Sunny Daze

The weather is beautiful today. It is unbelievable what a difference the sun can make in a person's attitude. It seems that when you bask in the sun you just have a more positive attitude and you feel more energetic and renewed. That warm sun touching your skin makes you feel somehow safe and at ease deep into your bones. We all know the sun can clear up skin problems. Of course over doing it can cause some totally different "skin" problems. As my friend Susan Neva says, everything in life is about moderation. Dr. Porman told me that 20 minutes in the sun each day would give me most of the Vitamin D that my body needs and since then I have heard Dr. Oz and many others say the same thing. It is like our bodies soak up the power of the sun and turns it into power for us. Another one of God's miracles. There is scientific proof to all this, of course, but I'm just talking about cause and effect in terms of feelings. There is nothing like the feeling of the sun on my face to start me on a great day!

"A Rose By Any Other Name........."

Yesterday I wrote about the raw food cooking class I took on Saturday. I was saving the best part for last. I sat next to a friendly young lady who probably thought I was a grouchy old hag. By the time I arrived I was literally tired.

To get to the class I took the 60-the 101- the 202 and finally the 51. It brought back the memory of the time we took the kids to Disneyland and I was driving but I told my husband to let me know before we got to the Anaheim exit and I would pull over and let him drive. He had lived in California much longer than I ever had and I never drove the freeways. For years I lived in Mesa and even Apache Junction and when I worked at Camelback and 47th, I took the back roads all the way. He never made a peep and here I was in LA in the middle of the wonderful California freeway system. Thought I would have a heart attack. Well, it wasn't actually that bad. I just stress when I have to change from one freeway to the next. It actually went fairly well because Tonya has a GPS and it took me there very efficiently. But I was still a little stressed and in my own space. When Terra introduced herself I just said hello and gave her my name. Hopefully I wasn't too short and didn't seem too unfriendly. For years I dealt with the public and I can converse with just about anyone. This takes a knack and I think because of years of doing it, sometimes now I have to be in the right place to follow through.

You would assume that most of the people in a class like this are dealing with cancer. Not many chose to share, maybe they had long trips also. Toward the end of the class I asked Terra why she was taking the class. She shared that she had a hectic job and life and wasn't feeling as great as she knew she could be (my words not her exact-you know my memory). She had been looking at going raw vegan for some time and had made the commitment to go raw for 365 days. She started her journey on January 1, 2010. Before I left she shared her blog address with me.

I was intrigued why a vibrant young lady would be wise enough to choose this life style and it takes the threat of death to wake most people up. Of course, I am referring to the older, "wiser" generations. Actually the threat of death probably only wakes up a small percent of people (yes, this includes me). On Sunday I sat and read each of Terra Rose's blogs. I was quite entertained. They were funny, poignant, open and honest. I concluded that the best part of the cooking class had been meeting this lovely young lady and hearing her story.
I feel blessed that God brought this into my life.

First Born

It's 1:37PM on the east coast. In about one hour it will be 39 years ago today that my first child was born. Tonya Marie Williams came into this world on December 7, 1970 at 2:39PM at the Havre de Grace Memorial Hospital in Havre de Grace, Maryland. She weighed in at 8lbs. 9 1/2oz. and was 19" long. Just like in my favorite movie, Gone With The Wind, I "didn't know nothin' 'bout birthin' no babies!" The nurse asked about water breaking and I had no idea what she was talking about (partly because it didn't break). She wanted to know if my mother had told me anything about having babies and what to expect. She looked at me like I was crazy when I told her my mother never had a baby. She stormed off muttering something about babies having babies. This comment confused me as I was 19 years old and I'm pretty sure I knew everything. Who was she calling a baby.

Tonya was born with blue eyes and blond hair. The eyes confused me and the doctor explained that most babies are born with blue eyes and they change later. Boy, I was learning something new each hour. Nothing like learning as you go. But then experience is the best teacher.

This baby had the prettiest dimples and the fattest little cheeks. You know, Grandma (or old aunt) pinching cheeks. My friend Willma called her chipmunk cheeks. She thought this was very funny (sorry that this comes out after all these years). I knew she meant it fondly but...as a new mother, I can guarantee you that I found no humor in it. New mothers (especially first time mothers) are very protective of their young...you know, like a lioness with her cub. The claws can come out at the first sign you're going where you have no business. Of course I was a domesticated animal so I was civilized and I'm sure I laughed along. I have a friend (Sandy) from Texas who always said "Liz, you wouldn't say s_ _ t if you had a mouth full"!

Wasn't this the most beautiful, perfect baby ever born? Of course she was. Just ask me and I would have told you this. She was a good child and only slightly multiplied her mothers OCD. Everyone always said Tonya was the most like me of my three children. If she is your friend, nobody would stick with you through thick and thin like she would. By five she was fashion conscience and the best bargain shopper you would ever meet. I made a lot of her clothes and at a young age she had the artistic touch. She liked to pick patterns and match fabrics etc. Tonya is a person with great integrity , grace and beauty. I am very proud of her.

Oh, and I have to add that she has this wonderful husband who actually bought her birthday presents and even wrapped them himself (of course she deserves a man like this). I must say though that I was very impressed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TONYA

For her brother, Chris and sister, Jessica, don't laugh too hard about "chipmunk cheeks". You will both have birthdays before Tonya has another one and I have "stories" for each of you.

Just like my friend Rosemary tells her children, you are each my favorite.