How a Man Cooks a Gumbo

We've had a hankering for a big ole' Gumbo, and because the temperature yesterday dropped from 76 to 41 degrees in 8.2 seconds, my husband thought today would be the perfect day to "whip up" a pot. (We have to do winter stuff quickly around here since tomorrow, I'll probably be laying out in the backyard in my bikini....for us Louisianians, "unpredictable weather" means "totally predictable weather".)

While I was busy in Lafayette yesterday doing a Premier Jewelry Show, he packed up our two-year-old and trecked to Wal-Mart to get gumbo supplies.10 AM, bright and early, he started cut, cut, cut...chop, chop, choping the ingredients.

While my son and I marched, marched, marched around the house (his new OBSESSION...marching! Thank you, Jack's Big Music Show), the smell of the perfect cold-day-in-Louisiana Sunday meal wafted its way down our parade route. I peeked into the kitchen and saw my brilliant Cajun Cook standing near the stove, arms folded, face beaming with pride.

Then I see what he's so proud of.

THIS is how a man cooks a gumbo:

Inaugural Poem....this is NOW!

This is an excerpt from Elizabeth Alexander's poem delivered at the request of our new president at his Inauguration. The light is here! THIS IS IT!

...What if the mightiest word is Love?
Love beyond marital, filial, National;
Love that casts a widening pool of Light.
Love with no need to preempt grievance.
In today's sharp sparkle, this wintry air,
Anything can be made; any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp,
Praise Song for walking forward in that Light.


I am simply touched by the fact that our new leader chose this poet to compose such an eloquent declaration of what life is, what Love is.

We Stopped Saying "I Love You"

Well, it's kinda hard to stop cold turkey when you've said it to each other an average of five or ten times a day for twelve years.

We would say "I Love You" when we leave for work, almost every time we talk on the phone---which is usually about 3 or 4 times during a normal work day---, when we come home from work, and then when we go to bed.

Doing the math...(I'm figuring it at eleven years, since we didn't actually say our first I LOVE YOU until a few months into dating and to make up for any days when only one "I Love You" was spoken...

At five "I Love You"s a day, that's 1,825 "I Love You"s a Year.

1,825 a year for 11 years, 20,075 "I Love You"s have been said. By ONE OF US.

For the most part, most " I Love You" statements are reciprocated, so that means that in the course of my relationship with my husband, about 38,159 "I Love You"s have been exchanged.
(I took away about 2000 in my figure there to cover for those "hmmph!" responses. You know what I'm talking about.)

38,159 times hearing or saying the same three words.

Some people might see that and think, "Awww, what a great thing to hear so many times!"

I see that number and the only phrase that comes to mind is desensitize much?

So both of us, almost together decided that at this point, saying those three words, almost seemed like an effort to convince the other of something. It's as if we're really saying, "I promise I love you. I swear. Ask anybody. Cross my heart and hope to die. " I think it got that way, because, for some reason, and this applies to both of us, we went from "I Love You, too" to "Really?" or "Do you?"

So our solution---skip the "I Love you" and when we're feeling that warm, full-heart feeling, we say, "You Love Me." It's a statement, not a question. Try it. When you say those three words out loud, it's important to put the emphasis on the word Love, if you want this to work.

("YOU love me" would come off as a demand, and while I do think that there are definitely moments that do demand that particular demand, you usually don't want this statement to be equated with one like, "YOU eat your green beans!"

"You love ME" sounds like a question, and that's not the point.

So just go with the emphasis on the middle word.)

What's the point of this post?

Ummm, I don't know. Except that I really can't describe how this little switch in syntax has positively effected our relationship. It's like, this is real. This is what I want to hear. Just knowing that he KNOWS I love him....WOW! Isn't that what we're going for? Isn't that what we're really trying to accomplish? To have someone else truly KNOW that you Love him?

So that's all I have to say.

You LOVE me.

A Kiss of Bliss: HURRICANE HELP

A Kiss of Bliss: HURRICANE HELP

HURRICANE HELP

Well, Hurricane Prep: Take TWO for those of us on the Gulf Coast.
As you al know, Gustav, which was deemed to doom us, dwindled in the Gulf, avoiding MUCH damage and destruction. I know some areas in Louisiana had more desctruction than others, and my Loving thoughts, prayers and vibes are with you always.

When your windows have been boarded up, your fine china is packed up and your cars are gassed up, what more is there to do? The days before Gustav's predicted landfall, hundreds, maybe thousands of people used the power of positive thinking and Gustav actually calmed.

The very last thing I did after the baby, the dog and the cat were secured in our truck, was to write on our dry erase board on the fridge: "It's so great that Gustav calmed!"

Returning home five days later, it was that message that welcomed us home, safe and sound.

It's time to do it again. Time to send out your Lovelight, visualizing Ike calming, like a wittle hurricane baby being rocked to sleep by the waters of the Gulf. Here's a suggested affirmation you can use to actually eliminate Ike's power:

Ike is calming in the Gulf. Our homes, friends and family, are safe and secure.

I'm telling you....IT WORKS!!!!! The Power of Faith, Love, Vibes, Prayers....is SO MUCH STRONGER than any storm. Believe me.

Bobby Jindal, Louisiana's Governer, is saying right now that for Hurricane Gustav, 80,000 people were approved through FEMA for hotel assistance and only 1,000 stayed in hotels. (Or, I guess, only 1,000 requested FEMA's hotel assistance.)

I have found some coupons for hotels if it is necessary. Don't get stuck with nowhere to go. Let's just try to ensure we have a safe place to go, because if we don't need to evacuate, we can always cancel the reservations.

(1) $20 off with 3 night booking!

(2) $30 off with 5 night booking!

(3) Save Big NOW on all Hotel Bookings with a $100 Cash Back Rebate!

(4) Save between $20 and $100 on ALL Hotel Bookings Now!




***Department of Social Services will be open tomorrow (Tuesday, September 9, 2008) 1-888-524-3578 press option 3 to bypass the menu and find out if you qualify for assistance.***

Some other helpful links:

(5)

(6) Looking for a petsitter or dog walker? Sittercity.com has petsitters in your area. Sign-up today!

Need a babysitter? Find the most qualified sitters at Sittercity.com.

(7) Download Legal Forms, if necessary:

(8) Jindal is saying that there is a shortage of tarps. You can order your own, and pay for overnight shipping.

Tarps Anchor 11017 20' x 20' Poly Tarp Woven Lamin (Sold Individually)

(9) Valuable monthly discounts on shopping. The 2009 Entertainment Book is Now Availble! Order Today and Get Free Shipping!

Please leave your positive thoughts and encouragement for everyone in the Gulf Coast, as well as those affected by Hannah on the East Coast.

I hope this was slightly helpful. Be safe. I already know that WE are more powerful than IKE!

BELIEVE IT! BREATHE IT! ACHIEVE IT!

Do you know this person?

There's this woman who is just absolutely beautiful. She has this unbelievable light inside, and when she shines,

MAN! This lady SHINES!

But sometimes, she dims her light so low that she can't see. She extends her arms and feels her way around, but she ends up bumping into stuff and stubbing her toe.

The weird thing is that when I see her feeling her way around, I can see clearly all around her, because I didn't dim her light, she did.

So, when I can, I reach out my hand and grab hers and bring her into my own light, just for a while, until she can see a little better.

Eventually, she can find her light switch with the little flicker of light that I gave. And she brightens and there she is again,

SHINING!

But what if no one else is around the next time her light goes out?

No worries. She's found her way to the light switch before.
Maybe she's always had a little help, and this is the first time she's gotta do it on her own, but she remembers how to get there.
And on her way, she might stub that toe again, or bump into things, but she'll get there and when she finds that switch again,

WATCH OUT!
Because this time, she found it on her own.

Not only is she simply GLOWING, but she's PROUD, she's CONFIDENT, she's ready to dance in her own light.

Look at her.
Do you know her?

No?

Look in the mirror. There she is.

And if she needs a little of my light, or if I need a little of hers, I KNOW, without a doubt, that our lights are here for the sharing.

REAL Love

Can Real Love last forever?

Love IS Forever!
Love IS all there really is.

What doesn't last forever is the ego, the body, the human form.Thankfully, what doesn't last forever are thoughts, hurt, pain.

But love?
Lasting forever?

Undoubtedly.
So, ultimately, there's only one answer to this question:

LOVE!