MERRY MONTH OF MAY 2012

For we all know May is the month of flowers where colors abound around us.  It was only yesterday when I saw on my eyes the miracle of nature place on the bountiful colors of flowers when we went for dinner at our friends house, Gail & Dave Newman. 

A sumptous dinner of the best kept secret of Newman's BBQ 

An evening of delight  and sheer laughter as we send them wishes of fun travel to Peru.

Looking back on the early part of May there were jubilations and emotional moments.   

May 4, we celebrated the union of two people so much in love , Grace Lin and Daniel Sklar.  It was very special for me for I was given the opportunity to be their wedding planner.  It was so much fun working with them.  They were both enthusiastic and very artistic.  They were involved in the entire process.  Indeed it was an elegant memorable evening!!!!

It was also on this day that we bid goodbye to CHICO beloved schnauser of Herbert and Margit Schloesser.   Margit was so heartbroken that it was not easy for me what to say or not to say.  CHICO was a lovely family member that captured their heart as well as ours. 

May 5, Cinco de Mayo.  We went to Monterey Mexican Restaurant with Janet Wilson, Gail Newman, Margit Schloesser and myself to listen to the music of our friend Doug Gazlay and met others there celebrating the occassion.  We thought by taking Margit to a lively athmosphere will somehow lessen her sadness.  But as the night darkens so was her heart.

The night was beautiful with the perfect full moon.  As I gazed to the beauty, there was also the magical question of what was up there aside from what our naked eyes can gazed.

STEPHANIE WATSON  -  EVA DUVALL  -  CARMEN DANIELS  started as friends that came together with a common goal.  Volunteers for charity organizations.  Fund Raisers for March of Dimes, Survivors of Disasters, Local Community, Churches,  Hospice and Nursing Homes.  We are now venturing and brainstroming a movement we call IGIFTED through the help of Daniel & Grace Sklar.  I will blog more on this as we progress.

May 6,  THE CELEBRATION OF HOPE GALA for the Huntington Disease Society of GA.  This was the last year that our dearest friend Eva Duvall organized the event and she will also be passing the baton as President .  It was a very successful event and it turned out the way she wanted it to be. ELEGANT and her speech came from her heart.  It impacted every single soul that was present.  The volunteers were few but effective.   Everything turned out perfectly.  The venue Glenridge Hall in Sandy Springs does not only gave us all history but in itself was a sight to behold.

May 12  A joint birthday celebration for Helene Marshall & Margit Schloesser.  Girl's Lunch at Houston's Restaurant ,  We then proceeded to the Steve and Helene Marshall's home for cake and champagne.

May 13, Mother's Day and we celebrated at Peachtree City with Mom Cherry, my sisters Amy, Kathy and Beth together with our nieces.   Week after that they came over for the weekend and fun we had as always.... the Happy Family!

May 23, we went to Little Falls NY to celebrate Dad Daniels 92nd Birthday.  We also visited Aunt Flav.  On our way back to SYR Airport we stopped at Michael and Erica's home and played with Cole.  He is a very sweet lil gal!  I love him to death! 

May 27, we are celebrating our friend and neighbor daughter's graduation.  Uli and Thomas Topps got 2 beautiful daughters that grew up so pretty and nice girls.... Vanessa and Isabel. Vanessa will be in College coming school year and Isabel will be driving in another year or two!

Some snaphots for the month of May.

  

GIRLFRIENDS WENT TO A PLACE CALLED PARADISE

That took a lot of coordination and planning.  As any friendship there will always be a drama involve otherwise it will be so boring !  MARY JANE YOUNG that I am proud to call my friend made our trip happenned.   Here are some part of our paradise during a week of togetherness:

WHERE IS PUNTA CANA AND BAVARO LOCATED? located on the beach in Punta Cana's Bavaro Beach neighborhood, close to Palma Real Shopping Village, Cocotal Golf and Country Club, and Dolphin Island. Other points of interest near this all-inclusive resort include Bavaro Beach and Golf de Bavaro.

Bavaro Beach Resort On the seafront of one of the 10 best beaches in the world, Barceló has a 2 km beach, the best in Punta Cana and protected by a coral reef that makes the pristine sea perfectly calm. The Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe***** hotel is found in this magical place and is characterised by its incredible levels of comfort and rest. This is made possible due to the new B-Room rooms that combine technology with the best beds on the market as well as raindance showers.

It was a unique gourmet experience for us with 11 restaurants throughout the Resort and not counting the bar in every turn (Mattie and I) never missed a turn.  In the daytime you can relax by the ocean or by the pool.  Jane and I opted to explore the city and the jungle.  On our first day we went to Higuey.

This is Higuey Street where we stop for some cultural shopping and every stop we were offered the Mama Juana vitality drink.  I brought home some.  Bought a beautiful Oil Painting only it did not reach home.  I lost it between transferring from hotel to airports.  But I will not forget the beauty of it.  While in Higuey we visited   La Basilica Higuey.

 

 

We experienced the city life, the street vendors, the local bakery and ate with the locals.  We met a very nice couple Isis and Carlos Rodriguez that are honeymooning.   Isis was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.  She was a great person and a super friendly personality.  We enjoyed their company all day.

 

Went back to Barcelo Bavaro and immediately enjoyed the sun, sand, sea !!!!  Of course with our cocktail and champagne in hand.

Time to catch up with Wendy and Mattie for dinner at La Comedie French Restaurant.

We were very late and we ended up at Margarita Mexican Restaurant.   and the bar...  and Disco Dancing

 and CasinoYes it was an exhausting, exhilarating day trip and lively nightlife......  The next morning Jane and I woke up in such a beautiful day and immediately ran to the beach and explore further the other nearby islands.  Before I forgot take a quick look at our room. Yes we got our own jacuzzi!   Huge breakfast and ready to hit the road again.  We did the Safari Tour all day activity.  We went to the Tobacco Museum, Sugarcane Plantation, Cacao Plantation and in the wilderness.  I saw first hand small children waving at us along the rugged mountain road.  Very welcoming and the sweetest smile.  Saw the beautiful wildlife surrounded us freely roaming around not oblivious to the people around them.  The most exciting part is our ZipLining and Horseback Riding.  Jane and I were true troopers.   Lunch we were served the typical local food.  I love the Porkchops and the chicken cooked similar to the Filipino Adobo.   Here are some photos for all to enjoy:

Horse Back riding  Sugarcane

There is no greater experience in all my travels than embracing the life of the local people.   Seeing for myself their way of life and by doing so it gave me an awakening of life in it's simplest form give others contentment and happiness.   It is in appreciating what you have been given in life.   My heart says that and my body still want to go back to the easy way.....  ahhhh! life in many forms!!!!   It is in this content that Jane called me a "brat"!   

Well back to civilization and of course the first order of the day.... my bubbly and Jane's Tequila Sunrise while lying down on the white sand!  and more activities, how about a fisherman walking by the sea and pretend we went fishing with him, photo ops!!!!  and then we caught a real big fish whoaa in a speedo!!!!  Oooop's his partner (also in speedo) was just a step away.... we let him go!  

We are late again for our Teppanyaki Dinner ! ughhh!   Wendy was not a happy camper and Mattie called us in our room.   Well we made it this time at Kyoto. 

The food was great, the company was even more greater until we all shared experiences of the incompetent front desk, inefficiency of services and the many unacceptable customer services .

Jane took all personally and felt she failed our expectation  but she did not and mny times we told her

she got nothing to do with that.  Well Mattie retired to bed afterwards and the three of us headed to our nightlife plan.  Meeting Heather at the Club, Casino and Bar hopping.   While at the bar, for some unknown reason I pointed to Jane why she have been in a habit of repeating things.  Reminds me of another friend that told me bhaving kids makes you do that.   Things went sour and the night was cut short.  Jane walked away and left me and Wendy.....  well fun got to continue!  More drinks

and more casino!   I came in the room and Jane apologized but not really!  She was very condensending and totally ignored her!

Another day and Jane did not show up for breakfast.  Hmmm she was really getting to my nerve this time.  I finally confronted her and she cried that totally make me love her again !!!!

Jane got a confirmed seat and able to fly back home as planned.   Wendy, Mattie and myself were left behind.  This time we went to another RESORT  called VIK Arena Blanca.  where we enjoyed the afternoon and watch the sunset and night time by the ocean.

 Our Hotel Lobby  

Our room  The Dining Hall     Another Day in Paradise

Following day Wendy and Mattie bought their tickets home and once again I got bumped!  Although I wanted to stay longer but I also wanted to go home and be with JD nd Einstein.  I finally got a seat

with US Airways and got home very late at night!  Thankful afterall that all of us arrived safe to our families!

Overall it was a great vacation to all of us.  We did not allow anything to ruin the fun except that night with Jane.  That also prevented me to spend time with Heather, Seavonte and Kim.  We move on and we created another chapter, another memory and lifetime of stories to tell.

The GREATEST LOVE OF ALL

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

by:  Carmen Arcilla Daniels

I consider this a true Love Story.   A Father that so dearly love his children and wanted to save them from a life of gloom that  His only son willingly offerred his life that the rest of His children may live a wonderful life.  The brutal pain that both the Father and the Son endured. 

For that it is just right to give thanks to the Father and to the Son not because of our differences but because of our relation,  not because we want to repay them back, we can't anyhow but because of
our devotion.  What they've given us is beyond our understanding, a complete surrender, obedience and the kind of LOVE that none possess except this Father and Son team.

As we celebrated the Resurrection tommorrow let us not forget the life we got now.  Take care of that life,  never take for granted that our lives been purchased by the act of one obedient Son that was brutally murdered.....................
                        

                    A PRAYER

                 I've never known how to pray

                 Somehow without any words utter

                 My mind speaks to you

                 My heart made you feel

                 My action tells you

                 Somehow you know

                          I needed you

                             You rescued me

                                   You make me whole again

                                          And I then know you are listening

                                              Then I know you never forskaen me

                                              And you are ALIVE!

       You gave us LIFE in every form, in our surroundings, in our day to day existence

and the only thing we need to do is not take it for granted.       

OPEN YOUR EYES

                         

God's handiwork in every Spring

God's  Endless Blessings

Renewal and a new Beginning

The birds, the trees, the bloom, the colors, the smell and a never ending landscape of life.

For once, let us pause and be thankful, be gratified, be in love and be happy what surrounds us.

There is no greater joy than joy itself, there is no greater happiness but happiness itself, there is

    no greater love but love itself......  and they are within us, waiting for us to exhale,

    to explore, to enjoy and to share, to give, to feel what is within....................