July, 2014 - Bettina Network's Blog

Archive for July, 2014

Making Old Feet New Again!

Friday, July 25th, 2014

copyright Bettina Network, inc. 2014

I love breakfast in a Bettina Home.  No matter how horrible I feel arriving, I leave refreshed.

The last breakfast from my most recent stay was great!  The food is always good, but the conversation unbelievable.  I am going home to work on my feet so I can wear high heels again.  I have a closet full of shoes, which are sitting idly on the floor collecting dust and drying out because it hurts so badly to wear them.  The shoes I can wear are so ugly they ruin every outfit I put on.

Would you believe old women at breakfast having a hilariously good time about a conversation over feet?

One woman, who was 80 years old if she was a day, had on these really elegant shoes with high heels in which she was going to spend the day.  I advised her to take another pair with her in a bag of some kind because she was going to be finished for the day before she reached her car.  She just looked at me shaking her head.

The next morning we were all back around the table and I was packed and ready to go.  Before leaving, however, I wanted to know how her day went since she was back at the table in another pair of really fantastic shoes – high heels, of course.  She said her day went just fine, like all her days and suggested I learn to deal with my feet if I wanted to get back into something other than the slip slops I had on.  Expensive flip flops, but no support, no heels and comfortable as could be.

She took off her shoes and her panty hose, as we all howled with laughter, and we went through her exercise regime.  We all shed our shoes, but she was the only one wearing panty hose.  She said she wears them for the girdle effect she gets from the panty part – doesn’t want her tummy to ‘pout’.  We had on ankle length stockings or knee hi’s under pants.  She was clearly from a generation that dressed to the nine’s and she still did with a great figure, beautiful hair and my jealousy is really showing since I am about 20 years younger than she is – at least – and she looks younger.

I really don’t exercise any part of my body – especially my feet.  Who would think of foot exercises as being relevant or doing the body any good?  My bias is showing, but really, I have enough trouble keeping my energy level up to just getting up in the mornings, let alone complicating my life with exercise.

This woman exercises her feet before going to bed at night and before getting up in the mornings.  She widens her toes as far as possible  – spread them open like a fan – and closes them while she watches television or reads.  She also makes circles with her feet going clock-wise and then counter clock -wise moving her feet in these circles from the ankle and sometimes she does the spread-the-toes with both feet at the same time and the circles with both feet at the same time.

We were sitting around the table exercising our feet making sure we got it right.  Unreal!  Must be losing it because I was very avid about doing this and intend to go home and take up this exercise every night and morning.  Nice that I can do these exercises before getting out of bed in the mornings.  Maybe that will help me be diligent about it.

Before I showed up at a Bettina Home I was a little depressed about my feet becoming so old and stiff,  limiting my shoe wearing possibilities. ,  so this did cheer me up a little bit!  I wanted to take pictures, but the women were adamant they didn’t want their feet showing up in  pictures anyplace – so respecting that – and you certainly aren’t going to see my naked feet in pictures, you will have to imagine the scene.

________________________________________________________________

Learn More About How We Use Your Donation!

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______________________________________________________________

Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

Volunteer with Bettina Network Foundation, inc. to work estate sales; to help move items from one home to another; to contribute your ideas on how we can better use our resources in this effort to relieve and eliminate homelessness and poverty. We also need photographers; designers; and more. However much or little time you have, we are grateful.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

1-800-347-9166 inside the U. S. or 617 497 9166 outside or inside the U. S.

 

 

Eggs and Lime

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2014

copyright 2014 Bettina Network, inc.

We made a wonderful discovery at breakfast – and we have to thank a guest from Mexico for the new information.

Breakfast consisted of soft-boiled eggs in egg cups, which is one of our favorite breakfasts.  Our guest remarked that she loved soft-boiled eggs for breakfast, but was accustomed to eating them with a bit of lime juice.  My stomach wrenched.  I could not fathom putting lime juice in a soft-boiled egg.

Fortunately, we had organic limes in the refrigerator so we brought them out and watched.

She cut the lime into four pieces, then  cut off the top of her egg.   Before putting in her spoon to eat the egg, she squeezed the 1/4 piece of lime into the top of the egg with a little salt and enjoyed her breakfast immensely. What came to mind as I watched was Margaritas.

We decided we would have to be polite and follow suit.  I was prepared to have to push down the eggs while trying to smile at this inconceivable new taste combination.   I could not conceive it as being anything but really horrible – at best, something for which you would have to acquire a taste.  It is one thing to have been raised on this taste combination, quite another to have it sprung on you brand new at breakfast, the time of morning when your stomach cannot handle many new taste sensations.

Imagine my surprise when I had my first spoonful of the egg, doused in lime juice, and it was fantastic.  I don’t think I will ever have soft-boiled eggs again without lime juice.  It lightened the taste of the egg considerably and gave it a light, exceptional taste which even topped the fact that the eggs were already great because they were organic, super large eggs.

From here on, you will find organic limes on the table whenever we serve soft-boiled eggs!!!

Is this how cultures pass information from one to another in today’s very mobile society?  May it continue and accelerate – bring on the next new taste sensation!!!

________________________________________________________________

Learn More About How We Use Your Donation!

[give_form id=”3763″]

______________________________________________________________

Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

Volunteer with Bettina Network Foundation, inc. to work estate sales; to help move items from one home to another; to contribute your ideas on how we can better use our resources in this effort to relieve and eliminate homelessness and poverty. We also need photographers; designers; and more. However much or little time you have, we are grateful.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

1-800-347-9166 inside the U. S. or 617 497 9166 outside or inside the U. S.

 

A Great Job Possibility

Tuesday, July 15th, 2014

Follow the link below and it describes the job at Trinity Church Copley Square in Boston. A possible career path which should be interesting, stretch your boundaries, fun, challenging and life changing.

http://www.diomass.org/jobs/trinity-church-city-boston-boston/senior-parish-administrator

Trinity Church is a thriving Christian community in the heart of Boston’s Back Bay, and a member parish of the American Episcopal Church. Housed in a grand and historic building consistently ranked as one of America’s most significant architectural landmarks, we are also a parish family drawing members from Boston and much of eastern Massachusetts. In our common worship and shared ministries we seek to encounter the holy together and stand as a visible witness of God’s love for the world. Trinity’s operating budget is approximately $5.7 million, and its foundation for outreach and social justice has an operating budget of $2.5 million. Some significant statistics about the church indicate the scope of operations: average Sunday attendance at worship is approximately 900; approximately 850 households make annual pledges; 70,000 people visit the building annually as tourists; there are five ordained clergy, and 61 staff members of the church, and another 21 employees of the foundation (which has its own management, human resources, operations, and development staff.)

The Senior Parish Administrator is a new position, designated as temporary for a two-year term, with possible conversion to permanent status being mutually determined prior to the conclusion of the term. Reporting directly to the Rector, the Senior Parish Administrator will be responsible for enhancing the internal organization processes and infrastructure that will allow Trinity Church to continue to grow and fulfill its mission. The Senior Parish Administrator will be a peer to and serve on the senior leadership team of the church, which includes the clergy, the director of communications and the executive director of the Trinity Boston Foundation. The Senior Parish Administrator will also have three direct reports, the Director of Finance and Human Resources, the Director of Stewardship, and the Director of Facilities and ten indirect reports.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Strategic Implementation: Although the Rector and the Senior Leadership Team together shape the strategic direction of the church, the Senior Parish Administrator will support and hold the team accountable for implementation. This includes assisting with management of weekly meetings, quarterly goal-setting process, and semi-annual calendaring sessions. Working with the Director of Finance and Human Resources, manage the annual budgeting process so that all budget recommendations align with organizational strategy and priorities.
  2. Human Resources: Working with the Director of Finance and Human Resources, manage and oversee recruitment, hiring and compensation, benefits administration and oversight, professional training and development including new employee orientation, retention strategies, regulatory oversight and legal compliance, personnel policies and annual review processes. Build and support staff culture and connection with regular meetings and communication including crisis management.
  3. Finance: Working with the Director of Finance and Human Resources, provide financial oversight and monitoring of business policies and accounting practices, reporting and analysis. The Senior Parish Administrator will pay particular attention to the financial implications of an upcoming capital campaign and building renovation projects.
  4. Fundraising and Capital Campaign: Working with the Director of Stewardship and the Rector, ensure that policies and protocols are in place and are adhered to as the church undertakes both its regular annual fundraising and a major capital campaign. Ensure strong communication and collaboration among finance, facilities and stewardship teams throughout the campaign.
  5. Infrastructure: Working with the Director of Facilities and the Clergy, oversee the care, management and use of Trinity’s three buildings by internal and external groups to assure compliance with applicable regulations and with church program priorities. Ensure strong oversight and inter-office and inter-vendor communications during building renovation projects. In addition, working with the Directors of Facilities and Finance, ensure that the church’s information technology, telecommunications and data management systems are adequate for the staff to perform its work expediently and securely, particularly in the areas of finance, membership, and program planning.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

Trinity Church seeks a mission-driven administrator with 7+ years of experience. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in managing projects and teams, with strict attention to detail and deadlines; outstanding interpersonal and communication skills; a high degree of self-reliance and initiative; an analytical mind; the ability to create and manage to a budget, including P&L analysis; experience leading an organization through periods of significant growth preferred, as is experience in management of non-profit and/or church organizations. Proficiency in Microsoft Office is required and strong Excel skills preferred. A Bachelor’s degree is required; an MBA or MPA is preferred.

How to apply

To submit your application, please visit this link:

http://fs30.formsite.com/TrinityChurch/form3/index.html

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No phone calls or hard copies, please.

Location

206 Clarendon Street, Copley Square, Boston, MA, 02116, US

Details

Application deadline
July 20, 2014
Education requirements
Employment type
Full time
Professional level
Managerial
Job function
Owner’s areas of focus

Please pass this along to whoever you know who might be interested and qualified.

________________________________________________________________

Learn More About How We Use Your Donation!

[give_form id=”3763″]

______________________________________________________________

Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

Volunteer with Bettina Network Foundation, inc. to work estate sales; to help move items from one home to another; to contribute your ideas on how we can better use our resources in this effort to relieve and eliminate homelessness and poverty. We also need photographers; designers; and more. However much or little time you have, we are grateful.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

1-800-347-9166 inside the U. S. or 617 497 9166 outside or inside the U. S.

 

BN Foundation’s Mission Statement

Monday, July 7th, 2014

copyright Bettina Network Foundation 2014

501(c)3 status applied for

We have developed and are expanding Bettina Network’s Foundation. As it moves along we would like to share what we are doing with you.

While trying to define what it is we are doing – we came up with a mission statement which will guide all of our efforts.  We have reproduced it below for your information, feedback, comments, criticisms.

“The Bettina Network Foundation is about helping people to restructure and re-frame their lives and their thinking using various avenues and tools to get that accomplished.” 

TRAINING/EDUCATION  –  HOUSING  –  JOBS

Join Us.

________________________________________________________________

Learn More About How We Use Your Donation!

[give_form id=”3763″]

______________________________________________________________

Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

Volunteer with Bettina Network Foundation, inc. to work estate sales; to help move items from one home to another; to contribute your ideas on how we can better use our resources in this effort to relieve and eliminate homelessness and poverty. We also need photographers; designers; and more. However much or little time you have, we are grateful.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

1-800-347-9166 inside the U. S. or 617 497 9166 outside or inside the U. S.

French Pancakes Breakfast

Thursday, July 3rd, 2014

I know which house served those ‘pancakes’.  They are really a different take on New Orleans’ favorite dish – bananas foster.  All you left out was bringing the crepe wrapped bananas to the table in a flaming dish.  Now that would be something to see.  The next time I show up at your house will you make that breakfast?

From Host Family: – NO!

Well, maybe!

Possibly!

If you don’t tell which house I will make the crepes for you.  They are really good!  Hadn’t made the connection.  I guess we have our past in our heads and hearts and it comes out in the strangest ways. Thanks!

Ed Note:  For those of you who did not read that blog check out Bettina’s Cookbook and scroll through to the breakfast featuring French Pancakes.  They are not to be missed.

________________________________________________________________

Learn More About How We Use Your Donation!

[give_form id=”3763″]

______________________________________________________________

Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.

Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.

Volunteer with Bettina Network Foundation, inc. to work estate sales; to help move items from one home to another; to contribute your ideas on how we can better use our resources in this effort to relieve and eliminate homelessness and poverty. We also need photographers; designers; and more. However much or little time you have, we are grateful.

Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net

This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com

TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com

IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!

1-800-347-9166 inside the U. S. or 617 497 9166 outside or inside the U. S.

 

 


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