“I always like to look
on the optimistic side of life,
but I am realistic enough to know
that life is a complex matter.”
---Walt Disney

Good morning! How are you, my dear, <<Name>>? Not sure how the weather is there, but we are forecasted to have lots of snow, ice, and temps around -7 by Sunday.  (Yes, MINUS).  I am super grateful that if it has to come, it's coming on the weekend so we don't have to go anywhere and can hunker down.

Actually, JB is teleworking most of next week, so we have a few days to get clear of the weather.

I will admit that it's a bit of a shock to the system after spending 18 days in Florida. We returned home last Friday - just in time to witness a foot of snow last weekend. But, I must say, that after being away from home so long, it was good to get back and begin to settle into some semblance of routine.

After spending New Year's with JB's family, we stopped in Orlando on our way home and spent a few days at Disney World.

Now, this, my dear, is where the planner in me SHINES. And, the child in me is frustrated that the planner needs to shine. With technology and changes to Walt Disney World over the years, you have to plan MORE and be spontaneous yet.



The other big reminder for me was that couples need to play together. Whether it's playing chess, a board game, going for a bike ride together, playing cards, or going to an amusement park, couples NEED to experience the verve their inner child brings. Couples need to laugh together. And witness each other finding a sense of joy.

We attended what Disney calls an "After Hours" event. It allows folks to purchase a separate ticket and stay in the park (in our case, Magic Kingdom) for 3 hours after official closing. Most of the rides are open. And it includes snacks (popcorn and ice cream). 

There was something (excuse the pun) magical about being in the Magic Kingdom with practically NO ONE else, going from ride to ride and eating Mickey Ice Cream Bars.

We stayed at the beautiful Grand Floridian Resort, which as a Victorian/Turn of the Century theme. Their Royal Palm Club provided us with breakfast, high tea, and heavy snacks every evening. And best of all? We could see the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom from our balcony.

If we go back to Disney World, we will definitely stay there again.

And now, eight days later, we are readying ourselves for the 2nd snow storm in a week.

The past week, though, has been about re-entry for me. And full-on-work-mode for JB. He's been at the office from 7 AM to 6 PM most days this week. And I had a full compliment of clients and attempted to get back into my writing groove.

I'd love to tell you I've learned some earth-shattering lessons. Or that I'm in full swing working towards my goals for 2019. But the truth of the matter is that re-entry has been challenging. Like many of you, I had this "ideal week" in my head, yet the details didn't quite come together as I'd hoped.

I'd forgotten about things like all the laundry, trying to get my brain to focus, and how dealing with the cold just takes a bit more energy.

And I had forgotten how much I need to sit in my favorite chair and read in the mornings. Or snuggle up with a blanket, book,  and glass of wine after dinner. Or the pure joy I get from being in my own kitchen doing simple things - like making scrambled eggs or pulling together a beautiful salad.

My goal the rest of this month is to focus on that: re-entry. To settle into this space I love so much and find my rhythm. And focus on what I really what to accomplish in 2019.

So tell me, darling: What about YOU? How has 2019 been treating you so far? Are you in some sort of "re-entry" mode or going full force towards your goals?

How can you find pockets of joy? Or set aside some time to play with your partner? What do you most need as we settle into the New Year?

 I'm just an email away. I love hearing your stories and helping you find the resources you need to create a life you love.

With so much love...........





PS -I have space for one or two new clients beginning in February. Is one of those spots yours? Just reply to this email!.

Just like everyone, there are times I feel a little overwhelmed with everything I need (and want) to do. There’s meals to be planned and cooked. Relationships to tend. Clients to coach and articles to write.In the midst of the busiest of days, one of my best assets is the creation of white space.

“What’s white space?” you ask. White space is the space between our loads and our limits. It’s the gap between rest and exhaustion. My dearest, it is the space between breathing freely or feeling as if you are suffocating. One of the challenges is that we don’t want to be seen as under-achievers (heaven forbid!) so we fill our schedules to overflowing.  Everyone, it seems, wants a piece of us, and no one seems to appreciate the fact that each of us is a finite resource. (Perhaps you don’t even realize that you are indeed a finite resource until you hit a brick wall.)

Unfortunately, most of us believe we can manage more in a day that is possible. And I get it. Because there are so many attractive options.We want to do it ALL. Yet, we also need more white space.

And when it comes down to brass tacks, our thresholds can shift.

I sometimes wish I had a gauge that would tell me that I’m over capacity.  Like many of you, I may not realize I’m over extended myself until I feel the pain – you know – overwhelmed, dissatisfied, and exhausted.

The biggest challenge with our thresholds is that they can change. What worked for us five years ago may not work now. And if I’m to be completely honest with you, your thresholds and need for white space this month can be different from what you needed last month.

It’s wacky and frustrating, I know. Yet the one thing I know about life is that it is always shifting. So, while your needs for white space can shift. And your thresholds of what feels nourishing compared to what may feel overwhelming may seem as if it teeters like you’re balancing a ball on your head?

The key to creating the white space you need to love your life is awareness. Yet, is that truly enough? Awareness is great. but the thing is, you need to make it happen, not just think about it.

Which begs the question, if life is always changing. And your need for white space may shift from one period of time to the next. How on earth do you figure how where your threshold of feeling awesome to feeling exhausted lies?

I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but the answer to creating enough white space demands doing some sort of regular review.

I’m personally a fan of a weekly review (and planning session). Though my process has shifted, it’s something I’ve done for more than twenty years. And, you are probably cringing or rolling your eyes. Because, the last thing you probably want to do when we’re talking about the need for creating white space is set aside  an hour or so a week to review and plan.

Minimally, sit down once a week and make a list of what needs to be done in the coming week. Even if you use an electronic system for tracking tasks, taking pen to paper allows your brain to process what you’re demanding of yourself in the days ahead.

And then, in order to find your threshold point,  take a red pen to your list and first apply the two Q’s to everything on your list

• Q1: How long will it take? Reasonable assessments on how long it takes to accomplish all the tasks on your list can help you determine the answer to the next question….
• Q2: What is the return on investment? Is the amount of time and energy – as well as the results and enjoyment I get while working on the task – worth it?

Then, after you determine the answers to the two Q’s, it’s time to apply the 4 D’s:

• D1: Delete:  ask yourself,  “what’s the worst thing that can happen if a particular task isn’t done?”
• D2: Delay: Unlike procrastinating, delaying is actually about rescheduling something for a smarter time.
• D3: Delegate: I know it’s tempting to do everything on your own, but it’s okay to ask for help.  If someone can do a task better, faster, or even well enough, shift the task.  You can also delegate the things you just don’t like to do, like mowing the lawn or cleaning the house.  (Trust me, darling, it’s worth it!)
• D4: Diminish: ask yourself if you can streamline any of the tasks to reduce the amount of time?

It’s so easy to begin feeling overwhelmed. And, to be honest, my dear? White space in your life isn’t something that just happens.

Yyou have to fight for it.  You have to plan for it. And the benefit of creating that white space is that not only can you love your life as it is even more than ever. You have the space to pursue those bigger dreams and goals as well. And that, my dear, is a beautiful thing.

One of the downsides of so much travel combined with it being winter means that we need to bolster our immunity system. And one of the best things for that is chicken soup. Not just any chicken soup out of a can, but soup that starts with the kind of stock your great-grandmother would have made: REAL Bone Broth.

Though I keep a high quality, unsalted stock on hand (Kitchen Basics – Vegetable Stock and Chicken Stock are both in my pantry), this stock is SO much better - not just in flavor but in nutrition.

The secret? chicken feet.  (yes, you read that right). Because using the feet adds glucosamine chondroitin and collagen to your broth. And, as we age, some folks (ahem, me) have found that the addition of more of those in my diet helps ease my joints (especially my hips and hands).

To add additional flavor, pick up a package of chicken drumsticks or wings, too.

Begin in the oven if you have time. Spray a pan with Pam and load it up with as many chicken parts as you can put in the pan. Liberally drizzle olive oil over the chicken and then add a sprinkling of salt and your favorite seasonings (I use lots of sage and garlic). Add a chopped onion, a big clove of garlic sliced in half, a couple of carrots, and pieces of celery.

Roast in a 400 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes.

(I totally get it if you don’t want to use the feet. It still freaks me out when I’m using them.)

Start with a BIG stock pot. I use a double pot – with an inner basket so that I have an easier time separating all of the solids from the liquid.

Add all the roasted chicken pieces, scraping the bottom of the pan with all the vegetables and browned bits. If the brown bits don't come up, deglaze the plan with a splash of hot water.

In your pot then add: one yellow onion, quartered, one head of garlic (cloves smashed), three stalks of celery (cut into manageable pieces), three carrots (cut into manageable pieces),  two leeks, sliced and rinsed (the white and light green parts) and a palm full of whole peppercorns.

Next add an assortment of fresh herbs (I use the ones marked “poultry seasonings, which includes rosemary, thyme and sage). You may desire to add a heavy pinch of kosher salt and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

Then add filtered water (the same water you’d make coffee with) to the top of your pot. Bring the liquid to boiling and then put heat to low, cover and let simmer for 4 1/2 hours.

After your 4 1/2 hours are up, remove all the solids and discard.  There will still be traces of herbs and whole peppercorns, so once the solids are removed, pour stock (careful it will be very HOT) through a fine mesh strainer.

Then, I begin immediately packaging it into freezable containers. I prefer BPA Free plastic containers that are designed to hold 3 cups of food. Use cup to transfer stock to containers until they are 2/3 full (leaving room for expansion in the freezer).

(Though I like to store most sauces in freezer bags so they pack flat, this will not work well for you during the thawing process for chicken stock!)

Leave stock on the counter in containers to cool enough to put in your refrigerator (about an hour). Leave in the fridge at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

If you use the feet,  your finished (cold) stock will have the consistency of soft jello.

Pull containers out of fridge and skim off any fat and discard (fat will rise to the top). Then, freeze.

Stock is good in the freezer for up to six months. To use, put in the fridge the night before to thaw and use entire container within 3 days.

I use this stock for a base of chicken or vegetable soup as well as in place of water in rice and quinoa.I also use it to enhance dishes being sauteed on the stove top.  If your recipe calls for adding your rice and liquid to the pot at the same time, you’ll get better results letting the stock come up to a warm temperature (liquid not jello-ish) before adding the rice.