The All...

It's official-tomorrow the annual Sloth, Debauchery and Indulgence 2019 Tour begins!

 I have been very busy the past few weeks prepping to be gone for two months.  Stopping mail and papers and gym memberships.  Refilling scripts and contacts.  Enlisting help for my Saucy Mermaid store.  Generally tying up things.   So many details!

Darling friends, Tom and Kara, Kirk and Sue and Kristin and Bob all made a point of spending time with us leading us to believe that we will be missed!  We love and appreciate you guys for making us feel special with your send offs!   (P.S.-come visit us!)  xo

I am soooo ready to be away from this weather.  As if the cold wasn't enough-the high wind has me SHOOK.  I am petrified of wind and get literally sick to my stomach when it blows this hard.  I have been miserable.  We deal with the 'Keys Breeze' often, but it's so much more tolerable when it's a warm breeze..

In addition to the many revelers that will be joining us this year, my Mom and sister, Lisa, are coming down too!  It's been years since my Mom has visited us in the Keys, and I can't wait!  Us chickies have some fun plans in the works and I hope my Mom can hang with all the shenanigans-she's not too cool with 'sloth!'

That's it for now-I still have some things to take care of.  I'll be coming at you from the sunny Keys next week!  Stay warm and in touch, darlings!   Love and Peace xoxo

Light on...

Do not believe all the things you tell yourself!

Recently at my gym a bunch of us 'chickies' were conversating after class.  Hot and sweaty in a mirrored room lead to some pretty ugly observances.  Everybody had their say at what was wrong with their body parts, skin conditions and just general aches and pains.  If you were just listening and not seeing us, you would have thought you were in a nursing home instead of in a room with reasonably fit women all sporting a natural glow, after an hour of boxing!  Some of the comments were so brutal.  Childbirth, illness, and of course age had done what is to be expected to all of us.  But we show up and fight the good fight.  It's truly the best we can do..

So when are we going to stop hating ourselves?  How much more time will we waste dissecting our flaws?   I pointed out that it is unreasonable to expect our shape to be the same as our 30 year old bodies.  Are we really so egotistical to believe that it (aging) won't happen to us?  Ridiculous.

Then came the regrets. I had a piece of chocolate cake at a birthday party last weekend.  I had beer!  And I had pizza, came the list of crimes.  I finally spoke up and asked,  "Who tells us that we are not good enough?  And why do we believe it.?  What could we do with the time and space that negativity takes up?"  As one of the senior girls in the class, I guess my perspective is a little different.

I plan to eat the cake and drink the wine and make an effort to go easy on the pizza all mixed in with a dose of self-respect and tolerance.

Stay warm and healthy my fellow, Goddessess! xo

There you Are...

If August is called the Dog Days of Summer, than February must be the Feral Dog Days of Winter.  As a sufferer of Seasonal Affective Disorder (who isn't suffering?) these gray days completely drain my spirit and motivation.  I borrow from that famous 'philosopher' Coco Chanel reminds us to fake it till we make it!  I am not 'sad' as Coco suggests, but I am somewhat 'off.'

As a believer in the laws of attraction, and am trying hard to put out what I would like to receive back to me.  I have found that by being compassionate as well as approachable seems to make that happen.  Refusing to engage in negativity-including my hated politics-as well as facebook fighting is NOT and never will be part of my day.  That is just a futile and giant time suck and frankly, I could care less about most opinions, (you know what they say?!) as well as what your 'elf' or any other name or dumb survey reveals.   With all of us under the illusion that we are soooo busy-why waste your time on this bull?  Especially when there is so many books and so little time!  But I digress....

As you can tell, remaining positive in a negative world can be a struggle, especially on gray days.  As I adjust my attitude and try to 'attack' my best life, I guess I'll take the advice of old Coco.   I'll just add more lipstick, adjust my crown and forge on.

Now if I could only afford that Chanel purse.... XO

Have a great week and keep the faith-the sun will come out tomorrow.  Here's hoping! xo

VIDA...

In December I saw him, ringing the bell.  God Bless you, ma'am and have a blessed day!  I noticed his bike parked nearby complete with a sleeping bag and a covered little rickshaw-pull-cart thing.  And then I noticed the tarp on the cart move.  Out popped a doggies head!  I asked if I could pet her, and after getting permission, spent a few moments petting that gentle, sweet dog.

I left with a smile on my face and made a mad rush to the gym. But I couldn't concentrate on something so trivial as bicep curls.  I wondered if the man and his dog  were warm enough and had anything to eat.  I left early and sped to McDonald's.  With a large bag of food and a hot coffee, I pulled back up.  Yes, he said, he would love some food and coffee, and yes, I could feed 'Sabra' a cheeseburger.  Everyday for a few weeks, this would be my routine.  I got to know Daryl and Sabra and learned that they had been a duo for 7 years.  He had been in an auto accident 20 years ago that his buddy died in.  Daryl was left with chronic back pain and he explained that was why he paced rather than stood by the kettle.

 I fretted at how they stayed warm and where they slept.  Traditional shelters do not allow dogs.   He told me that they have special permission to sleep in a public area that is out of the wind.  He said they stay warm.  As the weeks wore on, I saw many others helping out with snacks and dog food.  Sabra, it turns out, is a sort of celebrity in Mt. Clemens.  I asked what I could do for them and was told, "We have everything we need.  God, takes care of us.  You gotta have faith. You have a blessed day."  Now, if that doesn't make you think....

I was later able to give him some warm hoodies and some little doggie booties to protect Sabra's paws from the salty sidewalk.  I was rewarded with a big hug and a smile and of course, a blessing.  A kiss from Sabra, and I was off.

It's been awhile since I've seen them, but I watch for the bike with the dog always.  I feel lucky to have met them.  And blessed, very blessed.