by Paula | Sep 18, 2017 | Anorexia sucks, Our ED Story
The 2017 Madison NEDA Walk, to raise funds in the fight against eating disorders was Saturday; and we exceeded our fund raising goal, raising over $25,000.
Mother Nature smiled on us with a gorgeous late summer day. We had great music by Beth Kille to set the tone for an energetic morning. Speakers included Dr. Brad Smith from Rogers Memorial Hospital and Flora Csontos from Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office. We had over 200 walkers in attendance and despite some troublesome runaway balloons and a few other minor glitches, everything went really well.
This year we included a silent auction, — including the sale of a football with signatures from all the Packers players and coaches! I ended up bidding on and winning a few items myself – some of which may end up as Christmas presents, since I feel a little sheepish going into a business for which I personally solicited a gift certificate, and using the gift certificate on myself. (Really – I PAID for it!)
The local news did not cover the event itself this year, but they did invite us to do an Interview live on the Friday 4:00 news. I think we got our point across, but this clip also serves as a reminder that no one will ever accuse me of being particularly photogenic.
The walk was bittersweet for me, as my youngest daughter, Guzzy, is currently experiencing a dip in her own roller coaster recovery journey, and was too ill to attend. It is a reminder that we walk not only for those that are able to be present on a beautiful September morning; but we walk for those that have lost their battles, and those that are too ill to join us.
It is not enough, but it is something.
by Paula | Sep 3, 2017 | Family, Uncategorized
I write this on Labor Day weekend: a bittersweet time of year as parents, teachers and students bid a wistful farewell to summer vacation and gear up for another school year.
Dan and I have had a busy summer with home projects and a big birthday bash that I threw myself as I mark another decade of living. After much labor and check writing our log home is newly scrubbed and stained, and our new deck was in place just in time to celebrate my entry to the old geezer club!
We had a nice turn-out of friends and family for my birthday bash; providing a needed and well-time reminder to me of how fortunate I am to have these people in my life. A few of us lurched around the badmitton court as a sherrif’s car pulled up,looking for the owner of a car that had emitted some sort of electronic alarm . Turns out, they were at the wrong house: but still–our our party was bad-ass enough for the cops to make an appearance!
The end of summer brings the US Open, which this year is missing many of its marquee men (including my petulant fav – Andy Murray) to injuries; leaving the field free for Roger and Rafa to renew their rivalry. And, OMG – the American women are ROCKING the open! Even with Serena out (having just given birth to her daughter); there is a bumper crop of young American women keeping pace with big sis Venus into the second week.
My own tennis season has been frustrating — I have the third set tie-break blues, having lost too many close matches by the narrowest of margins. However, I am thankful to be healthy ‘enough’ to be out on the court swinging away… at my advanced age.
Today Dan and I are going on a sight-seeing airplane ride as my birthday gift: the next logical follow-up to last year’s hot air balloon ride. Today I am pondering whether my predilection for motion sickness is something that I have somehow ‘outgrown’ or if it has stuck with me into this new decade of life. We shall soon find out.
For next year’s birthday, I’m going to ask for jewelry.