Ginnie's Jottings

It is Good to be Home

2007-07-07T12:39:00.000-05:00

Pete and I have had quite an interesting June!
We started out by visiting our children and friends in New York. It was wonderful to see everyone again. Many thanks to Pete's sister, Charlotte, for allowing us to stay at her lovely home in Holbrook. Pete spoke to the father of the new owners of our house on Claas Avenue. He said they were taking out the tree in the front yard and they are redoing the kitchen!! We thought that the kitchen was the best room in the house!!

Next we were on to Pine Grove, Ct. to celebrate 125 years with a week of special events. The Sunday service was great with many of the members taking part. We presented a book of old programs and momento's to the camp. Pete spoke of Congratulations from the NSAC. I was asked to speak about the present camp activities. A member of Camp Nell gave a lovely certificate to the camp as a "good Neighbor" for these many years. Finally the Governor's representative gave a proclomation naming June 9th Pine Grove Spiritualist Camp Day in the State of Ct.

We were priviledged to see the future new home of the New London Congregation. What a beautiful new place they will have. I can't wait to get some pictures of the first service!! Many thanks to Sandy from the New London Church for the beautiful scarves she made for me!! And to Rev. Lynn Gaffin for all the time she spent with us.

We did 2 workshops Pendulums and Enneagrams ,both of which were well attended.

We came home for 3 days-just enough time to do the wash!

Then we were off to the lovely state of California. We arrived in Sacramento a day early to adjust to the time change. As it turned out , we didn't have a problem.

The workshops were very well received! I did Harry Potter and Auras. Everyone was so very nice to us. Many thanks to the Officers of the Calif. State Spiritualist Association for the wonderful dinner on Saturday night. Sunday we went to the Central Spiritualist Church in Sacramento and again met some wonderful folks.

Wednesday we were in San Fransisco and had a lovely lunch with our good friends Sonny and Carla Gee. We were treated to Chinatown and Din Som. A meal of ravoli like patties with different fillings. Fabulous! Then we were treated like family and put to work fixing labels to jars of jam and jelly's for the Fall Festival!! Thanks Carla and Sonny! We felt so loved an accepted. The Wednesday service went well and was also well attended.

Thursday we went to the Rosicrusian Museam but it had 29 steps to get inside and more once inside. I simply could not make it in. So we went on to Auburn.

Friday, Pete and I were treated to the home of George and Helen Brenner. Not really just a home but a ranch. Beautiful fruit trees of every imaginable type. We ate blueberries, plums, blackberries off the vine and saw many other types of lovely fruit. They prepared a fabulous dinner for us. Thank You so much George and Helen.

Many thanks to our super wonderful neighbors , Jenna and Anthony, who fed our birds all the time we were gone. You guys are wonderful .

Unfortunately Pete got a very severe case of the flu Friday night and had to be taken to the hospital Sunday. They gave him 3,000 liters of fluids and sent him back to the motel. It was a few more days before he could travel home.

Unfortunately, we did not get to see the Kilmer's or serve the Auburn church. So very sorry , folks. Pete is still not doing that well and will see the Doctor here Monday.

I am s scheduled to have surgery on my torn rotator cuff (shoulder) this Thursday. If all goes well I will be home on Friday.

Our wonderful neighbors are away so I have to go and feed the cat. It is good to be home.

April News from Ginnie

2007-04-16T12:29:00.000-05:00

This Wednesday we will travel to Buffolo to the NSAC National Board Meeting in Lilydale. I hear that it is snowing. Last night it snowed at least a foot! I am not sure that I have clothes available to deal with this weather! We will see long time friends and enjoy relaxing in this peaceful village, snow or not, however.

My brother lives in Amherst, so we hope to catch up with him and his activities on Wednesday. Our dear friend Cathy has a new life, off of Long Island in upstate NY, now,and the threads of life keep supprising even us! Her son and my nephew turned out to be best of friends, and students in the same college.

Jeff Lucus is going to give a seminar on Law and the Non Traditional Church this Saturday. It should be very informative. We can't wait to hear what he has to say.

Wendy, Dwayne, Katie, Matt, Pete and I all went to see "Wicked" recently. What a great show!! Now, I can't wait to read the book. Usually the book is even better than the play. We ate in my favorite Houston resturant. A perfect day.

I had about 20 CD's in my small glove compartment in my Prius. When Wendy saw them she suggesteed that I get an Ipod. How do kids learn how to use all this new equipment? I have 1,7983 songs on it now and have used up only 23% of the space!! It is amazing. I had to download the Adobe file for the Instruction Booklet to see how to turn it off!! (No laughing out there).

We will be home for the month of May and off again to Pine Grove, June 5th and then to California State Convention, June 22. I will be speaking at several Churches and doing workshops at both places. Then the summer looks quiet-for now anyway. Our friend Stella is visiting us during May and we can't wait to see her again.

Have an Attitude of Gratitude which will give you a great day!

I guess that is all for now--Have a great day and say thanks

March madness

2007-03-21T14:08:00.001-05:00

Well, here it is March 21st already! Where does the time go?

As many of you know, March is our bad month. If we get through it unscathed , we consider ourselves very lucky. All our trials happened in March. One good thing happened in March though, and that was Mikey's coming into the family (his birthday).

We just returned from a cruise sponsered by the Baytown Little Theater. We went to Mexico for 5 days -2 days on land 3 days sailing. We saw the Mayan Pyramids which were totally inspiring and did a lot of shopping. The weather could not have been nicer and the ship was well run . The food was excellent, too. The biggest news is that Pete-again- won the Sexey Legs Contest!! Two years ago we were on another cruise and he won that Sexey leg contest , too. Of course Matt came in second on that cruise!!! Wendy and Dwayne went diving -Wendy for the first time!! We both purchased some fine Art from the Art Auction aboard ship. But, the highlight was the parting song Wendy and Dwayne composed for the wait-staff on the final day. The whole delagation from the Little Theater sang to a very surprised waiter, bus-person,etc

We have started a meditation group using the Alice Bailey materials on Tuesday mornings. We meet every other week for some great debates and fine veggie lunches.

Mickey is in Nicaragua now, for the Habitat for Humanity, building houses and learning Spanish. I hope all goes well for him and the wonderful students and teachers at St. Joseph's University. They gave up there Spring Break for this great adventure.

The birds are fine and were well cared for by Jennifer-our bird sitter. Sunflower and Star were so glad to see us when we returned. What a loud welcome we received.

Yesterday I was in the dentists office for almost 4 hours. It cost more than 4 cruises would have , and I am still not finished. Two more visits should do it. We also went to my first AWAKE meeting. This is a group for people with Sleep Apnea. We met some interesting folkes and traded some good hints about using the CPAP machine more comfortably.

Brandon is scheduled to come to visit in a week or so, Pete and I are looking forward to seeing him again.

March madness

2007-03-21T14:08:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is March 21st already! Where does the time go?

As many of you know, March is our bad month. If we get through it unscathed , we consider ourselves very lucky. All our trials happened in March. One good thing happened in March though, and that was Mikey's coming into the family (his birthday).

We just returned from a cruise sponsered by the Baytown Little Theater. We went to Mexico for 5 days -2 days on land 3 days sailing. We saw the Mayan Pyramids which were totally inspiring and did a lot of shopping. The weather could not have been nicer and the ship was well run . The food was excellent, too. The biggest news is that Pete-again- won the Sexey Legs Contest!! Two years ago we were on another cruise and he won that Sexey leg contest , too. Of course Matt came in second on that cruise!!! Wendy and Dwayne went diving -Wendy for the first time!! We both purchased some fine Art from the Art Auction aboard ship. But, the highlight was the parting song Wendy and Dwayne composed for the wait-staff on the final day. The whole delagation from the Little Theater sang to a very surprised waiter, bus-person,etc

We have started a meditation group using the Alice Bailey materials on Tuesday mornings. We meet every other week for some great debates and fine veggie lunches.

Mickey is in Nigeria now, for the Habitat for Humanity, building houses and learning Spanish. I hope all goes well for him and the wonderful students and teachers at St. Joseph's University. They gave up there Spring Break for this great adventure.

The birds are fine and were well cared for by Jennifer-our bird sitter. Sunflower and Star were so glad to see us when we returned. What a loud welcome we received.

Yesterday I was in the dentists office for almost 4 hours. It cost more than 4 cruises would have , and I am still not finished. Two more visits should do it. We also went to my first AWAKE meeting. This is a group for people with Sleep Apnea. We met some interesting folkes and traded some good hints about using the CPAP machine more comfortably.

Brandon is scheduled to come to visit in a week or so, Pete and I are looking forward to seeing him again.

News from Ginnie for Feb.

2007-02-20T15:07:00.000-06:00

We just signed up for Blockbusters automatic delivery of movies directly to our house. With TV so poor right now, it seemed like a good idea. We can see things like "Cars" and children's movies without going to the local theater and paying a fortune to sit with tons of screaming children.

This weekend we did see Bridge to Tarabithia. It was a delight. We both had tears more than once. A real friendship oriented story.

We had also seen "Jesus Camp" on TV. What a scary film this was. Children as young as 5 were all razed up and falling in convulsions. Ten year old kids were out in the park asking random people if they knew where they were going when they die. One group of African - American men said heaven. "Are you sure? "the little ones asked. The men said "yes." The 10 year old said they must be Muslims! Some stretch isn't it? It is frightening that children so young think they are right and everyone else is wrong.

I have also been reading Kathrine Neville's-Eight. A story of a chess set that is believed to have special powers when all the pieces are united. The story follows two lines-one in 1700 and one in 1976. The multi layered story is a delight. I just ordered another of her books on Amazon for $.25!

We also just bought the new Microsoft 2007 office update. What a pleasure to use. The colors are great, the icons are new and beautiful and the programs do so much more. I am still working on using the new features.

On March 3rd we are hosting our Full Moon Meditation Group. It is so nice to meet with such wonderful folks and "tune in" to the energy around us. I have been invited to appear on Esoteric Roundtable- a local cable program to talk about Arcane School and Spiritualism. A date has not been set as of yet. I have also been requested to start a group, on the second Sunday of each month, to study the Morris Pratt Course. All are welcome. You do not have to be a Morris Pratt student to enjoy this group.

God Bless my wonderful husband! He just finished our taxes for 2006! He filed electrictronically and we are done with that chore. We had to pay NY State taxes but next year we will have no state tax!

Pete also made new bases for the bird cages. It makes them a little lower and easier to reach to clean. The birds love their new height. We will also attend our first Caged Bird of Austin Club meeting this March 1st. We hope to find a decent store down here for Birds-to buy food for them and some toys. We do not have an Avian Vet as yet either. The president seemed very happy to have new members. We were going to go to the Houston Bird Conference but it was $1500 for 1 and a half days!! A bit much for us retired folks.

We still love our Prius. We are averaging over 45 miles per gallon. Gas here has been going up a bit this week. We pay $2.06 per gallon now.

January jottings

2007-01-10T13:49:00.000-06:00

I guess the holidays are really over. Mikey and Amanda left for NY on a 4:30 am flight yesterday. It was good to have them here. We went to Fredricksburg- a small German town about an hour away. Since our new car has a navigation system we deceided to let it take us to Fredricksburg. Well we saw places we did not know existed. Up hill and down dale we rode , with a friendly voice guiding us on a trip that took 3 hours!! It was fun though, riding through the "hill country". We also went on a tour of Austin and learned a lot about our fair city.

I have been reading a few books on the Templars lately. The Last Templar is on the best seller list and I just finished it. It was OK. I started the Templar Ledgend and it , too, seems good. A lot of research went into this type of book.

Amanda and I discovered Bath Junkie. It is a chain of stores that allows you to combine various oils to create your own fragrence. They have oils from dirt--to vanilla. (dirt usually goes to the doggie product line). I choose Rose and Teak blend. It is close to a perfume I used that was discontinued - Damask Rose.

I guess I should get back to work--we will talk again soon.

Christmas News

2006-12-27T12:39:00.000-06:00

It has been a while since I have blogged! We have been so busy.

Dec. 18th we went to Arlington Cemetary in Washington DC to inter my Dad, Henry Koepke. The weather was beautiful, just as he would have liked. The Chaplin gave a wonderful talk and Michael, our son, put dads ashes into the columberium, next to mom's . The military did a 21 gun salute and the ladies of the military gave us a lovely card along with their condlences.

All of his children were there with their families. Some of the cousins had not seen each other since they were small and reconnected as adults. Our cousin Mike and his lovely wife joined us to make this an extra special reunion. Memories were shared and laughter abounded. Dad would have been very pleased. He loved a party.

We had Christmas day with Wendy, Dwayne, Katie and Matthew. The dinner was great. Wendy outdid herself with cornish hens on Sunday and Prime Rib on Monday. We watched some movies--my personal favorite is A Christmas Story. And we saw Robin Hood- Men In Tights. We never laughed so hard.

Santa was good to us , too. Our house in Holbrook was closed on the week before Christmas. We will not have to pay taxes on 2 homes,thank Goodness!

We have been living with only one car here in Texas. I have wanted a Prius but the local dealers have not had any available. We tried in June and again in August. We were on our way to do some last minute Holiday shopping, and passed the Toyota dealer. We deceided to stop , on the off chance that one may have come in. Not only did they have one, but they had several to choose from!!! We liked the Black Prius with all the toots and whistles. In NY it would have taken about 2 weeks to get it ready, approve credit etc. In Texas it took 10 minutes to approve us, give us a good deal and get plates!! The car was washed and filled with gas , to boot!! We drove it away in about an hour!! You can't beat that!!!

Pete is in great health. I am feeling much better, too. My Dr. put me on antihistomins. It seems that Austin is the allergy capitol of the world. I never had allergies before, but I do now.

We wish all our friends and family the best of all Spirits Blessings for the wonder-filled New Year.

Long Distance Calls

2006-11-14T11:29:00.001-06:00

Long-Distance Calls a man in Topeka, Kansas decided to write a book about churches around the country. He started by flying to San Francisco and worked east from there. Going to a very large church, he began taking photographs and notes. He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall and was intrigued by a sign which read: "$10,000 a minute." Seeking out the Pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. The Pastor explained that the golden phone was, in fact, a direct line to Heaven and if he paid the price he could talk directly to God. The man thanked the Pastor and continued on his way.

As he continued to visit churches in Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, Greensboro, Tampa and all around the United States, he found more phones with the same sign and got the same answer from each Pastor.

Finally, he arrived in Texas. Upon entering a church in Austin, behold, he saw the usual golden telephone. But THIS time, the sign read: "Calls: 35 cents."

Fascinated, he asked to talk to the Pastor. "Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I have found this golden telephone. I have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God, but, in the other churches the cost was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads 35 cents. Why?" The Pastor, smiling benignly, replied, "Son, you're in Texas now... It's a local call.

The Banana

2006-11-14T11:12:00.000-06:00

I just found another great idea to share with you. It sounds like a traveling salesman from the 1890"s!!

After Reading this, you will NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!

Bananas Contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel better.

PMS: Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex England) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation. Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death from strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Footnote: If your roses are covered with Aphids, drape banana skins over the branches, I'ts amazing, but in a day or less, they are GONE! I've tried it, and I couldn't believe it, no more aphids, as long as I save my banana skins for the rose bushes!Impressed? Well then, PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS! Unzip a BANANA today!

Can You Pass Third Grade?

2006-11-14T09:35:00.000-06:00

As always, lots of things are happening around Beautiful Pflugerville.

I have been asked by the National to Co-Chair a commettee to revise the Lyceum Manual. This week I spoke to the other members of the team, and we will start in earnest after the holidays as they are either moving or traveling. If anyone has any suggestions for us , please e-mail me at VBergtx@aol.com. I would really appreciate any suggestions as this is a tremendous job. (This is what I get for being a critic to often and too loud).

Our pool is almost finished! It needs to be plastered and the electrical hooked up and we are set to go. Of course it might take several weeks for the water to fill up using our garden hose---but.. We were hoping for a Thanksgiving Grand Opening but it looks unlikely now. The family is coming over for Thanksgiving and we had hoped to, at least use the Hot Tub.

I took a Sleep Study about 2 weeks ago. It looks as though I have Sleep Apnea. I am waiting for the Dr. to call back - sometime today-I hope . I have to use a machine to breath with at night as I stop breathing for several seconds many times during each hour. The machine blows air into the nose to keep the passages open. Ugg

On the positive side-the Sarcoidosis seems to be gone!! That is good news.

I have found a few really good sights to share with you.

Can You Pass the Third Grade??How many of us well traveled adults could pass this Test?
http://l.flowgo.com/redir.cfm/42494/370403/38061/6810622

LINK

This is a great movie- It inspired me
www.TheTimeMovie.com

I hope you enjoy these sights as much as I did.

Texas is Texas

2006-10-31T13:05:00.000-06:00

This weekend we went to Houston to visit Matt and Wendy's family. Gas in Austin was $2.12 . In Houston it was $1.93. Today in Pflugerville it is $2.03. I hope the elections never come this year. I can put up with the ridulous ads if the result is lower gas prices.

We voted today! Yes, on Halloween. In Texas there is a 2 week time period called "early voting". The voting machines are set up at various community centers for 2 weeks prior to the official election day in November. One is registered to vote when one changes the out of state drivers licenses to Texas ones. We then received a post card in the mail telling us where to go to vote-anywhere in the county is fine. You bring the card with you as proof that you did not vote before. Upon arrival , we were signed in and given a small piece of computor generated paper with a 4 didgit number on it. You then proceed to the open booth, much like the old time phone booths. There is a computor screen and a dial , which you use to select your candidate from the personalized offering that appears after you put in your 4 didget pin number. You press enter for each candidate and finish when you are done. This allows for less traffic on the election day vote as most folks take advantage of "early voteing".

Busy Days

2006-10-30T11:55:00.000-06:00

It has been a while since I have written anything in this space. So we have a lot to catch up on.

It seems that the Sarcoidosis in my lungs has found a better place to hang out and has left me with no scar tissue!! Glad to see it gone!! I go for a sleep study this Thursday as the
Dr thinks I may have Sleep Apnea.

The house in New York is under contract and hopefully will be closed on by early January or before. HooRAY!!

This weekend Pete and I went to The Baytown Little Theater production of Angel Street. A mystery play. Not as wonderful as Music Man-but still good. Next month we see The Wizard of Oz. I am looking forward to that one.

Our granddaughter Katie was home for the weekend-so nice to see how she has matured as a college student. She made the trip from Dallas-4 hours in the car--just to see us and the play.

Mikes shoulder is healing nicely. As long as he doesn't overdo it he should be fine.

We went to the St. John's Retreat Center this past Sunday and heard Michael Dawkins lecture on his ideas of Cosmology . He is an experton Francis Bacon among other things and was interesting to hear. I was approached to start a Meditation Group for the Center in Austin as there is some interest from this area lately. More to come on that.

First Church of Austin has put me on the permanent schedule for the open circle on the 2nd Wednesdays of each month. I usually am asked to take one Sunday a month also. My schedule is filling up.

Pete and I are fixing up the bird room today. The triple cages will be separated into 3 bi level cages and placed on the tables. I will be able to reach them better to clean them this way.

Here are a few web sights that I have found that you might find interesting.

This is a Personality Inventory that seems up to date both in pesentation and data: It is fun. I came out an Animated Inventor.

http://www.personaldna.com/report.php?k=rnULwmGsVBMLOZg-GK-ADABD-1574&u=ebee009d5ce2

This sight is by Dove Soapand shows how they " fix" the models faces for publication in magazines etc.
http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.ca/flat2.asp?id=6852

This is a web sight that has holidays in fable form movies and readings that put a different slant on their meaning. Also a new Peace hand sign and symbol that are interesting. I really liked this one.
http://www.unifiedpeace.org/fables

Have a great day.

There's no place like home

2006-10-09T15:09:00.000-05:00

Pete and I have just returned to Pflugerville from our church's national convention in Las Vegas. We stayed at the Alexis Hotel, across from the Hard Rock Cafe and Hotel near the airport. The first night, Pete went down to buy some milk at the corner store (about 500 feet from the hotel). On his way a man threatened his life and tried to strangle him. Pete, as always, kept his calm and was able to talk his way out of any harm.

The next day, our secretary asked if the hotel had a safe to put some valuables in-namely some receipts. The manager said no. So , she took the money and hid it in the room. After dinner, she found the checks still there but no cash, about $1700 was taken! She was also missing some family jewelry. The Police were called and we were informed that they do not send a police car to take a report unless the amount was over $10,000!!! Pete spent all day Thursday at the Police station filling out forms and standing on lines. The police sold him a CSI shirt for our grandson, Brandon, so it wasn't a total waiste of time.

Several of our delegates had their rooms broken into and items stolen. One friend woke up to a woman in his bathroom and the bathroom window dislodged. The hotel did not seem to care. There was no beefed up security!! We will not go to Vegas again if we can help it. It is not safe!!!!

The convention was a great sucess , however. The by-law changes were debated endlessly, but most passed. That means a bit more money coming in in rasied fees and small raises for our staff. The incumbant officers were re-elected. Congrats to Cosie Allen, Ann Otzelberger and , of course , to Lila Cutler, our President. The abortion issue was raised again, but after much heated discussion, it was decieded that it was a humanitarian issue and the already adoped Social Policy would be kept in place.

The Desert Palm Church provided some wonderful entertainment in the form a a gospel singer, Lady J. What a terrific voice!! Thanks for the melodies!!! Also, our own Sonny and Carla Gee provided for the services with Carla playing the piano and her fabulous harp CD's were available. Thanks Carla!!

We returned on Saturday, tired but glad to be home. Glad to have spent time with wonder filled friends and to have made some new ones. I feel a bit like Dorothy Gayle--I went to the great land of Oz, had a small adventure and am glad to be home. There's no place like home.

Let Peace Prevail On Earth

2006-09-24T18:58:00.000-05:00

Today we celebrated International Peace Day at Our church in Austin. I did my Peace Presentation to a record attendance! Everyone had a great experience and really felt the peace that passes understanding for themselves. Individual peace and the concept of world peace-not just the absence of war. I used Roerich's Creating a Culture of Peace with everyone signing the Manifesto. The 6 proposals are to respect all life, reject violence, share with others, listen to understand, preserve the planet, and rediscover solodarity. Thank you Nicholas Roerich!

I also gave everyone a candle to take home the Peace Flame. It was brought to the UN from The Hague and to us by Nicholi Parker from the Peace Society. Each participant can now share this symbol of Peace with whom ever they choose. Thanks Nicholi!!

Yesterdays workshops were also well attended and brought in some funds for the church. We did the Muscle testing and Meet the Masters workshops. Great discussions followed, as we got to know each other on a deeper level.

I made some new friends today and found a Chiropractor-a lovely young lady who comes to the house-she is just getting started- and is also a massage therapist. Who could ask for more!

We are leaving for the NSAC convention this week and again Spirit came through for us. We found a lovely young lady to stay with our birds! She and her sister will spoil my lovelies until we return. Thanks girls.

Pete is busily working away on his Treasurers report for the convention. All those numbers make my brain swim. Good thing he has the mind for figures. Pete does work hard at this job. Thanks Pete for you commitment to Spirit from all of us. Some of us have to be practical!

Matt is coming to visit tomorrow. We pick him up at 2:30 pm and he will spend the night. We are looking forward to seeing him and spending some quality time together.

That's All For Now Folks!!

A Big Hole

2006-09-19T16:46:00.000-05:00

As I look out of my breakfast nook window, I can see a huge machine making a huge hole in my back yard. It is following the orange marks made by our pool consultant, Ray. He was here this morning with Bruce, our supervisor. They laid out the outline of the pool and we signed away our life and money to have mass distruction of our peaceful back yard. We are so pleased!!
Pete and I went to "the office" and picked out our tile, coping stone (the stone that rests on the pool edge), and the decking(we chose white). In a few weeks (they said 50 days from excivation) we should be lazing away in our new pool. Of course it might be too cold where you live but here in Texas---we can swim almost all year round!!

My Dad passed into Spirit

2006-09-14T17:32:00.000-05:00

Pete and I went to Long Island this Sunday when the hospital called to let us know that my dad had gone into a coma and was not expected to live. We arrived on Monday and spent the day at his bedside . All of us remembered the little things that make a family cohesive. Dad made great clam chowder, corn fritters, and always had a huge watermelon on hand in the summer.

My sister and her husband were there, along with our daughter and sons. Thank Spirit for them. We leaned on each one and they on us. Families are so very important , especially in times of berievement. Finally the paperwork was completed and the Medical Examiner released the body. He will be interred in Arlington Cemitary in Dec. when we all will meet again for the service.

The hotel, a Holiday Inn was the pits!!!! We arrived at 2:30 am and were told to walk up a flight of stairs lugguge in hand!! There were no elevators. Our room had red stains on the floor-Pete says from a murder that took place there, but I think it was just food stains of some sort. The TV had horozontal lines that circled around and was impossible to watch. The shower head trickled, the room was not made up each day, no towels were delivered, and soiled dishes were outside the room from when we arrived until we left. The heat - air conditioner also did not work. We will never stay at another Holiday Inn again!!!

Sad News

2006-09-09T15:54:00.000-05:00

I just received the news that my dad took a turn for the worst. He is in Huntington Hospital now on a respirator. The Dr.s do not expect him to make it through the night.

My sister and brother-in-law are on their way from DC and Mike and Terrie are by his bedside now. We are trying to make arrangements to get to Long Island ASAP. Wish us luck!

It is never easy to face a loved one's passing, but we believe that he will be in Spirit with my mother and be pain free. That makes whatever happens easier to bear.

Meet the Meditators

2006-09-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

Thursday evening we had the most wonderful experience. I had met a young man at a conference this spring before we moved to Austin. We got together for a meditation meeting, finally, this week. He brought some friends with him and two women who live nearby also joined us. It was like old home week!

It turned out that we had many friends in common from all over the country!! Such a small world. I know that we will get together on a regular basis and get to know each other better. I feel I have some "good" friends in the Austin area now.

"Kory" has a TV program on Time Warner Cable called Esoteric Science Round Table. He now knows how interested I am in creating a Culture of Peace and a Department of Peace on a state and federal level. He invited me to be a guest on his show when the new season begins in October. He is planning to join me on Sunday, the 23rd when I pass out the flame of Peace at the First Spiritualist Church and "do my thing". Thanks for the support my dear friend .

I hope to also meet a "friend of a friend" this Thursday. My dear friend Denise from New York has a dear friend who lives - in all places- Pflugerville, Tx. I called her this week , too, and invited her to the meditation class. She was on a "mission of mercy" and couldn't make it this time. I am looking forward to spending some time with her this week. She appears to be a real angel sent from heaven.

The best is yet to come.--
Love you all---

Pete is living Dangerously

2006-09-09T10:44:00.000-05:00

Today is another beautiful day in Pflugerville! It is in the 80"s and a bit overcast, which allows us to enjoy the outdoors. Pete has decieded to buy some shorts, which will allow him to be more comfortable outside while he works around his new estate! Some of you may remember that on our cruise to Mexico, a few years ago, Pete came in first in the "sexy leg" contest. Our son Matt came in second! Having Pete walking around the neighborhood could be dangerous for him!!! Matt , you , too, have the Berg Curse--Sexy Legs!! Be careful!!

The 21st Century

2006-09-06T13:57:00.000-05:00

My beautiful and talented daughter was here for Labor Day Weekend. She brought me into the 21st century where everyone who is anyone blogs!! I am now hooked up to my grandchildrens blogs as well as my nephew in Albania's blog--which is quite interesting.

Today I feel as though my house is my home. Pete is outside (in the 70 degree sunshine) putting up our new Americian Flag. A bit late for Labor Day, but perfect for Sept. 11th.

Speaking of important days in Sept., the 21st is UN Peace Day. This week is the NGO Conference in New York.(Non Government Organizations). We were invited to attend, but will have to be satisfied to join the on line discussion this year. Please Pray for Peace every day , but especially this week. The UN asks that all war stop for the 24 hours-at the very least- on the 21st. Let us hope that it will catch on full time!

Today we will be welcoming a new friend, Kory and 10 or so of his friends. I met Kory at a conference we attended in New York last May. Hearing that he lives in Austin I promply introduced myself and he called last week. We are having a Peace Meditation at our house tonight. I better get cleaning--there is no basement in this house! I will have to clean the whole place-Uggg.

The First Spiritualist Church in Austin has asked me to do 2 workshops this month, too. They choose Your Body Doesn't Lie-basic Kinesthseology and Meet the Masters. On Sunday the 23rd I will do my Culture of Peace Presentation- a powerpoint program , distributing the Peace Flame and signing the Roerich petition for Creating a Culture of Peace. The petition goes into the Peace book at the UN. Over 80 million people world wide have signed this document.

Ray, our pool company rep, just stopped by. We contracted for a free form pool in the back yard. It seems we have a Homeowners Association that needs to approve our plans and we need to get permission from our neighbors to have a pool put in. Rules are very different here in Pflugerville!!

Well, the vacuum awaits!! Love to you all--