So much for the weekly update.

Obviously, I can't be relied upon to post once a week.

That said, I haven't been idle. It's spring here at Ellsworth Manor and the carnage has begun. So far i have a 50% save rate on baby rabbits. The tomatoes are blooming and the weeds are thick and lush.

Youngblood graduates next week and my five month laissez faire attitude with his room and the contents thereof is biting me in the ass as we speak.

The management company we hired to manage the property can't keep books and three years into this house, the shoddy is showing.

I still find comfort in knowing that Mom got home, it offsets the horror of wondering if her meds killed her.

Family reunion is coming up. So many have passed this year. Wondering how the dynamics of the event will change, and how the dynamics of the event will change us.

Well, there you go. You're all caught up with me. What's going on with you?

Are you on Facebook or MySpace? Please join my friends list.

Life Goes On.

If you follow along, you know that the last month has been difficult, if only from a purely logistic standpoint. Trips and memorial services, weddings, ordinary life and a big committment I made when I was feeling particularly optimistic and celebratory.

The stress has left me with a need for a significant amount of drool time just to get through the day.

Time to revisit the Principles of Attraction developed by Thomas Leonard.

As you look them over, pick a couple that appeal to you. Play with them, and if you want to know more, let me know.

The saga continues

Whew. It's been eight months since the house fire. We're still in our temporary home. The burned house hasn't been worked on in almost six weeks, unless you count some guy with a weed eater cutting the grass in mid August.

Other than that, my wardrobe is coming along nicely. Problem is I keep changing shape. Hmmm. Accessorize!!

This projects I'm working on and the folks I'm hanging (and lurking) out with are turning out to be a "defining moment" Dr. Phil has spoken so eloquently about.

Difference is, I know it. And I like it. Can't wait to see who I'll turn out to be this time.

I'm smilin', my eyes are sparkling. Woo Hoo!!

Tomorrow we're ordering the kitchen!

Queasy still

The kitchen needs to be ordered. Everytime I look at the plans my stomach knots up and I feel like I want to cry. Think I don't like it? Yeah.

That queasy feeling

Work has stopped on the house. It's half demolished, stuff is still in it. The contractor and the insurance guy are making me nervous. Have a meeting today. Wish me luck.
here are a few pictures. I'm trying flickr

Back to Real Life

Got a phone that actually works after several tries. What a joy. Just my opinion but Circuit City's Verge isn't worth the bargain basement price. I (am not technically challenged by any means) couldn't figure out how to hang up after completing a call. The sound quality was painful to listen to and no one recognized my voice.

Got a Panasonic. Love it.

Grace and gratitude.

It's been a month today.

A surreal, odd month. From homeless - only for a few hours while Man, woman, boy, dog and two cats were all piled into the station wagon with a bag of groceries and a cell phone - to here, the home place of one of our neighbors three blocks from Elwood.

The journey has been a test of (and testament to) my last four years of coach training. Knowing that how I think about this, the words I use, the actions I choose are important, have kept me focused and grateful.

I know what grace is, first hand. It humbles me.

Phase II...Gypsy no more.

We're moving into our home for the next few months this morning. No more commuting. Can you hear that sound? It's RAM space being freed!

My great neighbors.

As I leaned against my car watching the house burn, people started to gather.

The morning of the fire it was cold in the house. School was out because of the weather. I had dressed in layers and put a big terry robe over everything. I had on socks, but no shoes.

Virginia took in my son, keeping him warm and safe. Someone, I still don't know who, brought me a pair of shoes. Eva brought me a coat, a box of tissues and some chapstick.

A TV reporter offered her cell phone and to call the Red Cross. Susan took me directly to the insurance office and then to the bank.

I felt blessed, and grateful.

Purge by Fire

About noon, January 20, I had come downstairs to check my email and wake up my sleeping son. I heard a noise upstairs. Something crashing. My first thought was, bad dog. But there he was looking toward the noise too. Intruder?

As I started through the utility room, I saw blue smoke curling around the fluorescent lights. Damn it. What's broken now?
Halfway up the steps I saw black. Black like I've never seen. It had an energy, it seemed alive and threatening. I started up and felt the heat ... Heard the roar and bam ... Adrenaline is a wonderful thing.
I grabbed the portable phone and called 911, waked Ben, grabbed the fire extinguisher. By then (about 60 seconds later) the black cloud was moving down the steps. I shot the fire extinguisher once and realize this was futile.

Grab the costumes, find my keys, get the dog. Call Babe the cat ... Babe. I couldn't find Babe.

The firemen arrived. Get out of there...Put the dog on a lead, move the car....

The windows blew out. Find the cat...He's blind... I left. Put the dog in the car....Moved the car...Moved the car again....Find Ben.

Ben. OK. Lovely in purple surfer shorts with silver lightening bolts, a tee shirt and his sleeping bag. But safe.

Watch life as I knew it go up in smoke. Watch my list of someday projects come tumbling onto the lawn in a sooty smoking heap. Stay present. Stay in the moment. Know that this too is perfect.

Big Changes for us

Change begins with an ending. Change ends with a new beginning.

January 28, 2005

Dear Friends and Family,

As you may have heard, our house burned last week as a result of an electrical panel short. (WAVY chopper photo here) It was fast, destructive and shocking. My son and I were at home at the time, therefore we were able to call 911 and an amazingly short time later, the Norfolk fire department was there. They stopped the fire as it was entering the first floor, protected my books and furniture with plastic and were diligent into the night making sure that the fire did not rekindle.

Our insurance coverage is very good and the company representatives have been wonderful. We're warm and safe in a suite type motel and we'll be moving into a temporary home next week just blocks from our house. So, a little inconvenience now, but in the end, we'll be in a completely rebuilt house, redesigned just for us.

I feel so blessed to have so many people in my life who have made so many warm and generous offers to help. I will be forever grateful to them for their support when the going got tough and for their thoughts and prayers. They were heard and felt by us all.

Next week, I'll be resuming my coaching practice, my husband is back to work and normal life will resume. I'm looking forward to that!

So dear friends, check your policy...if you don't have good coverage, I can't suggest strongly enough that you upgrade to the max. I hope you'll never need to know how much peace of mind you'll receive knowing that everything's going to be just fine.

All the best,

Donna

Donna Dickerson
Life Stylist