My Annual Birthday Present -- to ME!

Birthdays are times for celebrations!

And every year I go to visit my sister, Sylvia,  in Arizona for a week of love!

She treats me to gifts, balloons, flowers, dinners, excursions!

What more is there?

And because of all the LOVE, I keep coming back every year.

So, my birthday present to ME is treating me to so much love from sis!

Sometimes you just have to tell them

I just finished enduring over a month of recuperating from my toe surgery.  It was a nightmare maneuvering in the cumbersome boot, elevating my foot and just enduring being immobile.

I am on the other side of this and I'm waiting for a full recovery.  But, I've had time to reflect and observe.  I was in dire pain the night of the surgery.  No.  Not dire.  Excruciating.

My doctor had given me pain pills but that was a waste.

So, next morning I called her.  Got her answering service. She never spoke to me but rather had her assistant to call.  I told her to give me a more powerful drug that had helped my sister through a foot surgery. Her response was not helpful as the handover person informed me that the really powerful drug was not something the doctor prescribed.

In other words, deal with the pain 'cause we aren't giving you anything stronger...that works!

At my next appointment, she seemed surprised that she'd said that the assistant was wrong because she does prescribe the powerful painkiller.

I filed this way until my final appointment.

That's when I informed her that she should have called me the night of the surgery -- as a courtesy. Had she done that, I said, she would have known about the prescription and could have given me that.

She listened and I went one step further. I told her she should add the courtesy call to her doctoring must-dos.  This type of "extra" would go far in promoting goodwill and boosting business.

I hope she will do better in the future.

Who is there for you!

OK.  I had surgery recently and  I just pulled on friends, sorority sisters, relatives to help me through the wellness journey.

But being sick is illuminating.This experience allowed me to find out who I can depend upon during an emergency.  Who is there for me when I need a lift, comfort, daily calls.

My neighbor was GREAT!  She was a stand out.  Various friends came in and assisted.

But, it was an eyeopening experience.

Now I know who will be there for me and I have clarity.

Signifyin' as sport

I just left the Dutch West Indies -- St. Maarten -- where I had the greatest time.

I have made some great friends down there and I love them.  But, I've discovered they love making digs, enjoy insulting people and bask in the sport of signifying.

I have difficulty adjusting to that and often get defensive...all while they continue doing what they do.

So, now that I know this,  and I still love them and their company, I'm going to have to roll with this or get quicker on my feet by returning to signify back.

Not a talent I thought I'd cultivate...but one I'm going to master if I want to be part of the fun.

It's about family!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays:

As my family gets smaller with untimely deaths of those at the top of the pyramid, and as my sister, brother and I ascend to the pyramid hierarchy, family becomes more important.

On this holiday season, I extend a message to hold tight to family, cleave to them, honor and cherish them.

With family, bask in the glow of the merriment and the holiness of Jesus' birth.

Be together.  Love together. Cling to one another....together.

Being awarded...I guess I like it

I am not really big on awards...or so I thought.

I was absolutely giddy with excitement when I was awarded the "Girl on Fire" honor last night.  I used my acceptance speech to talk about the importance of being brave, curious and kind.

After I got my honor, I walked around the ballroom seeking -- and getting -- congratulations and best wishes from the audiences.  And I happily took pictures with any and everybody -- including some selfies.

So, today I'm basking in the afterglow.  So, I guess I enjoy getting awards after all.

And, based on my resume, I deserve it.

CHINA!

I'm still basking in the joy of being in China for 10 days.  Climbing the Great Wall of China will forever be etched in my consciousness as history-making and life altering.  Navigating and negotiating those uneven and steep steps was a physical test but exhilarating to know that I made it to the third tier...or 3/4 of a mile.  So, that meant I managed to scale 1 1/2 miles of this wonder.

Of course, visiting the largest Buddha in the world was dynamic.

We went to Forbidden City, Summer Palace and so many wondrous sites, that we were ripping and running daily.

I met some wonderful women, including two sistas, on the same tour but not on the same bus.  We vowed to get together again....Ditto for two native American women from Albuquerque who I vowed to visit.

It was tiring but rewarding.  The worst part being the ride home and the incessant security checks.  When I got to O'Hare and thought I was almost home free, the security summoned me into still another security checkpoint and I almost went crazy.

All in all, it was a trip of a lifetime.  Bears repeating.

It was a trip of a lifetime.