MINDFULNESS

May 20, 2020 87 Comments

I recently came across this article and it made me LAUGH!

THIS word MINDFULNESS is USED A LOT in TODAYS SOCIETY!

(WHICH IS ANNOYING ME I HAVE TO ADMIT.)

ALONG with GRATEFUL and BE KIND.

WHICH IS THE WAY WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE!

BUT YET WE HAVE SO MUCH VIOLENCE ON TV AND GUNS AND BAD BAD LANGUAGE!

THE BAD LANGUAGE IS A HOUSEHOLD STAPLE NOW!

WHAT MESSAGE DOES THAT SEND?

NO WONDER WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.

IS THERE NO MORE COMMON SENSE?

READ BELOW AND THEN TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK?

I received this from my Medical HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION.

MY HMO.

“To begin your own practice, find moments in your daily routine that work for you:”

When you wake up — A mindfulness practice first thing in the morning helps set the ‘tone’ for the rest of the day, increasing the likelihood of other mindful moments. Whether you’re sipping a cup of coffee, showering, or brushing your teeth, take a moment to concentrate on your breath. Deep breaths help bring more oxygen into your body and improve blood circulation. Then zero in on the sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel of these activities.
CONTESSA SAYS DEEP BREATHS MAKE HER FEEL DIZZY!
WHY WOULD I WANT TO FEEL LIGHT HEADED…………AGAIN!

While you wait — There are many moments in a day when we’re waiting. While our instinct may be to stare at our phones or feel frustrated, you could instead make the most of the time. According to Ed Halliwell, mindfulness teacher and co-author of the book The Mindful Manifesto, waiting is actually an opportunity for mindfulness. When you’re waiting, he suggests bringing your attention to your breath. Focus on “the flow of the breath in and out of your body, from moment to moment and allow everything else to just be, even if what’s there is impatience or irritation.”
CONTESSA GETS AN A+ IN THIS COURSE!
Contessa spends half HER LIFE waiting for THE ITALIAN to ARRIVE HOME!

SINCERELY LOREE’s CHICKEN from APRIL 1,

RECIPE IS A CLICK AWAY!

MY ITALIANS’s PIZZA BIANCA!

NO NEED TO TRAVEL TO GET GOOD FOOD HERE!

A LITTLE PROSCIUTTO on TOP and you have LUNCH!

While you eat — Mindful eating means choosing food that is pleasing to you and good for you, while using all your senses to explore, savor, and taste. Mindful eating is also learning to be aware of physical hunger and cues that guide your decision to begin — and to stop — eating. For example, you can practice mindful eating at your next meal by following these simple tips:
- Eat in a set place. Sitting at a table is better than your desk or on the couch.
- Focus on what you’re about to eat with a sense of gratitude.
- Concentrate on the act of eating. Chew your food slowly. Take in the texture and the sensations in your mouth.

It may seem like a lot to remember, but the key is finding small ways to incorporate mindfulness into everyday moments. With these small changes, you’ll be on your way to a more mindful — and healthier — day.

CONTESSA SAYS SET A NICE TABLE DO IT MID- AFTERNOON WHEN YOUR NOT BUSY COOKING,ETC.ALWAYS USE STEMWARE even if you do not partake in wine. Water tastes EVEN BETTER in STEM-WARE!Don’t forget to wipe your mouth before taking a sip!

OLD SCHOOL WAYS are like OLD HABITS something TO KEEP ALIVE IN THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN!

NO!

WE DONOT EAT LIKE THIS EVERY NIGHT!

ONLY TO MAKE YOU SMILE!

PHOTO BY DREW WRIGHT FOR HIS PROJECT!

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT THIS IS HOW I GREW UP!

THIS WAS HOW YOUR PARENTS and GRANDPARENTS TAUGHT YOU HOW TO SURVIVE.

WHETHER you came from a poor or middle class or well to do family!

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I GOT UP AS A YOUNG ADULT AND SIPPED MY COFFEE AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE DAY AHEAD.

EVEN AS A CHILD I DID THAT!

Perhaps, with orange juice!

I NOTICED THE WEATHER so I could dress correctly and took in the sights of the cat on the chair or read the newspaper.

AT least SKIMMED IT if heading off to work.

I WASNOT TAKING DEEP BREATHS…………WELL,MAYBE IF I HAD TO GO TO WORK AND WE WERE DOING INVENTORY!

………..I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO EMPTY MY HEAD.YOU COULD SAY I ENJOY JUST BEING!I HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN A MEDITATION PRACTICE AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS AS TO WHAT ONE THINKS ABOUT DURING THAT TIME!

NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO EXPLAIN THIS TO ME?

CAN YOU?

AGAIN I HAVE NEVER FOCUSED ON MY BREATH.

JUST BEING IN THE MOMENT!

A PRETTY BASIC UP BRINGING IN A MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY FROM WHICH I CAME.

I WAS NEVER ALLOWED TO EAT ON THE COUCH OR AT MY DESK.

SOME NIGHTS WHEN I LOVE LUCY WAS ON AT 7pm I WOULD ASK TO GO UPSTAIRS TO THE TV ROOM.

Beg is the correct word HERE!

Even there I ate at a TABLE…….A TV tray TABLE!

I think WE LOST OUR VALUES in the last 30 years………..

Kids had LOTS of HOMEWORK and we who worked and had a house to run were tired!

WE allowed the kids to eat in their rooms…..

(WE DIDNOT.

LET ME CLARIFY I’M SPEAKING IN GENERAL!

THE ITALIAN WOULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED THAT.)

Islands in the kitchen became popular and so perhaps an adult would STAND THERE and EAT DINNER.

THE FAMILY BECAME SCATTERED AT DINNER TIME.

COOKING SHOWS TOOK OFF BUT PEOPLE WERE NOT COOKING AS BEFORE.

“TOO DIFFICULT”

“TOO MUCH TIME!”

WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY HERE?

I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK.

A FEW DECADES.

START COOKING AGAIN…………ENJOY THE PROCESS OF BUYING THE GOODS OR GROWING THEM.

BE FRIENDLY WITH THOSE WHO ARE STANDING ON THEIR FEET 8 HOURS A DAY!

JUST BE YOURSELF AND SET A TABLE AND EAT WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU.

HAVE YOU HEARD THE BIRDS LATELY SINCE THIS PANDEMIC STARTED?

THEY HAVE OPERATIC VOICES THESE DAYS!

I FIND IT SAD THE MEDICAL PROFESSION HAS TO REMIND US HOW TO LIVE AND RAISE OUR FAMILIES.

I FEEL THEY HAVE OTHER MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO!

LIKE HELPING MY GIRLFRIEND in ITALY BELOW.

Ahhh…..OUCH….Ohhh

May 19,2020

It’s not about the bike crash, how I clipped the curb and went flying, landing splat on the sidewalk of a virtually deserted downtown Florence on my first foray out after two months of lockdown.

It’s about the couple who stopped to help me, just as if it were the old days when we knew we didn’t have to fear being in close proximity to strangers.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about how I told them not to call the ambulance because I was afraid to go to a hospital in these COVIDian times.

It’s about the volunteer paramedic who had to take my temperature before getting my wracked body into the ambulance, how he exclaimed in frustration “Eccoci!” (Oh Great!) when reading the thermometer, not – as I sat there fearing in that moment – because it showed I had a fever, but because it was a new electronic thermometer configured in Fahrenheit when here in Italy we use Celsius, and how he was relieved that I could tell him the reading of 96.8 was below normal.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about how they assured me there were no more COVID patients at the hospital they were taking me to.

It’s about how the paramedic walked me into the ER of the frescoed hospital founded in 1288, the oldest still active in Florence, gingerly holding my arm just as my Dad had done when he walked me down the aisle.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about how I waited my turn, warily looking at masked others waiting as well, wondering and worried about what damage I’d done to myself and what other dangers were lurking in the air.

It’s about how when they sat me down at the desk in front of the masked doctor, she looked at my masked face and after a few questions said (in italian) “Wait, are you Sierra’s mom?”, how when I squeaked out “Si” she said “I could tell by your eyes.”

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about the realization that the doctor taking care of me had been my daughter’s childhood friend since they were both three years old.

It’s about how when I burst into tears remembering those little girls together under the plum tree, the doctor got up from the desk and came over to give me a hug which, despite her PPE, I’m sure isn’t allowed. How that hug – the first I’d had in two months – made me cry even more. And how I wasn’t sure it was that or the simple fact that despite the mask, I’d been seen.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about the tetanus shot, the CT scan, the X-ray and the eventual cast they put on for the broken bone in my forearm.

It’s about how while I waited for these tests and treatments, I watched a squadron of very well-prepared medical professionals take care of their patients – me included – with good-hearted kindness and how because of our Italian socialized medicine none of us would receive a bill for any of this state-of-the-art medical treatment that makes me understand the “care” in healthcare.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about having to take a taxi home because I live alone and didn’t want to expose a friend to anything I might be bringing with me out of the hospital – covid or no covid patients… these days we just don’t know.

It’s about how the taxi driver that showed up was the same one I’d stopped to talk to in Piazza Santa Croce just 2 minutes before I crashed, the one who had answered my question of “how is it?” by saying “it’s hard… there’s no work,” to which I’d replied “I’m sorry… I hope we’ll all get through this together somehow.” How four hours had passed, and he hadn’t moved from the taxi stand until the hospital called for someone to come get me.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about how if I left my bicycle chained to the pole on the street where I’d crashed it most likely wouldn’t have been there in the morning.

It’s about how when I recognized the taxi driver and that he was driving a station wagon, I asked if we could go pick up my bike and how he didn’t hesitate to let me sit in the front (not something usually done in covid times) so we could put the back seat down cuz even with the front wheel off, it’s hard to fit that bike in a car.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about how now that restrictions are starting to ease up here in Italy, I’m basically stuck home due to injury, essentially prolonging my shelter-in-place and with only one working arm, to boot.

It’s about how exhilarating that bike ride was, the first after two months, the hard-earned freedom it embodied. How I’d ridden along the river, gazing at Florence’s skyline backlit by a dusky sky dashed with hints of streaky pink windblown clouds. How while crossing the Arno I took in the downriver sight of the Ponte Vecchio, empty, a bridge void of people, unimaginable in this town of tourism. How the facade of the church of Santa Croce looked its usual beautiful self in the evening light but how the statue of Dante in front of the church stared out over the unusual sight of an empty piazza.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about the drama of a bike accident.

It’s about how before it happened I was able to step into the beauty of my world just as it was in that moment. And how when that moment was turned (literally) on its head, the loss I was confronted with was immediately met with a rush of humanity at its best.

~~~~~~~~~

It’s not about my being sure what’s what.

It’s about my hoping this could be a metaphor for our times.

THE above by Katharine Johnson

MY GIRLFRIEND LIVES IN FLORENCE, ITALY AND HAS TALKED ABOUT BEING A WRITER FOR THE LAST 29 YEARS TO ME!

I THINK SHE FOUND HER VOICE.

IF YOU WOULD CARE TO SEE OTHER POSTS ABOUT ITALY SHE HAS WRITEN SEE BELOW!

I shared HER WITH YOU ALL A FEW POSTS BACK……………………..HERE!

TO GO STRAIGHT TO HER WEBSITE CLICK BELOW!

KATHINITALY.COM

BE WELL DEAR READERS……………I CARE!

XXX

87 Comments

Leave your reply.

Karen Persson
· Reply

May 30, 2020 at 12:44 PM

Very interesting what you wrote. As for mindfulness… I dislike that word.. Too much of a trend. I love where your head is at… but you already knew that!

Btw, I’ve been doing yoga 20 years which I love as it gives the body and mind more peace, rejuvenation and and energy. I don’t really meditate after yoga, except just relax a bit the last few minutes.

But… the past 1-1/2 year I’ve been listening to the guide meditations on Ten Percent Happier which are so inspiring and mind changing. They help reset your brain. I love how they teach people to look at a situation different.. learn to react differently. A lot in our life depends on how we react.

But… I know you’ve found the perfect ways to have your ‘meditation’ in life.
Nancy Case
· Reply

May 27, 2020 at 12:50 PM

This post is packed full of earthy, simple wisdom that I find so grounding. My 90 year old Mom often shares about her time living on a not fancy Midwest farm where she and her siblings went to the outhouse to go to the bathroom, picked up the Sears catalog, read pages and then that was their toilet paper. It worked great she said. And then with the fighting over TP in this country she just was amused at how fast forward in time has not always been a growing time of discernment and understanding on how to live peacefully. Like so much of what you shared Elizabeth, simple lifestyles of family togetherness and mealtimes and loving relationships and healthy rhythms of life bring a settled life of joy.. open to all walks of like. Your friends post shared a life experience of pain and fear that brought about astounding revelation of what really matters, that actually broke through imposed rules and barriers to love and kindness and ultimately a strong and peaceful life. I am so encouraged by this all and I will Continue to embrace all the moments as treasures to be opened and relished! Bless you
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 28, 2020 at 5:28 PM
  
  THANK YOU!
  LOVE THE TOILET PAPER STORY……….I USE TO READ THE SEARS CATALOG IN MY ROCKING CHAIR AT COCKTAIL HOUR!I LOVED IT!I was fascinated with the FARM TOOLS!!I also read the WANT ADS in the newspaper always looking for a JOB I WAS!
  THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT!!
  XX
  - Nancy Case
    · Reply
    
    May 28, 2020 at 7:00 PM
    
    You being the industrious one .. I am not surprised you were always looking for a job? catalogs were so much fun back in the day.. still are and I love that you looked for garden tools. Reminds me of Ava Gabor in Green Acres ?
ellie's friend
· Reply

May 27, 2020 at 9:31 AM

Thanks Elizabeth for this lovely post. Yes the HMO brochure is supercilious. I didn’t realize that “mindfulness” had become such an overused and abused catchword. I think it is important to be “mindful” about many other things but truly “mindful” not just as a catchword.

To the writer who says that covid-19 is only a flu. It is not. Flu becomes contagious when symptoms are seen; with covid-19, like measles for a period, it is contagious even when people are asymptomatic. Unlike other SARS viruses, it is much more contagious. When Sars was on North America, you did not see 100,000 people dying in your country. It could be easily contained. Covid is not. What really got my attention is when someone here took covid home after the person had touched a handrailing in the park on a cold day. The virus lasts in a cool, humid condition for up to 28 days.

I loved reading Katherine’s blog and spent the morning reading all of the posts. Here she is warning her home country to avoid the pitfalls that caused such catastrophic outcomes in Italy. Then we see people in your country on crowded beaches and demonstrations yelling “freedom” — do they want freedom to die, to cause illness in others? Is it so much of a sacrifice for everyone just to stay home for another month or so and then abide by social distancing? Do they think your life — our lives — is worth so much less than their so-called “right” to go to the beach?

And to the person here who wrote that y’all should move to countries with state health care systems, think again — you can just vote for it!

I do not meditate usually — I only do it for surgical procedures without benefit of painkillers. In my mind’s eye, I take a walk/hike on my favourite trail where at this time of year there are hundreds of wildflowers, including wild orchids. Alas, this year I do not have a way to get there due to covid and that I don’t drive! I have made it through several procedures this way. It works!

Elizabeth, you don’t have to be told to be “mindful”, it is ingrained in your soul!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 28, 2020 at 5:31 PM
  
  I LIVe IT………..I REALIZED THAT AFTER I WROTE THIS AND READ THE COMMENTS!I think that is why it bothered me so…….it comes NATURALLY TO ME!
  XX
  - Ellie's friend
    · Reply
    
    May 29, 2020 at 11:48 AM
    
    I think I live it too and that’s why as a catchy, trendy phrase it bothers me too!
D. A. Squires
· Reply

May 25, 2020 at 10:06 AM

So much wisdom and comfort is found in doing simple (even repetitive) tasks and endeavors—where the focus in on work, diversions and hobbies, reading books, the natural world, taking care of family and friends, pets, wildlife–and not on oneself. I think this is what is most seriously wrong today. Looking inward, not outward. Looking down instead of up. Social media platforms are addictive by design, robbing time and talent, cell phones tether the mind and body. Mindfulness should be a natural, organic human experience every single day.. moments of reflection, gratitude, insight, creativity, simple joys, of helping others. It should not have to be taught to adults. And children should learn this from their parents, so that mindfulness is not a conscious thing, but intuitive, instinctive.

A young British man has captured this in a hauntingly beautiful video he wrote and appears in that can be found googling youtube…The Great Realisation… inspired by current events and what we may hopefully learn looking backward, as he reminds us, ‘hindsight is 2020.’ It is, to use a British expression, brilliant.

Will just add as a postscript, we are planting a butterfly garden, esp. for the endangered monarchs… host plants and nectar plants and a small enclosure to watch the metamorphosis, which is beyond compression. The newly hatched monarch will stay on your fingers for a brief time before flying away.. mindfulness at its most magical.
XOXO
PPS I loved reading Katherine’s story, another example of mindfulness at its best…she is a very talented writer…
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 27, 2020 at 8:49 AM
  
  MAGICAL D.A. a BUTTERFLY GARDEN!
  I will watch THE GREAT REALISATION later today!
  MANY thanks for your input it is ALWAYS a JOY TO READ!
  XOXO
PPP
· Reply

May 22, 2020 at 5:51 PM

Ma Chere Contessa,
I really enjoyed this blog and the comments you received were hilarious!
Yes, I agree we should all stop and smell the roses and take time to enjoy meals with family, but the mindfulness
fad isn’t for everyone.
I particularly appreciated the reply that went “..when you eat chicken think about how the chicken lived …ha ha!!! That’s great.
Contessa, you live with an Italian and live like Italians so when you eat, you taste the food, when you’re in the garden you hear the birds and when you chat with people you connect…
That’s the best way to live!
Thanks for sharing the blog from your Florentine friend …it was delightful and made we appreciate visiting Italy.

Congrats on your new granddaughter.
Lucky you!
I so enjoyed the lovely garden blooms
in your last blog!
Take care and I hope your chiropractor continues to keep you fit.
PPP
PPP
· Reply

May 22, 2020 at 5:49 PM

Ma Chere Contessa,
I really enjoyed this blog and the comments you received were hilarious!
Yes, I agree we should all stop and smell the roses and take time to enjoy meals with family, but the mindfulness
fad isn’t for everyone.
I particularly appreciated the reply that went “..when you eat chicken think about how the chicken lived …ha ha!!! That’s great?
Contessa, you live with an Italian and live like Italians so when you eat, you taste the food, when you’re in the garden you hear the birds and when you chat with people you connect…
That’s the best way to live!
Thanks for sharing the blog from your Florentine friend …it was delightful and made we appreciate visiting Italy.

Congrats on your new granddaughter.
Lucky you!
I so enjoyed the lovely garden blooms
in your last blog!
Take care and I hope your chiropractor continues to keep you fit.
PPP
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 23, 2020 at 7:55 AM
  
  SORRY YOU WENT INTO MY SPAM FIRST TIME AROUND!
  THANK YOU SO MUCH………..
  I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY CUTE TOO THE CHICKEN THING!
  YES, I’m a NONNA NOW!
  OH ME TOO………..feeling like a need a TUNE UP SOON!
  XX
Rosemarie
· Reply

May 22, 2020 at 11:40 AM

Good morning CONTESSA

I must say I did get a chuckle re some of your comments in this blog. Especially – spends half her life waiting for the Italian to arrive home.

I am waiting patiently for the peonies to burst open.

Mindfulness – I too wondered in the past what people were talking about. Some of us tho just do it naturally and don’t use the word “mindfulness” – we have always stopped to smell the roses!

I did enjoy Katharine’s post – hope she is making a speedy recovery. I liked how all fell into place with the people she connected with after the accident = beautiful. She is a good writer.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 4:41 PM
  
  WELL, IT’s true………….he tells me he is on his way and three to four hours LATER he arrives!HA!
  PEONIES will be WORTH THE WAIT!!!
  XX
Cara (S. FL)
· Reply

May 22, 2020 at 7:38 AM

I completely agree with your opinions on cooking meals and serving them attractively!

My mother couldn’t stand when people put condiments on the table in their commercial packaging and instilled in my a disdain for same.

I once was part of a rotating potluck where 4 couples participated. The last one I hosted, I was dishing out ice cream in the kitchen to serve the people at the table and one woman became really annoyed: when she asked why the cartons on the table, her partner explained that I preferred not having the cartons on my table and she said to me “just bring the @#$%^&* ice cream and put it on the table!”

We left that group!

I also do not allow cell phones to be on in my house. I detest what they’ve done to our social fabric where the company of devices has become more important than that of other living beings.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 7:53 AM
  
  SHE must have had a bit too much wine!
  MY MOTHER was the same especially with the MILK CARTON!!!
  There was a moment when I had my small family and she was visiting and some comment FLEW BY……………..HA MEMORIES!
  FANTASTIC ABOUT YOU AND LEAVE THE CELL PHONE BEHIND!
  BRAVA TO YOU!
  XX
anitapelayorivera
· Reply

May 22, 2020 at 3:55 AM

CONTESSA!!!!!!!!!!

I finally got in; I tried clicking on the link to your “webpage” off of your profile but it took me to a strange site!

First of all, thank you for visiting my blog. GOODNESS It’s been way too long since I posted but I’ve grown accustomed to posting frequently on IG.

I love your attitude, woman! We need to live our lives are a work of art. That takes practice just like an artist must cleverly and strategically learn the skills to later use her brush to strike at the canvas with freedom, with the innate fountain of goodness.

I know you are published to some extent, but may I say that with every year, you are more striking as ever. I’ve said this to Vicki A. and I say this to you: I would love to photograph you two fabulous women. I hope when all of this mess of a pandemic is over and we head out to Carmel again, that I can have a photo shoot with you. You truly are a magnificent beauty.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 7:48 AM
  
  You’re the second person to tell me that!A DOMAIN SITE?
  
  YOU ARE SO SWEET!I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOU TO COME TO CARMEL AGAIN!
  I WILL DRIVE DOWN AND DO LUNCH WITH YOU and the husband!
  
  THANK YOU Maybe because I was wearing new make up???!!!HA!
  Actually last night I had discovered I have lost another INCH!
  LOTS of changes going on with THY BOD!
  
  BE WELL BE SAFE AND KEEP POSTING!
  
  XX
Caroline Walker
· Reply

May 22, 2020 at 1:18 AM

I have just had a wonderful time re-reading Henry David Thoreau’s book WALDEN for about the fifth time over the years.
It reminds one of the joys of slowing down and being in touch with nature, birds, animals, and so on. It gives one pause for thought. Such wisdom.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 7:41 AM
  
  THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT WAY TO SPEND YOUR TIME……….
  I NEVER READ IT!
  Will see if I can find a copy!
  THANK YOU for sharing THAT!
  XX
Leslie Harris
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 11:11 PM

Elizabeth I always like to sit down with your blog when I have time enough to read all the wonderful comments too. What a great topic you shared, and it was so interesting to hear so many strong opinions. But I always enjoy hearing your views on a subject, and I think we share a lot of the same nostalgia for a certain slower way of living that is much harder to have now. I’m a Cancer too and I know exactly what you mean about setting a lovely table just for the sheer joy it. Mornings, I drink my water out of a crystal goblet with a slice of cucumber &fresh strawberry. I collect cloth napkins and use them. And I’m happy to admit I’ve planted every single plant and flower in my backyard and loved every minute of being in the flower beds, lost in time, while listening to the sounds of the wild birds that I feed daily. I don’t feel much reaction about the self-care mindfulness-health words that are everywhere these days. If they help someone slow down and feel more peaceful that’s a good thing. Because I do think our culture is so fast paced that some personality types really struggle to slow down & need specific help to change.
Thanks for sharing your friend’s blog I was captivated by her story and I would love to follow her. I’m so relieved that you’ve got your health back. I can’t wait for this Covid19 to be under control so we can get back to having visits again!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 7:57 AM
  
  I NEED TO UP MY WATER GAME!
  NO CRYSTAL HERE AND THE ADDED ACCOUTERMENTS!!!!
  THANK YOU and YES YOU WOULD ADORE HER MY BUDDY as she grew up little bit further NORTH from YOU NOW!
  Can’t wait to give YOU a HUG!
  XX
Pipistrello
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 6:20 PM

Ciao Contessa,

I’m afraid Guides For Living aren’t my thing. You cannot get to your 50s in one piece unless you’ve got some idea how being alive works, haha! Great minds through the age have put a lot of thought into how to live well, and they’re called Philosophers, and their take on things has always seemed rather baffling to me, (and my single year of University study of this subject left me none the wiser!!) so I can see the appeal of the New Age of simplicity, but it does seem to smack rather of the dumbing down of everything about us these days. Anyhow, if you were brought up to have good manners and to show kindness in general then I feel you are head and shoulders ahead of the pack.

Your Florentine friend is an excellent writer – what a shock that her first taste of freedom, and we know how constrained life has been for the Italians, had to end in an accident! It was certainly a dramatic reintroduction into society. I wish her a speedy recovery.

Your standing-up-on-the-phone pose is a classic!!

Baci bella xx
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 8:04 AM
  
  I LOVE THIS!
  ” smack rather of the dumbing down of everything about us these days.”
  
  THAT is so SPOT ON!
  “DUMBING DOWN”.
  That is the perfect description that has happened to the AMERICAN people in general!
  WE have hit rock bottom!
  Guides For LIVING………………YOU ARE A GEM!
  BACI
  XX
  - Caroline Walker
    · Reply
    
    May 24, 2020 at 3:40 PM
    
    Perhaps we have “hit rock bottom” as you say, because so few people read non-fiction books or books at all. Over many years there have been numerous books published on “dumbing down”. If anyone is interested and, frankly, we should be interested, I will list a few, in no particular order, that I have found worthwhile.
    1) The Dumbing Down of America by Glen L. Murray.
    2) Dumbing Down our Kids by Charles J. Syds (unsure of spelling)
    3) Dumbing us Down by John Taylor Gatto
    4) The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America by Charlotte Thompson Iserbyt
    - LA CONTESSA
      · Reply
      
      Author
      
      May 24, 2020 at 6:28 PM
      
      THANK YOU!
      I WOULD LOVE TO READ ONE OR ALL OF THESE!
      XX
Jo Floyd
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 3:30 PM

A thought provoking message , folk are caring wherever you are in the world
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 9:06 AM
  
  YES, lets HOPE that stays AS IS!
  XX
Penelope
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 2:17 PM

Well, this is a lot of food for thought. I think you do not need mindfulness courses or reminders because you live mindfully everyday as you share with us. Most people do not and can benefit from some training. As for the breathing exercises, I am a fan of alternate nostril breathing for times of anxiety. I have taught it to people who have in turn found it very useful. I like to practice on a plane when it gets bumpy. As for meditation, I am not so good at it, but it reminds me that I am not my thoughts and my thoughts are not necessarily real. For instance if I were on that bumpy plane I could catch and quiet the thought” Oh my God, is it going to be alright or are we all going down? “ I could remind myself instead that I am safe in this moment, feel the seat beneath me, feel my breath in and out, etc. Well, in any case, I think we won’t have to worry about bumpy planes for some time!
You friend’s bicycle accident account was very moving. I am glad she is alright and found compassionate assistance along the way.
Be well and enjoy the birdsong!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 8:12 AM
  
  I DO LIVE MINDFULNESS DAILY without “PRACTICING IT”, which I think is why it bothers me.For me it comes naturally…….I don’t have to think about slowing down to smell the roses or hear the birds.Or use a beautiful glass for water or THANK the POST GAL for being there or ask the Grocery clerk how he is and can I buy him a candy bar to keep his energy going as I just DO IT!
  I wonder is that something you’re born with or do you LEARN it along the way?
  I want to LEARN the nostril breathing technique!
  Maybe the next time we chat you can coach me along!
  Which will BE SOON!
  XX
kim
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 1:58 PM

ELIZABETH, Love this post. I agree we don’t need to be reminded of mindfulness, but maybe to take time for a break each day and appreciate the world around us. Too many people are addicted to their phones. Honestly I have to check out on Instagram and all that every few days and find the days I potter about the house the most satisfying and soul filling! Never get that from the internet.

We have dinner together every night and use cloth napkins, good plates and nice glasses. I was not always raised that way. My grandmother always did that, but my mom was a product of the 70’s and her and my dad loved paper plates, later in life. Honestly, I won’t eat on paper unless I’m at a BBQ. I was at a beautiful hotel in Italy and they served us with paper plates and paper napkins in and plastic utensils for breakfast and we were all like WHAT? This is so not Italy! LOL.

I love Katherine’s writing and blog and thank you for sharing her story about the bike. It’s inspiring to hear about all the kindness during this pandemic and I truly hope people will be kinder after all of it.

Thank you always for the inspiration and reminder of how to live a beautiful life. It’s the little things that matter! You are so right we should find the joy in cooking and shopping and not consider it a slog…I will try. 🙂 Oh and I LOVE the reader above who said ‘Children learn what they live.’ YES totally. We have to model they way we want them to be.

Hugs and have a beautiful weekend xo
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 9:05 AM
  
  MY MOTHER too used paper plates later in LIFE and LOVED THE MICROWAVE!
  I think we get to a point where some of us just get BURNED OUT as the back hurts etc so they do not have the chore of washing anymore!
  My AUNT and her husband would eat a can of beans out of the CAN for dinner!!!MONEY was not an issue there just a bit of eccentrics and as we get older I hear the appetite goes bye bye!I HOPE WE CAN CALL EACH OTHER IN 20 years and SAY WHATS FOR DINNER??BAKED BEANS or KIDNEY and GARBANZO!!!!
  THE ITALIANS LOVE TO COPY THE AMERICANS……………..just saying!!!
  XOXO
Tara Dillard
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 12:47 PM

Mindfulness? Target too low.

Hooked on transcendence. Been my drug since childhood, trade it for……mindfulness? A living death.

Grace. Prayer. Thanks. Stewardship. God.

Love your Katherine, with a K, Johnson. Whoa, that first pic, May 19th !!

In the garden, common place booking, with my tribe, Church, with my chickens and cats, junking, reading, walking, repeat…transcendence is like joy, always there, to take.

TAKE.

Prayers to all who must wear masks hours each day. They are horrible contraptions. Great thanks too.

NPR episode decades ago, a woman did survey on prisoners, mixed serious offenses/ages/sexes/races, to find common denominator. She found it.

DINNER.

None had dinner at their home table with family, conversation, manners, love, attention…..

Garden & Be Well, XOT

Met new neighbor at our first dinner out last night. He has 2 rescue pot belly PIGS !! Can’t wait to meet them. Never hugged a PIG before.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 8:57 AM
  
  YOU LIVE LIKE ME…………we do not have to THINK about seeing THE BEAUTY IN PEOPLE or GARDENS!
  GIVE THEM scratches FIRST and rub their bellies if they PLOP!
  I Love giving kisses to MY BOY he tries to give back but that wet nose gets to my lips first!
  PIGS ARE GORGEOUS ANIMALS…………..THEY WANT AFFECTION AND TO BE NEAR HUMAN CONTACT!
  XX
sunday hendrickson
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 12:09 PM

Contessa, you just get more and more entertaining…this post was beautiful!
Grazie…
xxooo
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 8:14 AM
  
  HAPPY I CAN MAKE YOU SMILE BELLA DONNA………
  HOW GOES OJAI?
  LONG TIME NO TALK!
  BIG HUG
  XX
bonnie groves poppe
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 11:11 AM

I’ve been to meditation workshops and managed to fall asleep sideways onto the next person. Not very good. I too think this mindfulness thing is overblown, mindlessness is not the opposite, is it? Fine, brush your teeth, take a shower, drink your coffee, while being mindful; maybe mindful of the millions of people who have no shower, no toothbrush, and don’t know what coffee is. Loved your photos, of course. I’m sure you and the Italian eat like that every night. Your friend Kathy’s story was very moving. I live in France, and I think it could have happened here as well. European free or almost free health care is stunning, when I hear stories of American health care I cannot believe it is accepted by so many people. I am so sorry for all of you.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 8:51 AM
  
  THANKS BONNIE!!!
  WHAT WILL IT TAKE……….MAYBE THIS PANDEMIC!
  Something GOOD has to come from something so BAD!!
  BE WELL and YES YOU MADE ME LAUGH!!!
  XX
Heidi
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 11:09 AM

Hi Elizabeth,
I get it, the term is definitely overused and it can be annoying! But, I think the meaning of the word is important, and I try to practice being in the moment, especially now when things seem especially difficult. (A really simple example: I remember one day when my girls where little, feeling really overwhelmed with laundry. I reminded myself how lucky we were to have clean clothing, a nice place to wash and dry them, I noticed the nice fresh scent, the warmth of the fabric etc, etc, suddenly the task didn’t seem so monumental to my day, but rather a pleasure and privilege. It’s an attitude and a different way of being in the world that helps me so much esp. during trying times)
On another note, I, too, was raised in a family that had dinner together every night, at a table nicely set, with candles and flowers and cloth napkins. I do the same in my home and always have, even when my husband was working really late every night when the girls were little. We ate together, my husband’s plate got put in the oven to stay warm, and the three of us took time to discuss the day and connect. It was important to us! As far as cooking, and creating a warm and comfortable home – some things just come naturally to me, even when I had no money I always found a way to keep flowers on the table and create a pleasant atmosphere, and to eat pretty well. I’m happy to see my daughters continuing the practice. My MIL doesn’t believe in putting in effort into the everyday tasks and therefore makes a disparaging comment or questions me every time I begin any task. The simple effort of boiling water for a cup of tea is too much for her, she says “don’t go to any extra effort” all the time, about pretty much everything. She uses the microwave for anything possible, and disposable plates and napkins, and has the TV on all day. Different lifestyle for sure. And she complains that she doesn’t get anything done. Well, you DO need to make an effort to have a certain lifestyle, to engage with others, to prepare healthy and tasty meals, to complete tasks well. I think that is what mindfulness is, to me anyway.
In response to one of the above commenters who believes COVID-19 isn’t real, why do conspiracy theorists always have such smug and patronizing attitudes?? Just wondering.
XO Heidi
- Caroline Walker
  · Reply
  
  May 22, 2020 at 1:09 AM
  
  Why is it necessary to call someone with a different point of view “smug and patronizing”?
  Most unpleasant and, I suppose, another sign of the rather discouraging times in which we live!
  - Cara (S. FL)
    · Reply
    
    May 22, 2020 at 7:29 AM
    
    I agree. It’s insulting to call someone with a different point of view a “conspiracy theorist.” And she did not write the corona virus originating in Wuhan isn’t real, but that it’s a very bad flu. Influenza kills hundreds of thousands of people every year and we do not respond this way. Polio was epidemic in this country for many years and there was not this sort of action where people’s livelihoods have been taken away, perhaps never to return. I am not speaking of the corporations, but of those who live paycheck to paycheck.
    
    In addition, our civil liberties are in danger, with calls for mandatory vaccination and spying on our every move. People are way too quick to give up their constitutional rights.
    - Caroline Walker
      · Reply
      
      May 24, 2020 at 3:26 PM
      
      Totally agree.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 8:47 AM
  
  YOU AND I LIVE IN THE MOMENT!I ADORE YOUR STORY ABOUT LAUNDRY!
  I FINALLY GOT MY JIVE with laundry about TEN YEARS AGO!Maybe because there were only TWO of us which cut it in half if not MORE!Those BOYS could change shirts more than once a day and create a BIG BASKET!
  THE ACT OF PUTTING IT AWAY I NOW FIND SOOTHING!!!!!
  Funny how things can change!
  XX
Lorna
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 10:58 AM

Katharine writes beautifully. I need to subscribe to her blog. Thanks for mentioning me and my chicken recipe. You are the best fairy godmother!
And I also want to say thanks for the encouraging comment. Maybe a story about a cheeky cat is something I can do.
This was a beautiful post Elizabeth. Yes, we all need to be mindful and kind but it is sad that we have to be reminded of it. I was brought up quite strictly too. No food in my bedroom, or any other room, but was allowed to eat snacks in front of the TV. I suppose we were brought up in different times.
Have a wonderful weekend. It’s soon upon us.
Cathy
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 10:25 AM

That was a nice read. Thanks Elizabeth
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM
  
  Glad you enjoyed it!
  Off to the GARDEN I GO……………..XX
Andrea Serrahn
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 9:45 AM

The BIRDS! I have never quite realized how many birds we have in my backyard. So many different cheeps and chirps. The symphony has finally sunk into my soul. Prior to Covid I took their songs for granted, never holding still long enough to really listen. And now, I am so wowed by their talents. This pandemic has changed my rhythms, my vibrations and my breath, in that I feel more in tune with those natural nuances around me. In essence, it’s important to recognize a silver lining when you see/feel/hear it.

And yes a stemmed glass makes water taste better. Cheers to that!
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:42 AM
  
  THEY ARE HAPPY!
  IS IT THE LESS NOISE THE LESS POLLUTION LESS PEOPLE?!!
  I HAVE A TON of HUMMING BIRDS TOO!!!!Usually,I see only one or two…….counted SEVEN LAST NIGHT!
  
  AMEN!
  XX
lisa thomson
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 9:20 AM

Yes, certainly a catch-phrase these days. Like we’ve lost the innate ability to be present. I guess with our technology, gadgets and phones, it is true to a point. My favorite mindfulness person is John Kabat Zinn. He calls it FALLING AWAKE. I love that phrase. He is on you tube if anyone is interested. Thanks, Contessa. And your friend’s words were very profound. Lovely the way she wrote her observations. I hope she is healing up nicely.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:40 AM
  
  FALLING AWAKE is BETTER than MINDFULNESS TO ME!!!
  BRAVA YOU GAVE US ALL A NEW WORD TO FALL IN LOVE WITH!
  XX
your landlady
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 9:14 AM

I mean piazza bianco
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:39 AM
  
  GOT IT!
  XX
your landlady
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 9:12 AM

It’s about time we all pick up and move to a country that has universal health care don’t you think?
I’m so tired of fighting so many battles in this country now…Toxic news on a daily basis.
Did not see included, “the Italians pizza blanco recipe?”
Glad you are breathing more freely and feeling better.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:38 AM
  
  YOU THINK HE WILL SHARE THAT??!!!!
  NOT WITH ME BUT MAYBE WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!
  IT’s a long two DAY process for the dough!TOO much to write out here!
  DO you have a pizza oven?Maybe he can make dough and we come and cook at YOUR CASA when this lightens up!
  XX
Sandra Sallin - Apart from My Art
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 8:50 AM

I don’t mind being reminded to be Mindful and Breathing but SELF CARE!!! PULEEZE! I’m sure your terrible HMO was trying to pretend that they care. Also I’m sure it was written by a PR person as opposed to a doctor. Maybe they should be writing about how to navigate the HMO jungle.
I always enjoy reading about Italy. So that was a delight.
These days it’s good to remember to take a deep breath and think about what you’re doing now as opposed to obseesing about tomorrow.
Who thought up Self Care? Who can we blame?
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 22, 2020 at 8:40 AM
  
  I KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT!The doctors are not writing this stuff and I suppose TONS of PEOPLE need to be REMINDED TO STOP AND SMELL!
  NOT ME……………….and I guess thats why I am tired of READING ABOUT IT!
  AS for SELF CARE!
  THATS Another TOPIC WE COULD EXPLORE!
  As I head to apply the VITAMIN C serum to soak in before the H. ACID stuff and then the MOISTURIZER and while I’m at it should use the water pick before I brush my teeth!
  The routines are getting LONGER NOT SHORTER………….
  XX
LA CONTESSA
· Reply

Author

May 21, 2020 at 8:23 AM

VIA EMAIL:

Love this so much. Your writings are as wonderful as you are and the everything about you! Thank you for my smile today!
NANCY
LA CONTESSA
· Reply

Author

May 21, 2020 at 8:06 AM

VIA EMAIL:

Dear Elizabeth

Just read your latest missive.

– At the end of last year I went to a healthy eating thing at my gym. You had to
book in and there was an ‘assortment’ of people there. I got there early and someone
told me ‘wait there’, so I did. Then I noticed it was past time so I went where I thought
the talk might be and when I got there, there was only one seat left – right in the middle
of the front row. Anyway, that’s where the seat was so I sat down.

It was my first ever ‘listen’ to Mindfulness. My seating meant I had to look attentive.
And awake. She spoke like the new Messiah.
If you ate chicken, she said you had to think of the chicken and where it lived.
If you ate fish, you had to think of yourself fishing by a river.
If you ate salads you had to think of lettuce growing in a garden.

It was pathetic. Sit at the table. Think before you eat.
In a gap, I commented how, when I worked in Scotland, someone told me that
If you picked a flower, it cried. (Before that I’d always believed it was me who said ‘ouch’
when a thorn pricked my finger in the garden.)

Apparently I was not the only person to find it tedious. There was a girl from
Argentina who resolutely told the group that her family ate meat three times a day !

All the things your parents taught you are being discovered. For the very first time !

I worked for many years at the very top of politics. We never got time for lunch –
or coffee.

– I noticed I signed my last email to you ‘Chris’. I am Tricia. Chris is the name
I give when I order my coffee. (It’s easy to spell). Sorry.

Patricia
Ms. Mary
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 6:16 AM

A very well done blog post, as usual. The right combination of feeling, current affairs, pretty flowers, glimpses into your life, and a sweet intro to a new blogger! 🙂

My contribution: even though our family had MANY outside commitments as our children grew (Scouts, sports, academic interests, working parents, etc.), we ALWAYS sat down to eat dinner together. I know it can’t work for every family, every night. But it was a priority for US, and we made it happen. I attribute some of the parenting success we’ve had to this. It helped our children develop their own values. A favorite line: CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE!

Times have changed (we had no cell phones then) but the ART of conversation was not lost to them. For this, I am grateful. Gratitude is my version of mindfulness. I count blessings every day.

YOU are among the blessings in my life. Thank you for all the efforts you put into these wonderful posts. Love to you and the whole family!
<3 <3 <3
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:34 AM
  
  YOU SAID IT “CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE!”
  DINNER was always a PRIORITY.I remember and its still in my cement pot out front I had a DINNER BELL to ring so the Boys could come racing HOME!
  YOU DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB WITH YOUR DAUGHTERS……………..I know first hand because ONE got to stay with me for awhile!
  THANK YOU……………YOU MADE MY DAY!
  XX
Barbara Fryer
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 5:52 AM

I forgot to mention that the word WELLNESS drives me crazy. It’s all over the internet. I know it’s a passing fad but I do see it a lot.
Anyway, I enjoy your stories about your family life and your health which I think has improved, is that correct? I certainly hope so Contessa. ???? From Sydney, Australia
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:28 AM
  
  WELL, YES…………..I could have easily ADDED that one TOO!I feel they have been circulating for years…….TIME FOR AN UPDATE or simply NEW WORDS!
  YES, BARBARA I AM FIXED THANKS TO MY READERS HERE NOT THE MEDICAL HMO WE PAY THOUSANDS TO EACH MONTH FOR MY HUSBANDS COMPANY!
  It all STARTED with a GIFT from a DEAR READER IN New York CITY.Which lead me to an OFF GRID LADY in VERMONT who actually had a client who had the same thing!SHe told me what to do FOR FREE!I then was referred to an ACUPUNCTURIST who discovered my ATLAS was out of alignment………….after about 6 visits I was FIXED!Each visit for 6 weeks I felt BETTER AND BETTER!!!
  COST was minimal compared to what I had been through.COMPASSION and WORRY was VISIBLE.It’s been almost THREE months with NO EPISODES as I CALLED THEM!!!
  THANKS FOR ASKING!
  I DID do a POST A FEW BACK ON IT MAYBE YOU MISSED THAT?
  XX
Josephine
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 5:46 AM

Interesting discussion on mindfulness. I have meditated for 6 years (not sure if it is termed mindulness meditation but dont really care). 20 minutes every morning. You can focus on breathing, a word or use visualisation whatever works for you then you let your thoughts come and go like clouds passing in the sky. Has it made a difference to the way I live? Undoubtedly, Can I discribe it in words definitely not. Once you try and describe the experience it disappears, a bit like Macavity’s cat (T.S.Eliot). It is a full body experience and in my opinion can’t be described.
I do always lay the table for diner and we eat freshly cooked food.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:19 AM
  
  THANK YOU JOSEPHINE FOR YOUR DESCRIPTION!
  Thats the BEST one I have heard!!
  XX
Parnassus
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 4:37 AM

Hello Contessa, To be honest, articles like that Mindfulness one give me a pain, with their (actually) mindless, incessantly grateful Pollyanna-ish attitude. I reserve the right to be thankful or grouchy in my own way, as I please. To borrow a popular Christmas expression, Bah! Humbug!

I do have my own water ritual. No stemware, but I collect these colorful, hand made glasses in many types and patterns, that I love to drink from. It’s also fun to select the one to use next. I suppose they are my equivalent of a garden, especially on all the drab days we get here. On sunny days they sparkle and glow seemingly from within.
–Jim
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:14 AM
  
  TAWAIN LIVING at it’s BEST!Send me a photo of those glasses if they are anything like the little piggies you sent I would love them TOO!
  Thanks for your input…………….I wasn’t sure how this Topic would FLY!
  XX
  - Parnassus
    · Reply
    
    May 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM
    
    Hi again, I will try to get some pics of the glasses. This topic was great–a chance for us all to gripe and complain, which is what most people do best! It’s also a good foil for your many posts about people who express themselves not with buzzwords, but instead through projects, personal style, and real living. –Jim
katerina stepovikov
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 4:23 AM

Darling Contessa. Surely you are aware that this “pandemic” has been made to reset the economies of the world . It’s just a bad flu !! The hospitals have ALL received promised funding…as long as they write that death was caused by this thing……My Dr. is saying it’s a crime against humanity , as am I. Surely you are aware of what’s REALLY going on.
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:09 AM
  
  VERY AWARE……………..RESET LETS HOPE,however I have my doubts on how long it will LAST!I hope I’m WRONG!
  XX
- Liz
  · Reply
  
  May 26, 2020 at 5:03 PM
  
  U R an idiot!
Amanda Riley
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 4:15 AM

I am in 2 minds about mindfulness…I did an 8 week course about 20 years ago, before it became “fashionable” and found it helpful….. I now deliberately take more time to do things, such as get ready in the morning and read more poetry, and potter…I am Queen of pottering! However, it does seem that’s it’s touted as a sticking plaster for all that might not be working in someone’s life. I was discussing this with my son, prior to lockdown, and he felt that in some organisations, managers tended to push mindfulness ,rather than actually look at whether someone had realistic workload!!
I love your friend’s writing… going to catch up on her blog now!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:08 AM
  
  THANK YOU for YOUR COMMENT AMANDA!
  OR I SHOULD SAY QUEEN OF POTTERING!
  I haven’t heard THAT word used in YEARS!I LOVE IT………….I could be your assistant in that area!!!
  BIG HUG,
  XX
Taste of France
· Reply

May 21, 2020 at 3:27 AM

I cringe when I hear “mindfulness” suggested as a solution to problems that somebody should solve concretely, as if everything would be better if we would just take on a different mindset. It feels like a cop-out.
OTOH, many people do just go through the motions of life without giving anything much thought. Or their thoughts are “is mine good enough?” “did he get more than me?” “what will people think/say?” Obsessing over status. But status is never enough, and these people probably do need a suggestion to dig deeper. And there are other people who are at the opposite end of the spectrum, working so hard to keep their heads above water and their families housed and fed and not quite managing. If you are juggling several jobs, you probably don’t have precious minutes to reflect–it’s work, work, work.
One of the reasons people love European lifestyles is that mindfulness is built into the culture. Appreciating food. Appreciating conversation. Taking time to enjoy.
Your friend KathinItaly is a good writer!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:05 AM
  
  BINGO!
  I LOVE THIS COMMENT!YOU NAILED IT ON THE HEAD thank you for “GETTING” what I was trying to say!”
  YES I couldn’t AGREE MORE………..THE EUROPEAN LIFESTYLE is MINDFULNESS and THAT IS THE DRAW FOR US AMERICANS!
  SHE WILL BE THRILLED TO HEAR YOU SAID THAT FROM ONE WRITER TO ANOTHER!!!!
  MERCI……..AMERICANA IN FRANCIA!
  XX
Jane
· Reply

May 20, 2020 at 11:38 PM

The Mindfulness is a tough one for me. The term is used waaaay too often. As I get older I do try to live in and truly “soak in” moments, as they go so fast;, escape our memories, and so sometimes we are distracted by some of the beautiful moments in life. But…I am REALLY annoyed by the term, Self Care. OMG…I shower every day, dress in clean clothes, get manicures and pedi’s, get my har colored and cut every eight weeks. I’m a makeup and skin care addict, And I’m pretty much strict about what I eat and put in my body. And now I need someone preaching self care? As if we never imagined this?? Hahahahaha! I get a lot of self care so stop! It’s not a new concept…just something that sells articles.

I hope you are staying safe and well, my friend. I so appreciate when you visit my blog…you are precious!

Jane?
- LA CONTESSA
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  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 10:02 AM
  
  SELF CARE…………I think someone else mentioned WELLNESS they all go hand in hand. These HEALTH words have been around now for at least a DECADE!!!Time to FIND NEW WORDS PEOPLE!
  AS MOST OF US ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN!
  I LOVE YOUR BLOG!
  XX
  - Elizabeth
    · Reply
    
    May 21, 2020 at 6:07 PM
    
    Good evening Elizabeth!
    
    About 5 years ago I watched a documentary on obesity and the said that it was a direct result of the “death of the family dinner.” I personally think when families stopped eating dinner together we saw the end of so many things. We never ate on the couch, or on paper plates. We ate every meal at the table, and my parents cooked every meal, except for the occasional meal out. My parents engaged us in conversation and taught us manners. So many people now days eat in front of the tv. How do you engage with one another if you are watching tv!
    
    As for meditation, I’ve tried it once at yoga and I cannot clear my mind. My meditation is on my daily walk where I look at the water, walk on the beach, enjoy the birds chirping or running in the sand.
    
    I think doctors are preaching mindfulness because we live in a world where people wake up and immediately turn to their phone, the read their email before their first cup of coffee. Then they eat breakfast in the car or on the train during their commute, they eat lunch at their desk and by the time they get home they are exhausted. Believe it or not people do need to be reminded to slowdown and smell the roses.
    
    I think sheltering in place these last few weeks has given people an opportunity to see what is important in life and it’s not more stuff.
    
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the beautiful post written by your friend.
    
    Take care, Elizabeth
    - LA CONTESSA
      · Reply
      
      Author
      
      May 22, 2020 at 7:37 AM
      
      I AGREE 100 %……………..!
      XX
      - Elizabeth
        · Reply
        
        May 22, 2020 at 3:21 PM
        
        Have a great weekend Elizabeth.
Katharine
· Reply

May 20, 2020 at 9:27 PM

Thank you for sharing me again here, my dear! And as for mindfulness, if the world had more people like you in it there wouldn’t be so much need to talk about mindfulness. But most aren’t like you so … we’re left with needing tools like mindfulness. Crazy world out there. Good thing we have you to help us stay sane!!!!
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 9:58 AM
  
  HA!
  I watched a DOCUMENTARY this week where HE said,” EACH DAY you should HAVE A MOMENT!” Meaning a BURST OF JOY!
  I HAVE BELIEVED IN THAT THINKING FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS!
  BIG HUG!
  I HOPE YOUR ON THE MEND and where was this TAXI STAND…….MY Ponte Vecchio OLD PARKING SPACES??
  XOXOX
Juliet
· Reply

May 20, 2020 at 7:00 PM

MINDFULNESS … yet another buzzword to make one feel inadequate and as though one is doing life wrong. AND, that HMO you mention has likely necessitated the need for deep breathing and meditation. OM. Katherine writes beautifully … heading over to explore her blog. xo
- Barbara Fryer
  · Reply
  
  May 21, 2020 at 5:43 AM
  
  Italy has health care like so much of the western world except the US. I have always been astounded at the cruelty of that system. Time to change it with the election of a new President in November. Good luck ?
  - LA CONTESSA
    · Reply
    
    Author
    
    May 21, 2020 at 9:54 AM
    
    THANK YOU BARBARA…………..thinking is now even if he is voted OUT he will NOT MOVE OUT of THE White House!
    ENOUGH is ENOUGH………can it get any worse???
    Each DAY tells US YES!!!
    XX
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 9:51 AM
  
  SHE IS NEW TO THIS TOO AS YOU WILL BE SOON!!!!!!!!!
  LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR BLOG LAUNCH!!!
  XX
Never Mind Donna
· Reply

May 20, 2020 at 5:23 PM

I so love this blog! I, too detest the word MINDFULNESS. Aren’t we all mindful??? I don’t get it…I so loved reading about Kathy. I completely understand her trepidation of going to the hospital during this pandemic. (I had to go to the hospital in March and was scared to death, and being there for what turned out to be an anxiety attack, was not helped with all we are now facing. I love that her story ended with the taxicab driver; it appeared to be the ‘silver lining’ to her day.
- LA CONTESSA
  · Reply
  
  Author
  
  May 21, 2020 at 9:50 AM
  
  SO, THRILLED TO HEAR YOU ARE OKAY!!!
  YES, I agree THE SILVER LINING WAS THERE!
  THANK YOU!
  XX