My Advisor, My Companion - Day #2

My Advisor, My Companion - Day #2


""Grief is still my advisor; sometimes it is a friend and reminds me of my humble place in the universe; opening life to the mysterious gifts of awe and gratitude. At other times it casts me down and turns my heart of stone."" -Beth Witrogen McLeod, Caregiving: the Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss and Renewal, Wiley &Sons, 1999.

Right now, your constant companion is grief – a collection of feelings, as well as the physical and psychological effects of loss. This is not the time in the process to try to push that companion away; rather it is time to embrace it. Sit with it, accept it. One day, you’ll part company, I promise; but not right now.

Grief, for now, is your teacher, your mentor – offering you a way to be more present in the world each and every day of your life. Let’s take some time to visualize grief: what does this companion look like to you?

Activity:

Buy some colored pencils or markers, if you don’t already have some. Then, open your journal/notebook, and draw a picture of your grief. We’ll return to this exercise at various points throughout the cycle – and I think you’ll be surprised at the changes your companion goes through.

If you’re uncomfortable drawing, then find a magazine, and cut out pictures that define “grief” for you. One of my clients cut out pictures of a large, heavy stone, a human heart, and a child crying. Pretty descriptive, huh?

See what images you come up with – play with the exercise throughout the day. Get creative. Focus on this activity, and it will help you to spend time going “within”.

Then, rest; sleep is a fine way to heal the mind, body and spirit. Until tomorrow, I send you love.

   

Grief is a Five-Letter Word - Day #1

Daily Email Affirmations


by Passalacqua Funeral Chapel
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Grief is a Five-Letter Word - Day # 1

Loss is everywhere, sprinkled throughout our lives, from childhood into old age. Some losses are shrugged off without much thought or acknowledgement – others are managed, navigated and quickly set aside, but others are so big we can’t ignore them. They lay us on the floor with sorrow, and the grieving process takes hold of us completely.

Recognizing the actual regularity of loss, and the proven ability you have to work through loss and move forward with your life allows you to take control of your daily experience. You are the creator of your own experience. These emails will help you to work through grief, and come out the other side a stronger, more complete person. Each message will offer an action, an activity to help you put things in perspective, honor your place in the process, or care for your body and mind in some other way. It is our goal to help you “push the clouds away”, a bit at a time. Activity: Get a pad of paper, a blank journal, or simply a notebook. (I’ve found that writing in a beautiful journal can be inspiring – but some people would rather use an inexpensive notebook.)Buy a pen you love to use – something that writes smoothly and effortlessly. It’s time to start chronicling your experiences. One reason grief disrupts so many aspects of your life is because your loss is not isolated – now is the time to reflect on the other losses in your life. In so doing, each will become an opportunity to experience grief, and release it.

List all the beings (animal companions, childhood friends, lovers, or partners) and all the places you’ve lost. Take a moment to honor each loss, perhaps closing the ritual by lighting a candle – a time-honored action of reverence. Here’s an example list from my own life:

1. My first cat, Beethoven

2. My childhood home

3. My first dog, B-B (short for “Beast”, a teacup Poodle!)

4. My marriage

5. My husband

6. My favorite teaching job

7. My mother and father (one dead and the other estranged)
You get the idea, right?

What you’ll learn from this exercise is the recognition of your resiliency – you are strong, and you will survive this latest loss. Embrace the process, don’t resist it.

My List:
1)  My childhood cat, Alley Oop
2)  My first pet as an adult, my cockerspaniel, Misty
3)  My childhood neighborhood, Blackwood Street, La Puente, CA
4)  My neighbors, Patty & Marcella
5)  My Dad, Dave....first to divorce & then to passing.
6)  My Mom, Carol
7)  My husband, Mike, to divorce
8)  My stepdad, Joe
9)  Nanny Arlene
10)  Corey, my boyfriend and daughter's father.

Rocky Fire

Thousands of people were ordered out of their homes early Monday after wind-whipped wildfires burned dozens of buildings across northern California.
Described as "unprecedented" by authorities, the largest blaze — which is known as the Rocky Fire — tore across the Lower Lake area north of San Francisco. It almost tripled in size to 84 square miles over the weekend.
A firefighter monitors a burn operation to head off the Rocky Fire on Sunday near Clearlake, California. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
The scale of the blaze has prompted officials to order 12,000 people to evacuate their homes, according to The Sacramento Bee newspaper. Several roads were also closed.
The fire has already destroyed 24 homes and 26 outbuildings and was threatening 6,300 homes, officials said.
Photo Gallery: Rocky Fire Blazes Through California

"It's jaw-dropping to see some of the things it is doing," California state fire spokesman Jason Shanley told the newspaper.
Many of the California fires were sparked by lightning and the danger was expected to continue as the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning for Modoc County on Monday. A separate blaze the known as the Frog Fire continues to burn in that area.
Officials urge "extreme caution" during Red Flag warnings "because a simple spark can cause a major wildfire."
U.S. Forest Service Firefighter Dave Ruhl died in the fire around 100 miles south of the Oregon border on Saturday. Four others were burned in a fire near Sacramento.

An air tanker drops fire retardant to keep the Rocky Fire from jumping Highway 20 near Clearlake, California, on Sunday. NOAH BERGER / EPA

California Wildfires - Rocky Fire

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/western-wildfires/california-wildfires-12-000-evacuated-rocky-fire-rages-grows-n402916
I never thought about where firefighters slept when they are our fighting these enormous wildfires in California, until a firefighter friend posted a picture showing where he was sleeping while out on the Rocky Fire in Clear Lake, CA.   STAY SAFE CHARLES and all of the other firefighters !!
from Charles "This is where Im sleeping tonight. The good old air conditioned sardine can"



Here is an inside shot I found

Maynard E. Spurgeon Obituary

Obituary for Maynard E. Spurgeon

Maynard E.Spurgeon, 51, died peacefully with his family at his side as he took his Screamin' Eagle to the sky. He lived most of his life in Benicia.

He worked as a mechanic for over 35 years, working for Ford, the last seven years working for the Stevedoring Services of American berth 58 at the Port of Oakland. He was a member of Machinists Local 1414.
His interests included riding his Harley, building his Cobra car, fishing, hunting, traveling, golfing, concerts, Raiders games, and partying with his many friends and family. He inspired others how to enjoy the best of life.
Maynard is survived by his beautiful wife Kim Spurgeon; father Jim Spurgeon; mother Sharon (Chuck) Lutz; and Aunt Betty Spurgeon; son James Spurgeon; daughter Elizabeth (Nathan) Springer; brothers Don and Carl Spurgeon; his brother Carl's wife, Marcella Mia Spurgeon, who he referred to as his sister; and Shannon Evans.

His grandchildren Ariana, Ashlyn, Nathan Jr., Alison Springer; and Isabella Neely. His nieces and nephews: Justine and Adam Spurgeon; Josh Evans; Matthew Evans and Alexis Gentry.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents John "Maynard" and Edith Cook, and his brother Shane Evans.
Memorial services will be held August 10, 2015 at 6pm, Passalacqua Funeral Chapel in Benicia.

Kids learn and compete in Vallejo healthy cooking competition

2015 Jr. Chef Challenge - Vallejo, CA


Team captain Olivia Jones samples the homemade salad dressing of young chef Benjamin Ceryes, left, as the team from Mare Island Health and Fitness Academy competes in Saturday’s 2015 Jr. Chef Challenge at the Norman C. King Community Center in Vallejo. MIKE JORY – VALLEJO TIMES-HERALD

 

Elsa Widenmann Elementary School teammates Bianca Verdin, left, and Lesly Contreras, each 10, show their knife skills slicing melon and potatoes during Saturday’s 2015 Jr. Chef Challenge at the Norman C. King Community Center in Vallejo. Student teams from three Vallejo schools and two Fairfield schools showed off their culinary skills and cooking abilities in the event, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. MIKE JORY – VALLEJO TIMES-HERALD

Kids learn and compete in Vallejo healthy cooking competition


Learning to cook and eat healthy brought some 32 students to the Norman King Community Center in Vallejo to compete in the 2015 Jr. Chef Challenge. It was the third time the event’s been held in Vallejo, organizer Vicki Williams said.

Students of the Kids/Teens Cook with Heart program have been working toward Saturday’s event for weeks, organizers said.

Audience members and team members alike seemed to be excited about the challenge, which included participants age 10 to 18 10 competing in five rounds of meal preparation, said Williams, who is with the American Heart Association, which, along with Kaiser Permanente, sponsors the event.

“The first round is knife cuts — how to safely cut veggies and fruits,” Williams said. “The second round is appetizers, in this case salad with dressing. The third round is about etiquette, the fourth is culinary questions and answers and the fifth is an entre.”
Contestants were from Vallejo’s Loma Vista, Mare Island and Elsa Widenmann elementary schools, David A. Weir Elementary School and the Matt Garcia Learning Center in Fairfield.
The winner is selected by three judges, based on a combination of all parts of the competition. Loma Vista Elementary School went on to take the victory, and with it tickets to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. As the winning school, Loma Vista gets to keep the trophy for a year.

Williams said she founded the challenge in 2011 through the Napa/Solano area of Kaiser, as part of an effort to fight childhood obesity.
“It seems to be making a difference,” she said. “Based on a survey, more people seem to be eating more vegetables and drinking less sugary drinks, and being more conscious of what they’re putting in their bodies.”
The hope is to make eating healthy more easily accessible, she said.
“There’s a perception that to eat healthy is expensive,” Williams said.

Led by working chefs like San Francisco chef Robert Edward of Oakland, event participants learned about what ingredients can be used to make food tasty yet healthy — a message that seemed to be getting through on Saturday.

“I think it’s great,” said 11-year-old fifth-grader Marshalinn Louis, who said she was at Saturday’s event to cheer on her defending champion Widenmann classmates. “I want to do the cooking next time.”
The aunt of one of the contestants said what her niece has learned is helping the whole family, which is precisely the point.

“My niece has been working so hard, and to see her develop and blossom, it’s been so nice,” said Vallejo resident Hollie Harsh. “She’s learning how to cook, in healthy ways, and it’s real good.”
Call Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at 707-553-6824

By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen, Vallejo Times-Herald


Posted: 04/25/15, 7:11 PM PDT
Updated: on 04/25/2015

Jeffrey A. "Jeff" Forney Obituary

Jeffrey A. "Jeff" Forney
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pressdemocrat/obituary.aspx?pid=121959501

Past away December 28, 2008 with his loving family by his side. He died due to complications following three brain surgeries at the age of 40.

Survived by loving friend Kim Neely. Devoted son of Audrey and the late (Robert) Wheeler of Penngrove, Bill Forney (Linda) of Healdsburg. Cherished brother of Clinton Forney (Dana) and Andrea Proulx (Albert) all of Penngrove. Adored uncle of Ben, Matt, and Grace Forney and Lucas and Payton Proulx. Beloved grandson of Luella and the late Carl Hadermann. He was also the grandson of Carl's first wife the late Bernice Hadermann. Beloved grandson of the late Lee and Elsie Forney. Survived by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

He graduated from Petaluma High School where he was very active in the Future Farmers of America and achieved the California State Farmer Award and various other achievements. Jeff became a partner of Electrical Equipment Company (EEC) and was a master at his craft in the electrical engineering field and well respected by all. In later years he donated his time by judging the agriculture mechanic projects at the local fairs and events.

Jeff had a lively spirit and enjoyed hobbies which included dancing, playing cards, sports, gardening, cooking, abalone diving, skiing, boating and wakeboarding. He was also an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting and fishing and especially loved his family and many friends. Jeff's approachable personality, hard working attitude and trademark laugh enabled him to gain the love and respect of everyone he came in contact with.

Friends and family are invited to attend the Funeral Service, Saturday, January 3, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Herzog Hall, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA. A Visitation will be held on Friday, January 2, 2009 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the PARENT-SORENSEN MORTUARY & CREMATORY, 850 Keokuk St., Petaluma, CA (763-4131). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Petaluma FFA, c/o Petaluma High School, 201 Fair St., Petaluma, CA 94952; 4-H Foundation of Sonoma County, P.O. Box 1283, Rohnert Park, CA 94927, or your favorite charity. Private Interment: Cypress Hill Memorial Park, Petaluma, CA. .Published Online in the Press Democrat from Dec. 30, 2008 to Jan. 1, 2009