In March 2001 I attended a musical workshop given by singer/songwriter Betsy Rose and absolutely fell in love with her. Betsy explained how the body uses sound to improve emotional and physical health. She taught us therapeutic sounding that frees our bodies to make the sounds we want so we can get in touch with healing and creativity. As Betsy sang and played guitar, I remember feeling a sense of calm and peace wash over me like nothing I’ve ever experienced. She taught us some beautiful songs she composed and by the end of the workshop, I knew I wanted to sing with this woman again. (more…)

You might also like:

Don’t Forget to Hug Your Grandchildren’s Parents On my last visit to see my granddaughters, I was reminded of a very important lesson: Don't forget to...

Conscious Grandmothering Workshop Recently a friend introduced me to Yeshi Neumann—a grandmother, midwife, and workshop facilitator....

Celebrating New Year’s Eve in the Kitchen Since my husband and I have never been big party fans, we came up with our own New Year's Eve celebration...

Making a Difference in the World For our March 1 meeting in Saratoga, CA, GaGa Susana will bring her two granddaughters, ages 14 and 10,...

Last year I wrote a post about the book, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. This 1978 classic by Judi and Ron Barrett holds up well for a new generation of readers. My son loved it when he was growing up and now my six year old granddaughter is a fan. When I first read it in the 80s, I never dreamed it would be a full-length feature film. And now it is. (more…)

You might also like:

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs Wins Rave Reviews When I spotted Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs on the library shelf, I couldn't resist bringing it...

Conversation with Adair Lara On Sunday, May 3, 2009 Adair Lara will be the guest speaker at our GaGa Sisterhood meeting in San Francisco....

“Caps For Sale” — An Enduring Classic On a recent trip to the library I was looking through the picture books for my five-year old granddaughter,...

Time Travel Dilemma: Visit Great-Grandparents or Great-Grandchildren? An interesting question came up at my Toastmasters Club the other night during Table Topics. These questions...

Lately I’ve taken to reading the San Jose Mercury News’ “Staycation Specials” in the travel section. [Staycation is a newly coined word for a period of time in which an individual or family stays home and relaxes or takes day trips from their home to area attractions.] Last month one of those headlines caught my eye:

The marriage deal

The longer you’ve been married, the more you’ll save on Valentine’s Day at Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa in Sausalito, CA. The “Sweetheart Deal” package offers couples a 1 percent discount off their stay for every year of their marriage. The special includes a rose, a bottle of champagne, chocolates, and a 30-minute massage in their spa.

(more…)

You might also like:

San Jose Mercury News Features GaGa Sisterhood Patty Fisher writes a column for the San Jose Mercury News about people in the Silicon Valley community...

Kids’ Imaginations Take Off with Cardboard Cartons Patty Fisher, San Jose Mercury News columnist, wrote a great column about the simple pleasure children...

Drowning Accident Reminds Us to Be Vigilant The tragic headline and photo in today's San Jose Mercury News broke my heart: Toddlers' tea party ends...

Run for the Seals on March 13 A friend who's a race director sent me information about an upcoming event that sounds fun for grandparents...

An interesting question came up at my Toastmasters Club the other night during Table Topics. These questions are a regular part of the meeting and give speakers the opportunity to think on their feet. After the question is posed, the speaker has one to two minutes to give an impromptu speech on a subject not known to her until the moment she gets up to speak!

The question was: “If you could time travel, would you rather meet your great-grandparents or your great-grandchildren?” (more…)

You might also like:

Jury Duty vs. Grandma Duty You are hereby ordered to report for jury duty on October 23, 2009, read the official summons for Jury...

Whose Home for the Holidays? Where will you and your family spend the holidays this year? Who will be there and who decides the answers...

Strengthen Family Bonds with Stories This year share some family stories at your holiday celebrations. It’s a wonderful low-cost form of...

A Mother’s Day Tradition with Meaning For many years I’ve been blessed to be able to host Mother’s Day brunches that included three generations—my...