OZ

Election day is finally here!! I am soooo glad that it will be over by tomorrow--no more ads For/Against Props 2 and 8...much less the rest!

Someone sent me this picture...thought it was too much fun not to share!

CREATIVITY AND CLEANING...

...mutually exclusive???

I used to create...it could happen again. I have included some pictures to remind me of the things that inspired me...Barbara Chapman's fabulous doll, as well as things inspiring around my house. Now I need to create my studio.

There is an infamous room in my house. Quite infamous actually. I have been "working on it" for 8 years. I have finally decided that the only way to work on it is with the help of a dumpster...no make that a group of teamsters.

This is a very large room 17 x 20 I believe. A perfect place for me to have a studio....in that fashion every room in the house will not have to be a "temporary" workspace. That being said, I must sort through to make sure that I throw out nothing important. I have found things that made me cry (photo of Andy, card from Samantha to Clifford), things that made me smile (Susan Schneider lighting the candles with Clifford), and things that take me back to wonderful times (my first collage artwork under the watchful tutelage of Vicki Fish).

That, dear friends and critics, is why it takes me soooo long to accomplish this task that seems so simple to everyone else. Everything I find is a detour through my life.

I feel that once I get this room cleaned out, my creativity will begin again....and make no mistake I miss it!

BY REQUEST BROG

What is a BROG you ask?? A combination of bragging and blogging. It is by request because it was requested.

I have spent a good portion of my existence making fun of Henry's inability to do anything remotely handy. Like the first day I opened my store, I'm in Stitches, and he wanted to change the switch plate on the wall by the front door and we had no electricity for two hours. . .or the fact that every electrial applicance in the house would be flashing 12:00 if I did not change them. . .or the fact that until he met me he did not think "normal" people painted a house, you called someone. Now that I am thinking about it, I remember the time he and the neighbor behind us replaced the door to outside on the house in Massachusetts and there was a two inch gap at the bottom. I kept a towel there to keep the snow, cold, leaves, and small animals from entering. Or the time, he asked the neighbor to borrow the chain saw, and the neighbor waited until he left and came over and offered to do the work rather than let Hen touch a chainsaw.

So, I am here to refute these statements. Henry has repaired something. He has replaced a tube on the refrigerator enabling the proper functioning of the icemaker. Something that has been broken for a month. He did an incredible job. He is VERY proud (as he should be). The one thing that he has not considered. Now that I am aware that he is capable. Here is the Honey Do list that I have been waiting my whole life to give him:

• Laundry room needs painting.
• New light fixtures over sink in bathroom
• New smoke detector (since it never went off during the fires)
• Fix dripping faucet
• Put soap in soap dispenser under sink in kitchen

Oh, my God.....how much fun is this!!! The photo is Henry resting after the big day!! Dreaming of a time the Chargers might actually learn how to play footbal....or perhaps change their name to the retreaters.

GOLDIE FRIEDMAN FRIEDMAN

Goldie Friedman Friedman passed away in her sleep today at 91 years of age. It was the end of an era. A woman who lived for her husband, Melville Friedman, and her children, Henry and Nancy. She was kind, generous, and always a lady.

She was a beautiful woman, and she will be missed by all who had the honor to know her. She and Mel will now be together in whatever afterlife there is...soulmates forever.

MY HEART SINGS...

A few weeks ago I told you about an organization called "Second Chance". We were collecting clothes for this organization to help them prepare to reenter the workforce. As with any fundraising event, you are relying on people to give from their heart what they can afford to share...in this case approximately 1,000 pieces of clothing from our generous employees at work. It was a tremendous response.

Part 2 of this program was a makeover session at the store. I began "pressuring" people into donating their time to assist in this makeover process. I have done many fundraising events, and everyone is with you from the get-go, and then they are "busy" or realize that "donating" means you do not get paid for time at the event. So people drop out. I always try to arrange for more people than necessary due to the "fall out" quotient. To my shock and amazement, more people showed up than I had counted on to volunteer, and more people from Second Chance showed up to be made over.

At 8AM today they arrived to be greeted by the Senior Management team; Lisa, Greg, and myself represeted the Junior team; and a cast of Sales Professionals all prepared to impart knowledge in the areas that they knew best.

The gang from cosmetics: Ashley and Amy from Bobbi Brown, Jill from Chanel, Rita from Lancome, and Anita from Laura Mercier. All did makeovers...but more than that they showed them how to go anywhere, a drug store, Target, anywhere, and select the appropriate colors for themselves and how to apply makeup so that they looked professional. What an amazing thing to see!



Eden from Handbags and Jerome from Domestics were working together cutting hair (who knew?)! A new person from handbags even tagged along to assist them in any way she could!

I was going for a haircut October 17th....with things as they are currently Jerome may be cutting my hair in my office.






We had a station set up for a little one on one to discuss interviewing skills. This was done with Denise from Petites, and Stephanie from Handbags.

Then they went straight to the "dress for success" experts: Kathleen, Greg, Miguel from New View, and Jared from Men's Denim. Anything from how to tie a tie to how to select an outfit that will separate you from your competition.



Where was I you ask---with Stephen driving the donated clothes to Encanto to the Second Chance training area (by the way a tremendous facility) in Kathleen's 22 year old pick-up truck ("pay no attention if it makes a strange noise while you are turning").

Fundraising is like childbirth, painful getting to the finish line, but what a wonderful gift at the end...and, by next year, I will be happy to volunteer again. It was a tremendous day, and people's incredible giving spirit made my heart sing!!

You would hire her wouldn't you????

WHEN CATHI MET HENRY

29 years ago today I met Henry. I had just moved to the Miami area and the lady next store in my apartment building asked me to be her "date" at a Hartmann dinner. I went to the dinner, and in walked this handsome man on the arm of a not so handsome woman. I announced to the Plantation Bentley's store--"I want him for Christmas with a big, red bow!" An introduction was made...all he said was "I am sick, who are you?."

Well, the team at Bentley's went to work, and he called that next week. We went on a look see date at an IHOP where (hey big spender) he bought me a diet coke and talked about his wonderful children for 2 hours.

One and a half weeks later I arrived home from having my nails done and all of his stuff was in front of my door. I called my friend Andrea and said what should I do....she said for God's sake, give it a try. In he moved, we were married May 16th 1980.

He is still talking about his kids...when we married they were 8, 9, and 10. Now their kids are that age.

NUCULAR...

...it is not a word. Did Sarah Palin go to the George Bush allocution instructor? The word is nuclear...

/ˈnukliər, ˈnyu- or, by metathesis, -kyələr/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciationnoo-klee-er

you can get a pronunciation verbally here

Why is this word so difficult...if you just look at it it makes sense.

She did do better than I (or anyone) expected...then she said nucular and I quit listening. She was charming...reminded me of a neighbor, which is just where I want her...in the hood--not in the oval, square, trapezoid, or any other shape office.