over my trunk and onto my arms and top of my legs. According to my dermatologist, it is either a viral or bacterial infection.

I was told it's not supposed to be that itchy, but I have to say it's ITCHY. I have no idea why, but night time is the worst and tonight is by far the worst it has been. I'm thinking I might try an oatmeal bath tomorrow. I'm using an anti-fungal cream at night and a steroid cream in the morning, but I don't know what good it's doing me. I'm really trying to put mind over matter in not allowing my hands to move towards my skin where they might be too tempted to scratch, but it's taking every ounce of will power. Man, good, I'm typing a blog post! Next distraction: flossing my teeth. Hopefully by the time I finish the desire to itch will be less. If you have any grand ideas - actually, don't worry about them being "grand" - I just want ideas for relief and hastened healing! Supposedly this can last from 2-6 or 8 weeks but I really hope it's much sooner.

ARGHHHHHH!!!! HMMPPPPPPPHHHHH!

Can you feel my pain?

Boleslawiec: Polish Pottery Mecca

Boleslawiec, Poland, located in the southwest corner of Poland not so far from the German and Czech borders, is THE PLACE to go for POTTERY. It's a bit of heaven on earth. REALLY! At least that's the opinion of many an American military wife stationed in Germany and other Americans in the know. From Prague by car it takes close to three hours one way. But the six hours in the car are so worth it!

The drive north through Liberec and to the Czech-Polish border is rather pretty although the roads get a little sketchy at the border and into Poland. However, the Poles have built a spanking new highway or "autostrada" as I learned when asking directions at the gas station - the A4 - which takes you from near Zgorzelec to Boleslawiec (exit on to 297), depositing you right by the Ceramika Artystyczna (ul. Kościuszki 23), which is our regular first stop since it closes at 2 pm on Saturdays and usually has some of the best prices. http://www.ceramika-artystyczna.pl/index.php?l=en After Ceramika Artystyczna, we walk across the street to the row of stores. The two on the left I would recommend (their names escape me). If you continue down the lane through the gate to the parking lot there's also a good store there which is worth checking out. Don't be afraid of the kind of rough surroundings. There's pearls to be found amidst the dust and grind!

Rounding out our shopping in Boleslawiec we head to Henry's (Ul. Masarka 1, to the right of Carrefour) which has the greatest concentration of "unikat". http://www.buzzoffbase.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=searchby&cf_id=5&value=Boleslawiec It is pricey though - beware! We often head back to Ceramika Artystyczna for one last look and shop before 2 pm.

Somewhere in the midst of mesmerization, we eat a sandwich and other snacks packed for the trip. After pottery hysteria wears off, we grab some pierogi or other fine Polish cuisine at Opalkowa Chata on Cieszkwskiego 17 http://www.opalkowachata.pl/ Yesterday I had blueberry-filled pierogi with a bit of cream. They were absolutely delicious. I also recommend the ruskie or cheese and potato. They are heavier on the cheese than potato which is much to my preference :) Can you tell I had a fabulous Saturday?!

Local Remedies

I've always heard about the amazing abilities of garlic and its boost to your immunity but I never tried it for myself until recently. A few weeks back I decided to launch an assault on a pesky plantar wart that has been with me for about three years no matter how many shots of liquid nitrogen my podiatrist in DC or my dermatologist in Prague gave me. I also incorrectly applied an anti-wart agent called Acetocaustin which only requires application once a week, but the genius that I am failed to read the directions and applied daily. To be honest, I'm lucky to still have my toe! So anyway, a couple of my Czech friends noticed me limping and gave me a two new approaches. The first suggested I soak onion pieces in vinegar for 24 hours and then apply them to the affected area and wrap it with a baindaid for 24 hours. She went on to say it really stinks, but it really works. The really stinks part really was a huge stumbling block, I must admit. Fortunately another friend recommended garlic and only at night. The trick, she said, was to cut the clove down the middle and to put a piece on the affected area with a bandaid during night hours. Well, I did a little research (you may find this interesting http://bastyrcenter.org/content/view/851/) and decided to give it a shot. I'm about 2.5 weeks into the garlic regimen and it seems to be working! 

Another nifty product I've been happily surprised by is something called Carbosorb. They are edible charcoal tablets. Hmmm, could be a great Christmas gift for naughty kids now that I think of it. They look like little charcoal hockey pucks. :) Well, after figuring I had a stomach bug or had ingested something spoiled or bad, I took a look in my medicine cabinet and found Carbosorb. You take 2-3 about four times a day and it helps with the cramps and feeling of heart burn in the chest and it also helps take out the toxins from the intestinal tract and gets things running more normally. They work! 

Red Velvet Cup Cakes

Following up on my last post, the dinner party was a grand success. And, I can now affirm that the cupcakes taste as good as they look. With cream cheese (or Lucina) frosting and some chopped pecans they taste even better. They came out really moist thanks to 1 cup of oil. While I'm not sure this is my absolute favorite Red Velvet recipe, it sure is a good one. I'm not sure what I want more of - perhaps cocoa? I want a bit more flavor or something. It's hard to put my finger on it. Oh well, I might just have to keep trying different recipes :) I have a great cakedoctor recipe which uses German Chocolate cake as its base which may be better. But I feel like such a cheat!  Anyhow, here's Paula Deen's Red Velvet Cupcakes from Food Network.  It gets my stamp of approval! Happy baking!


Paula Deen’s Red Velvet Cupcakes from Food Network

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers (you may prefer to double line since they are so moist). In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 pound cream cheese, softened (in Europe I'd recommend Lucina or Kiri)
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans, fresh raspberry or strawberry, or sprinkles.

Likes and Dislikes

Things I like:

Day light - It was wonderful to wake up to light and sun this morning. It's even better to leave work when it's day light.

Red velvet cupcakes - Baking them at any time of day, even at 8 or 9 pm after a long day at work. And, of course eating them brings even more delight.

Hosting dinner parties - Tomorrow I'm having around ten people over. Fortunately, my part of the bargain is providing the space and dessert. After tonight I'm almost there. There's still some cleaning to be done after work on Friday (sigh).

Fresh linens on my bed - When I was a kid I had a deal with my mom: if I dusted my room and tidied up, she would in turn make up my bed with clean sheets. It was sheer pleasure to climb into bed on cleaning nights.

Things I don't like:

Getting up early after staying up too late - Haha, that's the story of my life. I don't give up easily. Still working on becoming a morning person.

Cleaning up after baking - Especially after a draining day at work and particularly after making Red Velvet batter. The red food coloring has a way of showing up in random places (i.e., counter tops, appliances, the wall, etc.) as well as staining my finger tips.

Crunchy towels - That's right ... I don't have a dryer. It forces you to plan ahead which is fine, but the crunchiness of my towels is something I don't think I'll ever learn to like. If you have any tips, I'm all ears! Send them my way. I do use softener, but it doesn't make a difference.

Changing my sheets & other housekeeping - I'm sure the world's smallest violins are playing in my honor, but I really have no energy for housekeeping - in any form - after working nine to ten hours. Of course, I battle it out and get things done, but I have no idea how working moms do it. When I get tired after cleaning or baking, I always think of my mom and wonder how she ever did it working a full-time job, raising four kids, and preparing wholesome meals (nothing out of the box)!

Well, enough pondering for one night. I think I've got laundry to hang up. :)

Sweet dreams!

Time Flies No Matter What

Wow. I just took a look at the date of my last post and did a double take. I didn't realize it had been that long. Well, happy 2011 to everyone! As I was flying back after New Year's, I had a feeling that 2011 was going to be full of change, but I had no idea that change would hit me from about every angle possible. One thing I've learned at my mature age is that as you grow older time flies whether or not you are enjoying it. That's not to say I haven't enjoyed different opportunities I've had over the last few months, but it definitely hasn't been all peaches and cream either. I'm learning that grieving is for sure a process and it is different for each person. The fact that I am still grieving impacts so many facets of my life. Sometimes I don't recognize the person staring at me in the mirror. While it is hard, I do know God is working something good in my life and growing me. However, sometimes it feels kind of painful sort of like what a new born butterfly undergoes as he/she pushes his/herself out of the chrysalis.

Well, I want to thank a certain Syracuse fan for encouraging me to write again. I was getting a bit discouraged at the end of last year that my faithful readership had dwindled, but I'm not done yet. I don't always find the time, but I will try to do my best as long as I know there is at least some interest out there. Comment once in a while! 

My tidbit for today is that for the latter half of today I thought aliens might have descended upon this fine city. As I was in my local grocery store (Albert - a Belgian chain supposedly) in the check out line, the lady at the register actually put my frozen pizza in a plastic bag and put a few of the items still on the conveyor belt in my grocery bag. I nearly fell over. You are pretty much on your own over here in terms of bagging. It was such a small thing, but the fact that it hasn't happened to me in over 3 years but happened today left me feeling as if something monumental had happened. I walked out of Albert's with a new found spring in my step. Isn't it pretty amazing how something so miniscule can be so huge?! To my American friends: enjoy your world class customer service. Nobody does it better than the good ole US of A. But, I'm happy to report there is incremental progress happening across the pond! :)

Until next time!