Wisdom from SIMPLE ABUNDANCE

... courtesy of Sarah Ban Breathnach, one of the most inspiring writers I have had the pleasure to enjoy thru the years. I've said it before, but if you don't yet "know" SIMPLE ABUNDANCE: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy -- you owe it to yourself.

So - here it is -

THE PLIE OF PLEASURE

"What is your hobby? Every woman ought to have some pet interest in life, outside of the everyday routine which composes her regular occupations. What is yours"? -- The Mother's Magazine, January 1915

Isn't that wonderful? So validating for us who like having hobbies. Interests. Things "outside of the everyday routine".

Beyond that quote, above, Breathnach goes on (in this entry, July 28 if you want to look it up in your book) to say this:

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all time this expression is unique", modern dancer Martha Graham advises us. "And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost."

And she says this:

"Where are you blocked? A hobby is a wonderful way to start freeing ourselves creatively. That's because no one expects us to be perfect at a hobby. {I love that !!! That statement in itself is VERY freeing, giving me permission to try - and maybe fail - to NOT be perfect} Hobbies allow us to experiment, to dabble with the paint, the poem, the pot, the plie. When ballet dancers speak of doing plies, they mean bending their knees. Doing plies at the beginning of rehearsal warms up the leg muscles before the dance begins. PURSUING A HOBBY WARMS UP OUR TALENTS AND ILLUMINATES OUR NATURAL INCLINATIONS. We get to try on imaginary lives and see how they fit."

Fabulous stuff.

I can't wait to have my postponed tasks ALL CAUGHT UP {post Dad's big party} so that I can begin my plies :-) ... practicing my hobbies ... with a free conscience. So - back to HOME AS MY HOBBY, as our life here on the Lane returns to 'normal'.

-- D {and NO, that's not a photo of me ... in my youth ... but it COULD be}

The Last Day of September 2008

The Day After ... YESTERDAY

Well, Dad's surprise birthday party, celebrating his 88th birthday, was a whole lot of fun. YES, he was surprised. YES, he enjoyed seeing everyone together. and YES, he loves his Scrapbook of Memories! All in all, thanks to this amazing, ENTIRE family (including those who contributed to the book but could not join us for the party), FRANK HAD THE PARTY OF HIS LIFETIME.

One GROUP photo is here, for your viewing pleasure ... and maybe confusion! We are a big bunch, and because we can't line up nice & orderly like other families, I can't begin to ID this for you. Just ... ENJOY !!!

Sneak PEEK at Frank's "Memory" Book

Okay, to all who have said they're looking forward to seeing Frank's MEMORY BOOK ... here are a few snapshots of some of the pages (above).

Pam, Tom, and Barbara -- these are especially for YOU. We will miss you ALL today at the party ... IF YOU CLICK ON THE PHOTO(s), they will open up larger so you can get a good look.

Tom and Barbara - I don't know why the blog system uploaded yours SIDEWAYS, but I hope you can get an idea of how your pages turned out!

Love you all --

Davi , DAY OF THE PARTY

HEART Afloat

My heart is so full ... this afternoon.

Both my daughters have been here all day, working tirelessly and creatively on the scrapbook for their grandfather ...

And now, my "grand", Kaia, is also here, cheering them along.

The end ... completion of the project ... is now in sight, and we couldn't be more pleased with the way this gift of love & remembrance for Dad is turning out. We hope that he is as touched with the viewing of it, as we have been with the reading of everyone's contributions, and we expect that he will be as moved by the photos - old and new - that everyone has provided.

THIS truly is - a labor of love, by all in the family.

We can only say ... "thank you", with our hearts full of gratitude.

-- D.

Ummm, am I crazy here ???

If any of you have been reading my BLOG, you know that for this entire week, I've been working with my daughters (and a few of my cousins) to put together a SCRAPBOOK for my Dad, Frank -- to celebrate his 88th birthday. The party is THIS WEEKEND, so time is running out. But the good news: the scrapbook is coming along beautifully.

So tonight, after reviewing how far it's come and just how incredible it is, I said to my husband:

"You know, it's so remarkable that we've been able to gather & put together VINTAGE PHOTOS as well as more recent photos -- from ALL of my Dad's siblings". (my dad is one of seven children, and all but one of his siblings - are already deceased)

Okay, everyone out there - consider what that means. Wait, some backstory first.

My father was the YOUNGEST of those 7 siblings. My father married my mother later in life, and so was already 38 when I was born -- making me by far, by decades mostly, the YOUNGEST of that generation -- MY generation -- so my cousins are not really that "connected" to me ... besides other bizarre family dynamics, the age difference pretty much left me not just an ONLY CHILD, but the only child of my generation to NOT enjoy the experience of "knowing" my cousins -- other than very peripherally.

BUT being Italian, and putting FAMILY FIRST - especially as we have aged - makes all the difference in the world. Consider that I DID have a relationship with my aunties and my uncle, but NOT with their children. So now that "baby" Davielle is putting together a book for her father, the "baby" of THAT generation, I have called upon all the cousins -- for help.

THEY HAVE RALLIED. It's incredible!

So - back to my comment to my husband tonight. (in bold, above). I explained that it's been a concerted, "community of cousins" effort - and I am just in awe.

And get this. Guess what he said. My spouse said to me "well, it couldn't have been too difficult; it's been easier for you to work on that book than it is for you to keep a house!"

OUCH! Sounds like that was his honest reaction to ... my spending more time on the gift, than I do on the household. I guess I deserved it.

Yes, I was way hurt by that remark, but ... I kept my cool, and I pointed out that what the Scrapbook MIGHT JUST SAY about who I am, and the kind of person I am, is this: that I have a big heart; that I care a lot about the people I love; that I come from an INCREDIBLE family; all those things.

I AM THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT housekeeping is NOT something I enjoy; heck, I don't like it at all. But HOMEkeeping - now that is different. And I am trying, I'm really trying -- it's a process, that's for sure.

I sure hope that someday, he'll understand that what makes me, "ME", isn't ... how capable I am at cleaning a house and stuff like that.

Deep breath; deep breath; deep breath.

Better sign off before I hyperventilate!

-- D.

POSTSCRIPT: I know that very few people actually look at my blog, so I'm not really worried that anyone will read this. I need some support, but I don't want anyone to think badly of ... my husband. I'm sure he has his reasons for saying what he did. After all, I do tend to get DISTRACTED away from ... household chores. Oops!

wisdom from Dostoyevsky

"Only the heart knows how to find what is precious." -- Fyodor Dostoyevsky

As I work with Cara and Kristina on this Scrapbook for my father, there is a LOT of material - we could include. There is a limit, though, to what will fit, what will work.

How to choose, then? Isn't ALL the memorabilia, aren't all the photographs ... important and special? Yes. and No.

I have had to rely on my heart, and my memories of what Dad has shared were "key" memories for him. THOSE items & photos are the ones to include ...

So if you're having trouble narrowing down content for a project, keep in mind the oh-so-wise words of Dostoyevsky ... and let the HEART find what is precious.

-- D.

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

OK, so with my dad's SURPRISE party just 4 1/2 days away now - it's THIS COMING Sunday - and with his SCRAPBOOK (gift) nowhere near completion (but it IS well underway) -- and with a refrigerator/freezer "repair" visit today that DIDN'T go quite right -- nothing is cooling yet, and I'm F R E A K I N G out about it ...

OK, with all THAT going on -- oh, and my hubby returning home tonight, instead of tomorrow as planned -- and YES, for the uninitiated and wondering, that CAN BE stressful (but only because I would have liked to be a lot further along with all my ... tasks, projects, stuff) ...



OK, with all THAT PLUS going on -- I "had" to take a 2 1/2 hour break this evening to get to the first session of a Bible Study series -- on HOW TO STUDY the Bible -- which I need, but blessed God in heaven, I didn't need to go TONIGHT of all nights --

AND ... it was ... way better than I expected. I just went with the intention of getting something out of it, and of connecting with our friends from Small Church Group, and ALL THAT HAPPENED ... and more. I met interesting people; I enjoyed the content; and the terrible headache that I arrived there with actually began to subside towards the end of the evening.



DANG - I'm getting all distracted -- I am smelling smoke or something -- we DO have strange neighbors, who burn their garbage (inside their home, no less - can you believe that?!) -- but -- I'll be right back - this is a bother.

OKAY - get this - it smells like PLASTIC and my computer - honest to God - is SO hot -- DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE one of those newer computers that came with WINDOWS VISTA (instead of XP) -- ie, you're "not supposed to" turn it off? FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, it gets HOT HOT HOT -- give it a rest, let it cool down. I'm not kidding .... I think that is what I am smelling.



BUT I digress -- and I did have a point --I think. Oh, yea. There was a very cool quote that we were given tonight that I just had to come home and share with you all ...

"Scripture is like a river in which both the lamb can wade and the elephant can swim." { from Pope / St. Gregory the Great, 6th Century }



How's THAT for a cool thing to say?!

rivers can be RUSHING ...

and rivers can be tranquil ...



and rivers can look so awe-inspiring, like this one ...





and they ALL can inspire us to ... wonder, appreciate, aspire.

God bless your night, and your tomorrow ...
-- D.

POWER SCRAPPING A MAN'S FIRST 88 YEARS

Imagine -- with the help of my daughter Kristina, I am actually undertaking PUTTING TOGETHER A SCRAPBOOK that will commemorate the first 88 years of my father's life -- for his birthday. His b-day is TOMORROW, 9/22, but the PARTY is on Sunday 9/28 ... so I do have a TINY bit of time to complete this ambitious, monumental project. ;-) GOOD THING.

{photo, left, of Dad with his step-grand Sierra, Father's Day '08}

His scrapbook is going to include ... 'memory tales' from his nieces, nephews, great-nieces & great-nephews, his children and his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren. How's that for ambitious?!

Having some experience with putting scrapbooks together, I ... don't know what I was thinking!

But I think my motto for this project is the old KISS - "keep it super simple". All black pages (for that old-fashioned scrapbook look), printed 'memory' tales from everyone that will just attach to their page/s ... and reproductions of old family photos and memorabilia that will SPARK old Franky-boy's MEMORY JUICES.

After this party, Dad should be firing on ALL his sentimental cylinders for a long, long time.

I can't wait to see his face when he opens THIS special gift ... a collaborative effort from his entire family -- immediate & extended.

Wish me well ... and pray for my sanity! ;-) -- D., Sunday 9/21/08

WHAT A DAY AHEAD ...

Well, after the day I had YESTERDAY, I sure could use TODAY'S FUN DAY !!! But first, let me update you on my brother, Jay and my friend, Andi.

JAY is still in hospital - they did an echocardiogram AND a cardiac catheterization yesterday, and during the CATH, they replaced his two stents -- with ones from a different manufacturer -- and Haruko tells me you can SEE the difference in the photos -- yikes! photos of my brother's heart!? oh boy -- can't wait to see those -- hope I don't pass out or anything like that. :-) !!!!! Your continued prayers for Jay are MUCH appreciated. Thank you from all of us ...

ANDI, my friend and god-daughter, is STILL in the hospital, but finally, finally -- this is day 15, by the way -- it seems she should be on her Road to Recovery -- now. I stopped in yesterday with flowers for a visit, but she was 'sleeping' -- so peacefully -- just like Sleeping Beauty. One nurse said 'oh, go ahead & wake her up - she'll enjoy the visit from you and it's better if she sleeps at night anyway' -- apparently, THAT nurse did not realize (nor did I) that Andi had JUST had a procedure to clear a bowel obstruction - about an hour before my visit. So - Andi was not SLEEPING, she was SEDATED ;-) -- big smiles. {SO glad I was unsuccessful at waking her up}. Can't wait to see her today and tell her how much we are ALL praying for her.

OKAY - ON TO TODAY - oh boy! My friend Ann is coming over this morning for a visit, and then we're taking in a class on CREATIVE CORRESPONDENCE -- mostly how to create WAY COOL envelopes !!! at Paper Source's grand opening day! YAY YAY YAY !!!!! you can check out all the fun things happening at Paper Source -- not just locally (Carlsbad), but across the nation -- at their website: http://www.paper-source.com/

AFTER that cool class -- I get to visit my brother in the hospital, before I head to grandson Trevor's football game this afternoon -- go, Braves! Then, on my way home, I can stop to see Andi again.

What a day ahead -- and THEN, tomorrow, Kristina and I get to put Dad's special birthday gift together -- will post photos and details later.

Gotta run now ... God bless you and your day!

-- Davielle

Let's get Cooking !!!

Friends: Just rec'd a cool e-mail from a local store that I just adore shopping at ... Sur la Table ... they're offering some wonderful-sounding Regional Italian Cooking Classes this Fall -- on offer: Emilia-Romagna; Sicilia; Toscana; and Liguria. They all sound magnificent ... but ...

Oh my goodness, some BAKING Classes are on offer, too !!!

It was the BAKING CLASSES that caught my attention -- Cakes; Cookies; Tarts; Quick Breads; Pies-Turnovers-Dumplings; and the FUNNEST SOUNDING CLASS OF ALL: Baking Boot Camp Class, with Cindy Mushet - the author of their newest book, The Art and Soul of Baking.

Anyone interested in signing up for BAKING BOOT CAMP with me? Class is on November 4th, here in Carlsbad.

Yours in having the SWEETest of dreams ... D.

what's all the BUZZ about ??

Bees, that's what!

Okay, so the photo I posted as my "photo of the day" - today - 9/18/08 - "where did THAT come from?", you ask.

OUR YARD. And we don't raise bees, nor did we know we had healthy, active bees MAKING HONEY on our property. That is, until Mark needed to turn off the water to our property a few months ago and when he went to lift the weighs-a-ton (kidding, sort of) CEMENT LID off where the meter is -- he couldn't get near it, 'cuz there was such a BUZZ going on. Many bees were in the 'hood, and he figured he'd come back to it. Somehow, he got that task complete w/o needing to go in there -- so it sat as it was, forgotten.

Until a couple of weeks ago, when he REALLY REALLY needed to turn off our water for a task, and this time, no bees - so in he went - and LO & BEHOLD, the space was filled - side to side, top to bottom, from one end to the other -- with HONEYCOMBS. For real!

Aren't they a work of natural art?! I was blown away --

Mark had to lift them out, and the bees had abandoned their mission -- so no harm done.

But here they sit, near our garage, these magnificent "sculptures", crafted by bees.

SO - what's all the BUZZ about? As Rachael Ray put it recently in her magazine:

"Not to be a buzz kill, but honeybees are in danger of extinction. And that's a big deal since they pollinate one-third of the crops we eat." HELP SAVE THE BEES !!!

100 = the number of US crops that depend on honeybees for pollination. Apples, almonds, avocados, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower are just some of the produce varieties that would suffer without bees. WHO KNEW?!

1/12 teaspoon = how much honey the average worker bee makes in its lifetime. WHOA! The honeybee decline means the sticky stuff's prices have risen 14 percent since 2005.

25% = the percentage of the honeybee population that VANISHED in 2007. Scientists are calling the problem Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). No one cause has been identified, though viruses, malnutrition, and pesticides are all suspects.

2035 = the year that the world's population of honeybees will CEASE to exist if they continue to decline at the present rate.

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Oh, the myriad of ways!

BUY A PINT of Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Honey Bee ICE CREAM ($4.20; http://www.helpthehoneybees.com/ for stores) - and a portion of the price will go to university programs for CCD and sustainable pollination research. Look out for BURT'S BEES MOBILE TOUR - the company's tour bus is visiting 35 citites through September ( http://www.burtsbees.com/ for locations). It'll be loaded with brochures about honeybees and free beauty samples. PLANT a bee-friendly garden - include BLACK-EYED SUSANS, LAVENDER, and CLOVER to attract bees.

(photos posted here are NOT from our honeycomb ... the only one from OUR yard is the photo posted to the LEFT, on 9-18-08, as my "photo of the day" - which I will LEAVE on the sidebar)

Football Season is upon us ...

... and our oldest 'grand', Trevor, is playing again this year. Jr Midget, Youth Football - and boy, is he getting a lot of playing time! He plays both offense & defense, so the kid just doesn't get a break - and that's how he likes it. ;-) Go, Braves!

THURSDAY Thoughts

Random life thoughts of the day:

1. Life doesn't stress us out - we stress ourselves out by the way we take on the stress and then respond to it. {more on stress and how to manage it for yourself - later}

2. Identity theft - pretty much, in a word, sucks. Pardon my stong language, but our credit card number was 'lifted' this summer and before we caught it, about $7,000 in fraudulent charges were on our account - BEWARE, Beware, beware. Tying this RLT ('random life thought') back to number one above - this is STRESSFUL to deal with. {more on safeguarding yourself from identity theft - later}

3. Find something to be happy about - RIGHT NOW. For instance: sunflowers. pumpkins on the vine. a sunny day (if that's your thing). a good book. You get the idea.

4. Living Perfectly. Um, what does THAT mean? Getting two people to agree on what 'healthy' means is one thing; getting them to agree on what 'perfectly' means - wow, a whole 'nother level. BUT what you CAN DO is this: define 'healthy' and 'perfectly' for yourself - and take on the challenge. Mark the calendar and JUST DO IT.

5. Volunteer. For something; for anything; but ideally, for a cause that is near & dear to your heart. Find something that speaks to you - and go for it.

To close out this mid-day's RANDOM LIFE THOUGHTS (RLT's) ... this, from a pretty smart guy:

"There are only two ways to live your life.
One is as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is as though everything is a miracle."
-- Albert Einstein

Me? I'm going for the 'everything is a miracle' style.

-- D.

hi ho, hi ho - it's off to JAKE'S we go ...

Our wedding anniversary (9 years!) was yesterday, but we're 'celebrating' tonight - at our favorite restaurant, Jake's Del Mar. Is that (top, left) a bar with a view, or what?! And then there's the warm, inviting, tasteful interior (top, right). But we're hoping for a table at the window (above, left). What do you think?

Their food is certifiably addicting - and their service is oh-so-caring. Just look at their famous HULA PIE (below, right) ... it's heavenly, decadent, over-the-top wonderful. Oooh, I can't wait!



We get to share our evening with a good friend, John, who is in town from his other home - Paris. This is going to be FUN, FUN, FUN.
If you want to check out their location, menus, all that good stuff - visit their website at:
www.jakesdelmar.com

Yours in sharing the good stuff -- D.

KEEPING IT HONEST

And YES, yes, yes ... I am STILL clearing out my office. Honestly. I swear it. Really, I am. There is still a lot of putting-away to do, and a fair amount of shredding (oooh, I love the shredder - don't you?! it's so FINAL !!!). And yes, I still suffer from CLUTTER-MANIA. I have it AND I hate it. What a catch-22, eh?

But things are heating up around here - on many levels - second-biggest pressure is that we're host- and hostessing a big SURPRISE party for my dad -- a week from Sunday -- SOOOOOOO, that means if I want to give house tours ... the house has to be ready !!!

Ummm, I better sign off, then ... LOTS to be done!

Another GREAT Book ...

And before I read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" -- I had just finished "THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE: A War Story" by Diane Ackerman.

WOW. If you love animals; if you love people; if what happened in Nazi Germany and throughout Europe at the hands of Hitler and his henchmen HORRIFIES you -- READ this book.

It's the ONE BOOK, ONE SAN DIEGO pick for 2009, so be prepared before January rolls around -- READ IT NOW, NOW, NOW.

From the author's website:

"The Zookeeper's Wife" is a strange, but historically true story of WWII. It reveals the extraordinary efforts of Jan and Antonina Zabinski, Christian zookeepers horrified by Nazi racism, who capitalized on the Nazis' obsession with pureblood animals in order to save over 300 doomed people by hiding them in the bombed-out cages at the Warsaw Zoo. A tale of people, animals, and subversive acts of compassion."

Let me know if you pick up and read -- either of my books-of-the-week (TZW or TAofRITR).

Yours in reading as much as we can, until we can't read another word ...

-- Davielle

An AMAZING Book -- you MUST read this one!

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN -- by Garth Stein -- is amazing. I loved it. COULD have read it straight through, cover to cover, but I took "reading breaks" day-before-yesterday, and then saved it for bedtime LAST night. Don't know if the last-chapter TEARS did me any favors before sleepy-time ;-), BUT I have to say - the book is FANTASTIC.

HERE's just a little taste -- hope you're "hungry":

“In Mongolia, when a dog dies, he is buried high in the hills so people cannot walk on his grave. The dog's master whispers into the dog's ear his wishes that the dog will return as a man in his next life. Then his tail is cut off and put beneath his head, and a piece of meat or fat is placed in his mouth to sustain his soul on its journey; before he is reincarnated, the dog's soul is freed to travel the land, to run across the high desert plains for as long as it would like. I learned that from a program on the National Geographic channel, so I believe it is true. Not all dogs return as men, they say; only those who are ready. I am ready.”

Don't miss this one. It's a story, as told by the family dog (Enzo), with some adult themes and some adult language - this is NOT a book for the kids, but it IS for every adult I know.

Enjoy!

-- Davielle

KEEPING IT INSPIRATIONAL

Okay, this blogspot is also meant to be INSPIRATIONAL, so for anyone looking for a quote or a thought this September day ...

SAINT THERESA'S PRAYER

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and LOVE.

It is there for each and every one of us.

(Photo at right is of a mourning dove in our birdbath out front - some wildlife in the midst of life just off the main drag!)

Messy Ways, Cleaned Up: a Progress Report

I don't know how many of you are following my MESSY WAYS, CLEANED UP project / progress ... but a week or so ago I posted a photo of this same corner of my DESK ... and wanted to post this "in process" photo -- it DOES show progress, for sure. To remind you: there was a stack of paperwork over a foot high - I am not kidding - in the last photo. And NO, it has not just been shifted to another area in the office ;-) - although it's always tempting to do that! No, it has been sorted, sifted, mostly shredded, and filed away -- and YES, there is still work to be done.

Because not only is THAT corner not to my liking yet -- but there's THIS corner to be handled, too:

SO ... the project continues.

Remember my new mantra: "Home as My Hobby".

Wish me well !!!

-- Davielle

APPLES & PEARS, oh my

We visited the Pine Hills area on Saturday, just outside of Julian, CA, to do some PEAR and APPLE picking ... WOWEE, was it a fun experience. Our heartfelt thanks to Ken and Julie, who own the property - who generously & graciously opened their
orchards and home to us -- as guests of my 'sister', Sherri. We began with our own picnic (from home) underneath a pear tree that's pushing -- can it be? -- 100 years old. Imagine that -- and producing like crazy, without irrigation. I love it!
After we ate and after we picked the pears, we had Ken and his friends help us PRESS FRESH JUICE -- from both apples and pears -- and we brought home a precious quart bottle of each. Delicious nectar!
We THEN took a little property tour with Sherri and her friend, Debbie, and ended up near the pond - with this cool FROG FOUNTAIN -- isn't he charming? And THEN, as if Ken and Julie hadn't already been kind enough -- we were invited into their home to have JULIAN APPLE PIE and we sat on a verandah overlooking the orchards -- in the shade -- just being soothed by the fresh mountain air and the cool shade. QUITE A LOVELY DAY, all in all.

NOW it's time -- for fresh pear & walnut cake -- apple & pear cobbler, maybe with a bit of wild blueberries in -- pears eaten out-of-hand -- Cara's asking for cobbler FIRST ;-) -- of course.

With fruity thanks -- to Sherri and to Ken and Julie ...

-- D., 9-11-08

Floyd's Big News - YAY !!!!

Latest Cycling News, September 10, 2008
Edited by Gregor Brown
Landis signing with current Health Net-Maxxis team for 2009
By Cyclingnews staff

USA's Floyd Landis, 32, will make his return to professional cycling after a two-year suspension with the team currently sponsored by Health Net-Maxxis, under a new title sponsor for 2009, sources confirmed with Cyclingnews. The team, run by Momentum Sports Group, has also re-signed many of its current riders, including two-time NRC champion Rory Sutherland, current USA cyclo-cross champion Tim Johnson and Karl Menzies.
"I cannot confirm or deny it," said Momentum's sponsorship director, Thierry Attias, regarding Landis' signing. However numerous other sources familiar with the team confirmed that the agreement is in place, with the new title sponsor's agreement forthcoming. Sources have said the new sponsor is from the health care industry. This aligns with current speculation that Smith & Nephew, makers of Landis' artificial hip and sponsor of his mountain bike endurance racing, is a possible title sponsor.
Landis did not return multiple requests for confirmation. Sutherland and Johnson did confirm they have signed contracts with Momentum. "I have re-signed a contract with Momentum for the next two years," Sutherland told Cyclingnews. "I have been guaranteed there is title sponsor money there. I don't know who the title sponsor is but it's not like it's a big myth, saying there is money when there isn't. I trust Thierry on that."
Landis is currently serving a two-year suspension for a positive test of exogenous testosterone from stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France. Landis went on to win the overall, but was stripped of that title after his appeal of the US Anti-Doping Agency's suspension was denied by the American Arbitration Association. The ASO and UCI named runner-up Oscar Pereiro as the official 2006 Tour winner soon after.
Landis lost his final appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS) in June, but the CAS did uphold that his suspension should run from when he officially stated his voluntary non-compete status – meaning that Landis will be free to race again as of January 30, 2009.
Rumours circulated early in 2008 that Rock Racing owner Michael Ball was interested in Landis, either as a racer or team director. Landis confirmed he was "advising" the younger riders and was seen with the team.

I just adore KELLY RAE ROBERTS ...

How could anyone NOT adore the work of this inspiring, lovely woman ... Kelly Rae Roberts?

Her artwork is splendid, and with the release of her first book, TAKING FLIGHT: Inspiration & Techniques to Give Your Creative Spirit Wings ... she has ROCKED the creative souls of the world. Really. Visit her blogspot for more on this amazing gal: www.kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com is where you can find her!

Let me know what you think after you've seen her work ... and remember to DO SOMETHING CREATIVE EVERY DAY.

Yours in trying to find the balance, the energy, and the precious time to just make some art --

-- Davielle

LOST ...

" Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever. " -- Horace Mann

Anyone have days like that? Where you just wonder ... 'what did I do all day? where did the day go? did I accomplish ANYTHING at all today?'

I have them - frequently.

Was I -- checking e-mail too often? goofing off? napping (too long - God knows, there's nothing wrong with a good nap, so long as one isn't sleeping the hours away)? ignoring a messy desk? avoiding an unpleasant chore? pretending to be puttering, while really, I was just ... puttering with no purpose, and no results?

For me - it's all the above, except for the long naps. I don't get those. I rarely get a nap! But all the others -- guilty as outlined.

-- Davi

HAMMY - R.I.P.

Today was a sad day for our youngest "grand" - her hamster, HAMMY, died. We had a proper burial this afternoon, and Hammy now rests beneath an old ash tree, with blooming things all around her. R.I.P., precious little pet. -- D.

Prayer of St. Francis

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

-- Francis of Assisi

My Beautiful Kristina ...

... my oldest daughter, the one who to this day is suffering because I have never treated her the same as I have treated her younger sister. Kristi's pain is tearing me apart.

... some of you might ask why I'm having such a hard time right now ...

My beautiful Kristina is in a lot of pain, and there is your answer. It's my fault and I don't know what to do about it. How to repair it.

How's THAT for the honest-to-God truth? -- D.

is this my life? is this my brother?!

okay, so who is this guy? anyone recognize him? every since I got up yesterday, I feel like I'm living in an episode (if it hadn't been a full-length movie) of 'Napoleon Dynamite' - which is, in turns, the stupidest - funniest - wierdest - zaniest - out of left field - MOVIE - I may have ever seen. I mean - the first time I saw it, I thought "that was just DUM dumb". You know? But within 2 days, lines from the movie kept repeating themselves in my head (first sign of mental illness?) and I could not stop laughing.

Who really says to their prom dance partner, "I like your sleeves. they're really big" COME ON. Yet, that is my fave line from the movie. It's just so - out there. LIKE MY LIFE.

So ... I post this photo today, because he could be MY brother (glad he's not, but still ... you know what I mean). He could be YOUR brother. And in the end, what the hell would be wrong with that!? NOTHING. It just would be what it would be.

life has just thrown me for a big fat loop this weekend, and for today, I am adopting KIP as my new family member. -- D.

In the Garden

" Gardening is an instrument of grace. "

-- May Sarton

I am ever-grateful for the devoted caretaking that Mark lavishes on our property -- the wild and the tame spaces alike thrive under his watchful eye, under his tender care.

It can look ... thrown together by nature ... planned by man ... neither, or both ... on any given day.

One thing it ALWAYS is: beautiful. restorative. peaceful. charming. free-spirited. a haven, for wildlife and humans alike.

We are -- I am -- truly blessed.

-- Davielle
9-4-08

Housework can be SO Overwhelming

Honestly, is there anyone who can truly say they "adore" housework? I didn't think so. Some may enjoy the feeling of satisfaction after it's done, they can appreciate "a job well done". But does ANYONE really LOVE the cleaning itself? That's what I thought.

For all of us who really are ALLERGIC TO HOUSEWORK (myself included), I decided to get REEEEEAAAALLLLY honest and post a photo of just one corner of my desk at home. Yes, that's right: I try to sit at THIS MESSY DESK, surrounded by more piles that look very much like THIS one, and I try to be - clever, creative, communicative, productive.

And it's not just about CLEANLINESS - in my case, it's about SLOPPINESS. MESSINESS. CLUTTEREDNESS. Basically, our home is clean. It's just MESSY. Yikes!

It does not make any good sense. Does it? Really, how can I be free to create and produce, when I am totally overwhelmed by - my messy ways?

SO back to committing (again!) to HOME AS MY HOBBY. It's like I need a 12-step program for perpetual MESSY-MONGERS or something. Aaaarrggghhhh!

This will improve - I'll show you. Really, I will.

-- D.

MY GRATEFUL HEART ...

... praise God, my brother had a successful surgery this morning at Tri-City Hospital. His prognosis is good, he should be back home tomorrow, and our family is much relieved this evening. We all thank you for your love, support, and continued prayers. With gratitude to you all -- Davi

My Brother's Heart ...

Thank you, everyone, for your kind thoughts and sweet prayers on behalf of my brother, who will have heart surgery tomorrow, 9-2-08, so that they can "install" a defibrillator. Your continued good thoughts are much appreciated by our family. LOVE to you all -- Davi

DRAW SOMETHING EVERY DAY

Some / most of you know that I am an interior designer; and some of you know that I am the first to confess: I couldn't draw my way out of a paper bag (as they say, whoever "they" are!).

I was content (honestly, I was THRILLED) to get those "C" grades in my drafting classes. I'm not kidding.

So a little over a year ago, when my friend Ann suggested I re-connect with an acquaintance who teaches WATERCOLOR JOURNALING, I think I replied along the lines of "ME? ha! no way - I can't do that". Then I checked out my friend's blogspot, http://janeville.blogspot.com/ and I was so taken with the beautiful watercolor journaling that Jane LaFazio does - that I was tempted. Sorely tempted. REALLY tempted.

Tempted enough, in the end, that I signed up with another friend, Cynthia, to take Jane's fantastic Watercolor Journaling workshop - which was held on a full day at a beautiful Retreat in Cardiff. WOW. I did it!

It was due in large part because just before I committed to the class, I heard that "ONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING SCARY - EVERY DAY".

Step outside your comfort zone, take on your fears, tackle something that you're afraid won't turn out right - just so you can say "I tried" and heck, you'll probably succeed in the end -- so with that new mantra in my head, I signed up.

I am so glad I did.

Just after that Workshop in 2007, Mark and I headed to Mexico for ten days - Mark was in a week-long stage race (bicycle) and we had a blast with our friends ... and for those who know me, just GOING ON THAT TRIP was a HUGE STEP outside my comfort zone. It was mind-blowing!

So to add to whatever fears I might have traveled with, throughout Mexico, I chose to take along my watercolor journaling supplies - and yes, I watercolor-journaled my thru the trip. Yes, I did.

I have posted a photo of a page I did with my grandson, Trevor, last year ...

Back to my being an interior designer who cannot (really) draw so well ... taking that workshop opened my eyes and my heart and my mind to -- all the terrific possibilities there are out there for us to TAKE ON SOMETHING SCARY -- for me, that was drawing.

For now, I leave you with THIS wonderful quote, which I found today in an architectural-forum brochure that I receive:

"Do not fail as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worthwhile, and it will do you a world of good." -- Cennino Cennini