summer solstice

So much is happening and I have to remind myself to be ever "present". I missed Midsummer nite's dream with Rita and Larry but lingered with the invitation.

Valerie, (whose daughter and longtime friend of Erica's, Tanya is getting married this weekend), Julia (who battled cancer and is moving to Sherman, TX you Regis Clan-help me get them connected, or let me know if you wanna go back), Erica & Dan, Marilyn and Chad, and a slew of other Mercer Islander went to see sold out concert of Barcelona at the Tripple Door last week. It was one of those beautiful evenings where everything just fell into place and the concert was fabulous. Barcelona is a group that debuted one NW season with Chad at our own MI Presbyterian church. They have gone on (without our dear Chad) to national recognition and sing some very powerful music. I thought of so many youth with aspirations of achieving success and marveled at the inspiration it must be to gain recognition, even fame, for their music. Music is a very powerful venue. Artist and other aspiring youth have faith and do what you love, love what you do. The group was inspirational. So nice to see it come across with loving messages too. Julia said her tearful goodbyes to Val and I and left for Texas.

My blood pressure is up again. I am reminded of the trip I took to Australia when my highlight was diving in the infamous Barrier reef). I was not officially prepared, but didn't realize it would be so important because of new liability issues, and didn't bring my dive card current. No worries-I would just be diving with Erica, a beginner. We got on the boat -it was raining of all things so visibility would be bad-but that wasn't gonna get me down-I was goin diving with my daughter! We filled out our cards for the dive with check boxes for every ailment one might have, and I check asthma. They would not let me dive. I was so totally focused on the one event I couldn't feel anything but a gush of tears and totally let down. What was the meaning of the lesson? you might ask-find out what truths you need to tell and be prepared for what you get if you don't know and trust the person who is making the decisions. It has been a good lesson to this day and I have learned to be find out more about the person in charge before going into my own needs and wishes.

Ok, I am going to sleep. Don't miss that I blogged 2x today. Too much time and not enough sleeping ability. Erica, would you post a picture on my blog (oh, I'm a hard to work for boss).

Relay for life!

I am running around the track as fast as I can go with baton outstretched and slowing because I haven't trained for this race! But, YES, my steady partner, Bonnie, is back today, from her much needed vacation to see some special parts of the world on a trip of a lifetime, and is grabbing the baton to finish the race. You're the best, girl. Thanks for coming back at just the right time.
We all want to hear about the trip of a lifetime, so please, post us a blog response now...no hurry.
Someone help me cheer her to the finish while I recoup. Who has a recent picture of the two of us? Can you email it to me?

smoothies,IVs,and blankeys

Good thing I have such a powerful team behind me to help me when I have a two day down time. I am re hydrating at Swedish and will be back to responding to all those emails and voice mails that Erica is trying to keep up with so be patient with me-it should only be a couple of days! Meanwhile I have a new waterfront listing so book a showing with Erica or just let us know what you need and Bonnie and I will handle your business with the team energy it deserves.
Swedish summer run is now online, so you can join us online or email her at marilyndierickx@comcast.net or just sign up thru her if you are not an online person. I am excited about the 2nd annual run and the party afterwards should also be a great one-I hope all team members can make it after the race.

reunion

I am not the only one who dreams big and doesn't always get there, but in our failures, we draw strength. I had to remind myself today to welcome the challenges ahead. I want to do everything yet still lack the energy on a daily basis to fit it all into a day. The wedding is creeping up on us and the house needs a little attention. That is just the tip of the iceburg. No dropping the ball!
I received a HS reunion invitation to my 35th HS reunion back in Connecticut. It was a surprise that they could still locate me after all these years, but last year has brought some old blood back into my life. Great to know I still have roots. Today, I got a cancellation notice for the reunion, but I don't think this was the year for me anyhow, just nice to see who responded. Hey you all out there-who did respond?
I look back over the old blog entries and see the production for the wedding didn't get on TV, but it still will be the production of the year. I am glad that reality TV was not in my living room. I will post pictures.

summer run 2008

Just a quick note that the 2nd annual run benefiting ovarian cancer research is this July 27th and I am hoping you will all join me again this year-even stronger. I am going to start training this next week and see how far I get before the wedding...You can sign up or just donate and see last years pictures on the Team Sussex website for the Marsha Rivkin summer run.

Dismount

The gymnast lifts her body off the bar, balancing briefly, then throws herself forward full circle to the original point of beginning. Repeat. It takes strength and just enough energy to return to that point without falling forward or not reaching the top, and if done too much it can be dizzying and very disappointing. This is my visual of life lately and I am ready to dismount now for a spell.

Life, it seems, is full of circles. We start on one track and seem to wind up back at the beginning after a journey, only to start over again, perhaps in a slightly different circle.

Of new beginnings-Erica and I went to a wedding shower last night for Tanya Giesbrecht. I remember when the girls were just little ones, determined and confident in their choices from day one. It is so fun to see them grow up and find their new mates. We arrived and took paper and pen to write marriage advice and see if the bride could match author to words before binding it in a book to review at some later moment when the reminder was needed. It was a good exercise for the entire group and the lessons could take chapters of individual experiences, I am sure. " Love like you want to be loved. Keep the chemistry exciting. Have a arsenal of sexy underwear. Don't discuss anything of importance after 10 PM. Always have a cookie jar full of cookies-recipe of chocolate following. Be flexible least you be bent out of shape. Greet your husband with dinner when he comes home from a long day at work-meat and potatoes and apple pie (remember the old Betty Crocker days). Nurture each other's interests. " Wonder what the guys would come up with... I think food and sex would be on the list.

more love

I received a crochet blanket just in time for my last chemo yesterday from my friend Debbie in California. I opened it and out came this beautiful vibrant colored blanket with cuddly square for rubbing on my face. Thank you everyone who contributed. I was an effort of love I won't forget. I has been colder than Siberia (really!) here so it is appreciated even though it is already June.

Erica & I went to Pike Place market because the sun came out yesterday for the first time in weeks and we wanted to eat out before I couldn't taste for another week. The french cafe at the market was sweet, like going to Paris. The sunny outside dining in the alley patio was playing french music and I drifted away. We raced over afterwards to grab some fresh vegetables at the market and flowers that always make you smile before rushing back for an appointment on the Island then racing over to the hospital.

Cori took me over and my favorite nurse, Amy, greeted me. We joked about alot of things and Cori filled me in on her latest dates, and I started my last cocktail right on schedule. Steve came to relieve Cori and have dinner with me later when he could find free parking on the street. We still had a private room with a view and we snuggled into one bed together for a spell. The nite was filled with short interruptions, but I managed to get a fair amount of sleep. Glad to be home today and off the leash from the IV to the bathroom.

My speech for Relay for life was great-though I did have to read most of it and I am needing my glasses to read fine print now-ugh! Several people have stopped me since and said thank you for the inspiration. All worth while.
I dropped by church after my open house on Sunday and reconnected albeit briefly with old familiar faces. Thanks to Marilyn for catching me as I was picking up my signs and suggesting I just hop on by church.

Kathy picked up my dress for the mother of the bride and got it from her in the correct size on Sunday nite. It is beautiful and I will wait to share when I get the wedding pics back. (Not like prom when the kids share on facebook in case someone has the same dress). Backes, Sussexs and wedding planner, Jennifer met to finalize details-it's a big process! I saw the movie Sex and the city and am trying not to imagine the crazy ending of planning gone bad! Lots of events planned ahead.

Bonnie is off on the World Cruise ship to Greece and Turkey! Wow does it sound amazing. Somehow getting away sounds fabulous too, but that will have to wait for me. I think about the trip only one year ago to Egypt and know that I have had some great opportunities to see the world. Go when you can and it will be with you forever. Peace out...

moving

The whole moving business requires a lot of psychology. Giving up a space where memories have taken place-whether good or bad-is a difficult thing. Going through all the stuff as you pack refreshes those memories. If you are like me, the process can drag out so much longer than you had anticipated because of all the detours that come along memory lane while the packing, decluttering, and organizing are going on. I consult people in the moving process as my business but I learn so much along the route.
This past month our duplex had a vacancy and the previous tenant helped me ready the space for the next tenant. At the same time, Erica and Dan are moving into their new home (painting and getting things operational), wedding plans are formalizing and getting down to last minute details, my fashion show and speech events took top billing, we bought new furniture so our own house had some reorganization going on, I still had a chemo treatment to fit in, we were finalizing our wills, and new applicants needed to be interviewed. I started listening to time management tapes and prioritizing events-I was on overload! All I could see was cash flow issues. I needed to spend more time on work, but life got in the way.
Today I can check most of those accomplishments off my list, but the duplex vacancy hasn't been filled. I have met some very interesting folks in the process and am still saying good bye to past inhabitants. I thought that I had the place rented and spent a lot of time and energy discovering credit checks and criminal reports are not easy to get anymore. As of May 1st, as a landlord or property manager, you have to get both your place of business and your rental unit checked out by the credit check agency (all in good faith I am sure due to all the identity theft issues). I finally had to turn the applicant down because I did persist on getting a credit report which was personally furnished, and turned out to be unacceptable after many conversations to the contrary. I looked at the application once again as I called to say I was sorry to have to turn him down-the name said it all-Phuc Vu.
The previous tenant's girlfriend has left behind belongings. She claims to have nowhere to live now and wants time to find space for her stuff. Today I can clear my mind to think about how to handle this one! Homeless! Today I can be thankful to have a place to call home-one that is not being reposessed!