A hug from Susan Lucci: A poignant moment highlighting our shared journeys of resilience & hope

Susan Lucci, an unquestionable icon in daytime soap opera history, appeared in ABC-TV's "All My Children" for the entire run of the show (1970-2011!!). I was one of three survivors honored by Susan at the American Heart Association gala, "The Heart of NYC." A heart survivor herself, she gave this stroke survivor a big hug after introducing me and sharing my story with the audience. It was a poignant moment that highlighted our mutual journeys of resilience & hope.

A Zany, Homemade Birthday Cake

It is truly my honor to make a homemade birthday cake for good friends. Here is one I just made for one of them turning 70, (I know the candles show "3-0," but I thought it was funny because I remember celebrating her 30th, 40th, 50th, and 60th birthdays.)

They take hours to bake and create. I'm considering making these for hire. What do you think? Is your wish to have a homemade birthday cake next year? (Leave a comment!)

A Real Fashion Throwback: Try a 17th Century Collar

"From Rembrandt to Vermeer" at the Hart Museum in Amsterdam is an intimate view of 17th-century Netherlands through the eyes of Dutch masters. Sketches and paintings show many facets of urban life from enjoying food, drink, reading, and music to aging gracefully, raising children, fashion portraits or self-portraits. The exhibit showcases a diverse range of individuals, from young to old, rich to poor, and ideal to real.

A room full of these swanky collars gave opportunity to really go back in time ... to the day.

 

"Here lived ..." Small engraved brass plaques embedded in the sidewalk in front of where a person lived before being exported & exterminated by the Nazis

"Stumbling Stones” was inspired by German artist Gunter Demnig to remind us of the Jewish victims in Amsterdam before they fell victim to Nazi terror. The words Hier wohnte ... ('Here lived ...') are written on most of the plates, emphasizing that the victims of persecution did not live and work at any anonymous place, but "right here."

Each plaque was installed at the last place the person's name, dates of birth, deportation & extermination. I was first introduced to "Stolperstein" while my husband and I were on a walking tour in Koblenz, Germany. There was one grouping of plaques placed for a family. Terrifying.

“Here lived Ida Rosenberg, b 1870, deported 1942,

murdered in Theresienstadt on 8/9/42.”

In Judaism, placing pebbles on a gravestone is a custom to show respect for the departed.

Flowers and pebbles were recently and lovingly placed by a family member or friend on these newly polished plaques.

The Look of Love & Steep Steps of Amsterdam

 We were having dinner in Amsterdam when I suddenly looked up from the menu. This man was absolutely staring at me. He had such a look of love in his eye that I had to take a snapshot so that I could cherish it, as I'm doing right now.

Andrew is so patient and kind. My stroke left me with right-sided weakness, but I did GREAT with all the steep steps in Amsterdam.

These are looking up towards our flat. 

This doesn't count the eight or so steps in front of the building to enter the foyer. 

(My motto every time: "Don't look up. I can do it!")

The bathroom was to the right of this stairway, which meant one had to go down these steps to go to the john in the middle of the night. (Then, back up to get back into bed.)

And this is a partial view of the ten or so steps up to the kitchen from ...

... this beautiful room we called home for three nights. (Note the magnificent windows. When opened in the morning, we heard doves and blackbirds.)

There are a LOT of steep steps in Amsterdam. But I'm proud that I could do them. #strokesurvivorsneverquit