#CelebrateOthers - Rosalie Franek and Jodie Smith - Track Stars in Maryland!

"Daring greatly" is how I would describe two very good friends who showed me today how awesome and inspiring they are by competing in a track meet (something I haven't done since my senior year of college!). More specifically, this track meet is the USATF Masters Indoor National meet held in my "backyard" at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Center in Landover, Maryland. Traveling from Ohio, with solid training under their belts, they each toed the line in the 3000M event (little less than 2 miles) competing in their age brackets. Rosalie set a PR in 12:55 in the 50-54 bracket, and Jodie's race (55-59) had a lack of communication with the lap counters, so unfortunately, she DNF (did not finish-14 laps instead of 15). However, it was not for a lack of trying and putting themselves out on that track doing the hard work of focus and competing every step of the way around that 200M oval.

For me, I was happy to cheer them on, watch their bags and be fascinated that Track and Field affectionados came from every state in the US and Great Britain to compete in this masters competition for the weekend. And while taking this all in, I was amazed at the different levels of competition shown today, as there are a lot of "very fast" men and women still running, jumping (high jump/pole vault) and throwing like they were kids once again. A highlight was a "young" man of 104 years old that competed in the 3000M run and ran 26:30!!! He looked younger than half the guys in his age group: 75-104! Incredible!

Since running has been a connector and "constant" for me since I was a young girl, (track and cross-country), you can bet I met a lot of fine folks along the way, including Rosalie and Jodie. I met Rosalie while competing in high school track, and she ended up going to the same college I did, Bowling Green State University. I met Jodie, who was a sophomore, my freshman year at BGSU and we all ran cross-country and track together (and roommates too!). In fact, the four years I was at BGSU, our team won the CC -MAC Championships with those two track stars leading the way! It was an incredible team effort, and those long runs afforded many of us to form strong bonds of friendship that, thankfully, continues to this day. We are all grateful and cherish our precious times together, which usually involves a run of some sort, today, a track meet for those two track stars! Bravo to Rosalie and Jodie, and good luck on Sunday as they will compete in one more event, the 800M run!

BSoleille! The bright side of never underestimating the power of a woman on the track...their energy and poise is infectious with each flowing step taken!

Terri

Cringing Daffodils

Although our region is not, thankfully, under blizzard conditions as New England is, including high winds, we did have some very strong gusts today that were bone-chilling cold nonetheless. It seemed like all the blooming daffodils were "cringed down and low" while blowing in these winter winds. They could not stand tall and proud like they like to do, so spring can’t get here fast enough for all to enjoy. 

BSoleille!

Terri

TV Shows vs. Netflix vs. Amazon Prime

I wonder how long the networks will be around in casting good TV shows and programs? Netflix and Amazon Prime are simply killing it with hundreds of shows coming out every year....and many are excellent. Some of this show watching does interfere with "all" the reading I'm trying to squeeze in, but I've really enjoyed so many of these entertaining shows that I hope excellent content will be the standard from now on.

A couple of recent shows watched: Longmire (in second season), The Crown, Godless, The Royals and Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, and my all time favorite; Call the Midwife (and Breaking Bad!)

What are you "binge watching" now?

BSoleille!
Terri

Pretty flower(s) that lasted over 2 months (I forgot they were real!)

It's a Production

For a "small" quilt guild, putting on a fairly "large" show of over 100 quilts, it takes a lot of (wo)men power to do the work. We go with the adage: "many hands make light work", and that is exactly how it all went down...literally, in record time. It is my understanding that our guild president, Peggy Alexander, "recruited" the youth group at her church to help with this big task, and they were terrific! Everyone was impressed how polite these young people were as they quickly got busy and right to "work" upon their arrival! Now that is something to be truly thankful for!

BSoleille! The bright side of volunteering teenagers!
Terri

Photos of guild members in the take-down

Misty Cole with the last pole! See ya next year!

Quilt Weekend Wrap-Up

I am so thankful for another successful Southern Comforters Quilt Show Weekend with my sewist friends! The passion that goes into each quilt is truly amazing and inspiring to all who came to take in their beauty. Our vendors were great and the public voted on their favorite quilts to round out the weekend of quilt show fun!

I am humbled to say I won a first, a second, a third and a vendor ribbon for three of my quilts. I am grateful beyond measure for the awards because the other quilts my catagories were terrific too!

A big shout of Thanks to our chair, Misty Cole, out featured quilter, Judith Keane, all the members and their families, plus the volunteers who came to help take down the show that made the Best little Quilt Show in Maryland the best one yet!

BSoleille!

Terri

Third place for "Purple Craze"Second place for "Growing Your Family Tree"First Place for Tiny.Nines with hubby Bill Liz Verrecchia, Olivia, me, Ryan and Bill in front of the 2018 raffle quilt. Tshirt quilt Demonstration this afternoon. 

#Celebrate Others - The Glow of the Show SCQS Style

Tagging on yesterday's International Women's Day, I am going to continue the "love" and celebrate my entire quilt guild and a year of hard work in making the quilts for the Southern Comforters Quilt Guild. The show starts tomorrow at 10:00 am at Samuel Ogle Middle School in Bowie, Maryland, 4111 Chelmont, and goes until 5:00. Sundays hours are 11am - 4pm. Think voting for your favorite quilts; a beautiful raffle quilt and raffle baskets that you could possibly win!

If you believe in Girl Power, like I do, it's amazing what a group of very talented, creative, and amazing women can pull off to make "The Best little Quilt Show in Maryland" the very best around!

Setting up is a total team effort with all hands on deck (and yes, guys did show up to help as well; and Thank You for that), but the majority of behind the scenes efforts for this community quilt show goes beyond "measure" and is simply terrific. Our show Chair, Misty Cole, has got the whole show wired and ready to go; and so are we. If local, we hope to see you there; as the quilts are spectacular and we have several vendors to keep everyone happy (BBQ food truck as well).

So without further adieu, my set up photos tell the story of this terrific quilt guild and Girl Power!

BSoleille!

Terri

Misty Cole and Carrie Casto: masterminds behind the scenes poles ready and waiting Deb Carter helping with the structure Terri and Wendy AllenMany hands make light work; cleaning the poles before going up. Anna-Marie Williams setting up Silent Auction Cappy Phillips, Margaret Herman, Janet Frietag, Susan Navarro and Carrie Casto Mary Kay Kerr, Evelyn Kirby, me, Deb Hoppe, Anna-Marie, Carol Berg and Jean Maasel Featured Quilter Judith Keane and her three daughters; Susan, Allison and SharonFlorence Marion and Community Quilts Susie Stevenson and Trish Rader 

International Women's Day 2018

Today is/was a great day to celebrate strong and amazing women all over the world! But why just one day, I ask? "Herstory" reveals the seeds were planted in 1908 when 15,000 women marched in New York City demanding shorter work hours, better wages and the right to vote. It seems as if we've been "inching" along ever since, and applauding ourselves with breakthroughs in every single industry in the last 100 years. I am thankful to so many women (those known and unknown) who have inspired me and influenced me and make me better person every day of my life. From my Mom, my daughter, to my sisters and sisters-in-laws, to my sewing sisters, to my high school and college friends, my HO gals, former co-workers, my neighbors, the women I referee soccer with and, my faithful blog readers...BRAVO! We all strive to make the world, the only one we've got, a much better place for all!

BSoleille! The bright side of #celebratingwomenallovertheworld
Terri

Clara Zitkin who founded International Women's Day in 1910! What a visionary...

Iced Leaves

Spring like weather is not catching on yet, and I was shocked last night that the rain coming down (and hard against the windows) had tuned to snow. So this photo is of an “iced leaf”, but kind of cool. Looking forward to sunny spring days around the corner. We know they are coming!

BSoleille!

Terri

Meet Sunny

I would consider myself an”dog lover” and a “cat liker”, except when it comes to Sunny. This cat acts more like a dog and lives with (in the house sometimes) Tom and Rosalie Franek in Hiram, Ohio. This cat is a talker, and has the loudest purr of the Midwest which is quite entertaining. He also loves to hike with his people, yet refrains from being too “bossy”, as only cats can do. 

BSoleille! The bright side of a good and big hearted tabby!

Terri

Snuck in One Last Visit

It’s a blessing when a couple of college roommates can get together, even for a short spell, like about 15 hours. We certainly make them count! 

We left at the same time this morning, me back to Maryland, and the trackstars to Alliance. So, without further adieu, I’d like to shout out: “BRAVO” to Rosalie Franek and Jodie Smith on their solid 3000 meter track race (indoor) this morning at Mt. Union College in Alliance, Ohio, and representing Team Ohio! 

Go BG!

BSoleille!

Terri

Whirlwind Weekend in Cleveland

Well, I thought I’d travel to Cleveland to visit family and friends in better travel conditions, but that was not the case in early March. Rain and snow snuck in on the visit, but I must admit the roads were all clear to travel see “very important people”. 

Besides my good visits to the nursing home to see my mom, dinners, lunches and breakfasts were the bill of fare for my meet ups and I’m thankful for each one!

BSoleille!

Terri

My smiling mom

Family outing:Zack, Annette, Jerry, me,Kimberly and Brandon me and Debbie Martinko Jodie Smith and me

#CelebrateOthers - Maria Cribbs - Soccer Referee Extraordinaire

As we all know, most sports of any kind are male dominated. And even though girls and women have made great strides in participation, it really doesn't hold a candle to the boys and men who do ultimately participate. So if that is the case, it is the same thing in officiating any sport as well.

However, there are diamonds in the rough, and one of those genuine diamonds, in officiating sports, is Maria Cribbs. Maria ran track and played basketball in her youth. While in high school, the AD wanted some of the "older kids" referee the younger kids. A self-proclaimed "sports addict", even as a junior in high school, Maria took on that challenge of refereeing youth basketball and never looked back. That was over 40 years ago. Her "claim to fame" during those years was officiating a BB game while in college at the University of Maryland in their club program. Football players couldn't play "club football", but they could play "club BB", and that is what NFL Hall of Famer, Randy White did in his spare time from the classroom and the gridiron. She got "squashed" by him while officiating one of his games, and he never realized it until she was on the floor and down for the count! Though not injured, he offered her his hand to get up and the game continued uneventfully.

And then, about 25 years ago, she began coaching her two daughters, Ally and Colleen, in soccer. After a couple years, she wanted to become a better coach, so she took the soccer referee course, liked it, and once again, never looked back as she began refereeing more than coaching.

Maria inspires me and many soccer referees because she loves and respects the game and it shows in every minute she is on the field from youth to collegiate soccer games. She keeps it real from the first blown whistle. Refereeing has also taught Maria how hard it is to be a player; because, as she says, "it's a lot harder than it looks from the stands!" The greatest compliment for Maria is when she, as a referee, becomes "invisible" while the game is being played...it's all up to the players on how well it will play out.

Years ago, while "The Best Daughter" was playing youth soccer, Maria refereed quite a few of her games, and I observed her style from the stands and as a parent, and I even probably "complained"...out loud... at some of her calls. Nine years later I, too, became a lady referee, and learned how hard it was to become "invisible" like Maria. And like Maria, she maintains and sets out for every game that she referees is that the best refereed games are "firm, fair and consistent." Maria does that with flying colors. I am thankful to have refereed with Maria on many games as she has taught and mentored me to have my own style while on the field.

So what makes this only-girl-growing-up-with-four-competitive-brothers-sports-addict-travel agent tick? Why of course it's being with her daughters, their sports and goings on, and watching any sport that comes along, either on TV, at a local ball field, or any major league sports in the DC/Baltimore Metro areas, she is out there cheering them all on! She is a huge fan of any sport, with her current interest in curling.

And lastly, this boarding school graduate (and, by the way, loved every minute while attending grades 5-9) who loves the color "sky blue" declares that refereeing soccer is very challenging in that you really don't know what you are walking into in any given game. It's that uncertainty and challenge of it all that makes it all part of the fun while on the pitch!

BSoleille! The bright side of a #CelebratingOthers with Maria Cribbs!

Terri

Photo of Maria

Spring is Really Around the Corner!

With Spring and warmer temperatures within reach, it was just not today...the first of March. A trip to Ohio in pouring rain was not ideal for spending 9.5 hours in a car shuttling from Athens to Cleveland, but I arrived at my destinations safely and with great visits to two favorite people. The first visit was to my nephew, Nathan, a senior at Ohio University, and then later in the day, a visit to my Mom in her nursing home in Cleveland. On my very last leg to my sister's house, very dicey weather basically came out of "nowhere". Wind, sleet, snow....yikes! And I waited the winter out to travel to Ohio in "good" weather! Ha!

BSoleille!

Terri

I, Terri, saw "I, Tonya" - Tracy's Kids Red Carpet Event 2018

And the winner is...Tracy's Kids, an art therapy program for children with cancer! Last night's Red Carpet Movie Event went very late for me to blog about this wonderful evening hosted by Matt Gerson. This Oscar nominated movie night supports young kids coping with emotional stress and trauma of cancer, and its treatments, and currently is in six locations in the DC/Baltimore Metro areas, plus Texas and New York. Through the years our son fought cancer, it was Tracy Councill, and the Tracy's Kids art therapy program that kept our whole family afloat while Ryan battled some very difficult days due to his treatment(s).

Every year, The Courage Award honors someone who has shown strength, dignity and perseverance that cancer patients model every day. It is presented to a public person who has worked to address the challenges inflicted by the disease or injury, as in the case of this year's' recipient,  House Majority Whip, Steve Scalise. Mr. Scalise stated his strong faith, family, coworkers and friends from all over the world helped give him the strength in the aftermath of his shooting while playing kickball on the fields on the Mall. Amazingly, both sides of the isle united for Team Scalise! In addition to Mr. Scalise, Senator Mazie Hirono (HI), and battling Stage 4 kidney cancer, and posthumously, Ray Baum, a dedicated public servant, also received The Courage Award.

It was a great night celebrating Tracy's Kids with Senators and "Congresspeople" from both political parties, coming together for a great cause and knowing they are helping kids fight the good fight with a little help from an art therapist in several hospitals around the country! Now that is something to be thankful for, don't you think?

BSoleille! The bright side of Tracy's Kids making a difference in the live of cancer fighting kids and their families.

Terri

Tracy and RyanTerri, Marilyn Eichner, Patty Lubin and Rachel GroveBill, Ryan, Carson and Chris GroveMatt Gersonme and Senator Patrick LeahySteve Scalise

Trio in Action

It’s time to celebrate an all women crew on the soccer pitch because it doesn’t happen very often. Yes, the U17 Girls game was fast and furious, just how we like it, even on a dark and cold evening in February. 

BSoleille!

Terri

Photo of Carly, Teri and Terri 

Shear Madness at the Kennedy Center

I/we have lived in the Washington DC metro area for over 20 years, and today was my first time to the Kennedy Center of Performing Arts. I've climbed some of the stairs, ran around it many times during running races, and biked all around it too, but never went in! Thankfully, that all changed today when "The Best Daughter" and I met for a quick brunch near George Washington University (Tonic), and then hoofed it an half mile to the Kennedy Center for the 3:00 pm showing of "Shear Madness".

We both loved the show (a whodunit), and one of the longest-running nonmusical plays in the world, but we loved touring around this beautiful and majestic building probably just as much. It's described as a "living monument" since it was built before JFK died, and hosts nearly 2000 performances annually to folks from all 50 states and around the world. If local, I highly recommend checking it out, and if not local, come to DC and take in a show (or two); you will not be disappointed!

This cool and cloudy day was a great backdrop for this mother/daughter outing, including the awesome terrace that encircles the entire building to see the Mall (and Memorials); Georgetown and its waterfront, and Rosslyn, VA. I am sure "on a clear day you can see forever."

BSoleille!

Terri

Photos from the day with "The Best Daughter"