Patricia Sands

Author

the value of laughter

The party’s at Bridgette’s …

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Okay, a few weeks ago I promised I was only going to post on my blog twice a week and since then I’ve broken that promise several times. I’m sorry … I’m a big believer in promises so this does not make me feel good. With your permission I’ll retract that promise and simply say I’ll TRY not to blog more than twice a week. I know how busy y’all are and you don’t need me popping up in your mailbox every day.

It’s just that there’s SO much great stuff to talk about!

Like this, for example – Today I’m hanging out over at Bridgette Booth’s blog again and we would love it if you would pop in and see what’s going on. We’re still recovering from the brunch she slaved over  threw together for us yesterday. That lady knows how to deliver a party – sharpies, paper plates and jalapeno kolaches – all served up with that special brand of Texan hospitality! We did have more than a few laughs!

Bridgette is one of my fabulous WANA sisters from Kristen Lamb’s Blogging For Your Author Brand course last summer. On the surface she seems kind of shy but underneath that quiet exterior is a real firecracker and a fine human being whose writing simply breathes energy.

In spite of the fact she is busy working on her own manuscript and homeschooling her children, Bridgette – avid reader that she is – pulled The Bridge Club off her TBR pile and decided we needed to chat. She always finds time for her friends and we’re glad she does. Come on over … click right here … there may even be a few of those delicious kolaches left!

 

Girlfriendology – celebrating International Women’s Day!

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Continuing with my celebration of some extraordinarily ordinary women in honour of International Women’s Day on Thursday, March 8th, let me introduce you to a girlfriend extraordinaire – Debba Haupert!  As well as her impressive professional career, her bio describes her as a “wife, sister, daughter, neighbor, pet lover/owner, marathon walker, crafter, traveler, and girlfriend”. When she’s not flying around the country, Debba can be found in Cincinnati, Ohio.

You know I’m all about the meaningful friendships women share, like the girlfriends in my novel, The Bridge Club. As I like to say, whether you are 15, 35 or 85, girlfriends are girlfriends. When it’s real, some things never change!

I’ve never had a conversation or e-mail exchange with Debba that is not full of energy and optimism. Her mission is clear and one that offers something to each and every one of us. If you don’t already know Debba and her fabulous Girlfriendology website, it’s way past time you did … and then tell all of your girlfriends! Spread the sunshine!

Not only does this online community offer inspiration and motivation, an attitude of gratitude is what it’s all about.  I don’t think there’s a subject on which it doesn’t drop some fabuloso information and links: food, wine, shopping, travel, BOOKS, parenting, careers, relationships, decorating, fitness, health, family, finances, advice, education, awesome guest blogs … I could go on. If you want it. It’s there!

Now let me tell you this about her …

Where would we women be without our girlfriends? That’s a question that DEBBA HAUPERT doesn’t want to know! Since 2006, Debba has pursued her dream of bringing inspiration, appreciation and celebration of female friendship to women through her online community for women – GIRLFRIENDOLOGY.com.

Interviews with inspiring women, blogs filled with girlfriend advice and inspiration, girlfriend gifts and more can be found on this all positive, supportive, encouraging site. Through this online community as well as growing women’s communities on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, Debba inspires thousands of women every day to make time for the one relationship that makes women healthier, happier, less stressed, live longer and feel more beautiful. Debba believes that life really is better together with your girlfriends!

I asked Debba a few questions to give you, my dear readers, a look at the bigger picture of this über-fabulous woman and how she works to bring positive karma into all of our lives.

How did the idea develop for Girlfriendology and what was the impetus that got it started?

In 2005, two of my girlfriends were dealing with cancer. I had an overwhelming need to be with my female friends – not just the ones fighting cancer but all of them. I did some research to understand why I felt such a strong NEED to be with my girlfriends and I found the book, ‘The Tending Instinct’ (by Shelley E. Taylor). It shares research that confirms the benefits of female friendship: that girlfriends make women healthier, happier, less stressed and live longer. Girlfriendology was born from wanting to inspire women to be better friends and more supportive of other women.

What has been the most difficult aspect of building such a powerful voice for women?

That’s hard to say! It’s been six years of hard work and hard lessons. But its also been six years of amazing girlfriend stories, or women sharing their wisdom, of women being there for each other. That makes it all worthwhile and always gives us more to write about on Girlfriendology.

I will add that, due to social media and that women are so strong in social media, that managing the growing Facebook, Twitter and now Pinterest communities and communications is very time consuming. It’s great – I’m not complaining! We have wonderful supportive women in social media and they inspire us on a daily basis! But a large part of our efforts is keeping up with updates in social media (as well as monitoring our communities to remove guys!).
 
Girlfriendology obviously appeals to women of all ages and cultures around the globe. It’s been such fun to see it grow and be embraced so enthusiastically! What are some future plans for Girlfriendology community?

We have plans for making Girlfriendology even more helpful for women and for reaching our goals. We want to bring the power of females together to help each other in dreaming BIG. We have BIG dreams for Girlfriendology and the women in our community.

Our long-term goal still remains since we started Girlfriendology – to make the world a better place, one friendship at a time. And we’ll continue to work toward that every day!

“to make the world a better place, one friendship at a time” – I love that, Debba, and I believe that’s exactly what you are accomplishing. Thanks so much for being the girlfriend you are, the woman you are, and for all you bring to everyone who visits Girlfriendology!

Debba and I are going to continue this conversation on her blogtalk radio program at 1:30, this Friday, March 9th. Come and join us … we would love to chat with you too!

I know how busy we all get in this crazy world but don’t forget to remind your girlfriends they rock! Yup – no matter what age, girlfriends rock!

And always remember … I know, I know, here I go again … to have a good friend, you have to BE a good friend!

 

Pain, Amour et Chocolat

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If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Where else but France would a Valentine’s lovefest include bread? Some might look at the title and think “pain” = heartbreak, considering the love connection, but nope, not here …  le pain is the French word for bread.

Last weekend, for the 5th consecutive year, this three-day show tempted crowds celebrating love and all its pleasures in Antibes which, as many of you know, is my favourite place on the planet and was my home for 4 months last summer.

More specifically this show focused on the simples pleasures of bread, love and chocolate.

I’m betting that many who visited the show also stopped in at Choopy’s for a coffee and one or two of their homemade scrumptious cupcakes! That’s what I would have done.

This may sound crazy to some but, for me, stepping into a French boulangerie (bakery) is the same as finding yourself in the most intoxicating chocolate shop.  Seriously, the display of goods in some French bakeries is like that in an art gallery.

IMHO, no one does baking better than the French – from the basic baguette, brioche, and croissant to the morning superstars of pain au chocolat and pain au raisin to the variety of round, flat and long loaves to the cakes and pastries that scream to be eaten at any time of day or night. Delicieux!

Bread has always been a staple of the French culture but nowhere was its political significance greater than at the beginning of the French Revolution. A shortage of grain due to droughts and poor farm management caused the price of bread to increase way beyond the means of the  poor who were also being taxed outrageously while the aristocracy cavorted. For some, bread was the only meal of the day. In response to growing unrest, one government leader suggested the peasants should eat straw … hmm, not a wise move … he was soon found hung in the square, his mouth stuffed with straw.

Bread riots spread and when a rumour suggested the government was hoarding flour at Versailles, the palace was stormed. Read about The Women’s March on Versailles, October 5, 1789.  King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, went by carriage back to Paris followed by an enraged mob that grew to tens of thousands, all hell broke loose and the rest is history.

This was one of the earliest events  of the French Revolution and, although it has grown into a bit of a post-Revolutionary urban myth, it proved to be a defining moment along with the  storming of the Bastille three months earlier. Click here to read more about the French Revolution and other political and social issues that brought it about.

After the revolution, the government made certain bread would always be affordable for even the poorest family and, as a result, bread is surprisingly inexpensive in France. Bakeries are found in every town, down to the smallest hamlet and bread is baked twice a day. Lineups are part of the tradition and very social although you need to know what you want to order when your turn comes up. Dawdling is not a good idea!

Every region of France has its own remarkable and unique stye of cuisine and that includes bread. Virtually every meal includes bread but no side plate for it … so don’t ask for one!

So here’s to love and chocolate and … well, why not … at least if you are in France … to bread!

I don’t usually eat a lot of bread but when we are in France it’s a different story and one of my mantras is “Vive le pain” as I waddle trot off to  join the lineup for our daily supply. Fortunately visiting that part of the world also involves a lot of strenuous walking and hiking so you can fool convince yourself you’re working off that croissant! Here’s a shot of our bread board on a typical day.

How do you feel about bread? Is it part of your normal diet or a once-in-a-while treat? Do you or have you ever made your own bread or pastries? Back in the day, my grandmother and my mother made bread every week. When you travel are there places you visit that serve traditional food  you love to eat? 

You’re beautiful, just the way you are …

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Beauty of a Woman Blogfest

Posted on February 9, 2012

Today’s post is a contribution to August McLaughlin’s Beauty of a Woman Blogfest. Be sure to visit her always powerful blog on Friday, February 10th to read posts from all over the blogosphere.

About the only thing that comes to us without effort is old age.
— Gloria Pitzer

There is no denying that growing old is a mandatory process. More than anything we need to appreciate how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to achieve old age. Too many are robbed of this.

Recognizing that every day is a gift is an important part of keeping your beauty vibrant. Approaching life with a positive attitude and a desire to pay that forward is the best tonic.

Many of us resist aging as we attempt to soften wrinkles and hang on to traces of our physical beauty through the magic of make-up … and, let’s be honest, Spanx!  Truly, I don’t have a problem with this  as long as we realize our face or our body is not where our true beauty lies.

As a woman in her mid-sixties, I’m still dying my hair and *full disclosure here* I never go anywhere without mascara. Yup … it’s a fact. I do it for me and for no one else. I do it not because I think it makes me beautiful but because it makes me feel good. And that’s okay.

Realizing where our true beauty lies is a completely different process than applying cosmetics and it rests deep within our psyches. It is something to be encouraged from the day we are born. As mothers we need to help our children understand something of their inner beauty before they are exposed to the physical side. Words, deeds, demonstrations of loving guidance begin the process from infancy on. As a grandmother now, I feel the same desire to instill this sense of beauty in my grandchildren and the good news is it’s even easier to do at this stage of my life.

As I observe myself and my wonderful friends continuing on our journeys, welcoming new opportunities, nurturing our friendships and families, and giving of ourselves whenever we can , I am convinced that beauty simply grows and flourishes with every passing year.

The beauty of a woman
Is not determined by a man
Her beauty can be found in her grace
Not just the beauty of her face
It can be found in her style
It can also be found in her smile
Her beauty is in her thoughts
Not just what she has been taught
It can also be found in her soul
It cannot go untold
Her beauty is within her
She does not need to lure
Anyone, because her presence
It is her whole essence
A woman’s beauty is in her heart
Her beauty is her art                      Ms. JStar
To help celebrate August’s beautiful Blogfest, I’ve offered e-book copies of my novel, The Bridge Club, to two lucky winners. There are lots of other great prizes including a Kindle Touch and a body image coaching session! Wow!  Leave a comment here and then another on August’s blog for your name to be put in a cyberhat and randomly drawn! Check out all of the other fabulous messages posted on blogs from all over the map. Above and beyond everything else, believe in yourself and the beauty you possess and help the people you love, at every age, to do the same for themselves.
Beautiful!