Better Together

Why do we think we have to do everything by ourselves? Somewhere in our culture of independence and self-sufficiency, somebody goofed. These are excellent virtues, yes... but they can be taken to the extreme.

The past few weeks a group of women I am part of have been participating in a fun activity. On Sunday we draw one of the other women's names and then we do something to help her that following week. I've been so surprised when I ask what I can do to help and the answer I get is, "I'm fine."

Really? Cause if you were perfectly fine then you wouldn't have anything left to do here on planet Earth.

So... I did something anyway... for each of them... unbidden. I'm such a rebel.

But it gave me pause. Why do we have such a hard time asking for help? Is it because we don't dare admit that we can't do it ALL? Heaven forbid!

I think we forgot that we are MEANT to help each other. We are MEANT to work together. We are MEANT to learn from each other. Besides, it's more efficient, more fulfilling, and more FUN.

Another friend and I have made it a regular habit to get together and help each other. I'll go to her house and do her dishes while I put my laundry in her washer (I don't have one!) and we'll talk and work and come up with great ideas for the world's problems... or at least our own.

It reminds me of days when women did their wash together at the stream. Or sewed a quilt for a young bride. Or sat out on someone's lawn during the long evenings of summer while the kids played together.

We were MEANT to work, play, laugh, cry, BE TOGETHER.

Stop saying, "I'm fine." Start saying, "Let's wash our cars together."

Just a thought.

Lucky

My daughter's high school show opened this weekend. They are doing, "Lucky Stiff" a little known musical comedy.

My daughter is Dominique, the French Lounge Singer. She can pull off an amazing French accent!

I feel lucky that my family enjoys the performing arts so much. I feel lucky that my life is filled with singing and dancing.

I'm feeling pretty lucky!

Showering Books

Lots of good stories showered down on my imagination this April. Here they are:

1. The Glassmaker's Daughter - Fantastic story! I love the setting - sort of like Venice but better (if you can imagine that). I also love how the main character is devastated when her life doesn't turn out the way she thinks it's supposed to... and then it turns out even better.

2. Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell - The same author who wrote The Tipping Point comes up with a brilliant look at what made "successful" people a success. It's a fascinating look at sociology and pure luck.

3. Artichoke's Heart - Suzanne Supplee - A sweet story about an overweight high school girl that is both realistic and hopeful at the same time.

4. Princess Ben - Catherine Murdock - Imagine... Fairy Tale Princess meets Harry Potter. This is a fun story that has little nods to many of the famous fairy tales all cleverly woven into a magical storyline.

5. Kung Fu Princess: Daughter of Light - This is book #1 and it left me hanging! Got to find book #2! It's a fun adventure/mystery with a young woman who finds out she's got a warrior's job to do.

6. So Yesterday - Scott Westerfield - If you LOVE the other social commentary novels by Westerfield (Uglies, Pretties...) then you will love this one too. It's a fantastic look at our commercially driven world. It will make you stop and think about why you bought the last thing you bought.

7. Believing Christ & Following Christ - Stephen Robinson - If you haven't read these books yet, go get them now. Yes, right now. They will change your life. They have totally changed the way I think about myself (in a much better way!)

All for now!

Patchwork

Well, I'm one week into another job. I'm now working part time flex hours at the Museum of Quilts & Textiles. So far I'm really enjoying working for this artsy organization.

I've always loved quilts. I've made a few over the course of my life - my favorite being a rainbow log cabin quilt I did the top of in college (and have yet to back it!)

I like the idea of taking little tiny pieces of fabric that don't look like much by themselves and by combining them with other pieces of fabric creating a beautiful work of art that you can also snuggle under!

My work life is sort of like a patchwork quilt these days. A bit of work at the museum. A bit of work teaching music & dance to preschoolers. A bit of writing. A bit of office work for a consultant. Put it all together and I have a means of income that takes care of my family and still allows me to take care of my family too.

Fresh and New

Change can be very good.

The change in my bedroom is very good!


As fresh and new as the spring I love, this green bed set just called my name. Add new pictures to the wall (another Jack Vettriano over my bed) and I've got a new sanctuary.

Thank you to the marvelous people who assisted in the new decor with birthday presents!

Tradition

I've always loved these first lines from the musical, "Fiddler on the Roof":

"A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here in our little village of Anatevka, you might say that every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask, 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!"

(Is the song in your head now?)

Over the years, my children and I have made many traditions. Some of them we came up with ourselves. Some of them have been handed down for many generations. Each one has a special meaning for us and some events and holidays just wouldn't be the same without them. I think Tevye had it right. Traditions bring balance to our lives.

This Easter weekend we've celebrated with several traditions. Here are a few pictures of our favorites.

My son informed me a few days ago that we did NOT make the bunny cake last year for Easter and that it was imperative that we DID make the bunny cake this year. I hadn't realized this was a tradition, but apparently it is. We've made this cake on and off for the past 10 years. My son wanted to decorate the bunny's face this year. As you can see, it is a Harry Potter bunny.

We, like many families, love to color Easter eggs. Someone usually makes a rainbow egg. Someone usually tries to make a brown egg. All of the eggs are full of creativity. Anything involving creativity and color is bound to be an important tradition in this family!

This last tradition goes back many generations. My grandfather's family was from Russia and made the amazingly delicious traditional Easter bread (Kulich) flavored with saffron and lemon. It's extra special making this bread. I feel ties connecting me with family every time I make it. It reminds me of who I am and where I come from. It provides perspective and balance in my life.

"Without our traditions, our lives would be... as shaky as a fiddler on the roof!"

Back to Books

So... the first three months of the year have already flown by. For much of that time I've been on something of a hero's journey with my health. Although I don't recommend getting sick in order to have more time to read... I definitely enjoyed all the books I've been in the last few months. Thank goodness for good books. What else does a person do when they can't sleep at 2 am? Here's the list:

1. Cleopatra's Daughter - Michelle Moran - A fascinating historical fiction. Well researched (and fun if you've been to Rome... I haven't yet!) this story follows Cleopatra's children to Italy after her death.

2. Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians - Brandon Sanderson - Recommended by my brother Ken... so no surprise it was a riot! Alcatraz is the name of the young hero and he finds himself learning that the world as he knows it is actually just the version that the powerful Librarians want the people to know. Oh, and his superpower is that he breaks things. Really.

3. Suite Scarlett - Maureen Johnson - A fun, fast read about a young woman, her family who owns a boutique hotel in New York, and a crazy summer adventure.

4. Two Old Women - Velma Wallace - This was my book club's choice for March. It's based on an Alaskan legend about two old women who are abandoned by their eskimo tribe during a harsh winter. They find their "moxy" and manage to survive and thrive.

5. Dragon Flight - Jessica Day George - This is the second book to "Dragon Slippers" and I liked it as well as the first one. It's a fun, typical heroine-and-her-dragons story.

6. The Princess Plot - Kirsten Boie - A clever twist on the prince and the pauper story where a girl thinks she's just been chosen to play the part of a princess in a movie. She ends up in a plot just as crazy as a movie, only it's real.

(Note: I fell in love with two series... here are the books...)

7. Midnighters: The Secret Hour - Scott Westerfield - This series is by the same author as the "Uglies" series and it's just as captivating. The premise is that people who were born at midnight can see an extra hour in the day that happens at midnight every night. Each midnighter has a "power" that of course, they have to use to save the town from the dark creatures that live in that extra hour.

8. Midnighters: Touching Darkness - Book 2

9. Midnighters: Blue Noon - Book 3

10. The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner - I absolutely love this series! The first book actually won a Newberry Honor Award and I can see why. The story takes place in a fictional place that sort of resembles the Greek Isles. It follows the story of a young thief and his adventures through the three warring countries in his homeland. The characters are superb and the storyline will keep you guessing what is going to happen!

11. The Queen of Attolia - Book 2

12. The King of Attolia - Book 3

I'm always looking for more good book recommendations... if you have any, please leave a comment!