File this under: How To Apologize.

Had a 15 minute skype session with my sister and two former neighbors that visited her.
Our friendship was bound by Santol.
We had two Santol trees on both sides of our house.

Just typing that sentence made my mouth both salivate and pucker. Weird.
Rudy, the guy on the right once got hit on the eye with a Santol that was picked and tossed down by Joel, the guy on the left.
I remember Rudy crying, and Joel asking: "Why did you not catch it?"
We were young, and clearly had not yet learned the art of a proper apology.
I am still learning.

Gave Up Facebook for Forty Days But Replaced it With Chocolate

I heard this song yesterday on Pandora and it reminded me of our two friends CK and C who are getting married soon.
There are different videos and covers of it.
I immediately sent CK a link to
a version by Kathy Mattea
The version that I like the most is sung by Kate Wolf--but whoever posted it, set it to a clip from  Battlestar Galactica. (!!!) (which would explain why I did not send that one to CK)
Give Yourself To Love by Kate Wolf
The woman in that Battlestar Galactica clip looks like my childhood best friend Elaine Henson.

Today is Elaine's birthday. The peculiar thing is, even if I am mentally over the fact that Elaine is gone, my physical state argues differently.
Every single year that her birthday rolls in,  my body kicks into sad mode.
So today I fight it with chocolate.
Lots of it.
I am winning, although I am smiling with chocolate stuck in between my teeth.
Kate Wolf was a folk singer whose death anniversary is December 10th.
December 10th is also the date that Elaine was removed from life support. I'm thinking that I should play these numbers...

CLICK ON THOSE LINKS!
I literally bumped into this song and loved it.
I hope you do too.

"love is born in fire, it's planted like a seed,
love can't give you everything, but it gives you what you need.
And love comes when you're ready, love comes when you're afraid;
It'll be your greatest teacher, the best friend you have made."
~Kate Wolf

Happy Birthday Elaine, I miss you.

I Rarely Write Here On Weekends, But A MUST SHARE, is a must share.

Thanks Panjee.



On a rather uneventful Saturday-

No games to rush to.
No party to attend.
No one to visit.
No one (as of this writing) coming over-- I watched this video and was given the revelation that today is an unexpected gift.

Be Well.

Yesterday's Ball Juggling

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. They are Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air.
You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball.
If you drop it, it will bounce back.
But the other four balls - Family, Health, Friends and Spirit - are made of glass.
If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same.
You must understand that and strive for it.
Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time.
Give the required time to your family, friends and have proper rest.
Value has a value only if its value is valued."  
- Coca Cola CEO (The full speech here)

I had a few balls in the air.

Our car is being repaired.
So I had no ride.
Had to take the girls to their dental appointments.
So we walked.
Our house had an electrical problem.

I struggled to keep my mouth shut while Steve tinkered with electricity.

In the process of restoring power to the one side of our house, he was side-tracked by a little shock therapy.

So I called an electrician.

There are a few people in life that you do not want to hear utter words,

"This is not good."

1. Your doctor

2. Your spouse

3. A repairman

I happen to be exchanging texts with my friend Michelle when the electrician said those ominous words to me yesterday.

I told her that I was concentrating on remaining positive.

Her reply:

Everything can be fixed.

Maybe you need a more positive electrician.

Michelle was right, as the problem was repaired shortly before the children got off their school bus.
We survived our chilly walk to the dentist.
I declined an early dinner invitation to a friend's house (even if it was within walking distance) and opted for a quiet and peaceful evening at home.
We were winding down after dinner when I picked up my phone and saw a message:
Haloo. Getting hungry. Will wait till 7 then get myself some dinner.
And then I screeched.
That message was from an out-of-town friend who was in town, downtown and whom I had promised to meet up with for dinner.
I forgot.
And I can't even make it up to him because he is in meetings all day today before his flight back home.
Plus, I still don't have a car.
And, the girls have a half-day today and will be home soon.
And it is raining.

As I juggled life's balls yesterday,  I dropped a glass ball.
Luckily my friend Benj is not just any glass ball--but more like Coke bottle glass.
The type that can roll and can be easily righted.
Benj, thanks for being a valued friend.

But What If You have Two Sisters that were born on Valentine's Day?

Then you know that they are getting inundated with lots of messages and so you have to get creative with your greeting.

Dear Karen,
When I read the hundreds of messages and birthday postings on your Facebook page from friends that span a lifetime, I ponder about you and your amazing qualities:
1. You give what you get.
-you've always taken care of relationships.  You care about everybody.
Everybody, cares about you.
2.  You are a magnet.
-you attract people with your quirky grumpy love that you infuse with your entertaining antics.
People are drawn to you.
3. You are a connecter.
-not only do you relate to various people on different levels but your ability to bring them together and bind them with the most simple of things like pingpong playing, bicycle riding, lambanog drinking and eating the most simple turo-turo food that you won't cook, creates a pull towards you that defies gravity.

If this were your eulogy, I would write about your challenges and your victories.
I would include how much I admire the mother that you are, and I might even throw in a snippet about the best sister that you've been.  But, thank God it's just your birthday and that I have more time to observe, experience and share the beauty of you.

Dear Charissa
Everything Karen learned, she learned from you.
Maybe she did not quite learn any of your culinary skills nor did she pick up your gardening talent--and lambanoging is all hers but YOU set the mold for being caring, magnetic and kind--and you certainly planted various seeds of nuts in her garden called life.
For this I thank you.

For 2012 Valentine's Day/Two Sisters' Birthdays I am posting a clip from a 1969 Film called 'Goodbye Mr. Chips' starring Petula Clark.
Although Karen and Charissa do not have similar personalities,  I could see both of them in the role of Petula Clark singing: "Fill The World With Love."


Fill the World With Love Lyrics:
In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise.
At the moment in my life when the world is new.
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me, 
To be brave, and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.


(chorus)
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.


In the noontime of my life I shall look to the sunshine
At the moment in my life when the sky is blue.
And the blessing I shall ask shall remain unchanging,
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.
(chorus)


In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset,
At a moment in my life when the night is due.
And the question I shall ask only I can answer:
Was I brave and strong and true?
Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To my two sisters who celebrate their birthdays on the same day the world celebrates love,
your answer is yes.
Happy Birthday and I love you.