Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Cookin' Up A Fundraiser!

Monday I met Sandy and Liz (pictured above at "Eyes") to work on our Dallas cookbook.
We had a great time together ... and actually made some decisions.
Our goal is 200 recipes and we are probably going to reach that ... and more.
If you're reading this and would like to submit to our cookbook ... we would LOVE it!
...
Don't know about the fundraising, yet.  I am worried about it.  Although the cookbook is a good idea ... it won't generate as much money as I would like. (Unless I sell a gazillion books ... and charge a lot of $$$!)
...
Did NOT weigh in Monday night.  As of the last weigh in I am down just over 20 lbs.  It's a good thing.
 
BOOBIES.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day

My valentine ... and flowers from the man who saved him!
My 39th Valentine's day meatloaf!  (This year it was turkey ... and it was good.)
Happy Valentine's Day friends!
Boobies.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Is Mercury in Retrograde?

I was feeling pretty good driving to Lord and Taylor this afternoon.  I had just come from the car wash and my wheels were looking great.  I was stopped at a light when ... BANG ... some guy in a Saab hit me from behind.  He rushed out of his car to see if I was ok (I was ... just shaken and pissed because I knew that something was going to happen ... snow ... rain ... accident ... because the car was clean!)  Anyway, we pulled into a parking lot and I have to say, there wasn't much damage at all.  I called the police anyway ... just to have a report.  Some time passed and I got to know the guy in the other car ... a sweet guy named Robert who was on his way to get his 11 year old daughter's birthday cake at Baskin Robbins.  He belongs to our synagogue ... he has 3 kids (7 year old twins and the 11 year old) ... he's 40 years old ... and I teach with his sister-in-law!  I learned a lot about Rob in the time we were together.  The most important part of this story is that the police officer who came to take our information and make a report was Officer Extremely Handsome.  YIKES!  In the end everything was ok.  There is minor damage to my car ... and it is still clean ... and nobody got hurt. (and I got to spend some time with the best looking cop in Port Washington.)
OK ... so that was one thing.  
When I finally came home I noticed the refrigerator door was open.  Upon investigation ... I realized the piece that covers the light was off ... and it was hot.  I moved things around and closed the door and a bit later the light was back on and it started to get cool. 
So ... I want to know if Mercury is in retrograde?
I sent a message to a FB friend who understands these things.
If Mercury is in retrograde ... I don't want to leave the house.
Just sayin'.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Oh What Fun ...

SGK San Francisco 2010
I posted this picture to FB the other day.
We were approaching a hill in San Francisco.
Priceless ...'eh?
I miss these Blogger Babes.
BOOBIES.

ps--The rash on the leg is getting better.

Monday, February 6, 2012

79.2 Sticks of Butter

That's almost 20 lbs!
Woo hoo!
I made it through a reunion luncheon at Carmine's and Super Bowl party at Myle's and Viv's!  I'm really pleased.
...
I picked up a new medication for the rash on my leg today.
When the pharmacist said "$45.00"  I said "But I have insurance.  How much is it REALLY?"  She looked and said ... "$45.00.  The cost of the medication is actually $273.00."
It's a tiny 50g of foam ... a 20 day supply.
When I wake up tomorrow morning ... this rash better be GONE! 
What do people WITHOUT insurance do?
...
BOOBIES! 

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Reunion

It was reunion day for Burt's Babes.  We reconnected with our training buddies and had a great lunch at Carmines.  Everyone looked AMAZING!
Team Burt's Babes Dallas is still intact!
We all agreed that this week was a tough one ... but we also agreed that we have to let the "dust settle."
...
I just got home from an exciting Super Bowl party.
Congratulations to the NEW YORK GIANTS!  It was an awesome game.
And now ... on to BASEBALL!
...
BOOBIES!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Almost At The End Of A Long Week

Bee hated these ... and Sarge knocked them over in the middle of his service ... but I loved these flowers.
It was indeed a long week.
Yeah ... SGK disappointed us ... but that's the small stuff.
Saying goodbye to Sarge was difficult.
Now the number of my "loyal readers" is down to one.
I am so happy that I was able to be with Miss Bee, Chuck, Cat, and Sarge's family and friends yesterday.
He was a gentleman.
He loved his family.
He loved his country.
He was my friend.
Charlie loved two things about my blog.
One thing was this picture:
The other thing was writing this word in the comments:

BOOBIES!

So this is for you my friend.
I'm pretty sure you're reading this!
Love you.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Press Release From SGK

 
February 3, 2012
For Immediate Release
 
 
 
Statement from Susan G. Komen Board of Directors and Founder and CEO Nancy G. Brinker
 
We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives.
 
The events of this week have been deeply unsettling for our supporters, partners and friends and all of us at Susan G. Komen.  We have been distressed at the presumption that the changes made to our funding criteria were done for political reasons or to specifically penalize Planned Parenthood.  They were not.
 
Our original desire was to fulfill our fiduciary duty to our donors by not funding grant applications made by organizations under investigation.  We will amend the criteria to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political. That is what is right and fair.
 
Our only goal for our granting process is to support women and families in the fight against breast cancer.  Amending our criteria will ensure that politics has no place in our grant process.  We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities. 
 
It is our hope and we believe it is time for everyone involved to pause, slow down and reflect on how grants can most effectively and directly be administered without controversies that hurt the cause of women.  We urge everyone who has participated in this conversation across the country over the last few days to help us move past this issue.  We do not want our mission marred or affected by politics – anyone’s politics.
 
Starting this afternoon, we will have calls with our network and key supporters to refocus our attention on our mission and get back to doing our work.  We ask for the public’s understanding and patience as we gather our Komen affiliates from around the country to determine how to move forward in the best interests of the women and people we serve.
We extend our deepest thanks for the outpouring of support we have received from so many in the past few days and we sincerely hope that these changes will be welcomed by those who have expressed their concern.
###
 
 
 

 
 

Thursday, February 2, 2012

...And This Is From Our Beloved (and brilliant) Captain ... Burt.

In the last couple of days, lots of people – knowing my long-standing connection with the Komen 3-Day Walk for the Cure – have asked me for my reaction to the news that Komen will not be giving further grants to Planned Parenthood.  I have been thinking about little else since the news hit; about the implications, and how this act – that like so many I believe to be a terrible misjudgment – should affect my future relationship with Komen.
 
I am very, very, disappointed in an organization that for years I have believed, and I think with good reason, was a model of a well-run, highly-motivated, group, dedicated completely to doing the right thing in a cause that is so important to so many millions of people.  I am also disappointed in its response to the negative reactions of so many of its friends and supporters.  I find it very difficult to swallow the contention that this decision had nothing to do with politics.  The official statement, that this defunding is the result of an across-the-board decision not to give grants to organizations that are the subject of a governmental investigation, and that Planned Parenthood fits into that category because one Congressman has launched an investigation into its abortion funding, is, to my mind, a pretext.  And I am saddened and angered that Komen has yielded to the threats of one end of the political spectrum to the detriment of women’s health.  In these last two days, many of my walking colleagues, who I admire and respect, have announced that they are severing all ties with Komen as a result.  I cannot, and will not attempt to, argue with that position.
 
But, I find myself unwilling to take that step.  A part of me recognizes that this grave self-inflicted wound results from the organization being in a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t situation.  As Wheaton College political science Professor Amy Black put it, “to continue a partnership with Planned Parenthood would have significant political consequences that would harm them.  To end the partnership with Planned Parenthood would have significant political consequences that also would cause harm.”  I firmly believe that Komen made the completely wrong choice.  But I have to recognize the practical dilemma.
 
I have found myself analogizing the situation to that of my reaction if a very good friend, or a loved one, who I have always found to be good and kind and fair, suddenly did something completely awful and out of character.  Would my reaction be to drop them from my life?  I hope not.  And that is how, for now at least, I see Komen. 
 
What has not changed as a result of this stupid decision, is that Komen is still the best resource we have in the struggle to find a cure for breast cancer.  And I cannot walk away from that.  I will separately donate to Planned Parenthood to help with its work in providing breast exams and information (apparently they do not do mammography).  But the money Komen raises funds the research that has saved the lives of so many women, and will someday kill the monster.  And, more than any other cancer charity, the money it raises goes directly to the work that so many of us deeply care about.  I cannot ignore that.    
 
I hate what they have done this week.  But I love what they have done for 30 years.  I am angry and disappointed.  But I do not see myself leaving the Komen community.

IRS Circular 230
Disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS in Circular 230, we inform you that any tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachment that does not explicitly state otherwise) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.

If You're A Walker You Received This ...

To our Susan G. Komen 3-Day family,

The current debate over the changes to Susan G. Komen’s grant-making programs continues. What also continues is the need for us to focus on the undeniable fact that women are diagnosed with breast cancer and die from breast cancer every day.

No group associated with Susan G. Komen for the Cure works harder than all of you who participate in the 3-Day. The energy and passion you demonstrate through involvement with the 3-Day is an inspiration to all of us. Regardless of the ongoing debate, we need to step back and remember why we all got involved in the first place. We are united in our energy and our passion to eradicate breast cancer.

The debate will continue. The dollars at the center of it are but a small fraction of the overall commitment made by Susan G. Komen over the past 30 years. What can never be debated is that our fight against breast cancer cannot be sidetracked.

On that we know we all stand together and we thank you for your shared commitment.

Sincerely,

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day Team

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Planned Parenthood ...

Susan G. Komen caved in to politics.
Within an article about SGK and Planned Parenthood I read this:

"At the heart of this issue is the shameful investigation of Planned Parenthood by House Republicans trying to score political points and appease their extreme right-wing base.  Komen should not allow these sort of partisan games to put women across America at risk."

I am sick that SGK felt the pressure to back down.
It's their policy to withdraw support from any organization that is under government investigation ... and Planned Parenthood is under investigation.
Do your investigating Republicans.
  
As Senator Patty Murray said "Politics is again coming between women and their health care needs."
In the meantime ...
I will be lacing up my sneakers and walking another 60 miles in November.
I hope you will join me.
Susan G. Komen has made an enormous difference in the war against breast cancer.
I continue to support Susan G. Komen.
The end.