Celtic Lands

I would like to visit both Irelands. I would like to be able to stay long enough to learn Gaelic and see the all the different parts of the country. I'd also like to visit Scotland while I am there.

My grandmother was Irish and I know that I also have some Scottish and English in my bloodline. I never met her as she died before my birth. Yet, I have always felt drawn to the Celtic culture. I have always loved the Celtic lilt and the music. I love the pipes, both Scottish bagpipes and Irish Uillean. I love the dancing and would love to learn some of it.

I'd like to visit castles and fortresses and buildings, old and new. I'd like to see it all!

An Orphanage in Ethiopia!

There are a lot of orphans in Ethiopia. I know this group that is trying to help build an orphanage there. Here is what I got from their site. You can find the page here:
Hope for the Hopeless

I hope that others will see this and support them in some way...sponsor a child...give a one time gift. Help this group to build this much needed orphanage!

We Support Hope for the Hopeless:
Hope For The Hopeless is a non-profit organization that is managed both in the United States and in Ethiopia, Africa. It has been in operation since the year 2000 and has already helped hundreds of children in Ethiopia to: find stable homes, receive medical care, have access to clean water and eat and be clothed, and learn about Jesus Christ. We are cuurently accepting donations of scrap metal items and anything you no longer need. For example, old refrigerators, stoves, metal, and autos running or not will all help these children.

Learn how you can sponsor a child

Click the button above to play video...

"Hope for the Hopeless" is committed to young street children who have lost their parents and families because of the war or starvation in Africa.

Some of the children have family; but they are unable to feed, clothe or provide them shelter. Through donations of scrap metal we meet the needs of children, through a variety of ways, such as: Children's Hope School, the orphanage feeding program and cleaning. Your old car (regardless of condition), HVAC, bicycle or other scrap metal can make a lasting difference in even the worst situation.

The Problem of Street Children
These boys and girls are the most vulnerable of children in the country. They are victims of everybody both from one another and the general public. They are targets of physical and sexual abuse. They are difficult to identify. They are slow to trust.

What Can I Do?
You can become a "Hope for the Hopeless" sponsor for only $20.00 a month or about 67 cents a day. You can provide for the basic needs of your child through a variety of ways...food, school, medical care, clothing, and shelter. One person can change the life of one hopeless child.

You Give and You Receive
As a sponsor you will come to know your children personally and the children will know you personally. They will write to you and you can write to them. When you decide to become a sponsor of one of these needy youngsters, you will receive a picture of your sponsored child.

Why the need?
"Hope for the Hopeless" address the most crucial problem in Africa...Stray children who have become victims of sexual abuse. Many of the girls are having children without the knowledge of caring for them properly. These girls and their children are growing up in an unhealthy environment and the problems will be even more disastrous if it continues.

What Your Sponsorship Means to Hopeless Children... Children starve one at a time, but you can feed and clothe, educate, and love one at a time. All it takes is one loving person like you.

1. Meals

2. Medical care and preventive health instruction along with a clean water well

3. High quality education

Lastly, no one else can do your part. One hopeless child is waiting for your help!

Contact us at 623-810-7264

Nursing School

In early November, the lottery for a spot into the nursing program that I have been trying to get into for two years is happening. I hope I get a spot and start nursing school in January. It would be nice to finally be set on the path towards becoming an RN.

Dream Job

After getting back into the fitness world by working retail at a running shoe specialty store, I realized that I miss working in health & fitness. I especially miss coaching and doing personal training. My dream job would be to run an adventure fitness training company where people could come to train for various events with various experts. Groups of people could get coaching for triathlon, running, kayaking, backpacking and hiking.

Celtic Thunder

OK...this is a little wish. It would be nice to have a Celtic Thunder dvd. I saw them on PBS and fell in love with them. Of course, I like Celtic music to begin with and these guys are CELTIC!

It is quite a mix of music. Some of the songs are traditional. Some are newer, but are about Ireland. Some are just plain fun. They have some beautiful love songs, too, sung in beautiful lilts.

Anyway, some day it would be nice to have the DVD. I wouldn't mind being in the front row of a concert, either! I have watched some of the interviews they have done on PBS stations. They seem to be, at least for now, refreshingly not full of themselves. I sure hope they stay that way.

Dream House

Although we do not live in an RV, I wish for more living space as well. We live in a studio apartment. Sometimes it seems like a very small space. If I were to dream up the perfect place to live, I would have a house up in the mountains. If I let my imagination run wild, I think I would have a pretty awesome house.

The door of the house would be unique. It would either be an interesting shape or color. The knob or knobs on the door would be antique looking. I think it would be cool to have an upside down U shaped door like you would see on a castle would look cool.

The middle of the house would have glass windows and surround a huge tree. From most places in the house, you could see the tree and be consistently reminded of the beauty of the outdoors. Sliding glass doors would let you outside to sit on a bench near the tree to relax.

Also, I saw a house in a magazine that had a stream running through the house. There is a restaurant that I know of like that too. I think that my dream house would have such a stream bringing in the outdoors to my home.

It would also be cool to have a Japanese garden as a back yard. In fact, having one of the rooms decorated with Japanese style would be cool too. The floor could be covered with tatami mats. There wouldn't be just Japanese decorations. Each room of the house could be decorated with items from various cultures.

My dream house would have a library in it. I love books and if I had kept all the ones I've ever bought, I would have enough to fill a few bookshelves. This room would have lots of books and comfy chairs to sit and read in. There would be good natural light to this room too for whoever wanted to curl up with a book.

Of course we would have a music studio in another part of the house so that my husband could record, make and mix until his heart was content. If it were a sound proofed portion of the house, his band could come over to practice.

Another feature of this house would be a workout studio. In this studio, I would have an endless pool to swim in (if I didn't have a lap pool out back). We would also have a treadmill, elliptical, indoor cycling station and free weights. I would have enough space to invite over others to work out with.

Of course, I think I would settle for a one bedroom apartment that is a bit bigger than the studio apartment we are currently in. That way when one of us wants to sleep before the other, we could go to a different room from the computers.

A "Regular" Dwelling

We live in a tiny RV. It sure would be nice to be able to get into a "regular" dwelling. Something with bedrooms and a regular size oven, a full size bathtub, room to have guests, etc.

Actually, I would just be happy with getting our laundry room finished and having a very big room built next to our RV that we could subdivide.