Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Somewhere Over the Rainbow



My local inspirational bookstore had a fine guest speaker tonight.

Concetta Bertoldi is a full-time medium who says she speaks with the dead.

I saw her recently on tv doing a book tour for her first book "Do Dead People Watch You Shower"?

I was instantly interested and tried to get an appointment with her.

I contacted her through her website and left a message. Her assistant returned the call and scheduled an appointment for me in 2 0 1 1. No lie. She has a three year waiting list.

So there it remained until I got the invitation in early September that Concetta was coming to the bookstore, tonight.

I immediately signed up, showed up, sat and listened.

My first impression of Concetta is that she seemed to glow. She was dressed in a gold suit with pearl and diamond jewelry. Her eyes sparkled blue and her hair? Well her hair was just perfect (grinning).

Seems that Concetta and I have something - or someone in common. Side bar note here...we have the same hairdresser. Somehow Concetta found her way into my friend Michele's salon and she's been going to her ever since. Concetta gave Michele quite a reading I might add - but I digress.

She is bubbly. Down to earth and tells it like it is. She's very personable and someone you'd enjoy sitting with and having a cup of tea - maybe even go shopping with.

Concetta made her introductions into the world of medium-hood. She explained how it works for her. She said she was not religious, but spiritual and that God is great.

She said that those who have passed on are not gone, they are in another dimension - we are in the third physical dimension. She said they are right here - not over there or up there somewhere. No. She said - they are right here.

And then she jumped right in.

She approached different people and said different things. She went from one side of the room to the other, randomly reading the audience.

Now, I had been putting out energy in this regard to my family and friends that have crossed over. I pray for them, and talk to them anyway - so, I started telling them to meet me there.

I was hopeful and even a little confident that I might get a reading - but I wasn't sure. How could I be?

I felt as if the moment was slipping away as Concetta went to the far side of the room. I thought if anyone is going to come through the time is now. But to be honest, I was speaking in my mind to one person. My paternal grandmother Mary.

Concetta to my surprise, comes back across the room and reads a woman on my right. It was very touching and believable and sad. She was telling the woman that her husband was very tender and loving and that he missed her touch. The woman, I could feel (I didn't want to stare) was chilled to the bone with what she was saying. You could tell this was very raw for her and recent.


The next thing I know Concetta asks the audience why she hears Somewhere Over the Rainbow?

She's standing directly in front of me - and the Wizard of Oz has great significance to me - and ironically to my Grandmother Mary.

I lifted up my hand ever so slowly and heard myself say "The Wizard of Oz" was on tv the night my Grandmother passed away". Hot tears ran down my face.

My sister and I watched the Wizard of Oz a trillion times. We watched it with Nanny half a trillion times.

More importantly, I was alone with her in her hospital room and The Wizard of Oz was on the tv. Just as Dorothy clicked her heels and said "There's no place like home" - I shut off the tv. Instinctively I wanted the room to be quiet and peaceful. Within twenty or so minutes my beautiful Grandmother left this dimension and moved into the next one.

That's a very personal story. No one except my immediate family knows about that story.

I share it here now because of the importance of the specificness of what Concetta said.

No one else lifted their hand. No one else responded to that question. Just me.

Only my Grandmother could prompt the asking of such a specific question.

Concetta asked me my name. She took a deep breath and said "Your Grandmother plays Somewhere Over the Rainbow for you. Listen for it." She says "she is not alone. She is with a lot of family members". Then she asked somewhat urgently who is Sam or Steve?

Steve?

C'mon.

I said "Steve is my stepson".

She said "Your Grandmother wants me to tell you that Steve is struggling sweetheart (yes he is). He's having a hard time (yes he is) ...."

She said a few more very personal and spot on things and then said

"You have to be his Guardian Angel".

"You need to watch out for him".

"Okay sweetheart"?

Okay Concetta.

That's what I've always known.

Oh God, please help me to help him.

She's so right.

Steve has had many issues growing up and we've been trying really hard to help him stay the course and stay in light.

Perhaps we (I) need to try a little harder.

The last thing she said was that my Grandmother was also with my husbands family. They are all together.

Needless to say she blew my mind.

My Grandmother is right here. Not over there or up there - for pete's sake. She's right here.

Concetta signed my book and off I went into the night. I called everyone I could think of as fast as I could. Jimmy had already left for hockey.

I can't wait to tell him. I wonder what he'll think.


This is the beginning of the first reading.

I put down the camera because I felt it was slightly

intrusive. I never turned it back on.



Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Beautification in Progress


Transforming this office space into Reiki space has been a labor of love.

It was relatively easy once I made up my mind and of course, Jimmy helped me every step of the way. Thank you my love.

The old desk? It is a great desk...but I'm done with it. It served me well, and out it went. We transported it to Mom's house. Recycling it was the only option.

Bye-bye.



It's amazing what we get used to when we don't apply ourselves.

It's amazing what we call comfortable.

Imagine what a little bit of love,

intention,

determination can do

to change our situations

or the spaces we live in

or the lives of others.

Clean up the clutter and make room for space.




Perspective is everything.

It can be healing or toxic.

It can be fluid or blocked.

It's always our choice.

What we choose to look at every day affects us.

What we surround ourselves with every day affects us.

What we hold onto especially affects us.

What we believe affects us.

What we think about affects us.

What we believe/think about we become.

What we let go of, sets us free.



That was the old me.

This is the new me (Mojo's peeking).


Rosie checking it out.
Much better don't you think?

My prayer is that the Holiest of Spirits would find refuge in this space and bring

peace,

light,

energy,

love,

and healing

to me, my home, my family, my friends and the world.

I still need a few more things, the furniture is not exactly as I want it to be.

Big improvement, no?

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Before and (not quite yet) After . . .

My office has been a sore spot to me for while.

Since leaving corporate America a few years ago, this office has been in a state of static limbo. Sure I use it to read, write bills and make a huge mess when I've no where else to put stuff and Cricket uses it for her room (see her little bed under the desk?)...but those days are over.

The time has come to put my past behind me and forge ahead into my future.

Above is what my office looked like after only some dismantling....

Too much stuff.
Even my bookcase is maxed out.

SOOOOOO.....out with the old.

And as promised, the Universe provides the first of It's many gifts in response to my efforts...underneath it all - just waiting to be revealed...a beautiful hard wood floor.

A great canvas huh?Today I will finish painting which I started a few days ago.

A nasty cold kept me from finishing it.

My finger? It's so much better, not perfect, but it's coming along nicely.

So, here begins my new creation in this dimension...my Reiki Room space which will be dedicated to holistic healing.

I couldn't be happier.




Thursday, October 16, 2008

Chuck and Peppermint Patty Forever


Chuck and I took our annual, fall drive upstate on Saturday to get pumpkins, apples, cider, mums and pies. We go to the most sincere pumpkin patch...remember Charlie Brown? So sweet and I don't exactly remember when in the last thirteen years, but we started to call each other Chuck & Peppermint Patty. Btw, if you didn't know it already I'm Patty, freckles and all.

It was a gorgeous day. Unseasonably warm and sunny. The children were all so happy and giggling and running around. I'm pretty sure that Halloween and Christmas are pretty close competitors for the best times in a child's life - well mine anyway. I loved these holidays the best. Lately though, I'm leaning toward Halloween being the best. Christmas is not the same anymore. Just like our government - but that's a WHOLE 'nother story. : )


Then we went through the corn maze (no, not another government reference)...I've never done that before. Kinda scary and fun all at the same time. I definitely wouldn't run through there at night though. Wayyyy too chicken.


After all that fun, we worked up a serious appetite and went for a couple of steaks. Overall a really great day. Then home for, you guessed it, PIES!


This is Chuck sucking on some Halloween candy,
leading the way - to a - dead end??? : ) Yeah.
That happened a lot in the maze - but - typically
it takes between 8 and 20 minutes to get through-
we did it in 7 - so there!


Friday, October 3, 2008

Franken Buddha

I LOOOVEEE THIS PICTURE


...and I love Halloween and Halloween candy, and the costumes, and the pumpkins, and the decorations and especially the kids that come to ring the bell. They get bigger and bigger every year. You see how as young boys grow up, they get to that awkward stage and they can't stand to be in there own skin let alone a costume. You see them coming a mile away with just a little black mask, dragging their feet to your porch with a pillow case to collect candy. They're hysterical.

Not as funny as the little princess I had a couple of years ago. I heard her coming before I saw her. She was all of 5 years old, 3 feet tall with gorgeous, curly brown hair and wet tears streaming down her face. She was with her Mom who probably left work early to pick her up, dress her up and take her around the neighborhood.

This is what I heard.

Little Girl in Pink Princess Costume (tiara and all) walking toward my house ...
"NO, I'M NOT GOING UP TO RING ANOTHER DOORBELL"!

Mother mumbles some encouraging words...

I see the little princess in her little princess slippers now slapping her feet down on each step leading up to my porch screaming...
"NO, I DON'T WANT TO"!

Her mouth was saying one thing yet she's still moving toward the door (typical woman)...I get the feeling she's going to get the candy ... that's the main objective ... but it was the soliciting that she was against : ) (Must I Ask For What I Should Already Have kind of attitude).

Mother pleads again.

I'm at the door now and I want to laugh so hard but I don't and keep my composure. This was great. She was getting ready to have a complete melt down in her princess tiara while clutching a pumpkin full of candy. Ohhhhh. Poor little princess.

I needed to expedite the candy transfer process for her Mom's sake and I needed to relieve us all (the entire neighborhood) from this tantrum. She rang the bell and I opened the door.

She was still screaming and did not acknowledge me - AT ALL.

I smiled at the little princess and said "Hello" and positioned the candy so that she could reach in and grab some and she said "AND I'M NOT TAKING ANY CANDY EITHER"!

I looked at her Mom who was now looking down the block for some imaginary ambulance to take her away to happy land ... just then little princess shoved her hand in my pumpkin, grabbed a huge handful of sweets and shoved them in her pumpkin.

I kid you not.

She never said a word to me.

I said "Happy Halloween".

Nothing.

She turned, started to slap her little princess feet down the stairs yelling toward her Mom "AND I'M NOT GOING TO RING ANOTHER BELL EITHER"!

Her poor, frazzled Mom just looked at me thankfully and I nodded back with complete understanding and empathy. I may not have a daughter, but I am one. Sorry Mom : )

That was the best Trick or Treater ever. The little princess absolutely took the prize.

I wonder if she'll be back this year.

I wonder if I'll even recognize her if she's not screaming.