Disposable litter box? Check.

by debbie on September 3, 2010

At this very moment, my husband and I are in the path of Hurricane Earl.

It is eerily quiet.  Even though we are a mile away from the Atlantic Ocean, I can hear the waves pounding the shore.


“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning.” I took this picture at 6AM today.  A sign of the storm that looms.

The uncertainty of what will happen has been rather disconcerting.  And, yet I must admit I have enjoyed the intense focus and change of pace this week as I prepared for this monstrous storm.

I feel ready.  (Fingers crossed!)

But first…

Woman on Fire Jamie Eslinger and I were discussing how to handle our pets – their dog Pup and our cat Wilber — in this potentially devastating storm (neither of us has ever been in a hurricane), when she said something rather profound:

“Isn’t it funny how we have to be faced with a crisis in order to make a plan?”

Jamie wasn’t talking “funny” as in “ha ha ha,” but rather “funny” as in “911.”

She was talking about more than a storm.  She was referring to why anyone would attempt to live an extraordinary life — without a plan. It is akin to facing a hurricane without knowing what you will do if things turn ugly!

From the day I started coaching clients in 1995, I noticed the key that defines people who live extraordinary lives are those with clear, inspiring, up-to-date plans for their work and lives.

You wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint!  You don’t want to live your life without one either.  That is you don’t, if you want to be extraordinary!

Because I am not sure how long I will have power and the Internet right now, I will make this quick.

Simply put, your plan needs to lay out your gifts, strengths and talents and the actions you are taking to express your gifts in the world.

I will write more about this in the future, but for now, if you already have a plan, good for you! Perhaps you can dust it off, if need be, and give it a good updating.  And, if you don’t have one, let’s get one going for you!

I encourage you to get started by writing down your answer to this important and provocative question:

What is the love you have to give to the world before you die?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments section below.

OK, here we go.  The wind is picking up, the lights just flickered, and the rain is quickening its strike against the house.  But inside our house I feel safe and secure; our plans are in place should the storm turn ugly.

Both Pup and Wilber are “hurricane ready.”

Pup stands guard to protect his family!

Wilber practices duck-and-cover!

Thank you to the many Women on Fire who’ve experienced hurricanes — Rosemary Nickel, Diane Torrisi, Marissa Nelson, Shannon McCaffery, Janette Barber,  Jamie Foster, Michele Woodward, Sharon Harvey, Carla Rae Gerardino, Blue Cullen and Debra Gaines — for sharing extremely valuable and practical information that allowed me to create my hurricane plan this past week.

In addition, Woman on Fire Melissa McClain referred Jamie and me to this site to get our pets ready.  Wilber’s emergency kit and carrier contains food, water, identification, medical records, leash, picture of us together (important to prove ownership if we were separated) and a disposable litter tray. (‘Cause a kitty’s gotta do what a kitty’s gotta do!)

I will see you after the storm.  Have a great Labor Day weekend.  And, if you, too, are in Earl’s path, may you be out of harm’s way soon.

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Vacationing with POTUS and FLOTUS (sort of!)

by debbie on August 29, 2010

I am wrapping up a week’s vacation today with my mother who came to visit me on Martha’s Vineyard.   It was our longest stretch of time together alone in my adult life and it turned out totally relaxing and fun!

Debbie Phillips  with Mom Mary Lue Phillips
Last day of vacation — my sweet mom and me

And, we weren’t the only ones on the island taking it easy – POTUS (President Obama) and FLOTUS (First Lady Michelle) were also here.  And, in a moment, I’ll tell you about how we missed actually seeing them everywhere we went!

But first…

Congratulations to Christine Wagner who last week hosted another successful Women on Fire Tea Party in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I love her Southwestern twist on traditional tea party fare. Azadero cheese with salsa and goat milk flan for dessert were on the menu.  Yum!  I’ve got to get out to New Mexico and experience this myself at one of Christine’s teas!

Women On Fire in Santa Fe
Glowing faces at the Women on Fire Tea Party in Santa Fe!
Front row: Cecelia Dardanes, Cynthia Savage, Sienna Steiner
Back Row: Sue Wetsel, Anna Molitor, Sandi Reeder,
Christine Wagner, Amy Winn, Barbara Wilder

While the tea party food may vary, some things, however, at Women on Fire Tea Parties stay the same no matter where you attend:

The inspiration, strategies and support of fabulous women connecting with each other and sharing what they are “on fire” about in their lives.   Those elements are always present, and I hope you can go to one soon!

Last week many of you commented and shared your own stories about your mother or loss of your mother in response to my spending a week with my mom.  Thank you.

I so treasured this time with my mother knowing how precious these memories are.
It was the easiest, most stress-free week I’d had in a long time.  We simply did what we wanted to all week long.

We:

  • Ate
  • Baked
  • Napped
  • Reminisced
  • Created greeting cards with Women on Fire Blue Cullen and Nancy Rogers
  • Hosted an afternoon tea party for a dozen women friends, all Women on Fire:-)
  • Took the ferry over to our neighboring island Chappaquiddick and had a picnic
  • Went to see the movie Eat, Pray, Love. (I loved it. My practical mom’s take on Elizabeth Gilbert’s travels to Italy, India and Bali to find herself: “Well, that’s sure different.”)

Even though we were tangled in traffic a number of times to accommodate the President’s visit, it was no big deal at all.

He and his family vacationed a mile or two up the road from us.  Everywhere my mom and I ate or traveled, we always seemed to be right behind them by a few hours, minutes or seconds.  We went to breakfast at our favorite State Road Restaurant, and the staff was abuzz because the Obamas had eaten dinner there the night before!

Here is a little video I took of my sweet mom so you can get a feel for her funny, delightful personality.  She’s talking to you from the same location in the restaurant where the President ate lobster tempura 12 hours earlier.  She’s feasting on a Limpopo (If you know what it is, please write me because I’m still not sure!)

If the Video Of Debbie’s Mom does not show above click this link to play

And, now it is time to say goodbye to her until the holidays (sniff, sniff). It’s back to work for me with much exciting work ahead.

Soon, I will launch an audio series interviewing inspiring women to address many of the issues we struggle with as women.  I am so excited about sharing these powerful women with you.

I hope you, too, are about to make the transition of summer-into-fall with great hope and promise.

Please check out the calendar for some ways you might take your interests and work to the next level.  As always, feel free to share what you are looking forward to in the comments section below.


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Loving our Momzes

by debbie on August 22, 2010

Can you feel the summer coming to an end?

And, were you able to do what you wanted to this season?

This week I am wrapping up August by fulfilling a long-held desire.  I’m spending a week’s vacation hosting my mother on Martha’s Vineyard.


My mother and I on the ferry boat to Martha’s Vineyard for a week of vacation!

In my adult life, I don’t ever remember having a whole week together – just the two of us — on vacation.   Not sure why.  Maybe life got in the way?

She is an amazing woman, my mother.  In the past year, she’s endured two major surgeries and extensive recoveries, and yet continues to run her own company in Huntsville, Alabama.

Her energy puts me to shame.

When my father died six years ago, I so worried how my mother would cope.   I should not have been surprised when she emerged even stronger and more powerful and independent than I’d ever imagined!

Her own mother died at age 56 and her mother’s mother at age 50.

So you can imagine how deeply grateful I am that I still have my mother, youthful at heart and full of gusto, at age 76.   I savor these times, and I ache for all women who have lost their mothers or are losing them to illness or aging.

Growing up, my mother was the kind of mom who scratched my back every night; told me every day she loved me; taught me how to put on make-up; and cheered me on to learn to iron my clothes (despite my pleas that I was left-handed and ironing was difficult!)

Today, less than 24 hours into our vacation, my mother and I fell into the pattern of our life as mother and child.

She couldn’t wait to share a new cookie recipe, and I couldn’t wait to make her proud that I am an expert baker!

She sat in my kitchen today, calling out the instructions for Ranger Cookies and tutoring me in some brand-new-to-me baking techniques.  I dutifully followed her directions.


Mom and I trying out a new cookie recipe

And, just as it has always been together — as mother and daughter, teacher and student, mentor and mentee — we created something fun and delicious and wonderful.

I’m gonna so love and cherish this week ahead.  (I only pray my mother doesn’t find out I no longer own an ironing board;-)

Do you have a long-held dream or wish such as the one I had about going on vacation with my mother?

What would it take for you to make it happen by the end of 2010?  Please feel free to share your dreams and hopes on in the comments section below.  (You’ll also find the Ranger Cookies recipe there!)

As summer winds down, I hope you have a glorious week and that I get to see you soon!

Love,

Debbie

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Ranger Cookies

August 22, 2010

RANGER COOKIES
~ A twist on chocolate chip cookies

Recipe from my sister Lori Gagnon to our mother Mary Lue Phillips
1 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) softened butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds cereal
1 cup chocolate [...]

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Cheers to the Divas

August 22, 2010

I just walked in the door from having brunch with some of my very favorite women!
They are a group of nine wine enthusiasts who are friends and call themselves Divas Uncorked.  This year they celebrate their 10th year together as “sisters who sip!”
What I love about the Divas is how they embody what it means [...]

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Downsized 4 X

August 9, 2010

It’s Sunday.  And, I have a confession.
I haven’t gotten out of my jammies yet today. (Wearing my favorite ones that Woman on Fire Rosemary Nickel sent me from PajamaGram!)  Oh, does this feel good – and ever-so-slightly naughty;-)
Rob left before dawn today for Mara Glazer’s Social Media seminar in Baltimore.  Wilber and I are home [...]

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Home Sweet Home — 15 Rules To Keep It That Way!

June 27, 2010

Happy Summer to you ~
I  just spent the most wonderful weekend celebrating my birthday!

My birthday dinner complete with hydrangea centerpiece
(thank you, Andrea Dowding!)

I love being born on June 25 and here are three of many reasons why:
1)   I share my birthday with at least two other fabulous Women on Fire – Sandra Carlson and Lauren [...]

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You go, girl!

June 14, 2010

Not sure who said it, but I love this quote:
“If you don’t travel, it’s like reading one page of a book.”
I am back home on Martha’s Vineyard after nearly two weeks on the road  (and two inspiring Women on Fire Tea Parties!) in New York City and Columbus, Ohio.  After being on the go, [...]

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Who believes in you?

June 7, 2010

I am in New York City after another fun, inspiring and unforgettable Women on Fire Tea Party.  There were so many wonderfully talented women attending for the first time.  And, they were joined by regulars such as Holly Getty who has attended every single NYC tea party and Shannon McCaffery who has photographed nearly every [...]

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Are You Smelling The Roses?

May 31, 2010

It’s a holiday so I will be short and sweet!
On this Memorial Day weekend,  I was honored to be invited to celebrate the baptism of our neighbors’ darling baby granddaughter.
Following 13-month-old Cora’s christening, the minister gave a sermon entitled “Stop and Smell The Roses.”  And, he asked us, “What are your joys today?”
This was just [...]

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