STRONG WOMEN

2014.11.24

Monday morning dawns cold and chilly here in London. I slept soundly last night my husband informs me this morning as I wake up almost an hour later than usual....

I feel refreshed and have new energy and a better outlook on life.

WHY?

I just spent my weekend with 6 other women in Lisbon on a "Girl's weekend away."

The girls at Heathrow.

We flew first class. (It felt that way to us because we didn't have the kids with us and only had to worry about our own luggage and passports.)

We ate gourmet food. (There were no fast food restaurants on our horizon.)

We stayed in a hotel fit for a King or Queen. (The hotel let us use a fantastic room for our after party at 3 am....)

We shopped. (We could browse and buy at our own pace.)

We laughed and enjoyed each other's company. (In each and every activity we participated in...)

We all brought our individual personalities to the table and made a compelling picture walking down the street in our matching scarves.

We were a force to be reckoned with.

Many large buildings are painted with murals. Brilliant!

I met these other moms at the school just three months ago and now I have friends for life.

Tram on the streets of Lisbon

Beautiful tiles cover the outside of some buildings

View from our hotel room.

A diverse group of women. Three Americans, One Dutch, One Australian, One Columbian and a Brazilian.....sounds almost like the beginning to a good joke but we share many similarities and our differences make this a fascinating dynamic in our group. If the world could have half as much teamwork and fun as we had then the world would be a perfect place.

Friday morning and after dropping the kids off at school, we head to the airport. The excitement is in the air. A chance to do just what we want and leave some of our responsibilities behind is a necessary ingredient so we can "charge our batteries". The daily routine of being a wife and mom ...........could always do with some new energy just because we put everything we have into that and it can sometimes take more energy than we have.

All checked in and through security, we board the plane and make a grand entrance as we ask the stewardess if its ok to move further back in the plane so we can all sit near each other and "party". We didn't want to bother anyone.....  (I am leaving out the story of the less than perfect experience with an airport restaurant..(The Perfectionist) when ordering and eating my salad.....)

We landed and all cleared immigration and customs and were met by the limo driver.  (OK, it was a large passenger van but it felt like a limo because he took our luggage for us and then held the door open for us as we got in.)

Arrived at this most fantastic hotel called Hotel Avenida Palace. WOW. We were treated like royalty and shown to our rooms with our luggage being delivered to us shortly thereafter.

Beautiful room in our hotel, also sight of our late night after party......

I so thoroughly enjoyed the fact that I was along for the ride. Cris had scoped out places to eat and we were amazed with each of the places.

A fantastic foodie market was our first destination for some drink and light tapas before dinner a lot later on. LOVED IT. I TRIED A FEW NEW THINGS.

Mercado Ribeira. YUM YUM

We changed for dinner and took a cab to a fantastic tapas restaurant. Wine, good food, great company and lots and lots of laughs. PERFECT.

Saturday morning breakfast we were treated like royalty in the fantastic breakfast room. Filling up with much needed energy food and water to replenish we were ready to tackle the first activity of the day.

We took a tram to Torre de Belem. Built on the northern bank of the Tagus between 1514 and 1520 as part of the Tagus estuary defence system, the Tower of Belém is one of the architectural jewels of the reign of Manuel I.

Torre de Belem

Torre de Belem

2nd floor of Torre de Belem

It was beautiful and sunny day as we took in this amazing sight. Then we headed to Lisbon's best place for the typical Portuguese pastry which was absolutely divine. It is called Pasteis de Belem. They make and serve more than 20,000 of these pastries every day. 

Then it was an afternoon of shopping, browsing, some went to the spa and just taking in all the sights and enjoying each others company. 

I was tired by the end of the day as this was a lot of activity for me but thankfully I wasn't exhausted. That is definitely an improvement from just last month. 

Thankfully we had time to take a nap and rest before the big slate of Saturday night activities.  Our limo took us to the restaurant called Cantinho Do Avillez. (A very, very good looking chef who founded this restaurant- he made sure that he hired equally attractive waiters..enough said) (OK- It was just a taxi but it felt like a limo.)

These are the actual items that the chef played with in his Grandma's kitchen when he was growing up.

Magical evening with great food, pretty good singing and a lot of laughing continued when we went to a night club to pass the time until the real party started at the dance club. The night club had the first room as the smoking room which you had to pass through to get to the bar and the rest of the club which was full. We hung out at the bar watching the DJ (in a striped orange 70's style sweater) playing non-commercial music. What the heck is non-commercial music? I took my phone and my play list up to him and said "hey can you play something from Swedish House Mafia?" His reply was that he only plays his own music (which was from a different planet and not conducive to dancing for us.) I need to say that he had grey hair and that the sweater was in fashion when he was 20 years old back in the 70's. Thank god for each other and the big bottle of champagne (or was it wine?). 

OK, now it was time to head over to Lisbon's hippest dance club called Lux. I LOVE CHAMPAGNE. The others danced. I LAUGHED. We laughed and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Enjoying some champagne at the end of the evening!

Back to the hotel and it was after party time. PERFECT.

Breakfast after only a few hours of sleep never tasted so good. Laughing at breakfast and I saw many of the other hotel guests who were jealous of how much fun we were having. Checked out of the hotel and off to explore the city again before heading to the airport and the journey back to reality. 

Thanks Avery, Cris, Charmian, Michele, Zulma and Gena. GRATEFUL.

Why are we strong women? 

We made time for ourselves this weekend and just enjoyed each and every minute "living in the here and now."

We gave ourselves a new perspective on life. I charged my batteries because I was able to leave that yoke of responsibility for the family at home and finally just relax and recharge. I got to see a new city. It is easier to appreciate all the people and family that I have in my life when I can get a "break" from them.

They had missed me a little bit when I came home. Luckily, we fell back into the morning routine and they all made it to school this morning.

Time for the gym......
Then to start planning the next girl's weekend for the Spring....


LOVED. GRATEFUL. FRIENDS. LAUGHTER. CAMARADERIE. ME TIME. CHAMPAGNE. 

I actually like the weather here.

2014.10.20

Thursday

Some days it rains and pours in the morning. I dress warmly and with a hoodie or an umbrella so the kids can get to school.  Rain in the morning usually means that by lunch time the sun will be shining.

We have been so lucky with the weather here. Rain is always followed by the sun so you almost forget that it rained.

The clouds in the afternoon form in such magnificent ways and are ever shifting and creating new patterns and the eventual rainbow. I am fascinated by it.

The low clouds mean the planes try and fly in under them on their approach to Heathrow. It makes things exciting here.

The kids notice the weather but have not yet worn any wellington boots. They just try and avoid the puddles as they walk to school with sneakers on their feet.  They have commented that it is grey and the sun is not out as much but that is partially due to their curtains always being closed.

Walking home from the gym while it is raining is almost magical. I have my headphones in my ears, my hoodie up and just listen to my music and watch the world move to the beat.

Now it is time for a little break from London. Me and some of the other moms from the school are heading to Lisbon for a girls weekend. It will be good to focus on me.

Peter will be doing some fundraising for the UK Lymphoma association next year when he plans to bike from London to Paris in 4 days. He will start training in January for the September race. That will really be an accomplishment. I will be standing at the finish line cheering him on!

OK time to finish packing. Check everything off my list. Looking forward to some good food, great company and a lot of laughs.

LOVED. RAIN. SUN. GRATEFUL. LONDON LIVING.

GET PERSONAL

Friday, November 14, 2014

The new me is changing for the better. 

I am working on one thing at a time 

(more than one thing and it hurts my chemo brain.)

The move to London is a chance for a fresh start and to get my life back on track.  I already knew when I moved here that I would get a personal shopper (ended up getting two for the price of one). I had an amazing day with Claudia and Michele from Partners in Style and bought just the right amount of clothes and shoes to make a difference. (www.partnersinstyle.co.uk) Quality was amazing. It also gave me some more self-confidence because all my friends here have noticed and liked my clothes. Never hurts to get a compliment....... If anyone has asked I have willingly and gladly told them where I bought it and that Claudia and Michele were the reason I even tried it on. I can say that I would have never tried any of these things on if I had been by myself. I am thankful for Claudia and Michele.

I got great new clothes but I still had the goal of decreasing my body size. I am happy in my body but wanted it to be more shapely. (translated: lose all those kilos that the pregnancies and excess eating had left on me)

I need to be fit and healthy. I want to end this year on a positive note. My goal was to have a personal trainer to kick my butt and get me moving. I made an appointment at a GYM. I mentioned to some of the other moms about this appointment. One mom (and friend) Avery said you can't go to that gym you have to meet Ben at G14. (www.g14.co.uk)

Well, little did I know it would be just what I needed and that it was my lucky day when I got to meet Ben.  THANKS AVERY for making Ben see me.:)

I started in October with a consultation and then I was told - ok we work on your nutrition and eating habits for the first month. WHAT? I wanted to get in to the gym and start losing that body fat from Day 1.

Luckily, I am focused and have been through much harder things these past nine months that eating healthy food and getting it right has not been the hard part. I am amazed that I could go from eating mostly just processed foods (junk) to eating vegetables, meat and the right carbs. Now it is a lifestyle. I am still learning but I am on board with healthy eating.

After almost a month, I am allowed in to where all the workout machines are set up. The anxiety before the first workout with Ben was intense. Crap, now I really have to put my money where my mouth is and do some hard work. How hard can it be?   Well, it was scary to see such a low level of conditioning in my body. I have, in effect, been sedentary for more than 15 years.

Very pleased with my new shoes.

I survived the first workout and then went on to do workout nr 2 and 3 on my own. (and nrs. 5 and 6 too) YES, I need to push myself harder but, hell I have gone through chemo so this is easy compared to that.

Once a week I meet Ben and he changes my workout and makes it harder just after I have gotten used to the previous one. THANKS BEN.  He adds weights, changes the number of reps and then teaches me new exercises so I am totally confused in my chemo brain. He does it with a smile on his face and a wink here and there so that I find the will and energy to push myself.

I see progress because I can bike longer with a higher intensity and I don't feel like I am going to pass out like I did the first day.

Always have one of these in my hand.

My problem is still my lack of patience with results. I want everything to happen yesterday but I am realizing that I need to savour this journey and that results will come in their due time.

Each workout by myself is 60 minutes of cardio and weights. I put on the headphones and take the best songs from my Teresa's Kick Ass playlist from the chemo days and get into the zone. as I follow Ben's instruction sheet. The first workout by myself was hard work. It was harder than I thought it could be. I got through it and felt the sense of accomplishment.

I had also accumulated a massive amount of points from my heart monitor. The monitor tracks how long I am in each zone of heart rate and you get points for each interval. The harder you work the more points you get. My competitive nature sets in and for the last workout I did an extra 2 minutes on the bike just so I could break 200 points. The monitor gives you feedback on your workout via an email after the workout is done.

I am more than 6 weeks into this new phase of my life. I have more energy. The pain in my joints has lessened a bit. I can walk further without getting out of breath. I sleep better. I have a longer attention span and can read books again.

I still have bad balance, crappy nails, curly chemo hair and super curly chemo hair when its humid and a central line still in my body.

I have great friends and family. I have Ben as my PT. I still have the guy from the Crepe restaurant waving like crazy at me every time I walk by. I have torrential downpours in the morning on the way to school. I have the sun shining in a big blue sky in the afternoon as I go to pick the kids up. I have meat, potatoes and vegetables for dinner with water. I have new workout clothes because I didn't have any before. I am enjoying every minute of life!

The sun shiniing through after the rain

Yum YUM YUM

I am one of the members of the G14 fan club. I am very impressed with Ben who manages to make me give it my all, who challenges me and who can see the bigger picture even though I don't always see it myself. He puts up with my chemo brain and repeats himself when I ask the same question more than twice.

My goal is to end this year on a positive note. It's looking good so far.

GRATEFUL. PERSONAL TRAINERS ROCK. LOVED. KICK ASS. CARDIO. PERSONAL SHOPPERS ROCK. ACHIEVE MORE. GET PERSONAL.

Blood-Swept Lands and Seas of Red

THURSDAY

I felt a strong desire to attend the Armistice day commemoration at the Tower of London this past Tuesday 11.11.14. Not only to see the art exhibit of 888,246 ceramic poppies (which represent the number of British and Commonwealth citizens that lost their life in WWI) that had been planted in the moat around the tower but to be one to give thanks for soldiers both here and in the USA that have given their lives and service to keep us safe.

I sent the kids to school on the bus and I headed in the other direction on the tube to get to the Tower Bridge early on this day. The exodus from the station and the amount of people was overwhelming even this early in the morning.

The tower was a sight to behold with the red poppies creating a fantastic field of red. I followed the flow of people as we all tried to take it all in. I started at the far end of the tower on the road that leads over the London Tower Bridge. I stopped every few meters and took pictures and marveled at the sight but also reflected over the symbolism of all of these lives that were lost.

I walked further and got a great spot to see the ceremony that would start 1,5 hours later. I stood next to a lady who had a Help for Heroes jacket on and we had a great conversation while we were waiting for the ceremony to start.

More and more people were arriving during the next 1,5 hours. By the time the ceremony started with the planting of the last poppy by a 13 year old cadet, the people who came to see were standing 15-20 deep.

A 21 gun salute and the reading of the names of 200 who had lost their lives recently was a simple yet powerful way to remember these people. Then it was 11 am on the 11th of 11th month and it was time for two minutes of silence.

WOW. WOW. WOW.  Thousands of people at the Tower and millions in London stopped what they were doing and were silent. London was quiet. Everything just stopped and goosebumps appeared on my arms. I took the time to remember my grandfathers who served in World War 2 and to give thanks for my brother who served in the Army as an Airborne Ranger.

It was an unbelievable feeling to be there and experience these two minutes of reflection. It is something I will never forget.

Once the commemoration was completed everyone made their way towards the train stations in a slow and orderly fashion. SLOW was the keyword. It was quite tedious to shuffle forward one step at a time until we were away from the tower.

I walked and wandered around London until it was time to pick up the kids even getting there a bit late.

I am so glad I got to experience the full art installation and the ceremony to remember and thank all those servicemen and women that put their lives on the line for FREEDOM.

For this, I am truly grateful.

New perspectives

2014 November 10

Monday

It has been a while since I shared what has been going on.

The new me is trying and doing a lot more things and trying to maintain that positive attitude on life.

I have changed the way that I eat. It is working. I don't eat processed foods anymore. It is vegetables, meats, fish, poultry and nuts. I am losing weight, slowly but surely. (I really would like that part to go faster....)

I am now working with my personal trainer, Ben who is patient and focused on getting me in shape. I am not as patient as him but I am very focused. I work out in the gym three times a week and I walk at least 4 miles every day. It the new me.

My views of the Thames during my walks.

It feels good to be in control of those two areas of my life - the eating and the exercise.

The positive attitude in life is easy in most respects because I see things and experience things differently. I have joked that it is the post chemo glow that gets the waiter to wink at me, the bus driver to joke with me, and the crepe store owner who waves to me every time I walk by his establishment. I am more aware of my surroundings and I interact with them more or maybe in a different way.

I think it is important to spend quality time with the family. As they are teenagers, they tend not to agree to the same extent but my challenge is to win them over.

So this past weekend I told them to be ready to go on a family outing at 8 am on Sunday morning. Leaving at 9 am was a major accomplishment. My thoughts were to see a little bit of the UK while we are living here. Our destination was Canterbury to see the Canterbury Cathedral, the Norman Castle and to eat lunch together. The kids found out where we were going as we drove out of London. We talked about Chaucer and his story Canterbury Tales on the way there.

Norman Castle ruins in Canterbury

Canterbury Cathedral

Inside of the Cathedral

My boys and Sophie on Whitstable Beach

It was a long day but really fun to see all these things. It gave us family time together. We even went to the beach at Whitstable and walked along the boardwalk. Sophie jumped in for a dip in that cold water. The drive back was just long enough.

I consider that day a success because they said that next time they wanted to be in on the planning. (and they even thanked me when we got home)

The new me is taking advantage of all opportunities to enjoy life. 

Mia and her family visited over fall break. It was awesome to have them here. The house seems empty now they are gone. The children impressed us when we had an afternoon tea at a really nice place and they used every one of their manners while eating and drinking from the fine china.

Last week, Jodi Picoult launched her latest book in the UK. Myself and a few of the other moms from school, who have formed a book club all went together. It was really exciting for me because my dad had Jodi as a student back in high school and they are still in touch. So, I finally got to meet her backstage after hearing so many fantastic things about her from my dad all these years. What an amazing experience to listen to her talking about her book and her life. Her latest book is called Leaving Time and I am halfway through.........(I highly recommend it)

Me and Jodi Picoult

The day after the book launch, I was invited to attend a film screening of Sweet Dreams which was sponsored by the Women for Women network. The organisation helps women in the countries where they need it most. It was a very inspirational evening.

I have more energy than I have had in a while. It feels good and I need to maintain that energy and start getting more things done but at a comfortable pace so I don't end up overdoing it. I also have to decide what to do with my hair.......

GRATEFUL for my family, my friends (both new and old), the sights I see in London, the new things I get to experience and the fact that my fight song, BRAVE- helps me during my gym workout so I can kick some butt and lose all of this body fat........


LOVED. FAMILY. FRIENDS. LONDON. AFTERNOON TEA. LEARNING NEW THINGS. KICKED CANCER'S BUTT.