Some dirt on Chele

Made you click!


The latest dirt on Chele has come from a new garden!! My good friend Jill and I are growing a garden together to see how green our thumbs are.


We did start with plants that were a few weeks old....but hey, we're new at this! Cut us some slack!!


We picked the plants at a local nursery. We figured if they were growing at the nursery, we'd be good. Living in a foggy area can make gardening fruits and veggies a little diffcult. But so far, so good!


I think we planted around Sept 26th our little baby plants























And today (10/16/10) ......

It's MASSIVE!!!!

I'm proud to say that I harvested a nice spring mix salad this evening and it was awesome!! I'm so glad we started the garden...maybe soon we'll try growing seeds!! Wish us luck. :)

~Chele

My first “fan mail” to a great author

I have some special people in my life that say, “Hey Rochelle! Haven’t seen a new blog post in a while…” Well, I come up with many excuses, one being I only have one internet connection at home, and one husband ADDICTED to Mafia Wars on Facebook. I am a Mafia Wars widow. :) But anyhow! I digress….

I was reading some posts from blogs I follow, and Weekly Geeks has challenged that we post a blog to an author vs. sending fan mail, but I already fan mailed last week!

I was moved by how this author’s work changed my life. Not just when I first read her book, about 16 years ago, but I have picked up the book again, and it is still amazing and life changing.

My e-mail to her was very personal, so I won’t share that part, but I am inclined to start working through some challenges, so that is going to affect my writing and blogging. I won’t get too emotional here in this blog, but it is on my heart to honor the author Jan Morrison, the author of “A Safe Place: Beyond Sexual Abuse”.

It was 18 years ago (this weekend), when my life changed. Years of secrets were unleashed, allowing me to finally be “Safe”, and start on the road to healing and recovery.

I am sitting here thinking right now how crazy it is that I want to post this to my blog, for all the world to see. I know I have come a long way in the past 18 years, and it’s time for me to open up again, share my story, and help others on their path to recovery.

If you are reading this post, and you are looking for support for yourself or a loved one, I am here for you!! I don’t have all the answers, but I know that health and healing can be attained. It is a life long journey, and by all means cannot be done alone.

Thank you again to Jan Morrison, for having the courage to share her story, helping so many people on their path to recovery and finding their “Safe Place”.

~Rochelle~

I love you, Mom!!!

I'm not real sure how to begin this post, as so many things are running through my mind. Lately in telephone conversation, my mom has been talking to me about Cindy Grasso's blog, and how great of a writer Cindy is. I agree!! Cindy is one of those kind of people who's writing is a reflection of her heart.

OK, it's been a long time since I've blogged, and now I'm trying to remember how to do a link. :)

Anyhow, back to my story. So, my mom said, "you and Cindy are good writers". Me?!? I was so proud to be lumped in with Cindy! Cause that's good writing. Then my mom says, "You need to start blogging". Really, that statement was made with her mom voice. You know what I mean...."you need to .... ". It's that statement that you're thinking "OK. I'll get right on that". But in all reality, when she said this to me, I thought to myself, "She's right! It's time to get moving on this."

So here are my excuses for not writing and/or blogging...

My life has been crazy.

My husband is a computer hog. (Well, I have my own computer, but it is very old and does not understand current technology, therefore the act of "blogging" is made very difficult.) :)

I also figured out, I'm afraid to write. Afraid of what I might find. And the thought of that began to overwhelm me.

Yesterday morning I came up with the idea, that as a Mother's Day present, I would not just write for my mom, I would post a blog in her honor.

My mom has been an active change maker in my life. It is because of her that I am a follower of God. It is because of her, that despite the negative circumstances of my childhood, I had a good upbringing. It is because of my mom that those negative circumstances have not ruined my life. It is because of my mom (and step-dad... hi Dan!!!) that I live in a cozy house, and am finding myself healing and growing every day. And now, it is because of my mom that I am writing this Post, hoping to continue on a regular basis, and face my thoughts head on!

Thank you, Mom, for being who you are to me. You are a blessing to me!