Out with the bad (sick), in with the good (healthy)

What a whirlwind week between Christmas and the New Year....the lack of sleep and non-stop singing caught up with me as I was down for the count the day after Christmas.

Thank goodness the choir was given the day off because I was voice-less. I'm sure there were many people raising their glasses that I was speechless for a few days (ha ha).

I was very blessed in 2010 with my health. Never missed a day of work and felt pretty good all year long.

The sun and vitamin D can do wonders.....well, my tan has started fading and the tricks Mother Nature is now playing on this woman's body....apparently she's a jokester!

I felt guilty not attending Mass at all even though I'd just sung 4 of them....so I bundled up and attended Mass...went home, took the meds and slept all day long, getting up occasionally for fluids and food.

It's truly amazing what medicine and sleep can do. In just 24 hours, I felt 50 percent better.....made a vow to ride out the cold and hopefully begin the new year healthier. Out with the bad, in with the new.

My sister was not as lucky. She wound up in the hospital on New Year's eve having an emergency appendectomy. Oh my gosh. The joke, though it's never been a real joke, was that there was always someone in the hospital at the holidays and special occiasions when Mom and Uncle Bill were alive. I told you, it's not a joke but a characteristic in my family. And it seems my sister is keeping that tradition alive.

I'm just praying she too is getting the illness out in the old year and will be happy and healthy come 2011!!

Happy New Year everyone! May you and yours be healthy, happy, blessed with lots of joy and serendipities while constantly enveloped by the overwhelming love of family and friends!

Prettiest church in the diocese, especially at Christmas

I'm partial and quite one-sided when it comes to which church is the prettiest in the city. Hands down, Our Lady of Peace!

Not only are the aesthetics phenomenal, coupled with the Christmas decorations, but add in the heart and soul of the parishioners, and you gain perfection!

Though I had a hard time getting the Christmas spirit this year, it all came together in the end.


I'm not going to lie. Not having Mom or Uncle Bill is horrendous. It's not getting easier, only harder for me.


But this was always our favorite time of the year (still is for me), and by golly, I'm never ever going to let it pass without realizing what the season means and enjoying it to its full extent.


There were many miracles from Heaven this season, especially last week. I still had no tree....and 2 very good friends surprised me by leaving a tree in my front vestibule while I was at work. Shocked. Amazed. Felt like I was in some movie not believing the generosity of their hearts and what they had done for me.

Then my Aunt and Sister put the lights on the tree the following night....


From that moment, the season kicked into high gear and the Christmas Cheer meter was on the rise.





I was a baking fiend cooking dozens and dozens of cookies non-stop for a week. I made our traditional butter balls, pizelles, and gucci daddi's (I honestly have no idea how to spell it, but they are my favorites!).





Many years ago I wrote a poem on how people should act as if everyday is Christmas. I still believe that. Mom, too, was a firm believer in that philosophy which is why we kept a few Christmas knick knacks (the kneeling Santa, a small nativity scene, etc.) out year round.


This year's Christmas letter is the only thing that will be late. I don't know when I will have the time to finish it, but I WILL complete it and will eventually send it out, even if it's actually a New Year's or Valentine's letter!

We kept up all of our traditions including St. Nick, Chrismas Eve at my house, attending Mass together (well, I'm at all of them singing)....spending Christmas all together.....and remembering the reason for the season and enjoying it to the max!

A very merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

Let the partying commence for the next 365 days!

Celebrating special occasions comes naturally for me. I welcome any chance to celebrate life, family, and friends! Life is too short to wallow in our self pity or sorrows for too long.

I get my zest for living and knack for party planning from my Mother. Boy do I love her and miss her so. However, for the last 2 birthdays since she's been gone, I've noticed her presence this time of year still making my day special and the holidays turn out just right. I know she is still looking out for all of us down here. I would not still be here were it not for her.

My birthday celebrations began a week before my actual date of birth and continue ....hopefully until I turn the page once again....

I heard from so many wonderful people I'd not heard from in a while, including family and friends and former co-workers.

Let me tell you, Facebook sure pumps up your self esteem on certain occasions. Thank you fb.

Ironically, I re-connected with an old friend the day before my birthday and he has so boosted my spirits. I'm sure he has absolutely no idea how happy he makes me, but it's true!

The day before my birthday I felt like the super model who never got asked to her prom because everyone assumed she had a date. I had no plans except a family dinner on said date.

Once my friends realized I was just sitting at home alone, the email, texts and even phone calls started coming in inviting me to a local neighborhood joint where everyone had gathered, minus the birthday girl.

I had a wonderful time soaking in all the love, laughter, and liveliness.

My family birthday dinner rocked the casbah. Auntie cooked up homemade stuffed cabbage, stuffed peppers, capped off with chocolate cake! My family and dearest friends were on hand (including 'the girls') to help me ease into the next year of my life, which will be THE best year of my life!!!

Vacation ends with a bing, bang, boom, batterhorn

I have no idea how I do it but usually my vacations feel as if they lasted triple the actuality.

This one did not disappoint.

My vacation ended on a bing, bang, boom, batterhorn.

I hit Progressive Field's SnowDays. Amazing how the Indians transformed 'Jacob's Field' into a winter wonderland consisting of a huge tubing range from the scoreboard down to the infield...the Frozen Mile Skating Rink....a snow fight mound.....blazing fire area to stay warm.....and so much more!

I would have loved to have gone with that special someone or even my nieces and nephew but it was still ok.

I was in my own little dreamland, fairytale surrounded by 'holiday spirit' to finally begin my transformation into the holiday season.

Where else can you skate for hours, which I did, while watching scenes from your favorite Christmas movies or pretend you are in a Danny Kaye-Bing Crosby movie skating around the rink to your favorite holiday songs? Well, SnowDays is the best place to live out your childhood, holiday dreams.

I haven't skated since I was a kid. After once around, I left the rail and buzzed around for the next 2-3 hours! I did get a sore on my right shin but it was sooooo worth it!

What possessed me to try going down the batterhorn, no idea. Not only once, but twice. Terrifying. You feel so secure at the top of the mountain and they let you go to flail helplessly until you reach the bottom.

Yet, I went again. And the sign I should have kept it at one: I lost 2 camera batteries and salvaged my new Avon lipgloss and my pen.

All in all, I'm so excited to have gone alone rather than not at all.

And my time off ended with a bang at the company holiday party at Johnny's Downtown surrounded by good friends, festive music, delicious food, and lots of laughter. Perfect end to a terrific week!

I love shoveling when I don't have to work

I'm in the midst of a week of vacation. I normally do not get December vacations so this has been a real treat! It's far enough before Christmas so that I can begin preparing and am not in the 'panic mode' overwhelmed with stuff I've yet to do.

I picked one heck of a week to take off. The Blizzard of 2010.

I've not had to do a gosh darn thing outside of the home, so I've stayed barricaded. It's been magnificent. I've accomplished plenty inside, though no one would know it. And from what I've seen and heard, I'm awfully lucky not to have to venture into the tundra with an awful winter storm approaching.

Do you ever take a full day (8 hours) to clean out a room or a desk or even a file cabinet? You feel such a sense of accomplishment. Yet when you look around and see absolutely NOTHING changed in the room in which you were working, your balloon deflates.

That's how I feel. I know I have climbed Mt. Everest. I filed all of 2009 and 2010....I've gathered a dozen or so bags of recycles and shredded papers as well as cans and bottles to be taken to the recycle station, yet visitors entering my home would not know the grandeur of my work!

In the midst of dismantling my files and having them strewn about in piles all over the living room floor, the door bell sounds.

I ran to the front door to find my choir director covered in snow and shivering.

He'd made his way to our neck of the woods not knowing if the holy day Mass would go forward...and since we've been getting snow all day long with nothing shoveled, carved the first pathway up our walk covered in snow.

What would happen over the next 3-4 hours simply amazing --mainly because I did not have to work. I would not have been able to get to work had I been scheduled. Our neighborhood is always the last cleared and our plow guy no where to be found.

What made the next chapter so much fun is not having to stress about getting anywhere.

I got our choir director warm, dry clothes, some hot tea, and we proceeded to call every choir member telling them not to come to our holy day service. The roads impassable and nothing had been shoveled at the church. No one can walk up to the church entrance. It will be interesting to see who shows up, if anyone, especially those die hard parishioners.

Then Matt and I, shovels in hand, proceeded to carve a path from my house around the neighborhood hitting the church rectory, the church parking lot, and more importantly, trying to clear a small path for anyone who may show up for Mass.

I have to tell you, not having a deadline or needing to shovel out of my driveway to get somewhere made all the difference in the world erasing all of the pressure.

We finally made a path and searched high and low for salt.

We then attempted to find and start up the snow blower. What a hoot. I admit I had no idea what I was doing. Thank goodness Matt knew. After overcoming a few hurdles learning the snow blower, he eventually made it all work and we were good to go buzzing around the neighborhood.

I even put a plea on fb asking for anyone with working snow blowers, shovels or plows to head our way since the plow guy was MIA and a few others who normally clear the area had not arrived yet caught in the big snow.....

A December miracle because I was not even cold. Maybe the adrenaline kept me warm and toasty...

Finally, around 9pm, we knocked off having done as much as we could. I got in the house just in time for one of my all time favorite Christmas movies, sipping a delicious hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.

I never realized shoveling snow and being home bound would me 2 of the highlights of my vacation, but so far they are! What a wonderful chunk of time off! Thank you Jesus!

Another new beginning

There are 3 or 4 times throughout the year, at least, that standout for me as 'new beginnings.' Of course, every day is a new beginning and should be lived as if it were the last.

Advent is upon us.

We just celebrated Thanksgiving, which is always a wonderful day full of family, fun and food. A time to close out the previous year to some extent, be thankful for what God gave us thus far, and pray that the year ahead is filled with so many more of God's blessings.

It did not disappoint. The entire family gathered to rejoice and thank God for each other and his daily miracles.

Colleen brought the dogs, which was reason to exult in itself!

Sunday the Browns WON! Another reason for jubilance! And to boot, my friends and I wound up at Crop for a delicious dinner where Pork Chop Womack was serving up his signature Pork Chops. There were a whole slew of Cleveland Browns on hand to support their fellow player and his endeavor! He also made the delicious peach cobbler.

The 1st day of Advent felt like a bevy of new beginnings on so many levels as we wrap up another year and prepare for, hopefully, a magical future in the coming days.

I personally need a goose every once in a while to get back on track...to pick up the pieces....to motivate an oftentimes numb existence and shock me back to life.

Well, I am thankful that this time of year has arrived and am hopeful that I can learn from previous mistakes made catapulting into the Advent season....which leads me in leaps and bounds to a heavenly new year!

May all of you find yourself immersed in a peace-filled Advent Season only to find the true meaning of Christmas and hopefully carry it with you all year long.

Our night with Guy Fieri & Ben the Hockey Coach

When I woke up Saturday morning, never had an inkling where the day would lead us.

Saturdays --usually my only day of the week to moderately sleep in, if I'm lucky.

When my girlfriend asked if we all wanted to go to the Food Show, we jumped at the chance. It's become tradition, at least with me.

Mom and I enjoyed all the I-X Center Shows but the Food Show seemed to be our favorite. We'd sit at home and watch so many of those shows on the Food Network night after night. Last year I went and the memories of the fun times Mom and I had came vividly swirling back.

This year, I went with friends in hopes of making new memories and curtailing the sad feelings of Mom's absence.

Boy, did we make some new memories.

We arrived just in time for Guy Fieri's crazy cooking demonstration. He was HI-LARIOUS! The morning show from Q-104 were all on stage dressed up in disco garb stemming from a radio conversation they all had with Guy. They called fans up on stage to assist and taste samplings. One blond woman was totally out of control. We've all been at that stage of drunkenness, though probably not in front of a couple thousand people.

The Fieri show and food show in general did not disappoint. Normally I'm not a wine drinker but sampled some of their fare as well as the delicious foods from around the city, around the world. I revisited the wine slushy stand. We made this last year for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. Got a few more to make over the holidays.

It was 9pm and the night was still young. So we headed to East 4th and Zocalo for a nice Mexican dinner. Delicious. I love this place.

Afterward, we hit an old stomping ground of ours stemming back at least 15 years --Flannery's.

We used to be in here almost every night. Those days have subsided but always nice to return to your old 'home away from home.'

My girlfriend and I met a most intriguing person at Flannery's. Actually a number of folks we'd never seen before. The first 3 were super nice kids. 2 of them worked for the Bainbridge Fire Department. The other girl is back in school studying. What a hoot. They were hysterical. One of the men spotted a girl he wanted to meet at the other end of the bar. We all chided him to go over there, get the nerve and start talking. My girlfriend even boosted his confidence by reminding him of the Tom Cruise scene in 'Top Gun' where they belt out 'You've lost that loving feeling.' Next thing you know, we are all singing the song at the top of our lungs. Whether he wanted the girl to notice him or not, we were all in her spotlight now.

Another unique individual caught our eye. We all met haphazardly as he struggled to get close enough to the bar to get a beer and we were sitting right at the bar. He was dressed in a suit, which was not the norm for this crowd.

We all got to talking. Found out he was in town for the Milwaukee Admirals vs Lake Erie Monsters games. He was the assistant goal tending coach for the Admirals but assists with most of the teams in this particular league --including the Cincy Cyclones, Niagra Ice Dogs, Nashville Predators. But most impressive about Ben Vanderklok was his love for coaching the little kids during the off season and his excitement surrounding Christmas.

Mind you, it's not Thanksgiving yet. My friend Katie and I want everyone to slow down. The day after Thanksgiving, everything can begin, lights go up, shopping, ready-set-go!

Ben wouldn't mind if Christmas was year round.

I asked if he celebrated The Feast of St. Nicholas. His eyes lit up. He asked if I was Dutch and put my wooden clogs out? He is Dutch and lives in Canada. I told him we have a variation down here in the States. I am and Italian Catholic and celebrate the feast, but we put our stockings up by the fireplace.

Most guys I know (and I'm not saying I know Ben) don't send cards, don't exchange gifts, really don't get into the holiday spirit except to appease their wives and kids. I was digging talking about the Christmas season and traditions with Ben the hockey coach.

Katie and I amazed him. He said he would never be able to hold a conversation such as the one we were all having with some of his female friends up north. Katie and I were telling him about our Cleveland Browns, naming players, who was on the injured list, blah blah blah. His jaw dropped. And then he broke my heart when he asked if the Cleveland Indians' purse was mine. Katie interjected and said, "Danielle is the biggest Cleveland Indians' fan." He shook his head and could not understand.

He can't wrap his arms around major league sports. Totally enjoys minor league, college and high school so much more than the major league fanfare. He asked if I really enjoy the team or just the 'social event' surrounding the games.

I was speechless and then came back to life telling him I adore the game of baseball and watching 'my' Cleveland Indians. I don't go to the games because they are an event. I follow them game to game, win or lose, do or die.

Flannery's had a live band which captivated Ben. He kept wandering up to hear the live music. When the music ended, he wanted to find another place with a live band. Unfortunately, Cleveland was shutting down early this Saturday night. Midnight and Fat Fish was closed, and no other places we passed had anymore live music playing.

We finally landed at The Corner Alley. We were too late to bowl but played a few game of pool. He could not believe that a bar had a bowling alley or a police officer guarding it. He was intrigued by all the bars on E 4th having security. He was also amused by the bride and groom who were enjoying some cocktails in the bar. He alluded to the fact that he's probably be doing something else on his honeymoon rather than sitting in a bar/bowling alley. Finally the bride and groom and their guests did get up to head back to their hotel right across the street.

For a hockey coach who claimed he did not play pool --he lied. Total pool shark. But ya know, we had a blast nonetheless!

I swear, life truly takes us all on journeys that we'd never imagine. I kind of like that. Though I'm quite organized and like to stay on script much of the time, it's those impromptu happenings, those serendipities, those detours which lead us to much of the excitement which enriches our lives more than we ever imagined!

I thank Katie and Monique....Guy Fieri and the Food Show folks....and last but certainly not least, Ben Vanderklok for a fabulous day and memories which will remain with me for a lifetime!