"Somedays you gotta get away, take a holiday from the neighborhood"
I spent part of my fall break here, in a cozy room, enjoying the calm. It rained and I napped. I read and I wrote. I sat out in the back yard, full of lush green trees and a romanesque fountain enjoying a glass of the cabernet I had stowed away in my bag. I enjoyed a breakfast of perfectly fluffy french toast covered in fresh fruit and warm syrup with hot tea and a freshly squeezed glass of orange juice.

Since I returned home I have slept through the night and even managed to awake from that sleep with a dream still playing in my head. In the beginning, when I was deciding if I should/could take myself away for a little mini-break that was all about me, sellfish in the best sense of the word, I thought that maybe it wasn't a good idea for a couple of reasons. Mostly I thought I couldn't afford it, financially speaking. But then I realized, emotionally, I couldn't have afforded not to. And sometimes, the well being of my soul is much more important than the well being of my wallet.

How I am enjoying the onset of fall.

Meaningful Words
Tuesday night was the Southwestern edition of this event. I submitted a piece of poetry to read and was selected as one of the evening's participants. I love poetry, I always have. The process involved telling the audience what the poem means to you and why you consider it your favorite poem. My reasons are long and winding but mostly, it just makes me feel good to be me. It's makes me happy to be a woman. It gives me confidence when I am lacking. I can't even tell you how many times I have gone back and read and re-read this poem in my lifetime. It always speaks to me in a different way and I hope you enjoy it too.

Phenomenal Woman
by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need for my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Apparently the heat makes me sleepy
I am certain that the ninety-five degree weather warming my office to just above sauna level temperatures is not how I would imagine October to feel. If given the opportunityto vote on weather related questions such as

Do you prefer your autumn to be be:
a) balmy
b) all firey colored trees and apple orchards
c) still too hot for the new sundress you bought in June but decided it was too hot to wear even then
d) rainy

My obvious answer would be "B" with a dash of "E"-full of days lazily spent on a blanket in the park. (I added that one in just for giggles.) However, so far my October feels an awful like my September did-- very warm and very busy. Last night I actually managed to make it out of the office before the sun sank which was a real treat. I celebrated by going to bed at ten thirty. I am a wild party animal. I am also sixty-five.