Mother's Day revisited

On Mother's Day morning I had already been treated to my bat and a lovely bonsai plant from Daughter #1, Allison. Glenn had emailed me earlier in the week and asked if I wanted to go to the club for Mother's Day brunch. I think I said if you want to....

I am not very helpful in telling people what to do...
at least when it comes to my birthday, Mother's Day or Christmas...

Kind of feel it should be about what they want to do for or with me. In that way, I am a lot like my Mother. I remember on more than one occasion her crying because either someone forgot or didn't give her flowers. Her Mother and her had birthday 2 days apart. One birthday in particular, I had my Mom's present all wrapped. I was ready to give it to her on August 7. In the morning she was crying and I asked why. I said,"What's wrong?" She said "You forgot my birthday!" "Today was Grandma's birthday wasn't it?" "Nooo!" she cried. I ran and got her present. But I never got those dates wrong again!

So as Glenn was asking me what I wanted to do, where I wanted to walk, I though a few things. Why am I decided what to do? Where are our daughters? Why am I not Bat Girl? or at least someone I could be OK "losing" to? Why am I so cranky? and finally and perhaps outweighing it all, where is my Mother?

I miss her every day but no day more than Mother's Day.

She was a great Mother. She died too young. Your Mother isn't supposed to die before she meets your husband or holds your children. You Mother is supposed to be there when you walk down the aisle.

Part of why I want to end Cancer so much is because it stole my Mother from me. Frankly I am still angry about that. So on Mother's Day I am sometimes a grouch , if truth be known.

I got dressed in my walking clothes and Glenn asked where I'd like g0. Grumpy me mentioned a few places until I said "let's walk to Tiburon." I am sure Glenn thought, that was a great idea since it would kill two birds with one walk. Where to go, and where to eat.

So off we went on a blustery cold May day. Glenn brought along the new camera and he snapped this shot of a Mother Duck with her ducklings, Belvedere and the city in the background.

We got to Sam's in Tiburon and sat on the sunny and cold deck. I had my phone with me to be checking on the Giant's game. Take a good look at the IPhone, because minutes later, the phone slipped out of my hand and in one quick bounce landed in the bay. It didn't even splash.

Knowing how attached I am to this phone Glenn looked at me with a little more panic than even I had. "Well, we're going to get a new phone today!" To me it was almost like one of those stupid things that acts like a slap in the face. WAKE UP! You are here with your sweet husband on a beautiful (but cold) day. The sun is shining. This is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Shake off this funk and get smiling.... and walking, because I-phone withdrawal would certainly hit soon.

We finished our lunch and hit the trail back toward our car. On the way, I was present enough to grab the camera and snap a picture of this passion flower. How could I not!

We got to Corte Madera and bought a brand new Iphone 4, new pink case and screen protector. The Giants were leading the Rockies going for the sweep. We got back to the house in time to see Cody Ross hit a home run with his pink bat. Put it all together, it was a mixed bag this Mother's Day... but ulitmately as I went to sleep, I thought of two things... my daughters and my Mother.

How could I not.

I want my present to her to be better than flowers or cards or little ceramic bowls... I want to end Cancer. Can you help me?

DONATE

Birthdays, Mother's Day and Surprises

Yesterday started out with one of those precious moments that leaves you smiling all day long.

Glenn and I took the dogs to the dog park. As we walked onto the pathway, there were two young fathers pushing strollers chatting with each other. A little toddler boy followed along and another little boy was sitting high in the stroller with is curling hair dancing in the breeze and a huge smile on his face. The men were talking about where they had taken their kids lately. They obviously were "stay at home Dads." Their smiles and banter was bright and their kids looked happy.

One of the Dads said to the little boy toddling along "Do you want to throw her a kiss? Go ahead." I threw one of those kisses from my palm off in the breeze toward the toddler, but he starting walking over to me. His lips pursed at the ready, his checks rosy and his toddle determined. "Oh you want to give her a real kiss!" said the Dad. I bent over and got a sweet little kiss on my cheek. At that the other little boy started throwing me kisses too. The other Dad said "If your husband wasn't here, I'd give you a kiss too!"

Now that was a way to start the Friday of Mother's Day.

After a nice day at work with Myriam, checking off the to do lists of our 8 listings... and one escrow on the slow road to closing, Glenn and I met up again for a special game at ATT park. It was Willie Mays' birthday, his 80th. San Francisco proclaimed May 6th will always be Willie Mays' Day in SF for this special ball player. After all there is no one who has ever played the game that did it with more panache, with so much skill in San Francsico or perhaps anywhere. Willie Mays is Baseball. I got these tickets the moment they became available in an early release of tickets. Good thing because this game and all the games this weekend are SOLD out.

As part of the celebration, there was a promo give away. The first 20,000 people (basically the first half) were to receive a Willie Mays Statue and a party hat. When we got to the park Willie had his hat on!
I have never seen this before. The line to get into the park stretched all the way around McCovey Cove and back on itself. I began to think maybe I would not be able to get my statue after all.

But we made it inside and Glenn and I both got our hats and statues!

I found out later my statue was put into the box broken, with no arm and a broken foot... So we actually only have one...

I would have auctioned one off at Cheer to the Cure, but now that there is only one, well.... you know.

As a gift to Allison and Chris I tried to take a couple of photos of Colorado players. I don't know who they are but maybe they do.

After the batting practice was over and the crowd was instructed on what to do "in case of emergency" the celebration began.

MC-ed by John Miller.

Willie came into the park on a golf cart while the HD big screen captured every second.

Special guests and speakers were other Giant greats and some of the people from the old Negro league, where Willie played when he was 16 in Alabama.

One was a reverend who commented, he may be 80 but I am 86 and Joe over there is 87!

Boy and Girls from the Boys and Girls Clubs that Willie has long supported surrounded him as the crowd of 41,900 sang "Happy Birthday."

Willie spoke as well with apparent emotion. Thanking the crowd and the Giants. He said Peter MacGowen at one time told him, you will always be a Giant until the day you die. And Willie said he is trying to do that. And he is. He is a fixture at Spring Training and throughout the season supporting, tutoring and inspiring young players.

The game for the Giants started as if they were in jet lag from their long long difficult road trip. By the 6th inning the score was 3-0 Rockies. But, magic happened on this May evening. In the 8th it was tied. In the ninth Brian Wilson came in to shut out the side.

The crowd was alive and shouting their encouragement as Aaron Rowand, was put out, and Freddy Sanchez stepped up to the plate.

All the while this little boy in front of us slept. It was past his bedtime, around 10:30.

FREDDY FREDDY FREDDY the crowd chanted. And bang Sanchez rose to the cheers and hit a liner into center field. The perfect finish to the birthday celebration of one of the best Center fielders who ever lived.

That was a game! That's my team. They teach you lessons every time you pay attention. This evening I was reminded how much support means to people. How when you have had a turn of bad luck, how the belief of others can lift you up out of your negativity into a place of belief in possibilities. Tonight reminded me that even if you lose yesterday it will not tarnish a win today. In fact sometimes, that loss is part of what make the win more significant.

These lessons of baseball plays out in our every day lives.

I see it in my business. I have felt it in my colleagues.

I lived it when I had Cancer and survived through with the help and belief of those around me. Yes. I love this game.

As Mother's Day comes to your life take time to remember the loss we feel of Moms who are gone. This loss should remind us to cherish the ones who are still there. For me I will be sad to not have my children at home, but I smile to remember they are still in my heart and my life. I will enjoy a different kind of Mother's Day. A day with my husband with whom I share a blessed life, two wonderful daughters and adventures everyday. I will miss my Mom, but I will remember her all day long and celebrate how who she was has helped define me, and my children she never met.

Happy Mother's Day and GO GIANTS!

AND as a gift to your Mother and all Mother and children of Mothers, Husbands and Fathers of Mothers ... Consider making a donation to Susan G Komen who does so much to find an end to the #1 Cancer killer of women.

DONATE

Piecing it together

Time to start planning in earnest for our fund raiser event, CHEERS to a CURE!

I haven't quilted since I went into Real Estate. My quilting center turned into a mini office. My sewing machine started to rust. I decided that it was time to get it out and get busy and create a couple of donation items for the silent auction. Of course as these things go, my sewing machine broker just as I was about to finish the last bit on the last quilt.

I now have a new machine - And 2 quilts

The biggest, the finest, the greatest...

"Hope Blooms"

This quilt is a combination of a few techniques. It uses over $200 worth of materials. The quilting will be extra - I decided to have it finished in Sonoma on a long arm quilting machine.

I will take more pictures once the quilting is done. It's going to be awesome This quilt will fit a queen bed as a coverlet, a full bed or a twin bed. Bright and full of promise, this could be a keep sake for generations. And just think, its tax deductible and will help to end Breast Cancer.

You can bid online on the silent auction, all the way up until I take it to Cheers to a Cure. There, the final bidding will happen. So if you would like me to keep a reserve bid in mind for you, let me know and we will bid for you there. www.CheerstoaCure.com

Starting bid $200 - The value is priceless.... but in materials approx. $500

Quilt #2 - The Baby Quilt - "Fuzzy Ducky"


This sweet quilt is made of flannel and satin, and fuzzy green plush material. It is soft and silky and cozy as can be. The quilting is hand done, with the exception of the edge.

Who do you know who is expecting a wee one... What a great gift idea.
Materials cost $30

This will also be a silent auction item. The starting bid is $25

I am determined to do whatever I can to help end Breast Cancer. I hope you will join me by either donating, bidding on the auction and/or coming to Cheers to a Cure

www.CheerstoaCure.com

www.the3day.org/goto/donatetocathy

P.S. They announced the Bat Girl for the Giants. They opted to go for a young Sacramento woman who is a one year survivor. She started a successful team for Race for the Cure last year, and is the co-chair of this year's run for the Sacramento affiliate of Susan G Komen. I had hoped someone who LOVED the Giants would be chosen, and on Mother's Day that a Mother would be chosen. I assume the choice is one that makes sense to the committee, partially because they know her and hopefully that they know her to be a great motivator. Because the most important thing of all is not who throws out the first pitch but who wins this war against Breast Cancer. And that, that we need to do together.

I want to thank everyone who supported me, and still do support me. It means the world.

Struck out? I don't think so

I may not be the official Giant's Bat Girl, but I am Glenn's. Although I am still waiting to hear who won this great honor, I have my personal favorite "Fights like a girl". I hope she is selected and her 4 sons can see her on Sunday living life large (while she battles stage 4 cancer.)

It's hard reading those stories. As a survivor, I can relate to all of them. All Cancer is horrible and frightening, because to each person their battle with Cancer is a battle for life. It doesn't matter what "stage" your cancer is. It is like being pregnant, you can't be sorta pregnant, and you can't sorta have Cancer. I am proud to be on the other side of my battle and I feel an enormous responsibility to fight even harder to end this disease for those who have to fight a more personal battle. So on Mother's Day I will watch my Giants on TV and cheer on the SF Giant's honorary Bat Girl. And I am guessing I may cry a little too.

In the meantime, it is back to training with my new camera at the ready. I thought I would go out to Tennessee Beach again with a fresh lens and see if things looked different....

I started my walk at the Community Center in Tam Valley and followed Rhubarb Trail until I came to the trail head for Tennessee Beach.

On this warm day I wasn't the only one with the idea to walk to the beach.

A girl who saw me was impressed

with my camera and it's long lens. I tried it out by shooting pictures of the hills on the other side of the valley and tried to take a few pictures of flowers, birds and butterflies.

LOVE THIS

Almost at the beach ...

Stream finds it way to shore

Red wing blackbird

Turkeys in a corral

There is a little egg farm on Tennessee Valley Road. I woudl love to have a couple of chickens, but I don't think the dogs would be nice...or the raccoons.... or the fox or....coyote.... or mountain lions.

After the walk I ran to the office and then went on tour. All in a days work.