Sommelier

The Gayla Pink Apple

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Sommelier Blair

 

 

Congratulations to my daughter for obtaining her Sommelier certification from the Sommelier Society of America (SSA) in New York City! 

 

Blair at street corner in downtown NYC after leaving Sommelier class August 2012. 

She is the lady in the dark suit, red bag on shoulder

 

If you appreciate wine, its history, the science, and all the complex details associated, you will surely appreciate this accomplishment.   

SSA's Sommelier class - University Club, Downtown NYC

 

Blair is in the hospitality industry and wine and wine pairing knowledge are integral aspects to building her resume and career.  She is currently continuing the next level of her wine studies in the International Wine Center's WSET program in NYC.

 

Congratulations Blair!

 

Cheers,
Gayla



Please eat, little one!

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

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Please eat, little one! 

 

"Can you eat something today?" I asked our little 14 1/2 yr. old shih tzu, Casey.  This doggy mother spends a lot of time trying to come up with any concoction I can think of that might tempt her into a few bites.

I don't feel good - leave me alone, please!

 



She hasn't been feeling well for a couple months now.  She will go three days or so and refuse to eat; then perks up and eats everything in sight - all you will give her; then reverts to consuming little to nothing and repeats the cycle. 

" It's really good, Casey - here - take a bite"

 

What about bowl number 1?  No?

What about bowl number 2?  No?

What about bowl number 3? No?

 

I start with her favorite dog food (middle bowl.)  Today she licked the soft juice off the little bite size pieces.  So, this doggy mother decides she might like it pureed into a baby food consistency.  Out comes the machinery and doggy baby food made.  It didn't work - she didn't eat it (not pictured cuz it looked like poo.)  Then, this doggy mother cooks rice in homemade chicken broth adding an egg to it.  She took about three bites and there it sits!  So, not to be out done, I mix the two - mix the pureed baby food stuff with the chicken rice w egg stuff.  Nope, didn't work!  I am exhausted!  Time to rest and see what I can dream up next.

 

"I just want to sleep!"

 

Let's go take a nap!
Doggy Mother and Nurse,

Gayla

 

 



Z a z z l e Dazzles Me

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

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Z a z z l e
Dazzles Me
 

 

I don't know what the word   z a z z l e   really means, but...   I ordered a new iPhone case on line from  Z a z z l e !  I was disappointed in the case - I didn't like the material - the texture was slick and I didn't like the feel - fearful of it sliding out of my hand easily.

 

So, since it was personalized with my name on it, I was just stuck with it and felt I'd wasted my money.

 

Well, you know those unsolicited emails which often pop up in your in box?  The ones that ask for your feedback!  Hmmm, OK, I'll oblige and share my disappointment in my new iPhone case.  It will at least let me vent a little.  Afterall, I'm stuck with the purchase.  It has my name on it.  Why did I personalize it, anyway?  I know my name and it doesn't matter if everyone sees my name on my iPhone case!  Oh well, that's what I get for buying on line and thinking it would be sooooo fun to have that cute neat case with my name on it!

 

It's so darn cute!  Wish I loved it! But, I don't!

 

What?  Oh!! a reply to me from Z a z z l e informing me they are sorry I am not satisfied with my order.  WHAT? and that they have processed a credit to my credit card account, making an exception to their return policy of returning the item, and offering that I feel free to keep, donate, or discard the item, at my discretion. 

Well,    Z a z z l e, you just d a z z l e d  me!!

I am thrilled with their customer service, but to tell you the truth - I still don't love the case!  I don't feel so cute afterall!  Now, I feel I need to go online and look for something to buy to make up for their loss!   NO Gayla!  Stop it!  Just stop over thinking the situation and let it go!  Thank you Z a z z l e!  I really appreciate the refund to my account and will most definitely shop with you again in the future! 

Dazzled,
Gayla


Where's My Name...Where do I Sit?

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

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Where's My Name?

Where Do I Sit?

 



Are you one of those people that has trouble deciding where to sit at the dining table - usually at someone's house and the host says "oh just sit anywhere you want."

You really want to sit at the end of the table - but should you? You might not want to sit next to that relative you don't know very well, or the one you know too well.  But, if you aren't careful, it becomes obvious you don't want to sit there.

Most often - that won't be the case for you when you're at my house - especially if it is a holiday or special occasion.  I use place cards.  I'm not sure how this got started, except I always liked the host to tell me where they would like me to sit. 

 

Some fifteen or so years ago, I decided I'd use place cards for my special dinner - just to make it - well - special.  I thought the place cards and holders added a nice touch to make it a little more special from the daily routine sitting down together for dinner. 

It worked nicely and I began to acquire a fairly nice collection of different place card holders to compliment table settings and occasions.  I don't have space here to picture all of them.  Some are not my favorites, while others I like a lot.  There are silver traditional ones, sea shells, mirror balls, pumpkins, bumble bees, to name a few.  I am not big into 'collecting' them, but do enjoy an assortment.  I love using place cards.  It is very easy for my guests - they don't have to decide where or next to whom to sit - because I do it for them. 

I don't always give a lot of serious thought to who sits where.  However, my thought process is most likely not what you think.  I don't always follow the rules - you know - of seating the guest of honor to the right of the head of the table. I don't want just one person to feel they are the guest of honor - I want everyone to feel they are a honored guest.   It is not who sits next to whom.  It is usually who is left handed and needs to be on the outside, so elbows do not bump into the person next to them.  Sometimes it is even which chair/s and how crowded the table is going to be - whose legs are the longest and needs end space, etc. 

If you're one of those people thinking this is silly - well - just roll your eyes behind my back -  sit down and enjoy the company and feel the time and love I put into trying to make you feel special.  

Oh, Here's My Name,
Gayla

 

 P.S.
Photos of a few in my collection...

 

New Year's Day Doesn't Mean the Same to Me!

The Gayla Pink Apple

 

January 1, 2005

 

January 1, 2013
 

 New Year's Day!!
Doesn't mean the same to me as it once did! 

 

On New Year's Day 2005, as I stood in the shower soaping my body there "it" was.  I felt "it" and my body went numb!  "It" was a lump in my right breast.  My throat closed - my eyes hazed over - my heart stopped beating - my stomach knotted - I couldn't breathe!

 

In my mind, I knew immediately "it" was breast cancer.  How, you wonder?  I don't know how, but as I took in a huge deep breath of air and exhaled long and hard, I knew at that moment my life was about to change forever.

 

One week later the diagnosis was confirmed and the battle of myself versus "it" was in full force.  The "C" word - Cancer!  Breast Cancer!  Decisions, decisions, decisions! I had no problem making the medical decisions I felt best for me.  I didn't need weeks to ponder! But, I would need years to recover from the emotional, physical, and spiritual wreck and havoc.

 

Will I die?  What will happen to my child? Can I go head-to-head with cancer?  Can I go face-to-face with cancer?  Can I take on this "C" monster?  Complicated fears take over - can I overcome those fears?  Reach deep inside - can I pull out the me worth fighting for?

 

It came from no where - it shot through my heart - my world fell apart - my life is spinning - I'm turned upside down - I pray for survival.

 My front door - Breast Cancer Awareness Month - October

 

Days filled with sadness - nights of tears - searching for courage in spite of my fears.  My daughter was in the 9th grade - not ready to take care of herself yet.  Surely God will let my child have her Mother until she is ready to face this harsh world without me?   I used to tell her that when she was small - she'd ask what would happen to her if I died.  My reply was that God would make sure that she was taken care of, and that I believed He would not let her Mother die until she was ready to take care of herself.  No one loves my child like I do!  Will she be OK without me?  There is a love that is introduced to us with the birth of a child - it is a love never felt before.  We love our parents, siblings, friends, spouses, others - but the love for a child can't compare.  A mother's love! 

To the world you may be one person,

but to one person, you may be the world.

 

As I enter into survival mode and take on the big "C" my life is filled with - surgery (double mastectomy) - chemotherapy treatments - baldness - lifelessness - loneliness -  horrific medical side effects of chemotherapy.   Being so sick and unable to muster the strength or desire to lift your head, much less any other part of your body.  The taste of food - no matter what food - taste of medal.  The toll on you physically and mentally is almost beyond words to describe.  Only one who has walked in my shoes can truly understand my words. 
 

Surrounded by family and friends through a most difficult time, but in the bigger scheme of things, it's really up to me and my higher power.  As a friend said "it's in God's hands."  Yes, it's in His hands but I think God expects me to put my hand in it too.  So hand-in-hand we walked and talked, and found the strength and desire to endure it all, and when the battle was over we were ahead. Ready to walk the road to see if we crossed the finish line also known as the five year mark. 
 

My doctors:  My surgeon, Dr. Abraham  on the left and my oncologist, Dr. Wilder on the right! 

So, I survived surgery and treatment and now what? Where do I go from here?  OK, I've made it through the year 2005, but how do I go on from here?  I took the "C" word on head-to-head and face-to-face, so far I've survived, but how do I move forward.  It's 2006 what do I do now?  Hitting bottom many times - picking up the pieces and putting them back together again - still unsure how to move on.  Finally realizing it is one step at a time - putting one foot in front of the other - just like I had done before the "C" word entered into my world.   
 

My signature on the Survivor Wall
at the SGKomen Race Space - October 2010

 

Pray for the five year mark - which means if you make it five years without recurrence of cancer you are considered cancer free.  The five year mark is, as you can imagine, a huge day!  And, the five year count down starts at the end of your chemo or treatment - not the day of diagnosis.  So, for me that meant October 2010 and I proudly met that day and ended that day with great joy.

 

 Blair and me - October 2006 
pink in this photo are pink boxing gloves!

2006 Theme Live for Today - Fight for Tomorrow!

SGKomen Photographer took this photo in 2006!  My wig days!

Living as a survivor is not as easy as I expected.  Although I consider myself cancer free - every day, without fail, I think about cancer.  It is just as simple as that.  I rejoice and celebrate being a survivor - but I do think about cancer daily.

 

 2011 Photo by SGKomen Photographer

War Memorial Stadium, Train for the Cure
 

Education, early detection, mammograms, self exams!!!! Pretty self explanatory.  Learn, read, get them, and do it!  Learn as much as possible - educate yourself and others; get a mammogram regularly; and do your own self exam - it's not hard - it is critical!

 

One arm bracelet for each year
SGKomen Race for the Cure

I did not have breast cancer in my family and I was under the age of 50.  I did get mammograms regularly - so for me there wasn't anything I could have done differently - as far as I know, anyway.  However, women still die from breast cancer - even though treatment is much better today - so early detection is our best chance against this monster, shy of a cure!
 

 

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I am a big supporter of the Susan G Komen Foundation!  I believe in their work in fighting against breast cancer and the search for a cure.  I believe they do GOOD things! 

 



 Downtown Little Rock
Susan G Komen Race for the Cure - 40,000 plus women
 



The Arkansas Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has held 18 Komen Races for the Cure in downtown Little Rock and has distributed more than $11 million throughout the state, funding grants and educational programs which have provided support and information to thousands of Arkansas women and their families. 

 

 2009 - My sister and me

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world today, with about 1.3 million people diagnosed annually. The exact cause of the disease is unknown, and at this time, there is no cure.

 

2011 October

SGKomen Race for the Cure

Little Rock

Every year I walk or run the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure to honor and remember all those women that lost their life and celebrate all survivors including myself. 

 

September 9, 2012

Greater New York, Central Park,

SGKomen Race for the Cure

It was with great pride to participate this past year (2012) in the Greater New York Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Central Park, New York City with my daughter! 

 

 

My pink reader glasses
Wear them each year during

Breast Cancer Awareness Month - October
 

Time has shown me the power of my strength. I walk the winding road tall and strong, standing face to face with myself,  I thank the Lord I am no one else.

Proud to wear pink,

Gayla