Lady with the Cane.com

Do you ever feel like the ultimate witchy woman? That is actually a rhetorical question because I know you do. We all do whether we mean it or not. And guess what? We have a right to feel that way. Our brand of broom is a touch one to ride. That is why I truly believe that our supreme master, who ever/whatever that may be, doesn't throw us more than we can catch. MSers (I read recently that this is an inappropriate way in which to refer to individuals with multiple sclerosis. The source of this judgement obliviously does not live with the disease. MS Warriors are far less offended by such a label than that.) are strong individuals who thrive on finding a purpose, a solution, a balance. We are dependent on our co-pilot Common Sense. Care Givers are a beautiful addition to our lives, but many MSers (I did it again!) are not fortunate to have someone to clean our broom and dust off the daily spider webs that clutter the  cognitive mess of our brains. I learned that long before MS beca

Do you ever feel like the ultimate witchy woman? That is actually a rhetorical question because I know you do. We all do whether we mean it or not. And guess what? We have a right to feel that way. Our brand of broom is a touch one to ride. That is why I truly believe that our supreme master, who ever/whatever that may be, doesn't throw us more than we can catch. MSers (I read recently that this is an inappropriate way in which to refer to individuals with multiple sclerosis. The source of this judgement obliviously does not live with the disease. MS Warriors are far less offended by such a label than that.) are strong individuals who thrive on finding a purpose, a solution, a balance. We are dependent on our co-pilot Common Sense. Care Givers are a beautiful addition to our lives, but many MSers (I did it again!) are not fortunate to have someone to clean our broom and dust off the daily spider webs that clutter the  cognitive mess of our brains. I learned that long bef

Ah... the retired life...days of nothing to do but read, knit, and binge watch all of the television I missed during my thirty-three years of being at the mercy of the state board of education. (Don't get me wrong. I loved my job. MS has a way of redirecting our priorities, as all Warriors know.) My first active "project" upon retiring was to learn how to knit. With my enthusiastic bff, a year ago I embarked upon this journey. And it has been a wonderfully horrible thing. Initially Jodi and I learned how to knit scarves. Lots and lots of scarves. We made a knitted scarf, a purled scarf, a scarf of combined stitches... Looking at our finished products was exhilarating.  Feeling the hole in my wallet was depressing. Had I gotten myself into the "golf" sport of hobbies? I couldn't continue to shell out that kind of cash and expect to still feed my family. So, I started opting for the less expensive fibers at our area Walmart. Of course these yarns were NOT made

Ah... the retired life...days of nothing to do but read, knit, and binge watch all of the television I missed during my thirty-three years of being at the mercy of the state board of education. (Don't get me wrong. I loved my job. MS has a way of redirecting our priorities, as all Warriors know.) My first active "project" upon retiring was to learn how to knit. With my enthusiastic bff, a year ago I embarked upon this journey. And it has been a wonderfully horrible thing. Initially Jodi and I learned how to knit scarves. Lots and lots of scarves. We made a knitted scarf, a purled scarf, a scarf of combined stitches... Looking at our finished products was exhilarating.  Feeling the hole in my wallet was depressing. Had I gotten myself into the "golf" sport of hobbies? I couldn't continue to shell out that kind of cash and expect to still feed my family. So, I started opting for the less expensive fibers at our area Walmart. Of course these yarns were

Home     Artist Profiles     Lucia Perillo: World Class Poet Lucia Perillo: World Class Poet By  ThurstonTalk Editor Lucia Perillo is a local poet with an impressive list of national accolades. By Alec Clayton Who knew we had a world-class poet right here in Olympia? Her name is Lucia Perillo. Her talent and prestige are remarkable. No less a luminary than Billy Collins, former Poet Laureate of the United States, said, “It is a delight to wander with [Perillo] into strange and imaginative territories. Always, I read her poems with surprise and (write it!) jealousy.” Novelist Tom Perotta, author of  The Leftovers , wrote of her first story collection: “Lucia Perillo isn’t just a strikingly original poet; she’s a top-notch fiction writer as well. The stories in this bleakly funny and harrowing collection are reminiscent of both Raymond Carver and Denis Johnson, but the vision that animates them is Perillo’s own, unique and unmistakable.” Lucia Perillo is a local poet with an impressive l

Home     Artist Profiles     Lucia Perillo: World Class Poet Lucia Perillo: World Class Poet By  ThurstonTalk Editor Lucia Perillo is a local poet with an impressive list of national accolades. By Alec Clayton Who knew we had a world-class poet right here in Olympia? Her name is Lucia Perillo. Her talent and prestige are remarkable. No less a luminary than Billy Collins, former Poet Laureate of the United States, said, “It is a delight to wander with [Perillo] into strange and imaginative territories. Always, I read her poems with surprise and (write it!) jealousy.” Novelist Tom Perotta, author of  The Leftovers , wrote of her first story collection: “Lucia Perillo isn’t just a strikingly original poet; she’s a top-notch fiction writer as well. The stories in this bleakly funny and harrowing collection are reminiscent of both Raymond Carver and Denis Johnson, but the vision that animates them is Perillo’s own, unique and unmistakable.” Lucia Perillo is

I didn't go to bed last night with the intention to write a book report this morning, event though my current reading material is really fun. In fact, I am not even half way through Yvonne deSausa's light-hearted reaction to living with the MonSter. But...the last passage I read before extinguishing my bedside light dealt with  deSousa's early onset MS symptom of memory loss. Since her grandmother had suffered from Alzheimer disease , the possibility of this condition manifesting itself in the author was not surprising. When she complained of memory issues deSousa was met with replies suggesting it was an age thing. We all forget things. It is just another weird aspect of life. For some reason, the addition of MS to our faulty system just agitates, aggravates, and annoys this inevitability.   So, I shouldn't be surprised that my own faulty wiring met me face on on this early morning Monday. It is routine for me to get out of bed, visit the loo, pour a cup of water, and

I didn't go to bed last night with the intention to write a book report this morning, event though my current reading material is really fun. In fact, I am not even half way through Yvonne deSausa's light-hearted reaction to living with the MonSter. But...the last passage I read before extinguishing my bedside light dealt with  deSousa's early onset MS symptom of memory loss. Since her grandmother had suffered from Alzheimer disease , the possibility of this condition manifesting itself in the author was not surprising. When she complained of memory issues deSousa was met with replies suggesting it was an age thing. We all forget things. It is just another weird aspect of life. For some reason, the addition of MS to our faulty system just agitates, aggravates, and annoys this inevitability.   So, I shouldn't be surprised that my own faulty wiring met me face on on this early morning Monday. It is routine for me to get out of bed, visit the loo, pour a cup of wa

I  am not one much for online shopping indulgences, but a couple of weeks ago I allowed myself the rare treat of purchasing the Yoga Burn program advertised on Face Book. This morning I completed week one of the monthly scheduled routine and I even took time to meditate  under the guidance of Yoga instructor Zoe Bray Cotton. Laugh if you must, but I really, really , enjoyed the meditation exercise. I realize this is a solitary activity and I will never  practice this in front of husband and/or son.  I felt wonderful afterword, though. So at peace and relaxed. I always knew I was a Zen Goddess at heart. What I really love about this program is that it " is a comprehensive online yoga course directed toward women only."  The older I get, the more I appreciate anything to do with "for women only". Weird, huh? Zoe' voice is so very soft and inviting. As she leads me through my morning poses, I really feel as though she is my new morning bestie. Of course, I have onl

I  am not one much for online shopping indulgences, but a couple of weeks ago I allowed myself the rare treat of purchasing the Yoga Burn program advertised on Face Book. This morning I completed week one of the monthly scheduled routine and I even took time to meditate  under the guidance of Yoga instructor Zoe Bray Cotton. Laugh if you must, but I really, really , enjoyed the meditation exercise. I realize this is a solitary activity and I will never  practice this in front of husband and/or son.  I felt wonderful afterword, though. So at peace and relaxed. I always knew I was a Zen Goddess at heart. What I really love about this program is that it " is a comprehensive online yoga course directed toward women only."  The older I get, the more I appreciate anything to do with "for women only". Weird, huh? Zoe' voice is so very soft and inviting. As she leads me through my morning poses, I really feel as though she is my new morning bestie.

Tea drinking is one of life’s simplest and most cherished pleasures. Tea drinking forms an integral part of Asian, European and other cultures throughout the world, in some cases it’s elevated to a high art. Green tea, made from the unfermented leaves of the tea plant, was recognized for its health benefits in ancient China. Some scientific studies have produced evidence supporting the use of green tea in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Antioxidants Polyphenol antioxidants in green tea extract improve multiple sclerosis symptoms by inhibiting certain enzymes that promote the disease, according to a study published in the March 2011 issue of the journal “Neurochemical Research.” In the tissue culture study, nerve cells exposed to green tea extract showed lower levels of tissue-degrading matrix metalloproteinase enzymes. Researchers concluded that green tea and other foods high in polyphenol antioxidants may be a powerful tool in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Anti-Inflammator