No Longer Cinderella - On Becoming The Fairy Godmother

I have revised my blog, Sacred Footing, and given it a new direction. Sacred Footing - The Ancient Path to Wisdom for a Modern Female Warrior is now dedicated to my personal physical and spiritual journey in this lifetime... The musings of an ageless, boundless feminine energy passing through this contemporary and sometimes unforgivable world in an aging and limited female body. Here I will post my most intimate writings: my thoughts on womanhood and aging; on love and relationships; on motherhood and all things womanly.
This change has come about due to the fact that my inner female voice and my aging woman's body have been very restless lately. So, I am giving that very important, magnificent and vital part of mySelf a voice . . . a forum to speak her mind, body and soul . . . her thoughts, dreams, desires, hopes, fears, dislikes, pains, complaints and all things in life as seen through a woman's eyes - the real female perspective - no holding back.
I will be posting on both blogs - The Cave Of Pythia and Sacred Footing. Good luck to me, right!
Thanks for visiting and reading.

The Summer's Last Hurrah

Here in Michigan, we talk about the weather a lot . . . but usually the conversations are about the freezing temperatures . . . when is this cold spell going to end, we need rain, we need it to stop raining, no more snow, please . . . but over the Labor Day weekend the talk about town was how absolutely perfect the weather was and has been. Clear, blue skies, sunny and hot, temps in the mid to upper eighties. The Labor Day holiday weekend in Detroit is always celebrated with many great city and family events. We Michiganders mourn the ending of the summer season (and begin dreading the colder months ahead) by partying all we can. Here in the Motor City we LOVE to party and being blessed with this beautiful weather in September only added to our celebratory spirit.

I tried to fit in all that I could, but not nearly everything, for that would have been impossible. I did not make it to the Jazz Festival (read Erik's Blog) or the Arts, Beats and Eats Festival or the Romeo Peach Festival . . . but I did get to Belle Isle for the Grand Prix qualifying races on Friday. The roar of those engines is such an adrenalin rush. We rode out to Belle Isle with legendary Bike Builder (Discovery Channel's Biker Build Off winner) Ron Finch. We hung around with Big Daddy Arthur P. from WRIF. Anyone who has lived in Detroit during the past 30 more years has heard Arthur's voice, "Baby!" on the radio. On the ride back we stopped off in Hamtramk for the Polish Festival to grab some food . . . pierogis, city chicken, potato pancakes, stuffed cabbage, kraut, and of course, the firefighters famous chili (not Polish but a tradition nonetheless).
Family gatherings and birthdays filled Saturday and Sunday . . . and I ended the long weekend with the Alice Cooper concert at the Michigan State Fair on Monday. Alice, another one of Detroit's homeboys, comes home every year to perform a free concert at the State Fair. He still rocks - he sang for two hours.

So, after a day of recovering - yesterday - it's back to the daily grind (or not). But, the weather . . . well, the weather is still absolutely beautiful and I'm soaking in all of this ninety degree heat before the blue skies open to gray and the autumn chill fills the air.

Crossing the Belle Isle Bridge

The gang at the Grand Prix on Belle Isle

One of the qualifying races

Detroit icons Ron Finch and WRIF's Arthur P.

Luke and his 'big' sister Alexia at the Labor Day birthday parties

Nathan (my grandson) practicing his basketball skills at the family bbq

Adam making a beer run before the Alice Cooper concert begins

The best I could do as the night fell over the crowd

Luke, Rich and Adam placing their bets

My friend Debbie, her daughter Zoe and me (back to my brown)
at the Michigan State Fair

Happy Birthday Adam

Wow, so many Virgo birthdays in my family! Yesterday we celebrated my niece / Goddaughter Melissa's birthday (pictured above with Adam) and today is my son,
Adam's 22nd birthday. I named him Adam because he was the first male into my maternal side of the family in a couple of generations. I have three sisters - no brothers. My mom had two sisters - no brothers. And my first child was a daughter, Alexia. So, when Adam came around, he was ADAM, without a doubt. The story is much more mystical than that - but I'll leave it at the simple explanation for now, for Adam knows he chose his name and me as his mother.

Adam, you are a wonderful man, a fantastic son, and a great friend. I truly enjoy your company and our conversations, even though they get heated sometimes, as we are worthy debate opponents.

You came to me before you were born - I knew you were coming long before you arrived. People thought I was crazy - but we proved them wrong - because out you came and here you are. I always knew you came with a clear purpose. You have struggled with knowing that purpose - I understand more than you know. You will do it all one day, but for now, enjoy your youth, your life and your music. You have talent, abilities, intelligence and knowledge beyond most people's grasp. From the time you made campaign signs around the house for Dukakis and you cried when Bush Sr. won (you were two or three) to the time you won the Invent America Contest (all on your own, I might add) for your school in first grade (and gave a speech about your passion - The RecycleMobile) to the time you switched your political views to the Republican party (then, back to Democratic party again!) - You have never ceased to amaze me! Your first word (well almost) was "Why?" "Why is the sky blue, mama? Why is the moon full, mama?" . . . You had a fascination with space and stars and UFO's (even saw one with Grandma) and also with the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty . . . "Mama, is that as big at the Eiffel Tower?" "Is a dinosaur as big as the Eiffel Tower?" You loved architecture (you taught me all about the streets of Detroit and showed me the beautiful, historical Art Deco buildings) at a very young age and, as a child you stacked every Matchbox car you had as high as you could to make a tower. You also knew everything about cars, even at two years old! You adored Henry Ford. It blew my mind. You also had a passion for history, especially the history of the United States of America. I used to joke with you that you were one of the founding fathers reincarnated. (Well, not completely joking ;)

As your mother, I know I sound biased, and of course I am, but you know I have never been the type of mother who patronizes her children - I hate being patronized so I would never do that to any of you. I have always been honest to a fault - I have expected a lot, especially from you because I knew you had it in you. I never let you slide - I never let you off the hook easily. No two people are alike and therefore, no two children are alike - so as a mother I mothered you each in a way unique to each one of your needs. I always felt you needed me to be a rock - an unwavering, strong force in your life . . . and a lighthouse to guide you in when you needed to wander off on your own and when you needed comfort.

Grandma was with me the day you entered this world. You were the strongest baby the doctors had ever seen. You flipped over the moment you were placed in the bassinet after birth - telling the world they could kiss your...! We all laughed. You have not changed much - your are still strong, determined and, yes, a bit arrogant at times! But you know that.

You are a born leader - and your blessing is your curse - be careful with your power and your gifts - here I go again, trying to guide you - the man! Whatever you decide to do in life, I will support your decision - I know you will invite me to Amsterdam to watch you create and mix music at your opening of a trendy club, or you will invite me to a dinner in the country for which you are the Ambassador or Minister of Foreign Affairs . . . or something to that tune or the other. Keep on with the doing . . .

I love you so much and I am so proud of you. I can't believe I am so blessed for you are my son, my Adam. Happy Birthday

Creating and mixing music for Luke's graduation party

Adam took me to a Tiger's game in May

Signing Alexia and Steve's wedding guest book

Out to dinner with Luke and family

Above, Adam mixing his unique blend of house and techno at 5th Avenue in Royal Oak