Interview By Karen

After agreeing to be interviewed by Karen at the completely charming Border Town Notes, she sent me a selection of questions to answer. The rules are to choose five and then let her know when I've posted so she can link to me. So...getting right to it...

1. What is the nicest thing anybody's ever done for you?

This is the hardest question by far for me. I thought about the answer for a long time, probably too long and my list of nice things was threatening to become this whole post. So...i choose this as the one.

One of the nicest things anybody's ever done for me was done by my Mother~ In~ Law and Father ~In ~Law. They love me like a parent loves a child. Without condition, judgement or reserve. Here I was, a newly separated mother of five with a huge mortgage, a villa villakula house (no monkeys or horses, just 20 or so neighbor kids and all their pets on our porch), an ex who was still in the picture and i was a bit older than their lovely son. A Single, without children or baggage, son. He wanted me to meet them. He insisted they would love me...since he did, he reasoned. I thought not the same thoughts. I was mortified. I thought they would faint and shoo me away, out the backdoor even.

But they didn't. And they did, love me. And not just me, but my kids too. They either didn't care about all that i came with or they chose to look the other way. I'll never be able to show them how that made me feel. How it still makes me feel. And are you wondering what the above picture is about? Not only are they incredibly loving but generous as well. A year after we'd met, my M.I.L. was wishing she could go to Paris, but, alas, she wouldn't dream of going alone. This was our dinner conversation one evening. My F.I.L. turned to me and said "Darling, if you'll go with her I'll send you too." Yes, he did say that. My daughter who was 10 at the time cried "Oh, I want to go too!" so, he said Okay, I'll send you too. Then..... my own Mother (who was already friends with M.I.L. said, "Me too!" . So... no, he didn't,but I did (bring my Mother.)

On the afternoon we were to leave for the airport, everyone arrived at my house. I was kissing the other kids, be home soon!, when Chuck pulled me aside and said we need to say goodbye now. I said no, when we get to the airport. He was supposed to be taking us. He said no, i won't. He pointed out the window...look... and parked in front of our house was a limousine, waiting for us. My F.I.L. wanted to surprise us. Well, it was. But a limo? goodness! My husband said, just enjoy, it's only this once. And it was true. None of us are limo taking people, what i mean is we definitely wouldn't ever choose to do this. But Hannah was thrilled! All the neighbor kids were jumping up and down and peeking inside. Hannah tells me to this day she felt like Cinderella. The driver opened the door for her and then told her if she had a favorite movie she'd like to bring he would play it for her on the drive down. ALL her friends ran shrieking into the house, grabbed The Lion King and back out again and then all the way down the street after us as we drove away.

So that's why they deserve this, from me and my kids. For all the Love.

2. If you could turn back the clock, change one thing, what would it be?

This. Right. Here.



This is my ankle after being punctured almost all the way through by a stingray. Oh, it's a long story, but suffice it to say, I would like to have my old ankle back. The stingray that I blindly stepped on (my own fault!) whipped it's tail into my foot and just nearly exited the other side. There is nerve and tendon damage , its permanent and all. I've tried physical therapy, acupuncture, energy healing, magic potions...boo on me, I should've done the "stingray shuffle" like we were taught as children. It hurt like hell and its hurt everyday since. So, yes, this would be the one thing.




3. would you like to share a profound or life changing event that's happened to you?

Without any doubt the chance to be in the presence of

His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

Not once but two times, I had the opportunity to listen to him speak, the first time in Hollywood and another in Germany. I'm sorry I can't figure out how to link to my own posts, but if you are interested in reading about it, its called A Different Anniversary.

4. What's your favorite inspirational saying?

...there are so many...But if you came to my house, you would see this painted in my teeny little meditation room, so i guess it is one of my favorites. (yes, i painted it). It is by



Antoine de Saint ~ Exupery.




"It is only with the Heart that one can see Rightly; what is essential is invisible to the Eye"




~The Little Prince~




5. Which websites to you visit everyday without fail? and why? (excluding blogs!)


Everyday, without fail, I definitely go to :

http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/


everyday i click to give on the pink button. 100% of sponsor money goes to charity.When you click you help provide mammograms to underprivileged women. My Mother and Sister are Breast Cancer Survivors. They are the most inspiring, strong and beautiful women I know. And so is a special F.B.


next, almost everyday, is my favorite :

http://www.yogatoday.com/


if you've never been here you are in for a big treat. It's
"Free Yoga Delivered Daily" from the gorgeous Jackson, Wyoming. Everyday is a new class that is set outside, so it's always fresh. Last August or September they even started a blog. It's a great website so if you've got decent Internet speed(the classes can take a little time to load) you might want to check it out!


...and just one more, ...


http://www.dailyom.com/


is a great place to
"Nurture Mind, Body and Spirit"
you can register to have The Daily Om sent to your mailbox
excellent!


...thank you Karen for the great questions, it's been my pleasure to answer them, it was fun for me to go back and remember! except for my
stingray ankle :( ...

let's forget about that :)





xxx Lori