"Queens"

Ray and I always, ALWAYS, reminisce about previous trips to our beloved India and... as always it is on our minds, and always in our hearts. It's pretty amazing how people react when I tell them about my trips to India. Rarely do I get "WOW, I would Love to go to India", "You've been there 5 times"???!!!
Sadly, a lot of the time I get..."India...oh, I could never go there, it would be too hard for me"...

HARD FOR YOU???? (there's my reaction)

And that is when I realize that we, as Americans, can be so Completely and Utterly Blind to the fact that, Yes, we ARE spoiled...and then I think...Wow...what GOOD it would do for You to go to India and experience all the Good that is there..all of the Spirituality, all of the Happiness that we see each and Every time we go.

Yes, it can be hard..but it's an Important "hard".

If only everyone could open up their hearts And their minds to the beauty that Lives in a country that I so deeply love and long to return to...

Lessons can be Hard...but I have learned, in my short life here on this Earth, that those are the Very Best Lessons to be learned.

and so...onto the title "Queens"...

if you ever get to Bangalore,India..."Queens" is a "MUST" to eat at...if you need the address..just shoot me a comment~

and yes..last but not least...

NAMASTE~~~~~

Help needed...Women Please Read!!

A friend of mine who lives in New York contacted me and asked me if I would be interested in possibly helping her out by sending some of my "gently used" bra's to her as she has been working with an organization for awhile now called "Hands to Hearts".
I will let you read all about it below...
I sent three of mine today. They were actually pretty new, and I had them sitting in a drawer just taking up space...I have a feeling lots of us women may have some that are un-used, sitting in a drawer as well. If you do, and you would like to help out these women in Uganda..I know they would be so very grateful.
Here is the email...

Hello ladies,
Do you have any bras laying around that you're not going to wear anymore?
Maybe they're worn out, stained, or they never just quite fit right?
Would you be willing to donate them to women in Uganda who desperately need them? I am collecting bras for women in Uganda as part of a non-profit project through "Hearts to Hands International" (please see below)
You can contact me, Linda at pixietail@gmail.com or send to the address below.

Our Project:
Imagine spending everyday without a bra. Ouch.
Now imagine that your day involves walking miles to the water pump, walking even more miles to the market, and your free time is spent working in the fields...without a bra. Ouch.
Now imagine that you have had 4-5 children one of which you are currently breastfeeding, and you don't own a bra. Ouch!

Most women in rural Uganda do not own a bra. Women want bras, they just can't afford them. There are many health benefits of bras, especially while breastfeeding and trying to keep the breasts clean. Fibrous tissue can also be damaged when breasts aren't supported.
Not to mention the fact that it just plain hurts.

Laura Peterson, founder and director of Hands to Hearts International (HHI) is a dear friend of mine who is currently in Uganda working with these women to teach them about the benefits of safety and sanitation in childhood development (among the great importance of mother/child bonding).
One of HHI's supporters is traveling to Uganda and is willing to bring a duffel bag of bras. The only problem is..WE NEED YOUR USED BRAS IMMEDIATELY!! Hands to Hearts International will distribute this first donation at one of their Mother trainings in Kampala. (And because many of the Moms are breastfeeding, nursing bras are greatly needed!)

It only costs a few dollars to send a large Priority mail envelope~ and if you get a few friends together it will cost you even less...
If you can..
Mail bras by May 16th, 2010 to
Sara Cooper
910 Robinson Street
Los Angeles, CA
90026
after that date you may send them to
Linda Ruggiero
Fordham University Dept. of Biology
441 E. Fordham Road
Bronx, NY
10458

Thank You all so much for reading this..and Thank You even more for helping out with whatever you can donate~~

You can read more about this great organization at
http://www.handstohearts.org/