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Sometimes Life Just Speeds By

2013-06-27T08:03:00.002-07:00

I really didn't write that last blog a year ago....I really wrote it last week but, because it had been almost a year since I blogged, I had forgotten how to create a post....But, I remember now! Yea!

The charity fundraiser, Wags N' Wine that Gifts From a Distance participated in last Sunday was a "barking" success. The venue, The Hilton Waterfront Hotel in Huntington Beach, was fantastic. The weather could not have been nicer, and the turnout fabulous. Guests enjoyed fine food, wonderful wine, a photo booth, compliments of JAX Photography, and of course, unique gifts from Gifts from a Distance. One lucky person even took home an amazing gift basket full of Cucina kitchen and hand products provided by guess who? You're right...Gifts from a Distance. Speaking of Cucina, you can find a great selection of Cucina and other natural products by Fruits & Passion at www.giftsfromadistance.com.

If you are a non profit holding a fundraiser and looking for auction items, please contact me at terry@giftsfromadistance.com. We love to help!

Well, it's off to the warehouse. Oh, and the next time I blog, I will share with you a call I got from a customer on Monday. It made my week!

Namaste,

terry

Catching Up in 2013

2012-07-08T11:14:00.002-07:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged for almost a year again. I promise....I really mean it this time. I am going to blog at least once a week. First of all, please Like us on Facebook! Our goal is to have 3,000 likes by the end of the summer. We are 10% there and you and your friends can help us reach our goal! And while you are there, check out the latest animated video from Hal and pick up a discount coupon for www.giftsfromadistance.com!

We have been engaged in a lot of volunteer work since last year - too much to go into right now but, I promise I will tell you about all of the wonderful organizations we support in time.

For those of you living in Huntington Beach, come and visit us at Wags N' Wine, Sunday, June 23rd, at the Hilton Waterfront Pavilion. It's for a great cause - Waggin' Trails Rescue. And...if you mention you read this blog or liked us on Facebook, we will give you a little present!

Happy Father's Day to all who are or who fill that role in a younger person's life.

Namaste!

terry

Spring has finally Sprung!

2011-04-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

Spring has finally sprung in Huntington Beach. Although, according to Google, it only went to 79 today, it felt much warmer. We are hoping to visit the Bolsa Chica Wetlands tomorrow as all the little baby birds have been born and are out tweeting - no not on Twitter! To celebrate Spring, if you are reading this blog, please feel free to use or share this special coupon. Type in "spring" at check out, and your entire order will be reduced by 10%. This coupon is good until May 31, 2011 - perfect time to shop for your Mother's & Father's Day presents. We just found out that we are in the upper third of all websites in the world and with an overall score of 89%, we are only 8 points behind the biggies, like Red Envelope. Not bad for a small, woman-owned and operated business! As you know, I am very involved with local charities. This is a very busy time of year for me. Working Wardrobes is gearing up for its Women's Day of Self-Esteem (http://www.workingwardrobes.org/). I am on the Planning Committee, and I am a Success Coach for this event (as well as for the Men's Day of Self-Esteem). As a Success Coach, we spend the 5 weeks before the event, helping women become more job-ready with sessions including how to write a resume and how to interview. The Duck-A-Thon is happening on the weekend of May 13, 14 & 15. This is the biggest fundraiser for Alta Med's Huntington Beach Community Clinic where thousands of uninsured and medically underserved are treated every year (http://www.duckathon.org/). And, our Soroptimist Club is having its first annual Making a Difference for Women Walk on June 18. If you want to know more about this and/or want to walk (if you live in Huntington Beach or nearby) or sponsor me, please email me at terry@giftsfromadistance.com. Funds raised from this walk will be distributed to charities like Collette's Home, Working Wardrobes, Project Self-Sufficiency and others, both local and international. If you want to know more about our club, go to http://www.soroptimisthuntingtonbeach.org/. If you want to know more about Soroptimist, go to http://www.soroptimist.org/. For those of you who don't know, Soroptimist is the only international organization dedicated to issues affecting women and girls, like trafficking. Thank you for supporting us and for your generosity in helping others. As Mother Teresa once said, "We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love." Until I blog again...Namaste, terry

2011-03-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

We live in Huntington Beach, CA. My step-daughter called yesterday to see if we were okay. My best friend just landed in Hawaii two nights ago for a vacation with her husband - the first in many years - they were evacuated. She called me yesterday to let me know she was ok. No one can predict a natural disaster but, when one strikes, I feel that we can all help. We, at Gifts from a Distance, believe in "giving back." We donate a portion of our proceeds to charitable organizations, we donate goods for auctions that those organizations to help them raise money in order to sustain their humanitarian or environmental efforts, and we believe in promoting those organizations. Today, we are promoting AmeriCares (http://www.americares.org/). AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs – and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs – for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion. We sent them a donation to help the victims of the tsunami in Japan. Since their founding in 1982, AmeriCares has provided more than $10 Billion of aid to 147 countries. If you would like to know more about AmeriCares, please click on the link above.

It's been awhile since I blogged. I will try to be better about it in the future. It is a great way to provide information about what is going on a giftsfromadistance.com as well as other things.

Namaste,
Terry

It's Back To School Time

2010-08-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but, the summer just flew by for me. We are adding many new, fun, practical and collectible items at www.giftsfromadistance.com like the ever-so-popular, Wally Washers. I have stepped up my charitable activities too! Aside from being a member of the Huntington Beach Soroptimist Club, on its board and Vice President of Service Programs this year, I am also the Desert Coast District 2 representative on the Women's Opportunity Award Committee for the next 2 years. It is my responsibility to make sure our district has 100% participation in this award. Whew! And...Working Wardrobes' Men's Day of Self-Esteem is just around the corner, too. I am on the Planning Committee again plus I am a Success Coach again - so excited about that. Working Wardrobes (www.workingwardrobe.org) has been selected as one of the charities in the Pepsi Challenge that will be going on during the month of September. As soon as I receive the link, I will post it. Please go out and support Working Wardrobes. It is a phenomenal charitable organization that assists men, women and emancipated teens to enter or re-renter the workforce with dignity and self-esteem. So, to honor you, I offer you this coupon good through September 30th. Shop at www.giftsfromadistance.com. Type in "bts" at checkout and your entire order will be reduced by 10%. That is our way of thanking you for supporting us. Our charitable contribution this month will be going to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. To learn more about them, go to www.bestfriends.org. And last but not least, if you know anyone at Harpo Entertainment, I have been trying on and off for 14 years to get Jerri Rosen, the Founder and CEO at Working Wardrobes on her show. I am going to be sending 2 videos but, if you know Oprah or someone at Harpo and can put in a good word, that would be a blessing for me. Jerri is truly a modern day angel.

For now...namaste....Terry

Memorial Day and New at gifts from a distance

2010-06-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

I need to be a better blogger...I need to update Facebook, Twitter and Linked In more frequently...I need another me...an organized me. Ok, where to begin. Saw Harry Brown - disturbing but excellent film. Saw the last Shrek in 3-D - don't pay extra for the glasses/not worth it. Cute and entertaining but, it has reached the end. Added a bunch of new pottery to our Art for the Home section, all made in the USA by Double Creek Pottery. Check it out at http://www.giftsfromadistance.com/ceramics___pottery_art_for_the_home. Best thing this weekend...well, it's a tie: 1) Replanted plants in the backyard - turns out Jack, not River, is the master digger so, we will have to keep an eye on Jack (our good dog - ha ha) now and 2) (which actually takes the prize), reconnected with family friends that I haven't seen in many many years compliments of Facebook. Social media sites like Facebook and Linked In have certainly made the world a whole lot smaller.

Well, the long weekend is over. Time to hit the warehouse - we took the whole weekend off - amazing. Next weekend we are off to ACRE, the wholesale crafts expo in Las Vegas. Hope to have more to report after that.

Namaste and Hugs (and say a prayer for Dana who just had a tumor removed from her abdomen),

terry

terry

Stars and their stupid acts

2010-04-28T07:41:00.001-07:00

I read People.com every morning on my Google homepage (as well as the NY Times headlines and other more intellectual things). I must admit I was surprised and yet sad at the headlines today - Sandra Bullock (and for the most part, Jesse James) adopted a little baby boy....Sandra Bullock files for divorce. So many thoughts in my head...It's hard to be faithful to only one person for many in this world - that's why there are so many divorces period but...even harder when your life is under the public microscope all the time. Tiger Woods and Jesse James were just "plain dumb". They had to know in the back of their little brains that some fame seeker would leek the news that they had slept with them - come on, how dumb can they be? It leads me to believe they really wanted to get caught. And Jesse, you have this wonderful, beautiful adoring wife and you pick a woman who, in my mind, does not look pretty on the outside or seem pretty on the inside - that's certainly thinking with the wrong part of your body! Because you and Sandra Bullock seemed so different, I almost felt as though you could make it but...I guess when I think about the fact that you have been married before, maybe that wasn't to be the case. And yes, you hurt those closest to you but, since you are in the public eye, you also disappointed your fan base. It's too late to go back but, hopefully this will be something you think about in the future....and because, I am a romantic optimist, do I hope you and Sandra will someday put your collective lives back together - yes, in a way I do.

On a different note, when it comes to babies, we are getting more and more organic and natural products for babies and toddlers at www.giftsfromadistance.com. You will see our Babies, Toddlers and Kids of All Ages expanding in the next few weeks. Be on the lookout for a special coupon....and Sandra - Happy Mother's Day! Enjoy your little boy!

Al Gore, where is the global warming? I am cold!

2010-04-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

With all this talk about global warming, I am cold...and I live in southern CA. I am concerned with the fact that the earth has changed its axis by milliseconds and combined with global warming, that may be changing our climate in strange ways. This morning when we walked our dogs I could see my breath...and it is almost MAY.

From an article called Climate Changes Due to Global Warming by Nathanial Fiset in 2007: "How global warming brings climate change and what it means to us The earth's climate has always been changing, although not at an abrupt rate. There had been periods of warming and cooling in the earth's 4.65 billion-year history. Strange as it may sound to some, this is the reason why life became possible on this planet millions of years ago. Unfortunately, not all of the changes in climate brought about by global warming may be beneficial to many of us." And he goes on to say, "Spring may be experienced earlier and temperatures during night time and in winter will rise. The world will experience a more humid atmosphere since sea water will have a higher rate of evaporation. With greater humidity, rainfall is expected to increase on average.
Storms will also occur with more frequency and intensity. Ironically, water in the soil will evaporate faster, causing dryness between rains. Regions that are already considered dry will experience more dryness. Some semi-arid regions in the African continent, for example, may suffer more while areas that depend on their region's mountain snow packs for irrigation will not benefit from earlier melting between growing seasons.
With warmer weather, some hurricanes will be more severe and winds are expected to blow stronger. It is also possible that wind patterns may shift. Extremely cold periods may be experienced as well." (Maybe that explains our weather!!)

Is there a way to get our good weather back? If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them.

On a different note, we are running a Mother's Day coupon at http://www.giftsfromadistance.com/ this month. Type in "mom" at checkout and receive a 10% discount on your entire order.

Have a great day today!!

terry

I hope Spring has finally sprung

2010-04-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

We live in southern California...sunny, warm southern California...well...not quite....March came in like a lion and went out the same way - what happened to the lamb? And...so on to April....We experienced a decent, rolling earthquake last weekend - always a good wake up call. My baby car was rear-ended, not once but twice by the same truck and went into the body shop for the first time in its 14-year lifespan....That was definitely a bummer and another good wake up call! I connected with a good friend of mine whom I hadn't talked to for years. The daughter of another friend of mine was married in Mexico. I remember Sam when she was 4 1/2 yrs old. Our wireless network at our warehouse for www.giftsfromadistance.com went down for almost an entire day this past Monday definitely putting the brakes on all of our shipping for that day....and so, after a minor spill, I fill my cup half full again and express gratitude to my husband, Hal, for his patience - my step-daughter, Sandy, for working part-time for me and allowing me to get some other things done and to my customers who make having an online gift business worth all the time and energy it takes to keep it going. With that being said, we are gearing up for Mother's Day and have created a wonderful, little coupon at www.giftsfromadistance.com. Type in "mom" at checkout and see what your discount will be! It's a surprise, and it will be on your entire order!

Well, on to get ready to get the carpet cleaned~

Namaste and hugs for all,

Terry

Catching up

2010-03-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

It's been way too long since my last blog....River and Jack have tried their hand at sheep herding. You can see them on Youtube.com. Go to youtube.com and search on halandterry. I took a "girl's only" trip to Cabo and saw some of the most amazing whales...plus had awesome sushi (well, really sashimi), great mai tais and yummy tequila. Lucky for me, my step-daughter, Sandy, is inbetween jobs right now because she ran giftsfromadistance while I was gone! Speaking of Sandy, if you're reading this and are looking for someone in the LA area who is an expert in payroll and HR and also knows major systems like SAP and KRONOS, you can contact her through us at info@giftsfromadistance.com. Sandy is an intelligent professional who works well with others and is dedicated to doing her very best. As luck would have it, the last two companies she worked for both moved her position to other states and Sandy chose to stay behind to be close to family and friends. Business, at gifts from a distance, has been on an upswing. We had the best February ever in the history of the company - thanks to people like you - and we have a great special right now. If you spend $75 or more, type in "irish" at check out and your shipping will be FREE! That is a savings of $12.99 or more, depending on what you spend! This coupon is short-lived, however. It will expire on St. Patrick's Day but, don't worry, we will be replacing it with another one for Spring!

Well, the dogs are calling - it's time to go play!

Take care.

Hugs,
Terry

2010-01-11T18:08:00.000-08:00

I never get the flu but...I just got over a bout of gastroenteritis, aka, the stomach flu which really isn't a flu at. Read on...What is Stomach Flu?
Gastroenteritis, also called stomach flu is an irritation of the stomach and the intestines. It usually goes away (by itself) in a couple of days. The stomach flu is often called the 24 hour flu because it usually goes away by itself within a couple of days. Germs which cause stomach flu get into your body through your mouth. Stomach flu usually takes several days for symptoms to appear.
Even though Gastroenteritis is often called the "stomach flu," it is not caused by the influenza viruses.
Symptoms of Stomach Flu
Some of the most common symptoms of Stomach Flu are: diarrhea, fever, headache, dehydration and vomiting. Vomiting and fever may or may not occur, but diarrhea almost always occurs. The symptoms of stomach flu usually takes several days to appear.
What causes Stomach Flu?
Stomach flu is caused by bacteria, viruses and certain parasites. The bacteria, viruses and parasites can be found in soil, wild and pet animals including birds, and humans.
The stomach flu occurs when the germs enter the stomach. Germs that cause the stomach flu usually enter the stomach by mouth.
How Can I Avoid Getting a Stomach Flu?
Since the stomach flu is often spread by putting germs in your mouth, washing your hands is the biggest way you can avoid getting a stomach flu.
Call your Doctor
If you think you have the stomach flu, tell your doctor. Your doctor can prescribe medicine that will help ease symptoms.
Well, now that I know the doctor could have prescribed something to ease the symptoms, I will not suffer all night as I just did if this "stomach flu" strikes again! So, I guess I was right, I never get the flu but, you can get something good if you shop at www.giftsfromadistance.com this month. Type in "2010" at checkout and your entire order will be reduced by 15%. This coupon expires on the 31st so, you really only have until the 30th to take advantage of it!
Hugs,
Terry

2009-12-27T07:55:00.001-08:00

It feels like forever since I have blogged....and in terms of "blog years", it has been. Between myself and 6 part-time assistants (including the very special Skinner Courier Service), we shipped over 1500 orders in the first three weeks of December - made a few booboos - which of course I hope to improve on but otherwise, all went well. So now that the Christmas rush is over, I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to all who helped - Hal, Sandy, Angela, Kelly, Carol, Frank, our mail carriers, our UPS driver and our FEDEX driver....all contributed to our success this season but... most importantly, I would like to thank our customers! If it weren't for you, none of us would have been working this Christmas season. I am beginning to think that, for the most part, I am blessed with the BEST customers in the whole world so THANK YOU again. And to add to our thanks, we will be extending our 15% off your entire order throughout January. From January 1 - January 31, type in "2010" at checkout and your entire order will be reduced by 15% - even items on sale will be reduced by 15%! That is one way we can say Thank You for shopping with us!

We wish you a happy, healthy, prosperous 2010!

Hugs,

terry

I feel like a turkey

2009-11-11T03:28:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you act like a turkey...sometimes you feel like a turkey...it's the latter for me right now....or maybe i feel like a chicken - running around with my head cut off.
Before I get into why I feel like a turkey...or a chicken sans head, let me tell you that this month's coupon at www.giftsfromadistance.com is "turkey". Type in "turkey" at checkout and your entire order will be reduced by 10%.
So, let's talk turkey...or turkeys. Did you know that the wild turkey has longer legs and neck, a more slender body, smaller head, and darker plumage than does the domestic turkey? Did you know (or do you really care) that the tips of wild turkey tail feathers are light brown, while those of the domestic turkey are white. Well, that certainly is a fact you can't live without:-)
Here is some additional turkey information you were dying to know:
In response to disparaging remarks made in the media about turkeys, Oregon State University poultry scientist and animal science professor Tom Savage says "They have no idea what they are talking about." He attributes the awkward appearance and peculiar behavior of domestic turkeys to the selective breeding they have been subjected to for meat production. As an example of their intelligence, Savage points out the sociability of the birds, noting that they will play together with an apple "kind of like football." Regarding the myth that turkeys are stupid enough to drown in the rain, Savage and his colleagues at OSU discovered a genetic condition called tetanic torticollar spasms that afflicts some turkeys. It causes them to act abnormally, sometimes cocking their heads and staring at the sky for 30 seconds or more. "It's an example of how a misunderstood animal behavior becomes identified as proof that the animal is extremely lacking in intelligence," Savage notes.
So...now why do I feel like a turkey? I pride myself on awesome customer service and this week I fell short of my own expectations. My inventory managment system is off and I didn't know it so, I thought I had stock that I didn't and I sold items this week I can't ship - some will be shippable in a week - some not at all. I was so busy yesterday that my dogs didn't get their morning walks until 4pm. I haven't kept up with my reading and am 2.5 books behind that I want to read. And, last but not least, I neglected you for a few weeks. Sorry about that. Even though this is our busy season, I will try to do better on keeping in touch with you...but if I act abnormally, cock my head and stare at the sky for 30 seconds or more, please forgive but, don't chop off my head. I'm not ready for the roasting pan yet.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Terry

Halloween is almost here

2009-10-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Just so I don't forget....we have three days left on our "boo" coupon. Shop at www.giftsfromadistance.com until October 31st, type in "boo" at checkout and receive a 10% discount on your entire order! Stay tuned for our November coupon! Now on to Halloween. Halloween used to be my favorite holiday. You can dress up in a silly costume. You can visit all of your neighbors. You can carve a pumpkin and put a candle in it. You can see all the little kids in their costumes. You can decorate your front yard and your door or your house. It was a fun holiday! I used to go Trick or Treating for Unicef on Halloween too. That was part of my early training in "giving back". It's never ended. But Halloween is not the same anymore. Parents are afraid to let their kids trick or treat. We have a shopping center near by that sets up a "safe" Halloween for the kids between 3-5pm so, we don't get as many little kids as we used to. I'm not even giving candy this year - I bought little plastic rings so no one needs to be afraid of getting something that will make their child sick. But...people still enjoy Halloween and have or go to Halloween parties and they still dress up and still buy and carve pumpkins. Maybe I am just being nostalgic today.

I'm off to take Jack to Dog's Day Out for a day of pampering by sisters Kelly and Laurie. River is going tomorrow so I can pick him up clean and then we can go to Doggy Boot Camp where we are both learning the fine art of silent commands.

In case I don't get back before November 1st - Have a wonderful and fun Halloween!

Hugs,

Terry

Time Really Does Fly

2009-10-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

I just looked at the date of my last blog and realized it was just over 2 weeks ago. Do you realize that two weeks is 14 days and that 14 days is 336 hours and that 336 hours is 20,160 minutes and that 20,160 minutes is 1,209,600 seconds which is a boatload of seconds? Yes, time does fly....although it seems to fly faster when you are very young or over 50. Somewhere inbetween, it doesn't seem to fly as fast. You spend time as a teenager wishing you were out of high school or 21 or out from under your parents' control and it feels like time just drags - then you hit 20 and it seems like 21 will never get there...and then one day, you are 50! How did you get there?

But enough about time today, let me fill you in on some of the highlights of my life the last 1,209,600 seconds....well actually, 1,296,000 seconds!

Well, for one, compliments of Hal, we now have 1900 products listed on Sortprice.com! Yea, Hal! We also have more products listed on www.girlsofallages.com and are actually beginning to get some traffic on that site. Not sure how to create a coupon yet on girls of all ages but we do have one of www.giftsfromadistance.com this month and it is "boo". Type in "boo" at checkout and you will receive a 10% discount on your entire order. Our "hot" children's item this year seems to be the plush hamster in its carrying case. Another "hot hot" item is the puplight!

It has not been all work, work, work for me the last 1,296,000+ seconds. I enjoyed a long weekend with my best friend, her two sisters, my god-daughter, Vanessa (and her two children and husband), and my "adopted" god-daughter, Ariel in Utah the weekend of the 9th. The big highlights of our "seester" reunion, besides just spending some quality time together, were a trip to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (a must trip for all animal lovers - more later), a picnic and afternoon at Zion National Park (awesome!!! want to back for more hikes) and a trip to a store in Colorado City, Arizona - the polygamist community - felt like I had just stepped onto the compound on the set of Big Love.

A little bit about Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (www.bestfriends.org)

Best Friends Animal Society is guided by a simple philosophy: kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us. In the late 1980s, when Best Friends was in its early days, roughly 17 million dogs and cats were being killed in shelters every year. Despite the commitment of shelter workers to the animals in their care, the conventional belief was that little could be done to lower that terrible number.

Best Friends' No More Homeless Pets campaign created a new vision: A grassroots effort to place dogs and cats who were considered "unadoptable" into good homes, and to reduce the number of unwanted pets through effective spay and neuter programs. Since then, the number of dogs and cats being destroyed in shelters has fallen to approximately 5 million a year. There has been much progress,but there is still much more to do.

Best Friends has 800 cats, 400 dogs, bunnies, birds and horses on its 3800 acres in Kanab, Utah. Not all of their animals are adoptable. Some are old, some are injured and some are sick but none are turned away and all are treated with love.

If you are looking for a charity to contribute to or volunteer with and you love animals, you may want to look into Best Friends.

It's almost 7am and my two best friends, Jack and River, are telling me that the sun is coming up and it is time to start our daily walks. We are still doing separates because they both still react to kitties on the street and I can control them one at a time but not together plus, River is back in boot camp so, our walk is a practice session every day - some day I hope all this training will just kick in:-)

Until my next blog,

Hugs to all,

Terry

When the tables turn and children become parents to their parents

2009-10-04T13:48:00.000-07:00

Greetings! It's been a few days since I last blogged. We have been working hard at spiffing up www.giftsfromadistance.com while growing www.girlsofallages and our Amazon offerings. You know it is coming into the season of giving, right? We have a Halloween coupon this month. Type in "boo" at checkout and your entire order will be reduced by 10% but...enough about business and on to my subject for the day, When children become parents to their parents. It is predicted that children born now will live to be 100. Whew! That is great as long as their quality of life is good and they are not rocking or rotting away in a nursing home with no one to visit them or not knowing their loved ones when they come to visit. We are going through the role reversal right now with my husband's mom and step dad. They own their own home but are really unable to care for themselves completely anymore. They don't drive - although my mother-in-law does try to walk about 3 miles a day with her walker - and she does when she is feeling well but, they don't eat well - well, at least they didn't. They want to stay in their home so, we have hired a caregiving service which allows them to be more independent while having help. The folks that help out do the grocery shopping - take Jack to Nifty After 50 so he can get some excercise, clean and cook for them plus more. There is a really good article regarding keeping your aging parents at home that was in US News and World Report back in November, 2007. I am including the link here: http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2007/11/02/15-things-you-can-do-to-keep-mom-and-dad-at-home.html. You don't realize how much there is to do and I found this article helpful. I hope you do too!

On to get ready to go out - Hal and I are going to charity fundraising event for Working Wardrobes (www.workingwardrobes.org) called Blue Jeans and the Blues. Should be fun. I will let you know all about it later.

Hugs,
Terry

Are all dogs trainable?

2009-09-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

Help me, Cesar Milan and prove me wrong!! I am beginning to wonder if our younger dog is really trainable.
River, our Belgian Sheepdog, is 16 months old. We got him when he was 9 weeks old. We have had three rounds of training and are about to start doggie bootcamp in a few weeks. I religiously practice with him every day and yes, he does a few things correctly. He can sit, stay sometimes (although I think he has DADD - doggie attention deficit disorder) and down....but no matter how hard I try and no matter what technique I use, I just can't seem to get him to heel in the right position and for any length of time so our everyday walk is one giant training session - every day...and I am sure it is as little fun for him as it is for me (although he gets overly excited as soon as I head for the closet where his leash lives).
River's breed, I just found out is not in the top ten of easily trainable dogs. The top ten includes (in this order): lab, australian cattle dog, border collie, australian shepherd, flat-coated retriever (whatever that is), german shepherd (that's Jack's main heritage - he's our other dog), doberman, papillion, poodle, bearded collie and pembroke welsh corgi. Here is some additional information I discovered: How much of a dog's behavior can be changed by training?
answered by Kelley Filson, CTC, CPDT
ANSWER:
That depends on the dog, the breed or type, and what you want to change.
Some behaviors are deeply rooted in genetics and are building blocks of a dog's personality. Other behaviors are products of genetic selection or breeder's preference. Finally, there is how you socialize and train your dog.
Behaviors are Related to a Dog's Breed
All dogs have individual personalities that make them unique, but there are also traits that are genetic in origin. These are referred to as breeds (Akita, Poodle, Schnauzer) and classifications (Hound, Working, Herding). RIVER IS A HERDER.
There are exceptions to all, but in general a breed's history can tell you a lot about a dog's personality. Additionally, a breeder's profile can also tell you about what personality traits they find desirable. HIS PARENTS ARE BOTH CHAMPIONS AND VERY WELL BEHAVED PLUS THEY HAVE GREAT OUTGOING PERSONALITIES (RIVER IS A LITTLE SHY AROUND PEOPLE HE DOESN'T KNOW)
Below is a very general outline of some common classifications and an overview of their history and behavioral traits.
Terriers are often small, but VERY ENERGETIC! They were bred to patrol and hunt for vermin--a never-ending job. Without enough exercise and "hunting" activities, they often frustrate owners with undesired digging or barking.
Herding dogs are mostly small to medium in size, and clever! They need lots of mental and physical exercise such as dog sports like flyball or agility to keep their problem-solving brains active and happy. They do poorly, even in large spaces, if there is little to do, or if the activities are repetitious (barking at dogs on the other side of the window/fence).
Breeds with guarding backgrounds can be great with family members, but they have a genetic propensity to be wary of strangers. They need extra socialization in order to be friendly with all people. Even the best socialization efforts may result in dogs that are wary of new people or overly protective of "their" spaces.
Retrievers like Labradors and Goldens are popular, but with that popularity comes tremendous variety and you need to really look hard at the personality and not the package wrapping. Labs are a good example. Field labs are intense and need jobs. English Labs are smaller, more compact and mellower than their US counterparts. Many labs in the US fall somewhere in between these two versions, depending on the breeder's preference for personality or which "look" is popular with their clients.
Lap dogs and Toy breeds are often small and cute and experience waves of popularity. These adorable pocket-sized dogs tend to be hit hardest by behavior problems associated by puppy mill breeding and impulse purchases. And, serious behavior issues (like housetraining) may go untreated because of small, unnoticed problems or because the behavior seemed "silly" at first. A five-pound biting dog may seem like a joke, but even small dogs can do damage to a face or small child.
All dogs are unique and can learn new things, but some behaviors are genetic and harder to alter.
Ultimately, a dog's behavior is the result of many factors, including breeding, socialization, training and individual motivation.
I often hear comments like, "You get what you put into a dog." The implication being that bad dogs are created by bad people, and that good people will have good dogs. This is unfair.
A dog's personality and behavior is a random combination of various traits from various pools of information. If your dog is behaving badly, don't worry about why or where it came from, just look for a solution.
Kelley Filson, CTC, CPDT is a Certified Dog Trainer and has a degree in Animal Science.
TO FIND GREAT GIFTS FOR DOG AND CAT LOVERS, TRY OUT WEB STORE AT www.giftsfromadistance.com

The Joys of Doing Business on Amazon

2009-09-24T16:18:00.001-07:00

Now don't get me wrong, I am happy to be part of the Amazon family. Gifts from a Distance has about 1500 different items that we sell on Amazon and as we all know, they are the 800 pound gorilla of retail on the internet. No one comes close....and I mean no one! Amazon is to the Internet as Microsoft is to PC's and laptops....HUGE! But...that does not mean that life is perfect in Amazon-land. Ok, so here's my dilemma - sometimes I will put out a product that someone else already has listed on Amazon. I will have my own picture and my own description and they will have theirs - which may or may not be accurate but...Amazon reserves the right to use whoever's information and picture that they choose to use...so sometimes what I think is out for the public to see isn't....and, it is very frustrating when I send someone something different from what they thought they ordered. But, like I said at the beginning, I am happy to be part of the Amazon family.

Namaste,

terry

Beware of too much talking!

2009-09-21T07:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, my husband, Hal, and I (along with our dogs, Jack & River) went to the Pacific Islander Festival at the Huntington Beach Public library. Presented by Pacific Health Partnership (PIHP) the event featured the Cultural Traditions, Performances and the Arts of the Pacific Islands. Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Aoteroa (Polynesia), guam, Northern Marianas, Marshall islands (Micronesia) and Fiji (Meleanesia). Island Villages, Cultural Demonstrations, Live Hands-On Arts Projects, Authentic Island Music & Performers, Story Telling, Pacific Island Food Booths and Craft Vendors. While the food we had from Tonga was excellent, the rest of the festival left much to be desired, in part because the Master of Ceremonies did not know when to stop talking and let the performers perform. We waited and waited to see acts perform while he gibbered and gabbered for about 15 minutes inbetween each one. There were only about 4 actual craft booths and the other vendors were selling touristy items that you would expect in a touristy area - some made in China. As an on line retailer (www.giftsfromadistance.com, www.girlsofallages.com, www.catattitude.com and www.dogloversrock.com) I am always on the lookout for unique native crafts and was hoping to find something there but I was out of luck. did I say the food was good?? Of course, I did. What we ate was excellent - our plate included two pork ribs (we opted for pork but next time will try the sibi - a lamb rib, I believe, sweet potatoes, something green with ham (looked like spinach but was a little bitter), a sausage that kind of reminded me of a banger, a crab salad and the Tongan version of chop suey, which used those thin, opaque noodles and was quite good. I am going to search for some Tongan recipes to try at home. All and all it was a nice day for a walk in the park but the festival itself, other than the food, was a little disappointing. Since it was only the 2nd Annual Pacific Islander Festival, we are hoping it will be better next year. Still reading? Shop at www.giftsfromadistance.com. Type in "bts" at checkout. You will receive a 10% discount on your entire order!

Aloha,

terry

What to do when you can't sleep

2009-09-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night - my mind whirring with all kinds of related or unrelated thoughts - and try as I may, I just can't fall back asleep so, I get up. I tried reading but the chatter in my brain kept me from concentrating. I really didn't want to watch tv although I am behind on one of my reality shows - I won't tell you which one because, you would laugh at me, I'm sure - unless of course, you are my friend, Barbara, who watches the same one.
Anyway, here is what I do. I play Jamble (it's kind of like Scrabble but sometimes the rules change with regard to a word's point value and you don't know they are going to until they do). Jamble can be found at www.itsyourturn.com and there are actually a few varieties of Jamble - my favorite being Wild Jamble. Because it is an online game, I find that my opponents are from all over the world (the UK, Scotland, Jakarta, Grenada and Alabama). Since they are all over the world, they are on different time frames so I can sometimes get a lively game going at 3am my time.
When Jamble doesn't work, I put more products on the web - either on www.giftsfromadistance.com or on Amazon - I haven't learned how to put products out on www.girlsofallages.com yet. I should probably just do that as I am still so far behind in terms of getting products on the web.
I also need to clean up/out my warehouse but I don't think it would be wise to go over there and start working at 3am - someone might think I am a robber and call the police. That would be embarrassing.
We are going to have an inventory clearance sale at the end of this month - we have 300+ items that will be grossly discounted. Good stuff - just needs to move out. If you live in Southern CA, you may want to come to it. If you are interested, email me at terry@giftsfromadistance.com and I will send you the details - the date will be 9/26.

Well, Jack and River are calling - "It's walk time...It's walk time!"

Somebody's reading my blog!!

2009-09-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

I am so excited. Yesterday I received an order on our www.giftsfromadistance.com website from a woman in Louisiana. She called because she wanted to make a change for the order. Because she had used our "aye" coupon (type in "aye" at checkout throughout September, and your entire order will be reduced by 10%), I thanked her for shopping with us again. She said she had not shopped with us before but had come to our site through a search engine, saw our link to my blog and decided to see what we were all about. I am so excited - I guess I already said that - can you tell I am excited??
On a different note, you may or may not know but, I donate a portion of my proceeds to charitable organizations. I have this wonderful woman in Texas who is affiliated with All Texas Dachshund Rescue (www.atdr.org) who always buys her gifts from us. She buys, what else...Hot Diggity Dogs! With her last order, I sent her a small donation check but if you live in Texas, you may want to check them out. All Texas Dachshund Rescue is a group of dedicated volunteers whose primary goal is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home neglected, abandoned, disabled and otherwise endangered Dachshunds throughout the state of Texas. We rescue dachshunds in the Austin, Dallas / Fort Worth, Houston & San Antonio metroplexes, as well as in surrounding areas including Abilene, Corpus Christi, Longview, Midland and San Angelo.
More? I am so full of news today! Our new website, www.girlsofallages.com just became more real. We were just approved for our shopping cart from Visa, MC, AMEX and Discover so, we should have those working sometime next week. Right now we are just accepting PayPal but, that's not all bad because, we still don't have many products out there yet. It is a lot of work to maintain the two sites plus our Amazon offerings.
My mother-in-law, Ann, came home from the hospital yesterday. She had a tumor removed from her colon and is already up and walking around. She will be hiking out sometime soon; I just know it.
My friend, Catou, begins her regimen of radiation and oral chemo. I know you probably don't know her but send her some healthy prayers anyway, please. She is a beautiful, inside and out, woman.
The dogs are getting restless so, I guess I am late on their walks. Still doing separates until who knows when...but we are all getting better. We are going to get Jack the "zapper" collar to control his kitty chasing urges and River and I are signed up for obedience bootcamp. I am determined to win a prize at an AKC event with him. He is perfect when we practice in the house - do you think I can talk the AKC into holding an event in our kitchen? As soon as we are outside, he has short-term memory lapse.

That's it for now. Thank you in advance for your prayers.

Namaste and hugs,
terry

Falling behind on the blog

2009-09-13T04:43:00.001-07:00

This has been such a crazy week. I have really fallen behind on my blog. I don't know where to start.
I went to a SCORE Women's Breakfast (there were men there, too) on Friday. It was a great networking event plus I sat with a woman I had met through Working Wardrobes (www.workingwardrobes.org) when I first began www.giftsfromadistance.com. Small world - indeed it is.
Along with many other Americans, I suffer from diverticulitis due to having diverticulosis.
For those of you who are blessed not to be cursed with that, here is what it is. Diverticulitis is swelling (inflammation) of an abnormal pouch (diverticulum) in the intestinal wall. These pouches are usually found in the large intestine (colon). The presence of the pouches themselves is called diverticulosis. To date, I cannot figure out what sets it off so, tomorrow, I am going to begin an "elimination diet" - much the same kind of diet someone suffering from allergies goes through - in hopes of determining what makes me feel bad. I am hoping to chronicle my diet in hopes that if someone else who reads this blog also suffers from diverticulitis, they will gain some insight and some benefit from what I am attempting.
In the meantime, if you love chihuahuas, we have a great coupon at www.giftsfromadistance.com this month. Type in "aye" at checkout and your entire order will be reduced by 10%!

Breathing a sigh of relief

2009-09-08T22:46:00.001-07:00

I don't know where the days are going. I had hoped to blog every day.
Hal's mom had her tumor removed today - her doctor was extremely encouraging - said he got it all - no chemo/no radiation. My friend, Catou, who had a brain tumor, has been released from the hospital and my neighbor at our our warehouse, Rick, was out with a friend. He's the one who was hit by a motorist while riding his Harley.

I still need your help with endorsements at http://shinealight.ivillage.com/sbo-profile/?ProfileID=2115. Giftsfromadistance.com was nominated for a spotlight award. I need 31 more endorsements before the 13th to be considered.

To endorse our store, follow the link above. On the top left, click on support this story, endorse now. You will need to register in order to endorse us. We would greatly appreciate it. It would be a major benefit to us to get the marketing support from American Express and NBC.

Thank you for reading my blog and for caring.

Hugs,
Terry

PS Today River turned 16 months.

You never know what kind of ball life is going to pitch you

2009-09-05T16:35:00.000-07:00

I just realized I haven't blogged since Tuesday. My mind has been somewhere else, and it probably would have been good for my soul to have blogged but, I just couldn't seem to find the time to do so.
They said bad things happen in threes so, if that is the case, I am done for a long time (I hope). To begin with last weekend, my neighbor at our warehouse, was out for a bike (motorcycle) ride with some friends when a car who saw him coming lurched forward and hit him, breaking his kneecap and pretty much crushing a lot of bones in the same leg. Then, my mother-in-law called an ambulance because she was throwing up and feeling nauseous. She had been admitted and released the week before. Well, this time, it turned out to be more serious than they thought the week before. A huge tumor was discovered in her colon and left untreated, she would have most likely died within three months. Plus, her life would have been hell. Last but certainly not least, one of my fellow Soroptimist Sisters in Huntington Beach was diagnosed with a brain tumor this past week. Her surgery was Friday.
I know you've heard it said a million times before - Let your loved ones and friends know you love them. Don't hold back thinking you have all the time in the world to let someone know how you feel because you may not. Life is precious. When we are born, we are given the gift of life. How we use it is, for the most part, entirely up to us. Don't let it pass you by. Don't be afraid to sing out loud in the shower and dance with your vacuum cleaner, your children or your pets.

Thank you for reading this blog and for taking the time to shop on our website. Thank you for smiling at someone you pass on the street, even if you don't know them. Thank you for giving someone a hug when they don't need it. Thank you for being you.

Terry

Business integrity

2009-09-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first day of September! Today was a monumental day for me. I took my 13 year old BMW Z3 to a new mechanic. It is the first time the car has been anywhere but the dealer for servicing. You might ask why, after so many years, did I decide to try someone new? Well, I'll tell you. To begin with, servicing your car with the dealer is more expensive than servicing it with an independent...especially if your car is out of warranty. And, servicing your car with the dealer does not guarantee that you will get an honest assessment. Per the dealer, my car needed about $1400 in repairs - not including the oil change. Seeing as how they did the analysis on a computer which I got a copy of, I did not question it. But, when my girlfriend, Linda, who is about as fussy as I am, said she had THE BEST mechanic in the world, I decided that the least I could do was to get a 2nd opinion. So, yesterday, I went to visit Import Doctor in Huntington Beach, CA. He put the car up and examined it and then he came and got me. He took me under the car and pointed out what the problems were. I liked him and felt he was being honest with me particularly when he pointed out some things the dealership said to repair that were in perfect condition. So, we made a date for my car today. I dropped off the car and the owner, Gian, offered to drive me back to our warehouse for www.giftsfromadistance.com. On the way back, he told me that my clutch would need replacing soon and that one of the maintenance items he was going to perform could be delayed until that time. Reason: the parts would only have to be removed once, not twice, and therefore, would be less expensive for me...not to mention, my car would not need to go in for two services. When I got back, I looked at the recommendations and the diagnosis from the dealer again. While the dealer recommended a specific repair, they did not recommend replacing the clutch. Then I looked at the computer analysis. There, in black and white, it said that the clutch needed attention. Nice of them to tell me. I would have brought the car in twice and they would have made extra money on me repeating something they had already done. They also recommended a repair regarding the suspension control arm something something but the computer report did not indicate that and Gian said it looked ok. While I have no ill will towards my BMW dealer, I will not be returning. Linda was right. She does the THE BEST mechanic and now...so do I!