Buttercupchappati Chronicles

girls on the beauty prowl

I spent a day with my bestie yesterday and we had to go on a mission of mercy for my skin which is in Tibet-recovery mode, and much as I love the place and the people, I have no real desire to look like an old weathered Tibetan lady.

So, we hit the cosmetic counters which is ALWAYS fun. I love this stuff as much as the next girl, and a day  investigating all these pots of magic is a good day. Really, what if just a few dabs of some sumptuous cream can keep us all 18 years old and gorgeous forever?

We ended up at the Lancome counter. I have not used their products for many years after a mini boycott when they fired Isabella Rossellini for being too old. Seriously, I would be happy to be half as beautiful as her at any age. But time moves on  and those with high plateau dehydration must forgive, forget and go shopping.

The mind boggles at some of these products and the sheer weight of money behind them. One of my purchases was ten years in development and has, wait for it, 110 patents pending!

And one of the sneaky pleasures for me, taking me back to my marketing days, is the spin. No longer is your face cream just anti wrinkle, it is anti aging, of course and youth recreating!  Not just firming, it is a re-positioning cream. I love it, can I re-position my face wherever I want it to be?

And will it work on my boobs, because they could certainly be re-positioned - back to where they used to be!

This is still a beautiful face!

I can't complain too much, one of the doctors in Xining thought I was 24, and was quite offended when I fell about laughing.

feeling the [girlfriend] love

Fantastic couple of days, really since Tuesday, where I have been able to either spend face to face time or spend talk time (love skype) with all my best girls. Best medicine.

Last night a dinner with a friend from way back in High School, her husband made a telling comment as they were going home: "How old were you two when you met?" "Twelve" was the answer. His comeback, "and you've been talking about your mothers ever since?"

Well, yes.

And even although there have been long, long gaps where we haven't seen each other, the conversation is always just as though we've paused to take a breath. (Although in reality, I don't think much breathing is involved when we do get together, takes away from valuable talking time.)

And then the sad,

for me,

being such a sooky mother.

The number two son is making his move on leaving the nest. He's going to go the London road for a bit and see what's there for him. It will be great, he will love it and he will learn so much about himself and his fellow earth monkeys. I am very very happy, except for that part of me that is very very sad. One eye is crying a little, secretly, when no-one is looking. Just a warm up. The hardest part? He is probably departing while I am away and so won't be here when I get home.

Still, it's a good excuse to visit London, not that I need much encouragement in that direction anyway! And he might be homesick and home by then .... not!

margaritas and Mr Darcy

or

A Big Night In with Gangster Girl.

Due to universal intervention we had not caught up for ages and had both our birthdays still to celebrate. So it seemed like a good idea to have a night in, watch "Pride and Prejudice" (we are unrequited still in our passion for Mr Darcy/Colin Firth), snack, talk, drink a few margaritas ...

In retrospect it was perhaps not such a splendid idea to take a big sip every time we heard "Mr Darcy". (In the first episode alone, do you have any idea how often his name is mentioned!)

From there it was a natural progression to "Bridget Jones Diary", and as we had emptied the margarita bucket (in your honour Mr Darcy), had to move on to red wine.

At about 2.30 am we shut ourselves down because our impromptu mini disco for two featuring the best of the 70's and 80's on vinyl was bound to bring the 80's police to the door and neither of us had any blue or purple eyeshadow. Or shoulder pads.

Fun!

I thank the entire pantheon of divinities for friends, they are my lifeblood.
Even if they are bad for the liver.

 

a new one

Two thousand and eleven, a year well launched with friends and family, laughter, dancing, singing, momo's, Texas chili, margaritas and The Rocky Horror Picture Show on dvd.

I suspect the horror part was all of us doing the time warp some time around midnight, but anyway...

It was cozy - and that is one of my main words for this coming year. I want to snuggle in and read, study, work, create, be myself; with occasional outings for travel where I do all that, just in a different place.

Key words for 2011:

reflection

meditation

mantra

reading

study

music - really listening, not just playing in the background

healing - myself and my patients

art

writing

solitude

gratitude

poetry

a dharma year
a catching up year
a year where I return to Amdo - always!
a year where I say hello to myself, everyday

well - resolution comes from resolve, so let's just see.
Intention is everything, I tell everyone else that! Best listen to my own awesome advice.

Happy new year everyone!
Peaceful, safe, prosperous and brilliant.

Light your candle

I have lit my candle - which will burn all night tonight to bring the light back into the world.

My vigil is for so many and so much.

My candle always burns for the long long life of HH Dalai Lama, HH Karmapa, Dr Nida and all of my other wonderful teachers.

It burns for the people of Tibet that they will soon be free in their own land.

It shines the light of Yuthok out across the world that we may all benefit from his healing and blessing.

It burns for all my family and friends, may all of your wishes be realised.

And it even burns for me! Lighting my way, hopefully, to see where I am going in this next and new year. Merry Christmas to you all, and travel safe and well in 2010.

To Write Love On Her Arms

I can't say it any better than they can, so:

"MISSION STATEMENT:

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.  TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

VISION:

The vision is that we actually believe these things…

You were created to love and be loved.  You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you're part of a bigger story.  You need to know that your life matters.

We live in a difficult world, a broken world.  My friend Byron is very smart - he says that life is hard for most people most of the time.  We believe that everyone can relate to pain, that all of us live with questions, and all of us get stuck in moments.  You need to know that you're not alone in the places you feel stuck.

We all wake to the human condition.  We wake to mystery and beauty but also to tragedy and loss.  Millions of people live with problems of pain.  Millions of homes are filled with questions – moments and seasons and cycles that come as thieves and aim to stay.  We know that pain is very real.  It is our privilege to suggest that hope is real, and that help is real.

You need to know that rescue is possible, that freedom is possible, that God is still in the business of redemption.  We're seeing it happen.  We're seeing lives change as people get the help they need.  People sitting across from a counselor for the first time.  People stepping into treatment.  In desperate moments, people calling a suicide hotline.  We know that the first step to recovery is the hardest to take.  We want to say here that it's worth it, that your life is worth fighting for, that it's possible to change.

Beyond treatment, we believe that community is essential, that people need other people, that we were never meant to do life alone.

The vision is that community and hope and help would replace secrets and silence. 

The vision is people putting down guns and blades and bottles.

The vision is that we can reduce the suicide rate in America and around the world.

The vision is that we would learn what it means to love our friends, and that we would love ourselves enough to get the help we need.

The vision is better endings.  The vision is the restoration of broken families and broken relationships.  The vision is people finding life, finding freedom, finding love.  The vision is graduation, a Super Bowl, a wedding, a child, a sunrise.  The vision is people becoming incredible parents, people breaking cycles, making change. 

The vision is the possibility that your best days are ahead. 

The vision is the possibility that we're more loved than we'll ever know. 

The vision is hope, and hope is real.

You are not alone, and this is not the end of your story."

http://www.twloha.com/vision/

Been busy eating, drinking and making merry,

oh and making fun of PRS and his BIG BIRTHDAY.

Fancy turning 50.

Not happening here let me tell you!

But we had fun. It started with a lovely dinner out for the two of us and our wedding anniversary on the Friday night, at the Royal George in Kyneton. Just beautiful, a real treat.
Then Saturday we had a gathering of friends and family for the Really Old Person and his birthday. It was a great afternoon, a beautiful warm Woodend day and the restaurant Zarby's, kept the delicious food and wine coming.
My super-shopper-sister-in-law stayed over with us before her trip back to Sydney the next day and took us out to lunch at the very lovely Lakehouse in Daylesford.

Spoilt? Oh yes!
Fasting this week? Oh yes!

And I must complain that all this festive behavior has put me way way behind the eight ball for my tilt at the 50,000 words for National Novel Writing Month. The crystal ball shows a few late nights on the Powerbook headed my way.

 

I think I made my own hole in the ozone layer!

Ssh, don't tell anyone. My car and I have taken our relationship to a new level as I have burned up and down the highway for days and days and days!

All in a good cause, but life has been busy.

But right in the middle of my busy fortnight, our eldest son and his girl got engaged!
Yay and much happiness all round. And I have a daughter at last! Here they are in their gorgeous happy selves.

So what else has been keeping me out and about? A massage course mostly, level 1 of Ku Nye which I have already completed but felt a refresher would be a good thing before Dr Nida launches us into level 2 next year. The venue was an hour and a half drive from our place so the days were quite long, but really worth while. Lovely to connect with the new students coming through as well, we will all do level 2 together next year.

And helping a friend with his new business venture.
And arranging an information stall at the teachings with His Holiness in Sydney in December for the Ngak Mang Association.
And having a stand at the Atisha Centre open day, again for Ngak Mang promotion.
And having a celebration lunch in Geelong with Alex and Sarah.
And getting myself organised for the Big Birthday of PRS - hahahaha!
And getting myself organised for the short course in TTM I am facilitating in January, (and trying to maintain calm and poise about the whole thing, when really....I am terrified.)

Busy, good, but busy.

walking in dreams

Strange places visited in dreams this week, and odd combinations of people I know well and strangers to me - all talking happily together though. 

And babies, what do all the babies mean? I was holding babies that were mine and spending (dream) time running around trying to adopt a small boy as well. In Nepal - as you do...

One thing was very strong, a friend I was really missing this week, very dear to me, very much in my heart, was with me in so many of these dreams. Sometimes the main focus, other times just there beside me. 

Were we together in another dimension? I hope so.  It would be good to think that the ones who matter to us  are with us in many ways, even if they can't be right next to us as often as we would like.

the healing powers of shopping and girl talk

Really.

So, so cold today it was necessary to go into all the shops rather than just wander past. Just as it was essential to chat and chat and chat....

Although tonight when I am staring at the ceiling well after midnight I might rethink that second coffee. Oh well.

Had to buy the green scarf with the silver sparkles, it reminded me of one I had when I was 17. A gift for my mermaid self.

Did resist the bookshop, which probably saved lots and lots of money!

But even without books (what am I saying?), a happy time.  

Thanks beautiful girls.