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Just a quick post to let you guys know that I am back. I did not eat the doughnuts, but was exposed to a lot of stuff that I just don’t eat anymore. Had a wonderful trip in my new home town. Didn’t have to go to DisneyLand and I’ve got the best suntan I’ve had since I’ve moved to California. I still have the weird tan lines on my thighs. Oh well.

Totally fell in love with the children. Who wouldn’t? Look at them.

Each morning after a fun filled day we would compare injuries from the previous day’s activities. Luca was the winner from his wave boarding and body surfing experiences. We dubbed him “King of the Injuries”. Somehow a 12 year old boy doesn’t mind all of the cuts and scapes, I still wince when I bend my little finger that I injured playing beach football. I miss the Germans but I’m glad to be back.

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Last night I put the finishing touches on the office/bedroom that I have created for Arno & Susi. It made me realize one of the many differences between my family of origin and me.

My last trip to New Orleans when I actually stayed with my mother we had a discussion about how she did nothing to prepare for my arrival. The upstairs bedroom was missing window dressings so that I was exposed to the neighbors when I changed clothes. When I went downstairs in the morning the kitchen table was covered with papers, pens, newspapers and such that there wasn’t a place to put down my plate. My mother lived with just a small spot before her where she could dine surrounded by all of this stuff. Since that visit I have always stayed either at my Uncle’ Bryan’s Hotel Provincial in the French Quarter or John & Jan’s B&B which I dubbed “my happy place.” Hopefully, Arno and Susi will find peace and contentment in my welcoming home and consider it their happy place. One time sleeping until they arrive.

Here is a before picture of how the spot used to look. Thanks Josh for helping move the furniture and lending me the Aerobed. It would have been harder without you. I’m glad you and I had the willingness to do the work. Looking forward to your help over the next two weeks.

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This mornings email from Susanne reminds me why I am so happy they are coming to visit. Yes, Kate, these are people I have known for 20 years. Only 5 times sleeping until they arrive -

luca speek alittle bit english, he understand much better, but if we speak slowly he will get it . Lea learns english since one year, but only some little words, the good thing is, children learn a forgein language much easier. We will see…. so my dear…only 5 time sleeping, today we get our passports and the international driverlicence…so we are coming!!!!
In the next days I will show the kids our photos from New Orleans and New York and Berlin with the wedding and The Toskana again, then we are prepaired.
Lovly mail hugs from the sunny cologne….susanne

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When Sandy knew the security guard at the gate and we got directed to park for free in the vendor/musician parking lot I knew I was home. It was like the ghost of my cousin Denise was watching over us as we made the trek to the Bayou Festival in Long Beach. The weather was hot, the food was good and the music was great. Felt like a mini-Jazz Fest in my new home town. Here are some photos of the great day.

Oh yeah, before I forget, I’ve discovered that there are some issues with the web site when you use IE (Microsoft Internet Explorer). My IT people are looking into solving the issue. For the moment the site works fine on Firefox and Safari, so we recommend using them if you are having any difficulties.

Now back to the photos -

Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band - two husband & wife teams, great traditional accoustic Cajun music. Fiddler is Michael Doucet from Beausoleil

New Orleans Traditional Jazz Band and Second line that the organizers called a “Mardi Gras Parade” - please call a second line a second line guys, who cares if the audience doesn’t know what it means. We must educate the people.

Terrance Simiem and the Zydeco Experience - loud, fast, rock&roll zydeco. Terrance had his Grammy with him and kept holding it up for the crowd to applaud & yell. Plus he would throw Mardi Gras beads to the audience with his toes.

Happy Dancers!

Best Little Cajun - this little girl had some great moves and rhythm. When I asked her were she learned to dance? She told me, “I just make it up!”

Happy Feet! - More than one friend questioned my foot attire for the day, once I took off my shoes & socks and my feet hit the clover I knew I was barefooten for the day.

Today was spent recuperating and preparing the backyard living room and dining room for the Germans. Thanks Josh, for all of your help. I couldn’t have done it without you. 7 days until Arno & Susi arrive…

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The much anticipated, can’t wait to hug them family tour of my German friends, Arno & Susanne, starts next Sunday, June 29th for two weeks. They are bringing their children Luca and Leah who I haven’t seen in seven years. Susanne was pregnant for Luca when they stayed with me in Tuscany. I am super delighted that they are coming and like I said can’t wait to hug them. So why am I having some dread? I fear my life is being torn upside down.

Fear 1 - My job has exploded. We got a new care contract and a competitive radiation therapy unit closed. In the past two weeks we have seen a 25% increase in our patient population. Yikes…plus these new patients are not as well monitored by the medical oncologists so that puts more responsibility on me and my docs. Grease up the roller blades, Laurie’s back to real nursing.

The doctors have asked me to switch my schedule so I will be working on Mondays and off on Fridays. This upsets my routine of how I usually spend my days off. I’m sure it will be okay, but for the moment I don’t like the concept of the change. I’m trying to see the good that not working Fridays will make it easier to schedule my pampered pooch spa treatments like mani/pedi and facials. A girl on the go has got to look good, you know.

Fear 2 - What am I going to do with these kids? I’ve decided the kids are not going to have anything to “do” at my house. I don’t have a Play Station, Wii. pool table nor ping pong. I was delighted to find out from Susi that they don’t have that stuff either. I have a dog, awesome home and me. I hope that is enough. Plus I have all the thrills, beaches and parks of Southern California. I’m sure we will be fine.

Fear 3 - What am I going to feed them? The kids are going to want to eat things that I no longer have in my house. Cookies, cakes, peanut butter, ice cream and pizza is that going to become the daily routine? Can I cope? Of course I can…I deal with this stuff every day at work without much difficulty these days. I have had peanut butter in the house and left it alone when another friend brought it home a couple of months ago. I remember eating breakfast in Germany. Yogurt, fruit, cheese, ham, bread and butter, jam all things that are fine on my food plan. I know I will be okay. Just got to write this out loud. Plus as you know I’m a great cook. It will be fine.

Fear 4 - How am I going to maintain my daily meditation? I’ve been getting up at 5 a.m. to start my day. I can’t be getting up this early with a house full of people. Can I? Thanks Kate for relieving that fear. She reminded me that I have a door off my bedroom that leads to the back 40 (square feet) of yard. I can go sit there and do my meditation in the early morning sunshine.

I’ve decided an early morning bike ride to local coffee shop, Portfolio, would be a perfect spot to do my morning journaling and reading. Phew another obstacle overcome. I can have 1-2 hours of Laurie time before I need to face the day.

Fear 5 - Alison & Peter (son) are coming from New York City the first weekend. In the feast or famine way of the world. My good friend Alison is coming out for a convention in Anaheim, CA the first weekend the Germans are staying with me. I can’t wait to see Alison and hopefully bring her out to the house. Plus, Peter is 1/2 German and speaks German. I’m hoping to get all the kids together for a fun filled day of rides at Disneyland or something. I’m just a natural born entertainer and planner, but it causes me angst.

So all and all it should be a great time. I’m sure I will be fine. Like I keep saying I’m really happy to have the guests. I asked them to come and we will have fun. I think I just need to have a little panic before they arrive so that I will be better prepared for their arrival. Auf Wiedersehen!

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Unexpectantly, I got to go to a wedding on Saturday for some new friends. I wasn’t really invited, but my friend Anne’s date got a job at the last minute and had to cancel. I was delighted to be able to be part of the festivities. Anne was a great date and I pulled myself together quite nicely.

At the end of the party when we were saying our well wishes and good-byes the groom said it was a “treat” that I was able to attend. That made me feel good. I think a good time was had by all.

Good luck Chris & Hillary as you start on your new adventure as husband and wife. You seemed happy, at peace and having fun. Qualities I think one should have at any special occasion and throughout life.

In addition to the beautiful gown and flowers, the location for the wedding was spectacular. I wish I had taken more pictures, but I’m still not at ease with the camera as a distraction during an event. Check the web site for more pictures of the historic Castle Green.

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The first night of the meditation workshop we were passed a deck of Tarot cards and asked to choose a card. Prior to the choosing we were to think of an intention for the card and what we wanted to focus upon for the weekend. I chose the intention of love and acceptance.

When the deck reached me I shuffled and divided it into three stacks. I chose the top card from the right hand stack. It was the Seven of Pentacles. When I first looked at the card I was sad because I thought the man looked forlorn. I then realized he was tired and pausing from having worked his field. He was stopping and admiring the work he had accomplished. We were were instructed to speak in the first person as we interpreted the card. We broke up into small groups, so here is what I saw.

I am a farmer who has been working to sow the seeds of love and acceptance. I have grown a wonderful large healthy plant bursting with ripe fruit ready for the picking. One of the fruits has fallen to my feet, I only need to bend down and pick it up to enjoy its wonderful richness. I am fortunate to have a small stream next to my plant so that it doesn’t require a lot of tending and watering, it will flourish with minimal care. So, sometimes you need to work to have love and acceptance into your life and take action and sometimes you need to just relax and let love and acceptance come to you.

I didn’t think I was thinking much about the card, but I guess I have been because here I am at 4 a.m. looking online to see the official interpretation of the Tarot. I’m amazed because I was correct in my interpretation. I have never studied the Tarot. Kaye and Connie would read my cards back in the days of the Persimmon Express and Freret Jet. I never took them seriously, or learned the meaning of any particular card. Yet, somehow I KNEW this card.

Here is the official interpretation of the card from LearnTarot.com It is a card of assessing, reaping a reward, considering a direction change. I am shocked at how much it mirrors what I said. Wow, what a powerful card. I guess I am on the right road, taking the right path and receiving the rewards of much hard work. Meditation will be my new strategy at how to approach the situation.

Yippy-de-doo, Laurie is turning Two. It has been two years since I first started on my new spiritual path. I can’t believe all of the changes. I think new exciting and good things are coming to me. Thank you one and all who have helped me on this journey. You are the ripe fruit of love and acceptance that I have already found. You have shown me how to work my field. I could not do this without you. Thanks.

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Today the insomnia may be working to my advantage. I’m leaving early to start my much anticipated weekend of relaxation and meditation up at Esalen. Wait; is that an oxymoron to anticipate relaxation? Laurie “Girl on the Go” is learning to “Let Go” but having a hard time releasing herself in the moment.

Friend, Heather, sent me this wonderful link to a story by Mark Morford entitled,“Sit down, shut up and breathe”. From the title you would think that was my present mantra, which might be why meditation has not always seemed so simple. Hard to relax when you are beating yourself on the head with a mental mallet.

I am hoping with the Mind, Mood, and Happiness: Meditation and Mindbody Healing Workshop that I will learn to become not only a compassionate person to a recorded woman screaming in distress, but most importantly to the woman screaming in my frontal lobe that is me. The secret must be to quiet that internal lady so that I can be empathetic and compassionate to others. Wish me luck.

Safe travels to all who may be joining me on the physical and mental highways this weekend. No road rage allowed.

Is Nuala meditating or sleeping? Whichever she seems to be at peace. No dogs allowed at Esalen, thanks K&V for taking in the orphan. I’ll miss her.

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Yesterday, was a day for Laurie Girl on the Go to spend some time with her nursing friends, Sandy and Susan. First stop was Cerritos College to see the end of year woodworking and manufactoring exhibit at this year’s Student Appreciation Day.

Years ago, when I first moved to Long Beach these new friends and home owners decided we should take a wood working class so that we could be handy around our recently bought homes that were in major need of repair. What were we thinking? Woodworking is hard and takes years of practice. Plus they were teaching us how to make things not repair things. The class was loads of fun. I’ve learned to really love the wood and have a deep respect for the craftsmanship in every table, box or cabinet I saw.

Being a new member of the blogging community. I neglected to remember my camera so here is a photo of the my only fully completed project from my class. A beautiful “push stick” made out of cherry.

For those of you who might not be familiar with a “push stick”, it is a tool used in the wood shop to push the wood near the saws so as not to put your vulnerable fingers near the menacing teeth. If you could have only seen the moldy piece of raw wood from which this stick was rendered, you might have a greater appreciation for the hours of cutting, sanding and oiling it took to bring it to its luminous finish. For the moment I use it as a trivet in the kitchen and think fondly of those days in “the shop”.

It was wonderful to be back among the men and woman, surrounded by nice people who had such pleasure in their art. Their pieces of craftsmanship put my push stick to shame. We ran into a former class mate who had built a 4 car garage next to his house and converted it to a woodshop. Although he stated he didn’t spend enough time in the shop, he had two beautiful jewelry boxes in the exhibit. Ahh…to be there again was great.

Maintaining my persona as “Girl on the Go” the nurses stopped at a uniform shop for much needed new nursing outfits then a quick stop at TJ Maxx for a new bathing suit. I hadn’t gotten the memo that swimming was on the agenda for the day. We headed to Susan’s for a dip in her pool. It was a great way to beat the 100 degree heat wave.

The evening ended with dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, The Fish Company. Last night’s dinner choice was crab stuffed halibut with a mushroom cream sauce. Could have been something I had gotten in New Orleans except with a different fish. Tasty, fresh and cooked to perfection, plus they held the lemon which made me really happy.

Wow, what a day. Thanks nursing friends for a wonderful adventure and helping me discover what size clothes I wear.

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For the low price of beans and rice and a 1/2 bottle of wine, I got a great computer lesson from Val on all the nifty new things I can do with my blog. Expect more pictures and graphics.

The dogs were bored. Val and I had fun. Thanks for the lesson. I’m feeling more and more computer savvy each day.

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