During a phone conversation with my brother yesterday, he asked, "What is the name of your blog again?" I began to explain why the name, such a serious name, "Auntie V's Life and Cookery" was chosen for this blog: I am raising my niece-Auntie has become my identity most hours of the day; I have many life experiences to discuss and share (many of you will ride along on that wave with me nodding, "yes, yes, I get that") such as: chronic illness-several; the murder of my sister by the hands of a man in a domestic situation, life and grief as the surviving victim of homicide, loss of a parent to cancer, marriage, adoption, post traumatic stress disorder/dysfunction (there are more applicable 4 letter words to describe this illness, and I'm not talking about "love"), living life following a mild traumatic brain injury, and then there is the life or the non-life of a generalized anxiety disorder agoraphobic, ...you get that picture clearly by now, although I could continue. The cookery part, well, who could bear to write about all the disastrous life bits all the time and besides isn't food a mini vacation? The real reason is that no matter what I am doing, I am doing it, usually, in the kitchen. My brother and I decided at precisely the same moment, consumed with laughter, that the alias name of my blog would be "Bitchin' in the Kitchen."
So welcome to "Bitchin' in the Kitchen" with your host, lost in the midst of certain chaos, touched and displaced by life's shocking blows, yes, you guessed it... Auntie V! I'm not irrational, just consumed by fear, confused by sleepless nights, hypoglycemic reactions or hyperglycemic distortion, post traumatic stress and the panic that comes with that i.e. "shakin in my boots" "can't leave the house" "are you talking to me?" Robert DeNiro paranoia (of course, I'm exaggerating). At times, I'm just an Auntie trying to figure out how to be a Mom. I am, in fact, one excellent cook. Test me, try the recipes.
Where did this life come from? Believe me, it is true, God made mountains so we couldn't see too far down the road. This was not on the 10 year plan, but this has been my life for all of 10 years and for some things, like the Diabetes, much longer than that. I am here to stay, even though at times I wonder how I can cope with one more minute and entertain the thought of running down the street screaming, or some similar escape. I'm not leaving yet, I've got a lot to share with you all and I hope it moves you in some way, hopefully not backward! Most importantly, I'm attempting to take this suffering not in vain, but as a lesson of life, a spiritual path to be followed and shared, to be communicated as the common human experience. I know we are all suffering, but we can do it together with peaceful love and support. We can hold hands just like in Kindergarten and we all will make it across the street together.
I tend to speak directly from the heart, but I enjoy laughing and hope to pass that along some as well.
If you hear me "Bitchin in the Kitchen" just know that the loving compassionate me is still here, seeking peace and understanding, I just sometimes have to lighten up a bit for the sake of us all! Anytime you feel like it, just chime right on in.
--A.k.a. Auntie V
