The garden is kicking into high gear

If you have been by lately then you know the garden is full of food and flowers. Herbs have continued to do well after a bumpy start. The beetles are out now but not as bad as last year. They sure love been leaves. I am going to take a soil sample next few days. My neighbor has a bacteria in their soil and I want to ensure it is not in ours. So far no symptoms but it is always good to check annually. Same as well water.

If you want to trade some weeding for food let me know. I can always use the help and love to share. The tomatoes and peppers are ten days off or so. Late blooming but a lot of little green tomatoes everywhere and tons of little pepper plants. Those are the cash crops. A little bunny has been living in the lettuce and greens. She is so cute. I try to leave her enough scraps to satisfy her hunger. The moles are active as usual as are the chipmunks. It is always something. A dog is in the future someday soon. I miss Beau and of course Jakey. He was the best dog ever. I really like the Chesapeake Standards we saw a few months ago. Hypoallergenic and do not shed. Katie, our neighbors Rot, protects the yard quite well but I do miss having our own furry friend.
A sweet puppy was out at the lake last couple days visiting our friends. What a sweet girl she was. She hung out with Doug and I. luckily I had some treats. Later.............

I am thinking about my grandma and how hard this transition must be for her after losing "her guy". She seems to go between denial and utter confusion and anger. I think she is worn out from worrying about everything and all the changes have been too fast. New furniture, new functioning phone, fresh paint and lots of people in and out. She said she wanted to crawl in a hole and hide. I think she forgets she is home and can hide upstairs in her room if she wants to grieve and cry but she does not. Her health is not good either but she will not go to the Dr. I fear she is making herself ill. I think, not confirmed yet, The memorial will be August 17th in Holly Michigan, moved back further than I expected due to dad's schedule, paperwork and the memorial park only allows military gun salutes on Tuesdays. I see how challenging this must be for a woman who does not know how to pump gas.........Sad. Still so beautiful and full of grace. Death is hard for those left behind. Once the memorial is over I think she can move on??? Or at least stop worrying and rest.

I am dealing with a cold which Doug has now even worse than mine. So we are a snotty mess, coughing and hacking. I got some herbs (echinacea, goldenseal and cough syrup plus a new netty pot with salts to snort) from the co-op. The other OTC stuff makes us feel funny and only makes it worse. I feel good though in general other than pain. Still waiting for hip surgery date. It really is starting to show damage and popping more. I guess it will be mid October. My surgeon is out of town and his secretary moved to a different position leaving no one to book surgeries. Odd is it not? It will be when it is meant to be. I trust that. I did meet a with a new therapist today who help release pain. Hard to explain but we shall give a shot. Trauma release of sorts. Lord knows my body has been through trauma. It was nice I felt good while we were working together. Mind over matter stuff.

back in the groove............anniversary today

My dear friend Mary Geitner originally from Asheville has been living with her husband and 3 year old precious daughter near Boulder-Denver area. we had a whole week of just us and it was glorious. We laughed, philosophized and talked about our lives of which we have been far apart by miles for many years now. We ate out of the garden and ate well. spent two nights at the rainy lake with a fire in the wood stove. How sweet in mid July. Yesterday Doug arrived at 5 am. Long night for him. he is resting up for a few days and we plan to spend time at the lake. Good thing it is close.

This last month has flown by with many challenges and heart strings being pulled and some cut. Health keeps rolling with the punches. I found out my nephew and his wife are pregnant. It;s a BOY. my brother Howard is very happy to know his family lineage is carried on through Caleb and Holly.

Garden keeps me busy. Slowly making things for fall-winter prep. Looking at many projects coming up late summer-fall. The walk is August 9th www.amsterlupus.org for more information. My sister and her two lovely girls are coming in August and September kicks off the UM Lupus Education Support Program at the U Hospital. I feel blessed to have this opportunity to co-facilitate and create a template for the new model of support groups. Dream come true.

Tennessee project with Douglas always fun clients. Good late summer project Felling gratitude.
I love my husband and it is our wedding anniversary. Very long time !!!! So happy !!!

Death came as it does.............

Popa Gross, Joseph Gross, Died on Sunday at 6 pm at home with loving wife Vera and Daughter Marilyn. He was in Hospice care and in no pain for the last hours. Saturday we were with him as he suffered with body shutting down and then morphine and all the end of life savers were available. Thank God for Hospice !!! if you want to make donations you can do to Hospice or www.amsterlupus.org. Grandma has decided to have a private military burial of his ashes in Michigan where they both will rest in peace eventually. No memorials as of now as per his wishes. I guess at 92 there are few friends left and family is so scattered.

I had a tough time Sunday eve and cried in the garden with my man by my side. My Popa taught me how to garden so it seemed approriate to honor him in that space. I realized this week of July will have three major death anniversaries ( 8th my grandma(mom) saul, 10th my birth mom and 12th my grandpa gross) not to mention three other deaths in the family in the past month. What a wacky time. So last few days I have been low energy and emotionally drained but good. Douglas had to fly out Monday am and I have just been alone with my feelings and working a little in garden and on the lupus education program at UM. These things keep me busy in mind and body yet my heart is till weakish.

Michigan summer is here. Hot and muggy today after a chilly morning. Lupus is hanging out a little letting me know I need to rest and avoid sun. I am doing just that.

My wish for us all to have peace and love in our lives..............................................

Popa is close the end.....and Nina's niece died..........

Sometimes the world does not make sense but there are reasons for everything. My 92 year old grandfather who is in hospice, no meds, no water, no food, no ice chips, body not functioning and in pain is wondering why he is not dead. At the same time one of my Step Moms, Nina, has just had a huge loss. Her niece who was 42 years old( my age) just passed away a few days ago after retiring fro care at homem 23 years in Military service and finding the love of her life? Why? How does this happen?

After we left my grandparents we felt like we wanted to do something to help him go peacefully. Not what you think, but pray for his soul to go in peace and "so be it". I look at my exhausted grandma and aunt who are watching over him 24/7, both with auto immune disorders, and I wish I could do more. Hospice has been great though. They are there when needed. I think what he needs is pain relief and some quiet time with out everyone fussing over him. He used to play the violin in the Detroit Youth Symphony and loves classical music. I wanted to play that instead of the food channel, which was on. But these are choices people make. When My mom's mom died( Donna...I call her mom too) four years ago July 8th, we had her favorite tunes on the CD player in critical care (private room), we lathered her with lavender oil and lotion, rubbed her feet, gently scratched her back(which she loved) and took turns lying in bed with her as she lay in a coma for almost a week, telling her we loved her and all was safe for her to go. She did go after her all the family arrived and a rainbow filled the sky while Amazing grace played on the CD player. It was her favorite bag pipe version.

I have been with so many dying people and have lost so many loved ones I guess I am OK with it all because I know there is peace on the other side for most. It is my prayer tonight that Popa go in peace and in no pain. I also have great hope for my grandmother to live a little longer to enjoy life and do the things she loves. She deserves that after years of care taking, but I fear she may follow close behind and she even says it at times. Both her parents went within days of one another. I am selfish and want her to stay !!!! In Peace..................

So glad Douglas had a chance to be with him. Popa loves Doug like his own and Doug is so good with him. He brings peace to the place. For Popa and me. Douglas was with his own father at the end too so he, as me, understands this process. Tiz a journey which is inevitable. Then a new life is born.......................

This is the annivesrary of my mom's passing

Yet I feel VERY MUCH at peace with myself NOW, i went through most of my emotional anguish this week and last. There were many death anniversaries and some other recent deaths and major illnesses plus other relationship issues which I rarely have in my life. I felt as if the planet turned upside down starting two weeks ago and ended this morning at 3 am. I had a couple dreams, which if you know me, are epic in proportion, and also cathartic. Now I feel a sense of relief and total peace like normal. There for a couple weeks I was not pleased with my emotional state. I am not easily depressed but then I realized the death anniversaries and many mother issues, which are really in the past, yet surface during this week every flippin year. It is cyclic. Not just for me but my sibs as well........................."Step Sibs"? Being an only child my sibs are still the real deal with different parents. Then it came to me in a dream.........................all is well and as it is to be. Faith and gratitude in "all that is" helps me keep this sense of peace, even in rough waters.

I am new to face book. Do not hang me out to dry yet. It is a whole new obligation and I may not hang in there. I like writing on my blog, journal,letters,cards and in emails.............not to mention I have been writing a book for years. So FB is fun for now but do not be offended if I drop out. It is fun though........I have reconnected with so many people it is amazing. I hope it continues to be those with whom I want to connect. Some weirdos out there................??????? (not you doog) well actually, yes you are a weirdo, but in a good way.

In the meantime I have been thinking about what it means to be a good friend. That is a challenge for anyone much less someone who deals with a chronic, unpredictable and at times life threatening illness. Then add a husband who works odd hours, out of town and mostly for long periods of time, with his own health challenges. It makes life at home more interesting and unpredictable. This means I have to go with the flow on a moment to moment basis which drives most people crazy. I understand why. I have lost a few friends for this reason and I totally understand. What I want to say is "Try to place yourself in others shoes". If you have an illness which can appear at any moment( sometimes invisible to the eye) and never know if you on your butt for an indefinite period of time; would you feel compelled to make commitments and keep them even if it meant you are placing your life in danger? Would you want people to feel uncomfortable in your presence if you are pale, weak and looking like crap sometimes with tubes hanging from you? Do you know how hard it is to say to "NO" when all you want to say is "YES"? Well let me tell you it is not a fun ride but it does offer an opportunity to take care of ones needs while attempting to offer enlightenment at the same time. Jesus spoke of walking in another's shoes and he did not mean Nike Air. This is the real deal people. So for those of you who feel disappointed because I can not make a dinner date, grand opening, shower, wedding, a visit, party or whatever...........please know my intentions are good and "I can be flighty at times". Like it or not. If you want to be in relationship with me you have to deal with it. Douglas and I work very hard at simply maintaining our home-space, business and health. That is all we have to offer at the moment. I will not be offended, equally, if you can not be available to help or support us when we call. We TOTALLY understand. Life s a gift and peace is a choice. I desire to have drama free relationships which nurture each person involved, so if you can do that you are a real friend-family member. Which I treasure. If not then I understand and will miss the connection.

Love and blessings.......................................

snake in my way???no way !! it was transormational

I have been interested in native american tradition, culture and history for many years thanks to my uncle Max Saul and my grandparents(Gross') and a friends (not a big history geek so don't try to challenge me on it) but I do know snakes in many indigenous cultures represent change or transformation. I am a portion Cherokee and researched a bit about this. I also attended some native ceremonies) which were eye opening. Snakes are a reflection of our need-desire-path ( whether we like it or not) to change or shed the past during certain times of the year. It is like a chicken molting or a butterfly morphing. I have always had a snake live by me, walk by me, under me, over me or with me while I was approaching a challenging time or in the middle of it. You can call it folklore or whatever but it has been a steady in my life and it's "medicine" has served me well. If you have a special pet ( horse, dog, cat etc.) then you know they carry medicinal-healing qualities just like wild animals. I personally want to Cap(ture) a few raccoons in our yard................and some skunks and chipmunks, But for the most part I am all about the animals having their natural lives and somehow wisdom which in many ways affect us. The trick is knowing what they might be saying, metaphorically, in the grand mystical native sense. In my opinion..................The photo to the right shows the black snake we had at our dock (which no snakes have really been present for many many years in cold Michigan)...We had some smallish water snakes.....................but this was a bigger version of the non poisonous version. It made me feel peaceful for some reason. maybe the way it just stood still staring at me while I shoved off shore?

I can clearly say that this past two weeks has been all about family, obligations, disappointments, memories and mother "issues". I am a motherless child considering all the mothers I have had. Steps, Grands and God Mothers included. I seems to have been short handed in a way, yet so blessed all at once. I mourn for my first and second mothers Pam and Donna who both died this week years ago. I also mourn for my grandmother Vera who is now ill and taking care of our Poppa at home with Hospice. I was there today to witness the love she has for him. The mother role she admits was not her gift, Yet to me she was everything a mom should and could be. Her mind drifts and she toils after her love. She always has and worried her love for him took away from the love for her kids. Her life devoted to a man no one understood. I love him so very much. My relationship was different than that of my other relatives. My mom was very close to him too. I guess I am saying that my grandmother may have felt like a bod mother in some ways, but to me, my mom and her husband she was the rock !!!! and still is. She took care of my mom when she was so sick. She has always been there for me and everyone else who has needed her. I fear she will die not knowing this. I fear my Poppa will die not knowing how much he was loved or at least how much by her. Sometimes years cloud good memories. His tears today showed me he did not forget and I will see him in my dreams soon(pain free). The tears I shed.

When I left today I kissed his red, cold, balding head filled with sarcomas and bloody nose from a life prolonging oxygen tank........I watched him struggle to utter even the simple word "yes" for water or soup which seemed painful to swallow. Yet no complaints. Only a loving hug and gesture from Grand-Mom that all is well. When I kissed him good night I told him he could let go and I love him and to promise to visit me in our dreams tonight. He started to cry as did I and we shared a moment which now make me cry. It reminded me of the moment we shared on July 10, 1975 when he told me my mom died. Now we are full circle, and eyes wet with tears I did not hold back, nor would I try, I find myself pondering family and the roles we play, or decide not to play, and to whom or whom with not we share our love. Why is the answer. The answer is only in how we let it affect our lives now. Why we hold back?

In a sense I know lives have been lost......lives will be lost and mothers and fathers are just humans trying the best they can to play the role. I miss my moms and I am foreseeing the loss of a" Grand-father". Tender night..............week......for me. As for the others (you know who you are) who have been going through similar sadness............My heart goes out you all. I know it is not easy saying good buy. Let the snake energy of transforming take to that place of letting go and letting god settle this quandary. sad night..............................

long view of july 4th garden......michigan ? a little slow

We have been picking peas, savoy, parsley, herbs, lettuce(still), arugula and a carrot. I feel very good about today's bounty. I made a Quinoa salad with peas, tomatoes and herbs in a lemon, herb dressing and some arugula and lettuce for our neighborhood pot luck.

Yesterday Mary V., My step mom, buried her mother, who passed many weeks back Calaifornia. The ashes were buried next to her husband, Julius. My Poppa Gross on the same day was admitted into Hospice Home Care and we will move him to home Monday with all the equipments-bed etc. needed to make it easy in grandma and Aunt Marilyn. My birth mom and my other grandma "Donna mom" both died this same week. Very tender for me as always. I have lost many moms now on this week. I have a very different way of looking at death due to my experience..............yet it always carries with it an Aura which can not be described. I smell my mom and I feel my grand-mom at times and it is inexplicable.

Douglas "finished" a home garden project which has been in the works for while. Looks very good. Reminds me of Johnny Depp or "Pearle" if you are movie buffs. Bonsai and trimming bushes..............We went to the farmer's market and bought a few plants for our front yard plus beets and lamb meat from my favorite farmer gal. We ate fresh Tamales from Pillar's booth. $4.00 for a tamale with slaw and sauce. How fresh is that? Doug got hibiscus tea. Next week our hibiscus plant will be in full blossom so we can make our own. Glad she was full and everyone was so happy to have a cool summer day.

We miss our family, sons and Lauren very much. We miss our friends very much. If you read this and want to connect you can. I am able to handle calls and emails and even visits. I am quite well for now. Please do make contact. It is hard to handle illness but you may have to one day use me and Douglas as an example of a positive way to handle it truthfully. You may also need support? We understand.

Also a month ago my brother in law and sister in law lost their Father who had been suffering for way too long with cancer. Our prayers go out to them and their mom who is now dealing with early dementia. Much love to the King family...................

Freedom comes in small packages..............make sure you see them, open them and enjoy their gifts. Unknown at times. I sure feel blessed by my freedoms. Happy Fourth and freedom Day !!!!!

from lupusnow.org genetics and lupus

What’s in your family tree? The latest thinking about lupus and genetics
by Jenny Thorn Palter

Bring the new baby home and you’re likely to hear, “He has his uncle’s ears,” or “That expression reminds me of her grandpa!” Later on, there may be other comments: “He has his father’s talent for music” or “Her grandmother loved to read, too.”

What you won’t hear anyone say is, “She’s going to have lupus, just like her mother.” That’s because there is still no way to predict exactly who will develop the disease and when -- or why.

Same Family ...

Christina Gomez, 21, and her younger sister, Adriana, 19, of Ontario, CA, know a little something about genetics. They both have lupus. In the Gomez family, the predisposition for autoimmune disease comes from both parents: Their father’s mother and one brother have severe rheumatoid arthritis, and their mother’s brother and a sister both have type 1 (juvenile) diabetes.

Adriana’s lupus diagnosis occurred in September 2003 when she was 13, after severe pain and swollen joints in her fingers caused the family to seek medical care. The first doctor said Adriana had rheumatoid arthritis and referred them to a pediatric rheumatologist. There was a two-week wait for an appointment, and Adriana says she spent the first week on the living-room couch. “My body hurt so badly I couldn’t move. The following week I saw the rheumatologist, who said it was probably something called lupus.”

... Different Symptoms

The pain also started suddenly for Christina -- in her legs and back, in 2007 when she was 19. “I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t even turn my head, it hurt so much,” she remembers.

Within a week, the pain became so bad that she had to be carried into the emergency room. She couldn’t move at all. Her family suspected lupus all along, and after all the test results came back, she was diagnosed with lupus. That was nearly two years ago.

Even though Adriana had been told that lupus can occur in families, she was surprised that her sister developed lupus. Then when it happened, she expected Christina’s lupus would be pretty much like her own. “We’re sisters, we got diagnosed with the same condition, so you would think it would be the same. But after she had to make several visits to the ER in just a few months, it was obvious that her lupus was much more active.”

When asked how she felt when she learned of Christina’s lupus diagnosis, Adriana says simply, “I felt sad. It hurt to know that someone so close to you, someone you love, would have to go through the pain and suffering you’ve had to put up with.”

Why Lupus -- Why Me?

Humans inherit genetic material in the form of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) from their parents. Normally, this information is on 46 chromosomes arranged in pairs -- 23 chromosomes from each parent. A chromosome consists of a single, very long string of DNA called a helix that holds thousands of genes. Current science suggests human chromosomes carry 20,000 to 25,000 genes.

Genes are an important part of what determines physical appearance, behavior, and your susceptibility to diseases. An error or mutation in just one gene, or a change in the basic arrangement of chromosomes, can cause a serious medical condition. But most genetic disorders cannot occur unless both the mother and father pass along the responsible gene or chromosome. We do not yet know the exact causes of lupus, but it appears that genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors are all involved.

Studying twins has proven very helpful in examining the genetic and environmental influences that may cause disease. Identical twins possess the same genes, while non-identical twins, like any other siblings, share on average only half of their genes. Regardless of their genetic background, though, both identical and non-identical twins usually grow up in the same environment and share similar exposures during childhood. Therefore, comparing how frequently lupus affects identical versus non-identical twin pairs can provide valuable information about how the disease is influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

According to Frederick W. Miller, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the Environmental Autoimmunity Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institutes of Health, research shows that there is a 10 percent to 25 percent chance that an identical twin will develop lupus if the other one already has it. This drops to a two percent to five percent chance among non-identical twins. Compared with the approximately 0.08 percent frequency of lupus in the general population, this suggests that lupus has an important genetic component. Studies also suggest that the likelihood of developing other autoimmune diseases is higher in families in which a person has lupus.

Miller puts it this way: “There are multiple shared autoimmune disease genes that can get you into the theater of autoimmunity, and then there are other disease-specific genes, and probably certain environmental exposures, that escort you to your particular seat.”

There are few absolutely “good” or “bad” genes or environmental factors, Miller says. “Rather, the environment in which a gene operates defines how useful or harmful that gene will be, just as the genetic background of a person often determines the extent of the effects of environmental exposures.”

A Mother-Daughter Bond

Vivian Scott, 52, who lives in the Seattle suburb of Snohomish, WA, was diagnosed with lupus on April 6, 2000 -- the one-year anniversary of her thyroid cancer diagnosis. “Not a big fan of April 6!” she quips.

But the diagnosis led her to discover that she has a first cousin with lupus. “When I asked my doctor if diseases like lupus tend to occur in families, he told me that some families have a ‘propensity’ for them,” she says.

When Vivian was growing up, she remembers her mom would talk about how she and her twin sister were always considered ‘sickly,’ which was blamed on the fact that they were born prematurely -- a signature event for moms with lupus. “My grandmother would have been around 22 when she had my mother and aunt, and then she died at 26 of a brain tumor -- or so the story goes,” Vivian says.

It wasn’t until a few years ago that she considered this might all mean something else. “I visited a small farmhouse in South Dakota with my mom, where she had lived as a child, and she told me, ‘I remember my mother in this bedroom a lot because she was sick and we didn’t know why.’ That’s when I thought maybe there was more to my grandmother’s passing than the oral history indicated. Unfortunately, my mom was only four when my grandmother passed, so all we have to go on is hearsay.”

Vivian remembers being hospitalized in the third grade -- first, the doctors suspected leukemia, because the blood work was confusing. Then, they said it was rheumatic fever. Finally, they said they didn’t know what was wrong. She remembers fainting in grade school and junior high, which happened to her mother as well.

“My mom remembers me whimpering and crying a lot when I was little,” she adds, “and no one could figure out why. It also took years and years for me to get pregnant. My mom and sisters would joke about how fertile they were -- and then there was me.”

In spite of what she learned from her doctor about lupus running in families, Vivian says she never worried much about it while raising Vanessa, her only child. “I was horrified the day she came to me and said she didn’t feel well and both her arms ached. I just knew.”

Lessons Learned

When Vanessa was diagnosed with lupus in December 2002, she was a 17-year-old high school senior. Although she can’t recall a particular triggering event, she remembers being worried about taking the SATs and deciding where to go to college.

“In the summer of 2002, between my junior and senior year, my mom, one of her sisters, and I took a family road trip through South Dakota. I was so tired and felt weak, but none of us had any idea what was wrong, so we kept stopping at hospitals and health clinics along the way. The doctors thought I had mononucleosis, but the results were negative, so they didn’t know either. That was kind of the beginning of it; it wasn’t until probably November that we thought to ask about lupus.”

Vanessa was fortunate not to miss too much school during her final months in high school—but she had some inside help. “The nursing staff at school felt really bad for me, so they’d let me take little naps throughout the day,” she says. “Also, I told all my teachers, so if I was having an extremely off day, they’d let me go home early or come late. I just pushed through, and then I would go to bed as soon as I got home from school.”

This same determination now is helping her cope with the demands of her studies at Seattle University School of Law, where she is in the top 8 percent of her class. “I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was 10 years old,” she says. “I’ve always believed that if I can do this, I can be successful in anything.”

As for lupus possibly appearing in a fourth generation, Vanessa says she went through a phase of not wanting children, but now knows that she does. “I don’t know the odds of my children developing lupus if my mother and I have it, and I definitely would talk to my rheumatologist about that. It’s a hard thing to balance: deciding to not have a child in case it develops lupus, or deciding to have a child because if it did develop lupus, I would know what to expect and how to deal with it.”

The Possibility of Gene Therapies

So, while lupus is not hereditary in the traditional sense -- it is not the result of a single-gene mutation or a particular chromosomal error -- genetics researchers have uncovered information that may one day lead to innovative therapies.

One of the most exciting is the discovery that two gene mutations in the complement family -- C2 and C4 -- are linked to the development of lupus. The complement system is a group of proteins that work with the immune system and play a role in the development of inflammation. It is estimated that C2 deficiency occurs in one out of 10,000 people, nearly one-third of whom will develop lupus, and it is the most common single-gene deficiency seen in people with lupus.

Another area of study is the interferon pathway. Interferon is a protein produced in response to a viral infection. It acts to suppress viral growth. Increased interferon activity has been shown to be a heritable trait in families with a history of lupus.

Michelle Petri, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Hopkins Lupus Clinic at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, sees many women with lupus who are planning pregnancies or already raising children. She talks to them about the possibility of lupus or other autoimmune conditions in current or future family members. When she fields questions about genetic testing for lupus, she tries to be realistic but also hopeful.

Freakin Blimpy Burgers........A2 to Asheville Freakin prevails

OK I admit it has been many many years since I ate at Blimpy and do not even remember doing so. I see it on campus and I know it is an Ann Arbor(UM) institution, especially for students and musicians, and now that it has appeared on the food channel with Guy's "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives" it has gained a wider national crowd. My husband and I went today after we went to the farmers market and ran errands. We waited in line on a Wednesday afternoon for 15 minutes and I got yelled at for sitting my tired hips on a seat when all are supposed to stand until food is in hand cafeteria style. I ordered properly while my sweet Doogie just looked dazed and confused, understandably so. You have to know the routine on how to order. I luckily was privy to this information enough to know when to order what and how to order. The sitting part threw me for a loop but I was not going to argue with the dude making my burger. Once we got our fried veggies(tempura style-which were light and yummy not mushy) and freshly ground burgers, made to order, we sat outside watching people and chatting it up about the Freakin Brand, Freakin Pure Water, Freakin Beer, Freakin Universe and the Freakin brand. Douglas is a Freakin smart guy with big plans. We have been working with this through our corporation called Freakin Inc. for years................It started as a free social web site in Asheville. There were other partners and now it is really just Douglas with me as a sounding board supporter. I am not geek oriented or computer savvy like he is so there. Marketing is my thing and I am willing to help as long as i know what we are marketing. Now I am clear on his vision in this moment.

Creating a brand(which we have), marketing it, selling or leasing the trademark and making it all fit into one package is the challenge; one which we are up for. It would allow him to work from home being creative online as he enjoys and still be able to do his designs and artwork while growing our food, raising meat, working on our home and living a clean and old fashioned lifestyle we desire. It was a good conversation and a light bulb moment for me.

We need to find a water bottling company to sell the brand(label applied, supplied by us, to a reusable bottle or jug and it will sell itself via word of mouth a wen site we will provide. Then placing the Freakin Beer label on a local brewery's bottle-jugs is easy and is a shoe-in for towns like Asheville(freak Capital) and A2). Then they sell to distributors, restaurants and venues where we have connections and festivals etc. We get a percentage or a lic. fee and they make profit. When we can show revenue to back up our existing trademark we can sell to a larger "company". The revenues helps us create the Freakin network via Freakin Universe and local Freakin social-community sites (similar to community boards, face book, twitter, my space, blogs etc) city specific or even state, university and country specific. The end result is we donate a percentage back into community organizations which promote innovation, art, health, science, goodness, education, community organic gardening, volunteer ism, philanthropy etc..............That is the end result and redeeming factor in all these years of trying to figure out how to market the Freakin Trademark, network and brand. If Blimpy can do it with no redeeming quality than so can Freakin Universe. Imagine a social network online and otherwise making good things happen in their communities and it not being strictly about making money, although that is what we desire. Capitalism still works for us as long as we give a little back. I can support lupus research, aid for those in need, make gardens for elderly and poor, Douglas can donate artwork to hospitals and public spaces for those who may not afford artwork, help organizations which assist fathers and sons in deepening their relationship, work at the children's hospital and cancer center as he likes etc.. Teach young people skills, build ramps, lifts and devices for handicapped individuals with out costing tax payers. Schools can grow food organically and teach kids about healthy life styles, exercise, fresh air intake, diet, nutrition, respect for themselves, others, the land and how to be self sustainable. Medical costs go down, people connect with each other and the earth while digging in the dirt or pounding nails. We see a world where folks donate time and supplies while a whole network of Freakin Good Deeds procreates. Can you dig it?

Lupus Foundation of America

http://www.lupus.org

Lupus now magazine is a great resource which can be delivered to your home or online. The cost is $25.00 annually and helps raise awareness and funds for lupus patients-research-education and support. The site is filled with helpful information. The foundation has been around since 1975 and has a new administration which I feel will move it forward into an even greater positive and fresh future.

Read the featured article on the lupus now web site on genetics and it's role in lupus. There is no doubt with my family history that genetics play a huge role. You decide.

do not forget the annual Butterfly Walk in Detroit area is August 9th at Woodhaven Community Center. www.amsterlupus.org for further info and printable registration forms or donation forms.

S.L.E. Lupus Foundation

S.L.E. Lupus Foundation - Leading the Fight Against Lupus