birthday wishes for Esther

Today is  Esther is Flesh and Blood S.(tantie1959) ’s birthday, as the custom goes, Esther has prepared a little celebration of her life for us to share on her birthday with her.  Here is her story. 

I am at this time living with a significant other and have no children. We will celebrate our 7 year relationship in January 2008. I have 4 kitcats who I call my kit's (kid's).

I head my own corporate Interior Design company since 1993 and studied in
West Germany and in London to become one. I presently work out of my own home which allows me more ease and stability plus I don't have to drive in Dallas traffic anymore. I have worked as an Interior Designer since 1983 here in Dallas and set up my own infrastructure in Mexico City back in 1996 where I helped set up hospitals in Mexico of which the first one was in Hermosillo, Mexico. I made a lot of connections in Mexico City and with the passing of NAFTA, it was very lucrative for me in those days. I was even in Mexico City the night that NAFTA was announced that it had passed.

I have never been a writer although I have kept a journal every day of every year since 1976.

My inspiration for writing has been in joining Gather and being able to share my thoughts, my life experiences and loves of so many different things that interest me in this world. 

My hobbies are drawing mandelas, reading self help, spiritual, philosophical, and many other types of books. I love to cook and am always creating my own recipes and love to bake; especially during the holidays. In my family, I am called the pie lady during the Thanksgiving holidays because I bake all types of pies for family gatherings and friends as well as donate a dozen pies per year to the food bank in my area. I do volunteer work at the food bank here in town and visit the prisoners in the jails during the Christmas holidays with my Church to sing carols to them and to bring them some Christmas treats. Various varieties of cookies are baked in my kitchen or in my sister's chef's kitchen in her home. We usually will bake about 5 or 6 varieties and homemade fudge as well.

I love the fall and winter seasons the best. I really miss my ten years of living in Germany and having real seasons, with the changing of the tree colors, the rain, the crispness of the season and the snow of course. I love to ski although I have always remained a bunny sloper as I am afraid of heights! lol! You can find me having some hot toddies at the ski lodge alot more though!

I also enjoy camping in the great outdoors in the spring and summer but it must be right next to a river or lake. You could also find me parasailing on the beaches of Mexico as well as in Hawaii.

I really don't have any pet peeves other than people who don't respect one another and who are rude, crude and socially irresponsible or unacceptable...lol.

The social issues that concern me are healthcare for all, immigration, child abuse, the recidivism rates in the penitentiaries today, crimes committed by criminals who have been let out early from prison because of overcrowding, the homeless, the mentally ill and equality for all in this country.

Important events that have occurred in my lifetime to date were having to move around so much in my life because of my father having been in the military. I had to learn to adapt quickly as some years we were moved so much that we sometimes had to attend three different schools in one year. The fact that my father was absent for eight years of my life because of him being in Korea and Viet Nam and always having to leave a year before us to go to Germany and find us appropriate housing was very difficult.

The one thing that I have not done that I would like to do; There really isn't anything that I would like to do other than to find peace and tranquility in my life and to fall madly and deeply in love. A love so true that is only found in romance novels.

My 38th birthday was my favorite birthday as I spent it in Mexico City with someone very special to me and still is very special to me.

My only birthday wish that I would have would be to have my Parents healthy, my own health as it will be shortly, and the return of my best friend of 43 years, my brother John who has been estranged from his family for five years now.

My article link that I would like to share is: www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977050705

I have far too many favorite songs but one that I especially like is called "From the Beginning" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer, if Janelle could find that one for me.
 

Happy birthday Esther from all your friends at gather, we hope we have made your day a memorial one.

Note to the birthday club members.  If you have not yet submitted your birthday dates to me please to so.  I need to prepare well enough in advance. Furthemore, when I send you the questions to do your celebration I need to have them back, at least one day prior to your birthday.