March 2 - Fill in the Blank Friday

Happy Friday Friends!!

Thanks again for being understanding of the lack of blanks last week, but they're back again this week - hope you enjoy!

1.  The highlight of my week was   getting an "all clear" for a breast MRI. Make that the highlight of my year (so far).

2.   If I had to classify my interior design aesthetic it would be   early hoarder with a splash of junkyard chic  .

3.  My first vehicle was   a 1976 Caprice Classic. The Bomber. It was a tank and by God I loved that car .

4. An item I need to have in my day in order to function is  coffee. You laugh but it's true. If I don't have my morning java my day is SHOT .

5. My favorite way to waste time is   Facebook. Pinterest. Twitter. old-fashioned crossword puzzles (in a book no less!).

6. Right now I could really go for   a nap that lasts for about 3 weeks   .

7.  This weekend I will be   at a minor-league hockey game on Friday night, working on Saturday morning, doing some cooking on Saturday afternoon and pretty much crashing on Sunday...... same old, same old .

Aaaaaaand exhale!!!!!!!!!!!!

For the first time since around 5:30 PM on January 10, I can breathe a lot easier. That was the moment that I heard a voice mail telling me to come back for a repeat of a test, Believe me, it is not the kind of call you ever want to get, and especially given some things I know.

You never want to get the call that says, "It's about your mammogram...." There's much more to the story but let's sum up: (1) went for a 2nd imaging (2) which led to an ultrasound (3) which led to a biopsy (4) that never took place .... because they couldn't find the area again! (5) So I called my primary care to let her know my joy to hear her say (6) "Not so fast, my friend!" (7) Then came a second opinion, (8) which led to an MRI, (9) but OOPS! We miscounted so let's reschedule.... (10) and FINALLY, the MRI was done over the weekend.

I highly recommend doing an MRI very early in the morning or as late as possible after you have worked a full day doing heavy physical labor..... when you're so tired you just don't care to move! Seriously, I cannot thank the wonderful MRI staff at St. Francis Eastside enough, as well as the awesome folks at the Pearlie Harris Center (also at St. Francis Eastside). They are all simply beyond phenomenal. I also have high regard for Dr. Young at Carolina Surgical Associates, who was the second opinion and ordered the MRI.

Today was my follow-up with Dr. Young.

I have the all-clear, at least as far as breast cancer. I do have one cyst that I need to address with my primary care doc, but Dr. Young assured me that it's benign. And nowhere near the breasts.


For all my regular friends and readers, you know that breast cancer is an issue near and dear to my heart. I am proud and thrilled to be the niece of a survivor, and saddened at the number of friends I have lost to the disease. Yes, I'm only 42 years old and I have lost 4 friends to the disease, all under age 50 and two in their 30s. It's part of why Race for the Cure has been very important to me over the last few years.

I have never felt as blessed, as lucky, as I do right now! And I have all my friends to thank. I asked for prayers, begged for good juju, awesome vibes, whatever positive energies they could spare.... to toss up prayers or whatever to God/Fate/The Universe, however they perceive their Higher Power. I had churches of all manner praying for me.

And it worked. Of this, I have no doubt.

And I feel so loved that it is humbling. Truly. To think that so many people could care and would take the time to think of me, or add me to a prayer list..... I'm verklempt.

I love each of you.

Happy Leap Day!!!

WOOT! WOOT! WOOT!

I am alive!!

In the words of the great philosopher of the 1960s, one Jerome Garcia, "What a long strange trip it's been........." especially this month. I've had some of the scariest moments of my life so far, been plagued by self-doubt more often than not, and in some moments just barely hanging in.

But life is beautiful and wonderful, and there is still so much ahead to enjoy and love. If nothing else, this month has been a lesson .... no, wait, more of a crash course .... in gratitude, in trust, in miracles, in love. And for those lessons and for the kindnesses shown to me, my heart is overflowing. It is a true delight to be able to take even a few moments and to realized just how blessed you are and how wonderful your life is.

Fill in the Blank Friday, 1/27/12

1. My favorite place i've ever traveled to is wow.... hmmm.... gosh.... Okay, I haven't traveled all that much either, but it's a tie between West Virginia and Colorado -- both have awesome mountains .

2. Italy is somewhere I'd love to go someday.

3. I pass the time on a plane (or bus, or car ride or train) by plane - trying to just sleep; car - I'd better be driving (otherwise, "pull over! pull over!") .

4. My three must-haves when I travel are an MP3 player of some sort , healthy snacks and probably my cell

5. My favorite travel companion is it all depends. Where am I going? What's the agenda or plan? That will drive that answer .

6. The craziest thing that ever happened to me while traveling is plane: having my flight to ATL land 5 minutes before my connecting flight was supposed to start boarding. Usually Delta is WAY better than that! Car: my adventure in West Virginia. I had typed the wrong end location into the GPS and I was about 20 miles west of where I needed to be, about 8:00 at night. The guys at the DOT shed looked at me as if I was a crazy woman (this was winter) ... but I went back over the mountain. The next morning, I drove back over in daylight -- packed with snow!

7. The most exotic food I've ever tried while traveling is does unsweetened tea (in Colorado) count???? For this Southern girl, that is exotic!!! .

A Poem in the Christmas Season

These are the waning days of the Christmas season, the near fortnight from December 25 until January 6.

I do my best not to follow a philosophy which extends the "Christmas season" from November 1 until 11:59 on December 24, when the last gift might be purchased .... and which discards Christmas like a soiled diaper as soon as the clock shows 12:00:00 on December 26. No, my heart would much rather follow something that reminds us that Christmas is more than one mere day but an outlook for all year, for all life. I also don't get all huffy when people say "Happy Holidays" because I'm smart enough to realize that Christmas is one winter celebration among many. All of them speak to the light coming in the darkness and getting stronger and brighter even in the darkest coldest moments.

This poem was given to me last year by a dear friend, and it resonated with me ..... and I share it with you in the last days of this season of celebration of light and life and love. It is from a Christian viewpoint, but I think any faith or philosophy can appreciate the sentiment contained therein.

I will seek no longer for the burning bush;
All bushes are ablaze.
And I will not hasten to depart
From daily grief and gladness
To climb a holy mountain;
Every mountain now is sacred,
Each marketplace, and every home,
All, all are blessed
Since God has pitched a tent among us.

Now on earth are to be found
The footprints of the word made flesh
Who walked with us in wind and rain
And under sun and stars,
In joy and sorrow,
Born of Mary, watched over by Joseph,
Eating and drinking, living and loving.

Dying yet living, the Word is made flesh
And all the earth,
And each of us,
Is holy ground
Where we must slip our sandals off
And walk softly, filled with wonder.

-- author unknown

May blessings fall on us all, as we tread this ancient ground made new and holy, as brothers and sisters. May the new year bring us new opportunities to be the people we have been created and called to be. May we become living embodiments of the love, light and life that we celebrate during this season.

SURPRISE!!!

I came home from work this afternoon, to find my family furiously cleaning. My dad looked up long enough to say, "Hey, Danny & Danielle called, they may come over later today." Danny is my cousin who lives in Virginia, and Danielle is his daughter. They are in SC only because Danny's mother is in the hospital in very serious condition.

About 5 minutes later (or so it seemed), there was a knock on the door. Danielle's sweet face was the first I saw, followed by..... my other cousin, Danny's brother Ray. Danny was right behind them. I hadn't seen Ray in probably 8 or 9 years. It was fantastic to see him, and he was amazed to see the changes in me. He hadn't been told until they were on the way to our house, when Danny said, "Oh yeah, by the way, don't be surprised when you see Annette, she's dropped a ton of weight."

They stayed for a while -- which heck, they could have stayed longer but they had just a short window between visiting hours for ICU. And they have to hit the road again tomorrow, as the new semester for Danielle kicks off Monday.

As they were here, and for the rest of the night, I've been thinking about family.

I am one of two grandchildren on my mother's side, the other being my brother. On Dad's side, I'm one of fifteen grands. But in my early life, I tended to associate "family" with my mother's side.... after all, I grew up in her hometown, with her large extended family. I had cousins galore on that side, but only saw my first cousins on special occasions -- holidays at Granny's, the occasional Sunday afternoon trip to her place, etc. I wasn't as close to them, because of the distance -- most of them lived within a 15-20 minute drive of my grandmother, and I was about an hour away.

But as an adult, I have grown to love the relationships I've forged with my first cousins. They are so very precious to me, not just because of the genetic link to them, but the bonds that the heart forms. I see the little posts on Facebook sometimes about "Cousins are our very first 'best friends'..." and I get a little wistful. My earliest best friends were never related to me... they were kids from church and school, and then the various cousins' children, but not to the same degree. And I'm glad for social media -- it has allowed our family to keep in touch even more closely, for the big things and little things. From a distance, I get to see my cousin's new baby. And I keep up with the happenings of those who live a little more closely. I get to find out more about my family, and get to know them better.

So thanks, Ray & Danny (and Danielle) for stopping in today and giving me a wonderful gift: your presence, even for a short time, and a good reminder of the beautiful things in our families.

Can't Say It Any Better.....

Sayonara, 2011 .... you were better than 2010 (thank God), but you're not as good as 2012 is gonna be! Truly, I appreciate everything you brought me this year -- good work, good friends, a chance to do something I had cast to the side for way too long, new challenges, new information, and a million opportunities. I only wish I'd been able to take advantage of all the wonderful ones, but I also can say thank you for the curves thrown in my path too.

And here's some awesome, awesome advice for 2012:
http://createyourgreatlife.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/30-things-to-stop-doing-to-yourself/

Just read it. Really read it. Take it slowly -- read one a week or every 10 days and make it your focus. Or if something doesn't apply, be grateful for that, and move to the ones which do matter to you.

Happy New Year, my friends. Make 2012 the best year ever!

Fill in the Blank Friday, 12/1/11

1. The holiday season is a mixed bag for me. I like what the season is all about but I really am not a big fan of the HYPE machine that "the holidays" have become. I don't know how a message of love, joy, peace, and hope got twisted into "you are a weenie if you don't spend money you don't have on crap you don't need." (stepping off soapbox) .

2. Snow makes me excited because we so rarely get it. Last year was my first white Christmas EVER. EVER. In 42 years, EVER .

3. The best comfort food to eat when it's cold out is chili and cornbread. Any soup and homemade bread. Or veggie soup with grilled cheese sandwiches .

4. Winter is the best time for getting caught up on things like reading, writing, scrapping .

5. I can hardly wait for our Festival of Lessons & Carols (Dec 11) and our prelude (I have a solo!) .

6. When it comes to holiday gifts I prefer to give gifts cards. I know, so many people think that they're so impersonal, and maybe they are, but hey, at least this way YOU (the recipient) can get something YOU want/need instead of "Oh! How lovely! Just what I wanted!" (clenched teeth smile) .

7. If I were to rate my excitement about the holiday season on a scale from 1-10, I would say I am at about a 3. But that's every year. I just don't get all whooped up for it. Sorry .

Fill In The Blank Friday, 11/25/11

Happy Black Friday!

Today just so happens to be the craziest shopping day of the year. But, hopefully in the midst of it all you'll take a moment to fill in some blanks...it's always more fun when you play along :).

1. Waking up at the break of dawn to go shopping is my idea of pure insanity. There is no deal out there worth all the hassle. Repeat. Believe .

2. If I were to go shopping today I would be on the hunt for a new Advent wreath. I have the typical round brass circle with openings for tapers. I get the whole "eternal circle" thing but frankly it doesn't work for me. So I'm on the lookout for something new and neat. I tried just pillars on a tray, and then tealights as well, but it's not cutting it for me .

3. The best thing I ate yesterday was my parents' dressing. It is DRESSING, not STUFFING, although in the interest of time, they do use stuffing mix in theirs. But it is worth every moment of indulgence to eat it a couple of times a year. Let me put it this way ... a few years ago, I was having a rough time at the job I was in at the time. Just to make me feel better about things, my mama made me turkey breast and dressing one weekend. THAT was love .

4. Something I've been learning lately is I need to trust that the Universe is unfolding exactly as it is supposed to, and that I have to trust the entire process, not just the infinitesimal sliver of it that I see .

5. I cannot start my day without breakfast. This week, I even ate at o-dark-thirty before taking off for the gym. Worked just as well as fixing breakfast once I got to work .... but breakfast is a must, no ifs ands or buts .

6. My nighttime attire consists of like once I get home, or time for beddy-bye? If it's the former, I immediately change into jeans (top stays the same, usually). For sleeping, PJ or yoga pants and a tee .

7. I am looking forward to going back to the ice rink this weekend, this time with my godchildren. I had SO much fun today! .

Lessons from the Rink

Today, I went ice-skating for the first time in almost 27 years. The last time I went was January 1985, at the Eastland Mall in Charlotte NC (back when it wasn't such a scary place, from what I hear). In the lowest level of the mall was an ice rink. My cousin went a good bit, but it was our first time ever. My brother made one trip around, and came back to our relative and said, "Mary, thank you for paying for me to skate, but I think I'll stay over here with you." As for me, I was younger but heavier than I am now, and also way more fearful. I'm not sure why - usually, youth is full of reckless abandon, but I was a way more calculating soul back then. Guess I'm like Benjamin Button, born old and getting younger with each year......

I made my way around that day, very haltingly and unsure. My cousin glided by fairly easily. There was a young girl there that day who was in the center of the rink and she was probably in competitive skating -- she was that good. Great, even more reason for me to not even be out there, because I was a total flop. Epic fail. I stayed on the ice just putzing around, and then we were ready to go. I was never so glad to pull skates off in my life. Roller skating - totally different. Not that I was any more athletic on concrete or wood compared to ice, but I had four wheels under my feet instead of a blade in the center.

Since then, as most of you know, things are a bit different in my life. And today was the opening for a new venture in downtown Greenville: a seasonal ice-skating rink! We have a year-round rink on the eastside of Greenville at one of the county rec facilities, but I have never gone there to skate. In downtown, just next to City Hall and in front of the Courtyard by Marriott, they have constructed "UBS Ice on Main" running from today until January 8.

I knew about the rink, but I didn't think much about it until something struck me while watching TV this morning. And it hit me: GO SKATING! I was planning to get in a workout anyway today, and as much as I enjoy my gym, I thought this might be a good way to burn off some of the feasting from yesterday. (Lesson One: shake things up!)

So I drove over, parked in the garage and walked about a block to the rink. Paid the fee (which included skate rental) and after lacing up the skates proceeded to go to the rink. I stood there for a couple of minutes because DUH... I had laced up on the steps near the entrance and would have to walk on the blades across brickwork. Doofus me. After a few seconds, this nice gentleman who works there said, "Ma'am, I'll help you to the rubber mats." Once I got to the mats, next to the rink, things were much easier! (So Lesson Two: know your surroundings).

I got out on the ice and things were already better than there were in 1985. One, I'm older and no longer care whether or not I look stupid out there. And two, I have better balance and stronger legs than I did then. So right away, +2 in my favor! The first lap around was wobbly, but then I began to do much better. And then better, and better. I got more confident, and while I wasn't doing stunts, I wasn't always hanging on to the sides of the rink either. I learned to maneuver around those who were standing still. (Lesson Three: Crawl, then walk, then....)

Now, at one point, we all had to get off the ice. It had gotten very grooved, with plenty of shaved ice especially along the outer edges. So we all took a break while they cleared the shaved ice and brought out the Zamboni. It gave us all a chance to tighten our laces, check our skates, and just be patient while the rink went through some needed repairs (Lesson Four: Take time for repairs now to save trouble later).

So with ice restored, I got back out there.... WOW! Much better! Smoother surface, easier gliding, and things were going good. I got to Turn Four (so to speak) and ..... I ended up on my left leg, knee down, and circling. I did a full 360 on my left knee. Well, what else could I do at that point except throw my arms up in a Victory formation and go, "Tada!!" Wipeout #1! (Lesson Five: Pride goeth before a fall. Literally, in this case!)

While out on the ice, I felt like my skates just weren't quite right. They were a smidge too big. Unfortunately, they don't have half-sizes at the skate rental shack, so I had to go down a whole size. And re-establish myself on the ice .... learn to rebalance, regroup and get going again! And so I did ... not sure that the shoe change made that much of a difference but sometimes a perceived advantage is all it takes. (Lesson Six: Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again!)

After about another 20 minutes, my feet were starting to ache just a little. So I figured one more trip around, and then that would be it. And so it was. But I wasn't ready to leave downtown just yet. So I figured why not walk the few blocks up to the Hyatt (the start of the downtown revitalization area all those years back), and walk my way back down to the garage. It had been quite some time since I'd really walked downtown Greenville, and I couldn't believe how many new things had opened in just a few months. Amazing!

After a couple of stops (Barkery Bistro and Mast General Store), it was definitely time for me to head out..... but I can't wait to go back to the rink! Planning to take my godkids this weekend, and have some more fun! If you are in Upstate SC and are looking for something fun to do, check them out online for the times and additional information. You won't be sorry!