Duct Tape & WD-40

Aw, He Has My Hip Flexors

Get a load of this. It is Luke sleeping on the sofa when he fell asleep during Friday night movie night. He often sleeps like this. Legs crossed Indian - oops Native American - style, body bent over, head on the bed. He could suck on his foot if he wanted to.

This reminds me of when he was a baby in his crib. Sometimes I would go into his room to get him when he woke up and he would be standing on his head laughing.

Luke sees the world a little differently.

He looks and acts so much like Gary. His flexibility is one of the only things (besides his extreme intelligence) that he got from me.

When I sit in the lotus position in yoga, my fellow students are amazed. I don't tell them that it just comes naturally for me. Some people are naturally thin, I am naturally flexible. I would rather be naturally thin.

Football and BFFs

There is a mom, Amy Korzon, on Luke's flag football team that takes photos of every game.  I have yet to bring my camera.  Anyway, she caught these two pics of Lukie.  Look how big that kid is he is up against!  You can bet I was watching that closely!

Luke gets so sweaty - just like his dad.

Luke has the greatest coach.  Coach Art is so patient and encouraging.  Luke just loves him.  Like all coaches, he wears a baseball cap and  whistle.  He reminds me of the reindeer flying coach on Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  Only Coach Art would never exclude a kid because his nose glowed red.  Coach Art would make him team captain and give him a game ball.

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So, I had a few comments about my fantasy BFFs.  They were NOT comments on my blog.  No one has been commenting on my blog.  Why?

Anyway, one comment went like this "PARIS HILTON!"

Yes, Paris Hilton.

Different friends fill different needs your life.  Paris Hilton fills the entertainment need.  I think my overall BFF would be Oprah.

Someone else asked why Martha Stewart was not on my fantasy BFF list.  Actually, I thought about putting her on there, but it is hard to imagine palling around with Martha Stewart.  I would like to learn from her.  I might even like to work for her.  I definitely want to be on her invitation list.  But, I don't see myself confiding my hopes and dreams for my children in her.

LOVE What's In Your Life

1.  I recently made a resolution to myself that I was going to buy (within reason people!) things that I love.  No longer will I use the following reasoning "It won't go with my decor", "Where would I put it?" or most importantly "Gary wouldn't like it."  So now, when I am about to buy something I ask myself, "Do I LOVE this?"  Many times the answer is no, so I leave it at the store.  My new resolution has allowed me to purchase these two new things.  This gorgeous letterpress calendar and these spectacular boots (not sure the boots meet the within reason criteria).  BTW I did not pay that much for them.  I put these back because although I like them, I didn't LOVE them.

2.  Every night at dinner, each person in our family has to name 5 good things about their day.  Recently, Jack's first good thing was "I only fell down once today."  Apparently staying upright is still an issue when you are in kindergarten.  LOVE Jack's sweetness and innocence.

3. Made a quick trip to Mall at Millenia with my Mom today.  LOVE that place - should buy it.  Oops, doesn't fit the within reason criteria.

4. Got our first cooler weather of the season this evening.  It was the first time since May that I got to sit outside with our neighbors while the kids played in the street.  Splurged on diet and had one beer.  It was my new favorite beer, Grimbergen.  LOVE evenings like this

5. Received my Jenni Bowlin kit in the mail today.  Good things.  LOVE what she puts together.  I am going to do some fall/Halloween crafting this weekend.

Bless the Menagerie

You have read a couple of depressing posts, so I will try to lighten things up a little with a few short things.

Last Wednesday, at the boy’s school, was the annual Blessing of the Pets celebrating St. Francis of Assisi (spelling?).  Well, of course, Emily (elderly and infirm dog) had to go because she has been so sick.  I actually thought of calling Father Joe when she was at her worst, but thought better of it.  Really.  I don't even go to that church and I wanted to have them pray about my Golden Retriever.

Anyway, the boys had a fit because Emily is not our only pet.  "How come she is the only one that gets a bwessing?"  asks Jack. 

I couldn't come up with a good answer, so I agreed to bring everyone except the two fish to the school to get their blessing.

Just picture this in your mind.  I had Gloria (male lovebird with gender identity issues), Katie (cranky crayfish), Cookie (dwarf rabbit who Cole says he named Cookie because she looks like a little gray cookie - have YOU ever seen a gray cookie?) and Emily (dizzy old dog who has a constant lean to the left) in their various transport devices (Katie in a Tupperware container with some water) loaded in the van.

I knew I would have to have help when I got to the school.  So, I parked the car, but left it running so the menagerie would have A/C.  I rounded up all three boys and they each carried something.

I thought I would have to carry Emily since we had such a long walk, but oddly enough, she did great.  She really enjoyed being in that school yard with kids running around and pets everywhere.  Her ears were up and her tail was wagging.  She was happier than I have seen her in a long time.  Father Joe gave her her blessing (along with the bird, rabbit and crayfish) and she licked his hand.

Now, I'm not one to shout "God was there" when any moving thing takes place, but if you could have seen Emily, you might have said it.

By the way, although she was in the top ten, the crayfish was NOT the strangest pet there.  We had a rehabilitating Bald Eagle, a gecko, Guinea pigs and a few snakes.

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My list of Fantasy Best Friends

1. Oprah (and her buds Gayle, Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz)

2. Bill Clinton

3. Ellen DeGeneres

4. Rosie O'Donnell

5. Bruce Springsteen

6. David Letterman

7. The Dalai Lama

8. Brangelina

9. Jimmy Carter

10. Paris Hilton

11. John Morgan (for the people)

12. Bono and the rest of U2

13. Julia Roberts

14. Bruce Willis

15. Craig Ferguson

16. Donna Downey

17. Ali Edwards

Notice I don't have George Clooney on this list.  That's because I don't want to be his friend.

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Coming soon -

I've been tagged - 7 Random Things About Me

Pics of my new simple Thanksgiving project I designed for a class for Joann Crafts.

A Public Service Announcement

Sorry about another downer post, but I just got this in my e-mail.  I know it is true because I know (not well) this girl's mother.  I thought it was important enough to share. It was written by a woman named Barb

It was about a week ago that I watched one of my best friends and her husband bury their 19 year old daughter.

Rachel Futterman was a happy, feisty, energetic, athletically gifted student at the University of South Florida.

Last Saturday night, at 11:30 pm, I received a phone call from my dear friend Karen Hohman.  Good news never arrives in late night phone calls.

In a whispered voice, Karen said, "Barb, it's Rachel Futterman.  She's in a coma at University Hospital in Tampa.  She's got bacterial meningitis.  It doesn't look good.  She's not showing any brain activity.  Tammy's hysterical."

By the next morning, Karen and I were in Tampa holding vigil by Rachel's bedside.  Along with 3 other "sister" CM Consultants, the 5 of us watched as Tammy, Joel, Robert, and Jaime endured 2 agony filled days watching their daughter and sister survive on life support.

It's every parent's worst nightmare.

And Tammy and Joel are no exception.  They adored their daughter Rachel.  Call them helicopter parents if you will, for that's what they were.  Like any of you reading this, Tammy and Joel raised Rachel with all the love and pictures and involvement and attention that they knew possible.  Rachel was their oldest, their only girl.. 

When it came time for Rachel to receive her "college" Menactra vaccine, Rachel's MD didn't carry it.  Unlike Pediatricians, Internal Medicine and Family Practioners don't always stock these vaccines.  In order for Rachel to get this vaccine, she'd have to go to the public health department or to the clinic on USF's campus. 

Too much legwork for a silly vaccine.  Haven't we all said something like that before.  The "extra" legwork just becomes a wee bit too much.

Sign the waiver. Like she's actually gonna get meningitis anyways.

Fast forward a year and a half.

It's Rachel's sophomore year at USF.  She couldn't be happier.  She's living in the Delta Gamma house with her sorority sisters.  Life is FANTASTIC!

And out of no where, when you'd least expect it, heathy, full of life, Rachel begins to feel sick.

headaches
vomiting
achy
bright lights hurt her eyes
lethargic

She missed classes on Friday.  Sleeps most of the day.

It's the flu.  Gotta sleep it off.  Try to keep Advil down.  It should pass soon.  Rachel's roommate is attentive and checks on Rachel between classes.

Hours pass.

Friday night comes and Rachel isn't improving

Headaches persist.  Lethargic.  Achy joints.

Man, this is a bad case of the flu.

Maybe a good night sleep will get rid of this once and for all.

Rachel and her roommate go to bed.  During the night, the bacterial meningitis worsened by the minute in Rachel's beautiful body.  By 6am the following morning, Amber awoke to Rachel having a grand mal seizure.

911 was called and Rachel was brought in to the hospital.

Rachel never opened her beautiful eyes again.

In the hospital on the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, I saw our Rachel attched to life support, with more IV bags and beeping monitors than I knew possible.  I watched in grief as my precious friend Tammy stroked her daughter's hair, and kiss her hand.  Amid Tammy's wailing of tears, she'd laugh at Rachel's choice of fingernail polish, or comment on how much all this touching and petting would have made Rachel crazy.  Tammy wanted one last chance to lie in bed next to her daughter and so we arranged it..

asking the nurses to move Rachel to one side of the bed, so Tammy could snuggle with "her baby girl" one final time. 

While laying by Rachel's side, Tammy pushed her face up against Rachel's and breathed in every last scent she could.  She kissed her ear, her cheek, her forehead, and sang to her daughter one final lullaby.. 

"Oh do you know the muffin man?"

She pressed her hand to Rachel's heart and cried, "I don't want it to ever stop beating."

Although I know this depth of grief is possible, I never thought I'd see it in my lifetime. 

Not like this..

Not with someone as healthy at Rachel.

Not this fast.

How could this nightmare be happening?

On Monday afternoon, we were all told that we had one last chance to kiss Rachel goodbye.  One by one, we left Rachel's bedside, comforting each other as the doors closed behind us.  Tammy and Joel remained alone the room with their daughter.  This was their time for a final goodbye.

The pain in their hearts was an unparalleled, unbearable pain.  I have no doubt.  Silence fills the space between all of us waiting outside ICU Unit.

Minutes pass.

Quietly, the doors to the Peds ICU Unit open wide.  Rachel was being wheeled down to surgery by the special team from the Organ Donor Program.  Tammy and Joel walked at the front of the bed, escorting Rachel as far as they could, until they could be with her no longer.   The "team," along with Tammy and Joel entered into the elevator and were gone.  Seven anxious people across the country had been notified and were awaiting their chance at new life, thanks to Rachel Futterman. 


And now...

She was gone..

If there's any good that comes from Rachel's death, it'd be this.. 

Get your kids vaccinate with Menactra.  College kids are at a much higher risk of contracting meningitis than younger children, although younger kids can develop bacterial meningitis as well.

Rachel died of Neisseria, one of the strains of bacterial meningitis that would have been covered by Menactra.  Just today, my 14 year old received his Menactra vaccine.

Log on to one of the many meningitis websites.  LEARN of the signs and symptoms of meningitis.  Knowledge is power.


My kids call me Debbie Downer, for I'm always alerting them to health issues, potentil weather alerts, or safety precautions. I don't care.  I'll burden them with any information I can if it saves their lives, or someone elses.  And there's always the chance that my words are falling on deaf ears.  Who knows.  I'll keep talking.

Another young Maryland college student died from this very same bacterial infection.  He died on Tuesday, the 25th, the day of Rachel's funeral.  All of us CM "sisters" that were holding vigil by Rachel's bedside were confident that our kids had received the Menactra vaccine.  2 of us were surpsied to learn that we were wrong.  Our college kids, living in dorms had not been vacinated.

There are so many issues and events that are out of our control when it comes to our kids, especially our college kids.  But this is an issue you can control. Ask your friends if their kids have been vaccinated.  Make sure your kids are vaccinated.  My oldest 2 college kids received the vaccine called mennimune and it only has a 3 - 5 year window of coverage.  You can bet they'll be getting Menactra in the very near future.  My Bobby Jerome just received his Menactra yesterday.

To you Rachel Futterman, I shall always remember you.  You were full of life and passion, energy and spunk.  It was a gift to have known you.  A part of you will live with me forever.

And to my precious friends Tammy and Joel, your daughter's death will not be in vain.  I promise. Know I love you both.   Barbara

An Incredible Loss for Me and the World

This woman had a profound effect on my life.  She died of a stroke on September 10, 2007 at age 64.

So, during my recent shopping trip to the Mall, I stopped in The Body Shop to pick up some shower gel for Gary.  That man is so allergic to everything that I only buy him organic soap.  Plus, I wanted to see what yummy fall scents they had.  You see, I love The Body Shop and this beautiful woman started it all.

When I lived in London in 1990, The Body Shop was the HOTTEST store.  It had started a few years earlier and, like our Starbucks, there was one on every corner.  It was a "new" (to me anyway) concept.  Everything they sold was organic and environmentally friendly.  It had principles.  No animal testing!  Trade not Aid!  It promised natural beauty.  I loved it.  It was an ethical and responsible corporation that was making HUGE profits.

Finally, I knew what I was going to do with my degree in English.  I was going to bring The Body Shop to the United States OR I was going to start something very similar to it.  I knew I was meant to be a business owner.  I started learning everything I could about this amazing woman, Anita Roddick and her company.

When I returned to the States, I learned that The Body Shop was ready to hop the pond and take on America.  I could open my own franchise for $250,000!  $250K!!!!  Since my father was more interested in telecommunications than bath products, I would not be getting a start from him.  It became clear that The Body Shop would prosper and proliferate without me.

Even though I was only a Body Shop lover and not an owner, I still idolized Anita Roddick.  When she came to speak at Rollins College (twice) I was in the front row.  She was such a perfect example of how one person can make a difference.  Her multi-billion dollar corporation showed everyone that a business can be both responsible, ethical and make a huge profit.  I mean, how many corporate websites have a "values and campaigns" section? 

Here is a quote from it - "We believe that business can and should make a positive impact on the world. Everyone has the right to earn a fair wage, women should have the right to feel fabulous, endangered species should be protected and no animal should be tested on. These are our values, our DNA, and what we campaign tirelessly for.  To us, there is no other way to work.  After all, when you believe in what you do, you do it better."

This woman stuck to her guns. She told you exactly what she stood for and then followed it.  I remember that every time I shop at the Body Shop.

She passed away when I wasn't paying attention.  I had just returned from Las Vegas and I was hit full on with school and football.  I didn't care about anything but what was going on in my own little world.  I was buying this, this, this and this when I saw her obituary.

Sometimes, I feel a little guilty about her.  I find her so inspirational, yet I couldn't find a way to pull together the cash to take part in something that she started from nothing.  She inspires me, but she changed the traditional business model and I have done nothing on that level.

But Anita, here is my promise to you.  I may never be given an honorary title for my humanitarian works, but I will make a difference in my own small way.  I have no doubt that one day I will be a business owner.  I will be a responsible and ethical business owner.  I will treat my employees with respect, offer family friendly benefits and pay at least a living wage.  I will purchase from vendors with the same beliefs.  I will reduce and recycle at every opportunity.  I will give back to my community and support human rights.  I will support other businesses that also do this. If I feel I can't afford to honor these principles, than I can't afford to be in business.

Maybe, Anita, my contribution to the world will be my three sons.  I promise to raise them with these principles.  I will teach them to love all and serve all.  I will teach them that with great power comes great responsibility.  If they live with integrity, they will be rich beyond their wildest dreams.  Maybe I wasn't meant to own a store, after all, YOU already did that.  Perhaps I was meant to give the world three more people like you.  Three men that can make a difference and change the world.  Then, I guess, I will have changed the world, too.

Thank you, thank you, Dame Anita.  I miss you and cry only because we will never know what you would have done next.

Finding Fall in Florida

So the new Fall stuff has been out since the end of August, but I have not indulged.  Even though, for some reason, this year I have been really excited for Fall to arrive.  Usually, I am not that happy about it because it is the start of a very busy season and the preamble to the most hated season - Winter.  Remember, there are two things I hate (and I don't even like the word hate) Texas and January.  But I digress.

Since it never makes it below 90 degrees in September in Florida, I refuse to think of September as Fall.  I think of September as Back to School and, of course, my birthday.  I made a pact with myself that I would not buy anything "Fall" until October.  This includes my favorite Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks.

But today is October 1st, sweetheart, and I went fall shopping!

I went to Bath and Body Works and bought it all (or it just seems like it).  I bought my favorite shower gel and lotion.  Then I got this really cute tea light candle holder that came with a detachable scented oil difuser (not shown).  What scented oil did I get?  Pumpkin of course!  The neat thing about the detachable scented oil difuser is that is will fit any of their tea light candle holders.  So, don't you know, around Chrismas, I will be picking up some Christmas Tree candle holders and scented oils.

Then, I had to get the cute Halloween stuff.  The boys have been driving me crazy to put up the decorations.  So, in the name of Emily having diarreha, I bought this.  Now my house will smell like creamy caramel dog poop.  Also, for decoration and to get them to was their hands, I bought these anti-bacterial soap dispensers.  They were 2 for $10 so I got this one and this one.

I couldn't stop at just one place.  I had to have the new OPI Russian collection nail polish in Russian Navy.  At the store, they also had this collection of 4 mini bottles.  It has St. Petersburgundy, Kreme de la Kremlin and Suzi Says Da! plus a rapid dry top coat in it.  Too bad I only paint my toe nails and it is time for closed toe shoes!

And my final purchase, a tall Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks (kinda wishin' I didn't see that calorie count).

Oh yeah, the only reason for my trip to the Mall?  To get my niece, Laura, a birthday present since her birthday was last week!