Poems My Way - Valrie: July 2010

Saturday, July 31, 2010

PINK SKIES

PINK SKIES

Pink skies in the morning
Pink skies in the night
From the moment of dawning
To dusk and twilight
The wondrous rays of sun
Warm the earth, awaken birds
Glistening brightly, as we have fun
Settling down ass the crickets are heard
Painting the night sky with wonderful hues
Softly sinking under the horizon
Not only in pinks, also in blues...
And taking the hands of my companion,
Homeward bound we shall go
Inhaling the fragrance of a new night's fog
Cherishing the tweets of the birds
And the ribbets of frogs.
Until another morning sky
Dawns, painting a new masterpiece
Leaving us to wonder why
In all its splendid glory not one repeats...
Each sunrise, each sunset
A single feat of artwork for us to see
No author need sign, yet do we forget
Each belongs to God, and is Heavenly!

poems my way Valrie 07/31/2010

Link to photo here!

A beautiful pink morning sunrise!

God's glory in a perfect rainbow!

Here's the scoop on my life lately!

On July 4th I was in a critical car accident that should have taken my life butdid not...

PRAISE BE TO GOD AND MY GUARDIAN ANGELS!!!

July 5th we sent ny son off to Afghanistan and he has called home twice to his fiance, he is doing fine and missing us all. He wouild love to receive books from whomever would like to mail him something to read. He loves Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, action packed novels.

If you would like to be a penpal of encouraging words to him or his Marine Unit, email me

and I will send you the address. Even 1 book per blogger will help create aan availabale library for our brave young men and women serving our country so we may remain free!

The 5th I was admitted for severe potassium depletion, at risk of a heart attck, and multiple kidney stones. Five days later they sent me home thinling I had passed the stone. Not so.... I flew to Chicago for my doctoral residency, had an awesome time except for dealing with the pain from the kidney stones and muscle spasms from the back injury in the accident.

Got violently ill during the last day of residency, my roommate asccompanied me to the terminal for United and they were so compassionate, got me on the next available flight out with NO upcharge.

My sweetheart picked me up at Albany airport, we traveled the 2 hours home to Cooperstown, and by 2:30 AM we were off to the hospital. I was immediately admitted, and put on IV, pain injections, yuck, heavily sedated to alieve the pain pf passing stones. Four days later I was about to go home and passed the third stone. I would not wish kidney stones and their pain on anyone!

Now for the funny part, during this time I had over 8 papers or projects due for my doctoral classes. Each one I submitted has been graded and I have received 100% on each of them. Maybe Edgar Allen Poe knew what I know now! Seriously though, I hated the way the meds made me feel.

The best part is yet to come... I was Beating the Clock to be released on Thursday as a local college had contacted me for a final interview as an adjunct professor. I got out in the knick of time (I admit I gave a lot of people HUGE nudges...told them if they didn't have it tohether by 9AM that I was signing myself out... LOL, ROFL, LOL)....

Yes I nailed the interview with the Dean, was given 2 sections to teach, with the possibility of a third. Guess what? WHEN I was cat napping with CARMEL

the dean called me an added another section...now I am teaching the maximum number of classes allowed without being a full professor. A big PINK WOO HOO!!!

Need I say I AM ECSTATIC as these courses are directly in my major... Developmental Reading, Developmental Writing, and Critical Thinking Skills.

Thank you to all of you who have said prayers for me. I especially thank BEV for rescheduling me for a Saturday feature spot, as I knew the one I am working on would not be done in time.

This says it all...

So between getting caught up with my summer literacy position working with migrant workers, and being hired for the college starting August 12th, writing my papers, creating email lists for my colleagues from residency, getting my head screwed on right, catching up on my bills, and my swaps,

cleaning the house, loving a very angry kitten (CARMEL), and reading volumes of research, I decided to take a break and share my chaos with you all.

PLEASE JOIN MY CANS for COOKIES!

I am starting a monthly care package to my son's unit in North Marja, Afghanistan. He is a Lance Corporal in the US MARINES! Go Joey!

I would love to have you join in the campaign and send monthly packages filled with homemade love...aka COOKIES. I am using the plastic coffee cans (FOLGERS) and Pringles cans.

If you would like to be a member of CANS for COOKIES please email me

ALSO if you have a son or daughter ( or other loved one...)serving and would like to have their name added to this event please email me.

ALSO, thanks to Heather, who just left a comment! Please feel free to grab my

CANS for COOKIES button and post it on your blog or share my email for other bloggfers to join in this year long event!

I need your name, email, name of person who is serving, state side or abroad and their address as well.

Please email me your blogspot too. Once I have peolpe join the event, I will create a page on my blog to follow the armed forces who are serving our country.

If you have any questions please include them in your email!

I got up a little late today, having slept for 24 hours straight, you never get sleep in a hospital!

So I am going to refill my PINK coffee cup, kick back and relax and come visit you all!

I am also conducting a phone campaign to my customers!

ANY one who visits my Pink Bubble this weekend please email me

and I will give you a 50% discount on your entire purchase.

Buddy up with a girlfriend and order too! SHE will receive the same PINK discount!

PINK lipsticks/glosses, eye shadows, and blushes are BOGO

(buy one get one free)

AND always free shipping anywhere in the USA!

GO To PINK BUBBLE

LOVE TO YOU ALL PINKS!

Please go see the other Pink Links!

AND to our founding PINK LADY...

Bev, I love how full of love your heart,

You are truly a PINK blessing to us all!

Love and BIG PINK HUGS!!!

XXOO

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Pink Dessert for this PINK SATURDAY!

Good morning Pink Saturday Ladies & Friends!

Today I have a delicious PINK fruit dessert for you! I found this exquisite mouth watering treat while surfing the web for fruit desserts. I cannot wait to eat a slice tonight!

Easter is past, but you should still be abkle to find the rhubarb, and other PINK fruits that make this delicious dessert, I did!

Here's the link! •Pre-heat oven to 150c

Note: For fan assisted ovens you will need to reduce the baking time by around 20 minutes.
Recipe and pics by Cherry Menlove!

Feel free to add her to your links list. Here it is ! - http://www.cherrymenlove.com/

Please feel free to join
her page on faceboook or twitter.

And now PINK magic: The kaboodle on what to do:
Feel free to add her to your links list. Here it is ! - http://www.cherrymenlove.com/

This tutorial is soley Cherry Menlove's, please be sure to give her credit! I only want to share this lovely website and recipe with you all!

The yummy ingredients are:

•400g rhubarb

•4 passion fruits

•2 tblsp caster sugar

•6 large free range egg whites

•300g caster sugar

•Pink food colouring

•385g Jam & Cream swiss roll/sponge cake
•Pre-heat oven to 150c

•Whisk all the the egg whites together until they form stiff peaks. Don’t over whisk though as you still need to add the sugar, you’ll know when the peaks are stiff as you’ll be able to see it.

•A few minutes into whisking add a few drops of pink food colouring to give the meringue a lovely rosy hue. You’ll need to use your judgment on the colouring as I have no idea what type you’ll be using.

•Add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time continuing to whisk gently as the sugar is added

•Cover a large baking tray with a greaseproof paper or non-stick lining.

•Spoon the mixture onto it creating your pavlova sized mound of meringue

•Turn the oven down to 130c and bake for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes or until it starts to brown on top

Note: For fan assisted ovens you will need to reduce the baking time by around 20 minutes.

•Whilst the pavlova is baking, wash and cut the rhubarb, into 2 inch pieces, and then add to a large saucepan.

•Sprinkle the two tablespoons of caster sugar over the rhubarb and place the pan onto a low heat and let the rhubarb simmer in its own juices until it is soft but not sloppy. This should take around 8-10 minutes.

•Once the rhubarb has stewed set aside to cool.
•On a large platter or cake-stand, cut the swiss roll / sponge cake into slices (approx 1 inch thick) and lay the slices flat around the platter/cake-stand, until it is covered. This will make the base of the dessert.

•Remove the baked meringue from the oven and set to one side allowing to cool completely before you remove it from the greaseproof paper.

•Once cooled place the meringue on top of the sponge base

•Halve the passion fruits and spoon the pips and the juices onto the top of the dessert

•Then, spoon the cooled stewed rhubarb over the top too.

•Enjoy the decadence and feel more than free to add a good quality vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream.

The flavours of the fruits used go perfectly with the sweet sugary gooey and crispy meringue base.

Mouth watering yet?

A pink slice of life!

Pink Perfection!

Cherry loves the questions and the chat that is starting to occur over on her brand new Facebook fan page. She is always there to answer any questions you may have.
(Cherry Menlove) link

My week has been filled with happy moments and frustrating ones. Trying to find a car and be financed after being ruined financially be a former spouse makes life a nightmare. Cross your fingers for me, I might have a cosigner and a car by Wednesday next week. I fly to Chicago on Thursday for my doctoral residency. Excited and scared too... My kidney stones are still with me and they hurt. Had a second cat csan yesterday, on muscle relaxers from the car accident and pain meds for the stones. I overslept again, and that is why this post is late. Two papers to finish today, and I am working half the day too, to make up for lost time...

I will be on the road again...

My Marine son Joey is entering North Marja by now, in one of the hottest spots in this Aghanian war...

Please lift him and our other men and women up in prayers and praise for all they do while serving America.

Remember where our liberty comes from these sodiers, Marines, cavalry, seals, coast guards, cadets, rangers, military intelligence, and every other branch I haven't mentioned.

Call me

315-219-0639 or email me if you would like to join my Cans for Cookies charity for all armed forces serving. I have a goal of sending out care packages for each holiday upcoming and adopting a soldier for everyone who joins. Email me and look for further details in my posts.

Going to finish my coffee, get on the road again...

Visit my pink bubble and I will donate 10% of your purchase to breast cancer research or domestic violence abuse shelters through Mary Kay!

order here:

Sunday, July 11, 2010

A Day of Prayer Requests & Thankfulness

Good morning all,

Last night at 8PM my loving Marine son was deployed to Afghanistan. He will be assigned to one of the newest Marine base camps in the North Marja region. This is a very dangerous assignment to be first in. He has been trained in preliminary Dari and will be at even highe rrisk because of this. We need to cherish our young men and women who serve our country and others so that freedom prevails on the homeland. I do not condone this war, but I understand the needffor homeland security. I ask for your prayers for my son's safe return and that of all our armed forces.

I also learned my nephew, a cavalry soldier sgt. assigned in Germany has to undergo back surgery for a herniated disk. He has earned a purple heart for his efforts to serve his country, suffering a head injury from an explosive device. Last weekend he had to say goodbye to another casualty of this horrendous war.

I ask for prayer support for my healing as I recover my losses, both physically and financially from my car accident last Sunday. I am home after 5 days in the hospital due to complications from seveer potassium depletion, risk of heart attack and a very stubborn kidney stone that won't pass and keeps playing hide and seek. I am catching up on my doctoral courses and have 2 papers to complete by midnight. In addition to that I have to start my new job tomorrow and get all the materials transferred into my rental car and set up for a week of lesson plans.

Prayers of thanks for my sweetheart who has helped me purchase a new car. You know you are loved when help is freely given and not asked for.My sister Vanessa and her husband David have also been especially helpful to me.

Prayers too for my daughter Jenni in TX recovering from ecoli infection in her stomache. After 4 weeks a doctor finally figured out what was wrong and she is on the road to recovery too.

Thank you to my blogger friends who have offered me many kind and loving words and my colleagues at college who are going out of their way to help me get caught up in my two courses.

Prayer request for financial help to get me through this bump in the road. Losing my car has set me back. I will never ever own another car without collision. Somehow I will find the money.

Keep in touch and become a follower if you have not. I love your comments, they keep me going.

My poetry has suffered through all of this but I promise I will get back in the groove soon.

One More Time

I saw my life pass before my eyes
The blur of images raced along
As I counted up the years I lived
And all the things I did or hadn't done.

The memories of childhood
Years of sibling play and rivalry
The first day of school, the day I graduated
First day of college, day I married.

Yet most of all the days I saw
Were the ones spent with my children -
My adoring daughter, and loving son
I relived both sad and happy times.

I went back to places I traveled
And saw new ones not yet visited.
This connfused me, for where were they
And how would I know them never having been?

The sky became a storm of dust.
The light burned my eyes and I cried...
So much yet to live for and begged
Jesus to take the wheel, I surrendered.

A calm overcame my pounding heart.
My ear drums ceased to hurt.
The gulp in my throat pushed down my chest
And I knew all would be fine in the end.

As I regained my self control
and let the tears roll and flow
I knew my life work was still not done,
And so I carry on to serve once more.

I strive to find answers and understand
Why I had been spared once more.
I will learn to listen better and answer the call
Each time it broaches my door.

Today is a new day and a new chance
To make a difference in my life and yours.
What I will do with this opportunity
Remains unknown and puzzles me.

Deep in my heart I know I must serve
A higher purpose for the Lord,
I am here Lord, I am yours Lord,
Guide ma and love me so that I endure.

Poems My Way Valrie 07/11/2010

Thank you for being my friend.

God Bless bloggerland!

Time for my coffee and searching the net for research and boolean, Eric, and Proquest articles, journals and more. Getting out that coffee cup and filling it once more.

Today I feel and look like a bear, I need my coffee! Starbucks anyone?

I am starting a Cans for Cookies project for my son's unit in Afghanistan. If you are interested in joining the project, start saving your small coffee cans, nut cans, etc. to ship sweets and treats to our young men and women overseas. Call me (3152190639) or email me for details.

Remember to Hug the ones you love today!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Pink Saturdays Pink eyes For Sure

Happy Pink Saturdays to all my loving blogger friends! Many thanks to Bev at How Sweet The Sound for hosting our PINK Saturdays. Be sure to check out her blog for all the links to our lovely PINK blogging ladies! Read all the way thorugh for my poem of the day... A tribute to being spared this past week.

Today I am featuring Amy please visit her awesome blog! Vintage Porcelain Art.t She is new to Pink Saturdays, but not to PINK. Wonderful lost art porcelain creations, especially has VINTAGE tea cups in lovely pinks and aquas. Her July 5th post was breathtaking. Be sure to stop by and mention Valrie sent you by for a blogger visit!

Not much pink today but my pink and teary eyes. What a week it has been. BBQ SEND OFF FOR MY MARINE JOEY. Crashed my car and it is totalled. Hospitalized for 5 days after escaping unscathed from a crash that should have killed by a kidney stone that will not pass. Sent home to deal with it on my own. Delayed start to a new job, and car shopping. All the rest is immaterial considering 1) I am alive 2) I lose my son to a ueeless next 7 months in a war that will never be won or recognized in my opinion.3) Where this is prayer there is hope, where there is hope there is a way, and I will find a way to regroup and rebuild once again.

Here are the lovely pictures of my celebration and send off for my son this past week. Some in MD with my daughter jenni whom I flew up from Waco TX to see her brother before he deploys tomorrow to Afghanistan. Sorry, I am crying right now, I cannot bear to let him go but know I must. Please pray for our family...

Some are of the awesome fun we had at his BBQ here in NY the day after my critical car accident and the same day I was readmitted to the hospital for 5 days to try and pass a kidney stone (I did not and am home battling here as i type this post).

Joey and sis Jenni the loves of my life and reason to be!

Hmmm partying I see...

Our favorite ice cream place in MD where the kids grew up. Paddle ice cream made to order, yummy!

I so love these two kids, Jenni born in 'June 84, Joey Mrch '87.

This is my clan of 5. I raised all of them. The twins and Joey now 23, Lauren in aqua 21, and my first born Jenni 26, the leader of the pack! I love them all.

Can you believe Grandma gave the Marine this deadly weapon?

This is the awesome cake I made with the help of my sis. It was a total Jarhead cake, replete with xtreme action figure soldiers on skateboards... Joey's favorite past time!

He is my GI JOE! Please bless him and pray for his safe return.