Balm in Gilead

August 24th, 2014

Who would have expected different guests, not previously known to one another, pick up and read Sarah Lawrence Lightfoot’s book “Balm In Gilead” during their stay in a Bettina Home.

All of our homes have large quantities of books. Host families generally buy them at Estate Sales for very little money so they are able to offer great reading materials to and encourage guests to take a book home with them if they are in the process of reading it and would like to finish the book.

We have such responsible guests that they do take books home and when they return, they bring new books they have purchased the same way, giving them to the host family for other guests to discover. What a lovely interlude!

Lightfoot’s book brought some wonderful reminiscences by the guests. The first days conversation, one woman shared the book with the other guests and on the second day, all contributed because they found the book in their rooms and read it. It was an unexpected gift for me because I knew the family and the southern United States that was under discussion.

Mostly, the book caused the women (no men present) to go over their history rather than critique the book.

One critique, however, was what one woman felt as the author’s anti-southern bias, which she said permeated the book. It talked of relatives going South as a ‘missionary field’ to raise the educational standards of the poor Blacks in the South. That caused a discussion of great emotion since racially the women at breakfast were a mixed group and all but one from the north. That left the poor lone Southerner with only me as back-up and sometimes I can’t be trusted to be loyal.

The truth of life among Blacks in the South is very seldom portrayed accurately. Just like those who most profited from slavery is often skewered with slavery’s Northern interests very seldom revealed.

The Northern women – both Black and White – understood the books bias and didn’t see it as a bias, but as fact. One small part of “Balm in Gilead” describes Margaret and Charles Lawrence, with their very substantial education at top schools not able to find a job in the north and so consequently going south to Fisk and Meharry. The author (their daughter) didn’t seem to know why or rather described the Lawrences as not knowing why. What most Southern Blacks would understand is that -in the day – when you had that top rated education you went South for a job because you were not hired in the North. Black millionaires and other very financially substantial African Americans were Black Southerners or Black Northerners transplanted to the South because they had no place else to thrive.

A veery famous Black New England family moved to Alabama from Boston and worked there in substantial jobs until retirement when they returned to New England and took up their Yankee existence without missing a beat. They moved to Alabama because even with a Harvard Doctorate there were no jobs for them in the North.

There was much talk about “Victory over trauma” – which was portrayed as one way African Americans can survive this society almost intact. “Trauma and strength.”

One particular quote, read to us by one of the women was very poignant. “In order to survive one must confront the deep wound, experience the knifelike pain, move through the zombielike period of ‘depersonalization’ speak about the event, act it out, cry over it, stomp on it and finally emerge from it – usually with a scar.”

“One must transcend. Pain must not be the victor.”

In part of the conversation about Black Anger – “Anger nurtures until you can find more suitable vehicles out of which to act and to love.”

Black male sexism – “He did not denigrate my path, but he blocked it.”

“My mother gave me away to my grandmother.” Since I was raised by my grandmother, when they gave that quote from the book as a way of describing the phenomena of grandparents raising their grandchildren tears flowed from a couple of us.

There was so much more. To get the entire story you must read the book. We recommend it heartily.

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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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, book review, breakfast table talk
Posted in African American history, Bed & Breakfast, Bettina Homes, book review, Breakfast Table Talk, Class in America and the World, Preserving Family History and Stories | Comments Off on Balm in Gilead

Making Old Feet New Again!

July 25th, 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.

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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.

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

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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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, breakfast table talk, foot exercises, growing old, health, health and beauty
Posted in Bed & Breakfast, Bettina Homes, Breakfast Table Talk, Foot Exercises, Growing Old, Guest comments, Health, Health and Beauty | Comments Off on Making Old Feet New Again!

Eggs and Lime

July 23rd, 2014

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!!!

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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.

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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Cookbook, Bettina Homes, Bettina Networks Cookbook, Breakfast at Bettina's, Recipe
Posted in Bed & Breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina's Cookbook, Health and Beauty | Comments Off on Eggs and Lime

A Great Job Possibility

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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

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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.

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

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

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Job Opportunities
Posted in Job Opportunities | Comments Off on A Great Job Possibility

BN Foundation’s Mission Statement

July 7th, 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.

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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.

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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Network Foundation
Posted in Bettina Network Foundation, Bettina Network Info, Bettina Network NEWS | Comments Off on BN Foundation’s Mission Statement

French Pancakes Breakfast

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.

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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.

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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Cookbook, Breakfast at Bettina's
Posted in Bed & Breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina's Cookbook, Guest comments | Comments Off on French Pancakes Breakfast

How Exciting is This!!!!!

June 24th, 2014

Sometimes life gives you lemons, sugar and beautifully clear water all at the same time and all mixed together ready for you to drink.

That is how we feel this morning in Bettina Networks little community.

Why?

Something very small, but very important in the way we live and are with each other.

At the end of a Bettina estate sale, everything left goes to the Bettina Network Foundation and we look for those who are in need and work with them to help them establish a better, more productive lifestyle. We prefer helping those who are recently homeless, because they have the greater need.

Well, one such person established a new policy with these sales. It is called “When you are given something, give back.” No matter how little you have you can always find a way to give to others.

One young woman, in difficult circumstances, was given a dining room table and chairs from one of our sales – something that didn’t sell. She called the person from Bettina’s who gave her the gift and said “I would like to help on your next sale.” And help she did. She didn’t help in the actual sale, she helped during those evening hours after the sale when we pack and move what is left to clean out the house and leave it ‘broom clean’ for the next inhabitants.

We couldn’t have finished our last sale without her help. What she did was to make it possible for someone else to receive a gift as she had and to make sure the gifts could continue to be given because we were fulfilling our obligations to those who were ultimately providing these gifts.

At the end of her work evening – and she worked unbelievably hard – she decided she wanted to join our small band permanently. She liked what we did – the way we were with each other – and felt she had a lot to contribute.

She also wholeheartedly joined the rest of us who do this work for the benefits of weight loss and the exercise it provides. We don’t have to join a gym to work out we have our own calisthenics and weight loss machines to help us reduce fat and move it around the body from one place to another:) I won’t give her name. You will see her around Bettina Network activities and hope you will reach out to embrace another human being who has decided it is time for all of us to look out for each other – without agendas.

We all need to give back. No matter how independent we think we are and no matter how strongly we consider ourselves ‘self-made’.

Sometimes, we just don’t know how to give back or to who. Well, Bettina Network Foundation is providing a way for you to do that. Join us and help us to help more people get their lives on a new footing. We are lawyers, doctors, management, sales people, bankers, therapists, psychiatrists and the very young learning to live in a way that we thrive realizing and committing ourselves to make sure that others thrive also.

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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.

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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Information, Bettina Scattering Sale, estate sale, furniture
Posted in A Scattering Sale, An editorial just because, An Estate Sale, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Foundation, Bettina Network Info, Bettina Network NEWS, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Estate Sale Analysis and Info, Moving Sale, Shopping, Thought for the Day | Comments Off on How Exciting is This!!!!!

Another Bettina Moving Sale

June 20th, 2014

COME AND SPEND THE SUMMER SOLSTICE WITH US.

Saturday, June 21, 2014 is the day. From 10am-4pm is the time. And if you miss that we will do it again on Sunday, June 22 from 3-5pm.

We would love to add pictures, but the ones we have are larger than the 2MB limit Word Press allows so if you would like to see more go to

www.estatesales.net/estate-sales/MA/Waltham/02452/661158

The address: 24 Mallard Way – Waltham, MA. 02452. Look for the flag blowing in the wind. That is where we will be. Come by to say hello; to look around; and to buy something you can’t do without.

Instead of going to the mall, come and spend your money with us. We take American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Discover Cards – what more could you want?

What will you find?

Oriental Rugs – room size and scatter rugs; dining room table and chairs; lots of miscellaneous in very good condition – they have been well cared for; interesting collectibles; clothes; very large cabinet for your very large television set as well as other technical-electronic pieces; sheet music from popular songs of years ago, Schirmer Publishing collections, Organ music, xerox copies of special arrangements; pocketbooks and sportsbags; silver serving pieces; pots and pans – some brand new still in the box and more.

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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.

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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Information, Moving Sale
Posted in An Estate Sale, Estate Sale Analysis and Info, Moving Sale, Shopping in Waltham | Comments Off on Another Bettina Moving Sale

Bettina Network Foundation

June 19th, 2014

We are working with an attorney to finalize the Bettina Network Foundation and to shepherd it through a 501(c)3 filing.

If you have asked Bettina Network to manage your Estate Sale, or Moving Sale or Scattering Sale or Antique Sale you know there are two parts to the sale and when it is over everything left is handled by Bettina Network as we work towards leaving the house “Broom Clean” because either it has been sold; the people have deceased and this is one step in the process of settling an estate or etc.

What happens to those ‘left overs’.

That is one of the exciting parts of the sale. At the end of the sale Bettina Network takes everything left and oversees those items getting directly to people who are newly in a home from homelessness. We make sure all of the items go to help furnish the new home of someone or several someones who need all of the things which make life comfortable.

That is a very important step for those leaving a life of living on the street to living in an apartment or other kind of home. They need everything and we try to help provide that by working with those who have vetted people to whom we give the items left over from a sale.

Hopefully, when our 501(c)3 comes through we will be able to give a receipt to the people who have given us their items left over from a sale, which they can include in their federal tax return as a deduction.

There are those who have reached the status of “Gold” members of Bettina Network Foundation because of what they have given and the spirit in which they have given to others.

To know more about what we do to give back – click on the Foundation link on the Bettina Network web site. It is in the process of being updated, but should contain more information shortly.

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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.

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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Network Foundation, Bettina Network Information, Bettina Scattering Sale, estate sale, Moving Sale
Posted in An Estate Sale, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network Info, Bettina Network NEWS, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Estate Sale Analysis and Info | Comments Off on Bettina Network Foundation

Weight Loss – Works for Me!

June 15th, 2014

Hi folks,

Someplace on your blog I found something which talked about weight loss and the power of lemons and water. Don’t know where and I can’t find it, but I wanted to write to let you know this is working for me beautifully.

I have been taking one lemon (organic, of course) in a cup of very warm water. I do this before I eat and I find it cuts my appetite and I am not hungry.

To keep this going I have a string bag I carry around with me with my lemons. Going to a restaurant I squeeze my lemon into a cup and ask for a pot of hot water so I can pour the water into the cup.

When going to meetings and they serve those horrible cold cuts and bread that makes you want to throw-up, I squeeze my lemon into a glass and if they don’t have hot water I put in cold water and drink that.

Always a lemon in a glass or cup of water and I am set to go. Not only have I lost weight, but I look great and my energy level has increased dramatically. I don’t know if my energy level increase has come from the lemon in water or the weight loss, but for whichever one I am grateful.

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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.

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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, health and beauty, weight problems
Posted in Guest comments, Health and Beauty | Comments Off on Weight Loss – Works for Me!

Bettina Network Estate Sales

June 10th, 2014

I had to send in this blog and hope you will publish it. I really had second thoughts about sending it because I don’t want too many people to know what I have discovered – don’t like the competition, but you have an openness that I have seldom found in this world so I will depend upon your wisdom because of the many benefits I am receiving from being a part of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community.

We recently asked you to manage our parents’ estate sale because we have inherited a houseful of furnishings and I thought you would be the best person for the job. When we asked you I was a little taken aback by your ending requirement that what is left over after the sale be given away, first to those who are members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community and then to those who purchased at the sale. My natural instinct is to want all of what is mine and give away very little to others. In addition, I want others to give to me. I don’t know how else to put it. That makes me sound pretty bad, but it is true and clearly my sentiment is shared by many.

My wife and I talked about this and we realized that we have benefited from your ‘give away’ policy. There are several items we needed to furnish our apartment when we had very little. I went to one of your sales with $5 to spend looking for a birthday present for my wife. I bought a pocketbook. You wrapped it beautifully in the wrapping paper that you gave me and my wife was delighted. More recently, we wanted a microwave. When we received the invitation to come back for the free part of your sale, there was a microwave and we brought it home. That is when we realized the genius of what you are doing and we want to be a part of your business so I called this morning to ask you to take on the management of our estate sale for my deceased parents and whatever is left over at the end of the sale we will gladly give to whoever comes along who needs or wants some of those items that did not sell. At first, we wanted to limit you to only giving away small items and you would not accept the sale under those circumstances. We realized we would not have our microwave oven if that were the case so yes, we want you to go ahead under your terms and just drag us along albeit kicking and screaming all the way.

We were also at your sale when a couple came along looking at the rosary beads you had on the table with other things for sale. They were not priced. When the woman eyed the rosaries, picked up one and asked for the price we were floored when you said you would not sell a rosary, but she was welcome to accept it as a gift from the owner.

What do I know now? I will be more giving and I know when I need something I will look for one of your sales, bring my Bettina password and just maybe there will be what I need waiting for me when my money is short and my need is large. It takes a lot to survive this life to the end. It takes even more to thrive. With a little help from my friends I will get through. I certainly didn’t expect genuine help to come from a commercial business.

I think I will just hang-out at your next sale. I loved those moments. Keep up the good work and may God bless what you are doing.

A fan and now a follower – Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ed. Note: We removed the persons name because we are hyper about privacy and would like to respect the privacy of others.

Thank you very much for those kind words. It is nice to know someone gets what we are doing and not only approves, but enjoys the process. We will do our best to continue to earn your respect and will work very hard for you with the distribution of your parents lifetime collections.

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Network Information, Bettina Scattering Sale, estate sale, Making Connections, Moving Sale
Posted in A Scattering Sale, An Estate Sale, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Estate Sale Analysis and Info, Guest comments, Moving Sale, Spiritual Reflection | Comments Off on Bettina Network Estate Sales

We Invite You to Another Bettina Moving Sale

June 8th, 2014

Sunday, June 8, 2014 from 3pm to 5pm AT:

19 Maura Drive

Woburn, MA. 01801

You will find furniture, crystal, microwave, washer, dryer, books, clothes, shoes, pocketbooks, and all the miscellaneous you need to better equip your home for comfortable living. Some are very unusual – some traditional – all in immaculate condition. You could take the dishes home and eat off of them the house and its contents have been so completely and cleanly kept.

Of course, with this sale – as with any sale – it is a bit disorganized as we empty closets, drawers and the basement.

Come and help us clean out the house so this move can happen in a quick, comfortable and, of course, elegant way.

No reasonable offer refused AND there are special deals for members of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community. Please identify yourselves and come bringing bags, paper and whatever else you will need to carry away your purchases.

This is your opportunity to become a part of this Lifestyle Community – simply by purchasing and asking that your name be added to the membership list. The membership roles are not open very often, but sometimes, in special circumstances we do add new members.

Mirror with two sconces

Two Antique Rocking Chairs, 10 x 14 foot Oriental-style rug

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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.

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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

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Tags: bed & breakfast, estate sale, furniture, MA., Moving Sale, Shopping in Woburn
Posted in Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Estate Sale Analysis and Info, MA., Moving Sale, Press Release, Shopping | Comments Off on We Invite You to Another Bettina Moving Sale

Food and Pharma Connected?

June 1st, 2014

We had another one of those breakfasts and we are all still reeling, having put different backgrounds, experience, education, parts of the world together we came up with a startling conclusion:

The discussion centered around Bettina Network’s attempt to keep Bettina Homes as organic as possible – in cleaning, food, and everything else. We don’t succeed 100%, but it is a constant effort and we think we do a pretty good job – considering all the outside negative influences that press in on us to go in a different direction.

One person brought up the chemicals – especially Potassium Nitrate – in most of the foods being processed and wanted to know more about it. Another person piped up with the fact that Potassium Nitrate, when he was a boy, was called ‘Salt Peter’ and some private schools used it in the food to keep the young men toned down a bit sexually. Well, that wasn’t new. It was something we all had heard from time to time and we all knew the affect “Salt Peter’ has on the body.

Another came up with the connection between the processed food industry and big pharma. The processed food industry was putting ‘salt peter’ into our food supply to give the foods they process a longer shelf life. In the meantime, that was dumbing down and destroying the sexual performance ability of many – especially males – since that is what salt peter is supposed to do.

Enter Big Pharma with their development of the block buster drug for men called ‘Viagra” and other names. Each company which produces it has its own name.

What a pass through. The food industry creates the dysfunction – big pharma develops and sells the drug to address the dysfunction. No wonder so much money is going out of the pocket of the middle class into the pockets of both the food industry and the pharmaceutical companies.

Our question was – what else has such a symbiotic relationship? Was this a deliberate collaboration or accidental? Some didn’t believe in accidents like this? Others weren’t so sure! Others felt we needed to step back and take a look to see how we could expose this early on before fortunes were made, peoples health negatively affected for profit, etc.

There wasn’t enough time over breakfast to solve the problem, but we certainly left with something to think about!

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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.

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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

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

Tags: bed & breakfast, breakfast table talk, food shopping, health, Making Connections
Posted in Bettina Homes, Breakfast Table Talk, Food Shopping, Guest comments, Health, Making Connections | Comments Off on Food and Pharma Connected?

Sterling and Company

May 5th, 2014

We should not be amazed when such things happen, but we always claim to be no matter how often we have to act outraged – as though this was an unusual happening for us in these United States.

We are especially outraged if this happens in the north – most particularly if it happens in those ‘race free’ zones called New England and/or California. This kind of thing is only expected if it happens in the deep South. But it seems to me this happens much more often in these ‘race free’ zones.

I’m sure you would expect that there would be a fairly heated discussion over breakfast in one or more of the Bettina Homes. And not to disappoint here is a bit of a summary of a couple breakfasts merged into one blog.

The consensus was the outrage that was felt over the NAACP’s singling out Sterling for a second Lifetime Achievement Award. We thought those awards were given to those who worked to eliminate racism, not to those who worked to make sure it was intensified and the old Jim Crow culture maintained. We must have been mistaken because clearly the NAACP is doing its best to award those who have done a great deal to keep separate and unequal alive and well and functioning in this society. Maybe it is afraid its mandate will leave and the organization will have to dismantle itself if society acts otherwise and we move into a space where minorities and women are free and equal.

Most folks at breakfast were upset that this happened at all. Most blamed the entire NAACP organization not just the Los Angeles group because the National Office could have stepped in and done something to bring sanity back to the LA chapter before the award business went as far as it did, but that national office did nothing until all of this news broke and all were totally embarrassed.

It was interesting that one man took the blame for the entire NAACP organization and stepped down. However, that did not satisfy those in these Bettina Breakfast conversations. Its like a large corporation having its CEO step down for something that permeated the institutional structure and for which many have blame. We think these kind of actions have permeated the entire structure of the NAACP and more than this one man stepping down needs to be done to make things right.

The conflicts and contradictions in this event were clearly outlined and sometimes, during breakfast, caused a bit of hilarity, because clearly without a good sense of humor we would all be insane over such events.

Sterling, being Jewish and clearly of an age where the holocaust would not be foreign to him was one of the conflicts and contradiitons outlined and talked about. Having a young woman who described Sterling as being a “father figure” to her – with the young woman being part African American and part Latina was another very tragic conflict and contradiciton. The Clippers being an organization supported by thousands even after the United States Department of Justice stepped in; even after one of their own sued because of the ‘plantation’ environment of the Clippers and on and on and on, makes a very strong statement about the lack of sincerity towards the elimination of racism and sexism within the U. S. Society by its own citizens. Does being a sports team allow such to fester for so long a period of time complete with awards from Civil Rights organizations to justify and cover-up the muck of the racism and the sexism being so blatantly and publicly practiced?

This was not new to anyone, and Sterling’s attitudes were widely known and had been addressed by several of our organizations, yet nothing was done about it and all of the many organizational structures in place which should have ferreted this out long before the sore ruptured and the pus poured out on society did nothing – the MEDIA? – the COURT SYSTEM? – the CIVIL RIGHTS groups? – the JOHN AND JANE Q public who knew about all of this but still bought tickets to Clipper Games? – the CLIPPER MANAGEMENT TEAM? – THE TEAMS THEY PLAYED …………….and many more.

Since this was brought through our Court System and still was given the go ahead to continue on the path of this extreme racism and sexism it calls into question what we like to parade out as an oft touted structure praised as the keystone of our country’s greatness the “Rule of Law”.

Our Conclusions!!! The United States is very comfortable with people like Sterling. Its just that we don’t want them ‘outed’ because then we have to react in a way which violates our history and brings up for the whole world to see, a reminder of from whence we try to tell people we have come and are no more. Our public story is that we have moved away from slavery of Africans, we have moved away from the Jim Crow society which once thrived in the United States, we have moved away from taking away from minorities their rights supposedly guaranteed to them by the U. S. Constitution and other laws,we have moved away from discriminating against women.

But have we really or have we simply changed the way we discriminate – changed how our racism and sexism is expressed – changed how the oppression we dump on the minorities and women in our midst is acted out – and most of all (the biggy), changed how we engage in denial of everything so we can continue the practice.

We really aren’t that put out as long as we can continue the actions; as long as we can continue being a racist, sexist society.

How does sexism fit into this scenario? What is more symbolic of the pain experienced by and the convoluted ways we have of inflicting sexism than the experience of the young woman – Black and Latina – who sees someone with the views and practices of Sterling – as a father figure. What more pain could one internalize and survive! How twisted does one’s life have to be to find that not only acceptable, but feel that is a great way to live and a great role model of fatherhood! This whole business is sick and what it says about all of us is not pretty.

However, it did make great breakfast conversation. And, as one woman said, at one breakfast – ‘what a relief to be able to talk about something like this without worrying about ‘political correctness.’ She felt freed up and was going to take back with her an independence of acting and thinking in the areas of sexism and racism with which she would approach the subject. Mostly, her experience was a validation of herself as a fully thinking and properly acting human being who was not going to be intimidated in her views on the subjects and would express them more clearly and act on her thoughts and beliefs. We hope that is a good thing!

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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.

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.

Tags: breakfast table talk, Making Connections, Racism, Sexism, Sterling
Posted in Bettina's Box of Shame, Bettina's Hall of Shame, Breakfast Table Talk, Sterling | Comments Off on Sterling and Company

Another Great Breakfast!

April 23rd, 2014

It gets to be a challenge to come up with fantastic ideas for breakfast 365 days of the year.

So far, sometimes, in the process of coming up with new, different and fantastic ways to start the day for our guests, we manage to outdo ourselves and others. This latest breakfast is one of those times.

Fruit and, of course, Juice

Orange Juice

Ripe, Organic, Mangoes – sliced with organic strawberries and blackberries

Main Dish

Organic Grits

Mushrooms

Biscuits (Homemade)

Ending With

Beignets

Organic Coffee made in a French Press; organic Tea – try hibiscus or hawthorn berries or Tulsi; Warm Milk with Cinnamon; or Warm Lemon Juice in water with Organic Turbinado Sugar to taste – the guests choice.

PROCESS

1) Using organic frozen orange concentrate – put one container in a large pitcher and add three containers of filtered water. Put the juice of one or two organic oranges with the frozen juice. Let this sit in the refrigerator while you continue breakfast. Don’t stir the mixture until you are ready to serve. and don’t take it out of the refrigerator to serve until guests are seated. Nothing worse than juices in the morning on the way to becoming room temperature.

2) Start the organic yellow corn grits. The amount you use depends upon the number of people you are feeding. We use one cup grits to three cups water. If you want something really different, put frozen whole organic corn into the grits as they cook. Not everyone likes this, but we think it is fantastic.

Put your grits mixture in a glass Corning pot with a glass cover on top, bring to a boil and let it simmer for about one hour or until the grits is the right consistency – which means, not too watery and not too clumped together, but just right. It can actually simmer until you are ready to serve it even if this is longer than an hour. Great grits cook for a very long time. No quick cooking, processed grits should come near your breakfast table. You are trying to nourish your guests in the morning – not fatten them and processed, quick cooking, etc. is meant to make the processing company rich by making their grits able to sit on the grocery shelf for years until it is sold – not to make you and your guests healthy.

Occasionally stir the grits with a wooden spoon to keep the consistency smooth and great.

3) Make the fruit for cups by slicing the mangoes – ignore the pit, peel the mango with a small sharp knife, and slice it lengthwise all around the pit until you have reached the pit and can’t slice anymore. Use as many as you need to make a nice fruit cup. We’ve heard lots of complaints about slicing mangoes – don’t fight it. Go with the mango – slice it lengthwise around the pit, don’t try to take the pit out and then slice the mano – it is not an avocado, it has its own way of being used.

Rinse the strawberries, take out the green top and slice into two pieces. Put the strawberries in the bowl with the Mangoes.

Rinse the black berries and put them in the bowl with the strawberries and mango slices.

You can use any fruit to make this fruit cup. Think of the nutritional value of the fruit you are combining – the colors and how well they look together – and how the combination taste together. Serve the fruit in a beautiful bowl – nicely mixed – so guests can put the fruit into their fruit cups in the amount they want to eat.

It is nice to serve fruit cups by putting them filled with fruit at each place, but much nicer to give guests the freedom to help themselves with however much they would like.

4) Once guests are served with their fruit cups, you can now pay attention to the star of this breakfast – the mushrooms.

Best made with organic portabello mushrooms because of their size and how nice they look sliced lengthwise.

Lightly rinse and take any dirt or other debris off the mushrooms

Slice them the longway so you have nice long and fairly thick slices

Put butter in an iron fry pot and when it melts, put the sliced mushrooms into the pot.

Add himalayan salt, a touch of cayenne pepper, and a barbecue sauce – either one you make or your favorite kind found wherever you buy such. Trader Joe’s has an “All Natural” sauce which is very good. We don’t like the fact that it is not organic and they try my last nerve by making this “All Natural” claim and expect that to pacify me, but until I can find a great organic barbecue sauce or learn to keep a large jar of such sauce that I make in the refrigerator for just such instances, well… what can I say.

Pour the sauce over the mushrooms and add an equal amount – at least – of water.

Let the mushrooms saute for five minutes or so and take the top off the fry pan.

These mushrooms are best when the sauce has boiled off and they are left glazed with the sauce and seasonings.

Serve these in a very elegant flat bowl to go along with the grits. Guests can put their mushrooms over their grits or they can put them on the side of the grits and eat them together – a little grits and mushrooms on the same fork because they do go together fantastically well.

You could serve the mushrooms before the sauce cooks out if you are a person who likes a bit of gravy with your grits.

Either way they are awesome and a great breakfast which wakes up your metabolism and makes sure your food is used and turned into energy as the day progresses.

5) Homemade biscuits are a great bread to go with this because if you keep the gravy with the grits you can sop up what remains with these biscuits.

To make these biscuits takes about ten minutes, if that long.

Put 2 cups flour (organic whole wheat flour) – in a food processor with one teaspoon himalayan salt, a touch of cayenne pepper, a teaspoon baking powder.

Let this whirl around the processor for a minute or so.

Add one stick butter and let this whirl until you have what looks like little peas – That should take another minute or two.

Then add 2/3 cup organic milk – or organic heavy cream, and not the ultra-pasteurized kind . It is bad enough you have to use that awful pasteurized milk, Puleeze don’t ruin these biscuits with the ultra-pasteurized milks. The only thing ultra-pasteurized does – and not for you – is to make their shelf life extend into eternity. Ultra-pasteurized has less of everything – less nutrition, less taste, less texture – more convenience for the processing company and more time it can stay on the shelf.

Take a wad of biscuit dough from the processor, roll it around in your hand very gently and put it on a buttered baking dish. Being careful you don’t squash the biscuit. Lightness is the code word as you make biscuits. Take other wads of dough all about the same size so they cook and are done together – until you have used all of your dough.

Bake at about 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

6) After the main meal, serve all of this with Beignets – old fashioned beignets, not the kind you get today in New Orleans where they are now served under a box of powdered sugar. Meant to make sure you think they are fantastic because you won’t be able to taste the beignets only the sugar – and we know sugar doesn’t taste, it only gives us a sweet sensation and lots of health problems.

The recipe for the beignets – another time. I am not ready to give up all my secrets in one blog.

7) Breakfast drinks.

We have found to add a cup of warm milk with a teaspoon of organic Ceylon Cinnamon is a nice alternative to coffee or tea. With Organic Ceylon Cinnamons’ reputation for helping to control diabetes, that is a nice way for some of your guests to start the day.

Another drink you can offer is a lemon – squeezed – with enough hot water added to fill a cup and organic turbinado sugar to taste or organic honey or organic maple syrup. Bettina’s Breakfast drinks.

The lemon and water helps to give your body an alkaline environment in spite of the acid in the lemon. It changes in the body to produce that alkaline environment which helps ward off disease, colds, etc. What a nice way to start the day.

And there you have a great Bettina Breakfast.

If you find this served in other non-Bettina Homes, you know they read Bettina Network’s Blog.

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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.

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

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

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Cookbook, health
Posted in Bettina's Cookbook, Health | Comments Off on Another Great Breakfast!

An Intensely Religious Week

April 17th, 2014

Intensely Religious – how do we turn that into – gloriously Spiritual! I hope it is not the intensely religious who have brought about so much bigotry in the world and the gloriously Spiritual who have given us so much freedom! Maybe my values are a bit screwed.

It is one of those years when the religious celebrations around Spring are shared in close date proximity by several Religious faiths. That doesn’t always happen. After the winter we had and after the destructive forces hitting at the economy and the terrorists hitting at all of us it is no surprise that this Spring season finds some of our religions practically intertwined date-wise.

Within all of this hectic ceremonial time – and there is now a lot of ceremony going on all over the place – with its requirement of watching our diets; scheduling around many religious services – there came that still small voice in the form of guests in one of the Bettina Homes. It was such a reprieve and a taking back to what we are all about and what is really important that we found ourselves being really grateful for the reminder.

A family came from England to America to witness to the life of a friend, and isn’t that what it is all about. To take time from very busy lives; to spend money traveling to another country for just a few days to say by your physical presence that this person mattered. He was important to us and our lives and we want to just stand with a group of his friends to give witness to his life. In that small act – which today isn’t so small when you consider that most of us would be worried that our lives would fall apart if we took time out to do such a thing and we could better spend the money on something for our family – these guests and friends, by their presence and the reason for their visit, gave me reassurances about the goodness of humans who can still sometimes come through with what is most important in life in still, small ways.

I am now ready for these Spring Religious Holidays. I can get through all of the trappings because I know there are people who still care and get it right. I am human and sometimes frail and one day I won’t be here anymore. Will anyone witness to my life? Did I reach out and live so that someone will stop and in the silence give thanks that I lived?

We are fast becoming a society where we don’t and won’t take that time away from the hectic busyness in which we constantly involve ourselves to keep from becoming conscious of the fact that we are slowly and sometimes at a faster pace marching to our own deaths. We go to great lengths to cover-up that fact so we are not conscious of our limits as humans. We walk across and away from those who have no home; those who are not so successful; those who are not interested in getting caught up in that busy, busy cycle of life. We can’t after all be around those who would remind us of our own humanness.

I give thanks today for the family that took just a couple days to acknowledge the importance of the life of another human being.

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.

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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.

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.

Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Bettina's Hall of Fame, breakfast table talk, growing old, Guest Comments, Making Connections, Spiritual Reflection, Who are the Bettina Families
Posted in An editorial just because, Bettina Homes, Bettina Network's Lifestyle Community, Bettina's Hall of Fame, Breakfast Table Talk, Guest comments, Making Connections, Spiritual Reflection, Who are the Bettina Families | Comments Off on An Intensely Religious Week

Class in America

April 9th, 2014

We run into this ‘issue’ so often in a covert way we thought we would make it overt and write under the title of “Class” to try to help all of us distinguish between quirks, ways of being, personality…..and class. This will be a serial because we think too much of ‘class’ information can give us indigestion – a little at a time is better.

First let’s make a difference between ‘class’ and ‘elegance’. Elegance is an aesthetic and way of living that crosses all classes, races, ethnicities, financial standing, whether we are male or female, etc.

Class is a definite way of being because of our family, finances, history, country of origin and more AND has a very long history in this world.

Don’t take any of this personally. It is being laid out generally so we and our children can either read it and weep; read it and have a hilarious good time in the process; or take it seriously and self-evaluate – how do we make decisions about the concrete world around us and our way of being in it – spending money, making vocation choices, clothes choices, what we eat, where we go….based on choices other than class. It is no accident that there are crowded spots in the world where we all try to move in and exquisite spots that no one even thinks about visiting or living.

Bettina Network, inc. puts an emphasis on ‘elegance’ – class be damned! But we have had a few questions, comments and great breakfast conversations around this issue, so lets clarify all of this:

Estate Sales are a great place to observe and understand class. They are phenomenal educational tool. Want to understand class better? Go to as many estate sales as you can. Look around the houses. See how the family lives. Understand their taste in furnishings, etc. That tells all – as far as Class goes. You can look around a fairly poverty stricken home and understand quickly that poverty is first generation or long standing. Either the generation prior to the one that has fallen on hard times was from an upper class or the current generation is one of the fallen warriors.

Particularly, it becomes clear if the family is of substantial means. Class screams at you when you enter the front door. For starters lets look at what we will call Third Class English-style class. The house is full of new – expensive – and generally bad taste furnishings. Very little is ‘real’ – wood-like items are not really wood, glass-like is not really glass and on and on. All of the things that the current marketing and advertising people have been selling as “upper class” are present and shows a Wannabe Family or one that is what we used to call Nouveau – very Nouveau.

Many things will be missing – particularly items from the previous generation. This Nouveau/Wannabe generation has sold all of the furnishings, clothes, trappings from their family – as those family members died – and they generally looked down their noses at the items left to them by a generation or more of family. Just about everything in the house will be NEW – VERY EXPENSIVE – in fact, outrageously so – and any antiques will be reproductions, probably from Korea or China.

You won’t find pictures of past generations of family – those were thrown out. You won’t find files of papers with information about past generations, which cultural and other historians would love to get their hands on – those have also been tossed as worthless. The value in this house is on the artifacts and preferably from the top stores in pristine condition.

That is generally, a group of people who came from a lower class family and have lots of shame about their beginnings. Wipe the slate clean and maybe no one will notice or even talk or ask about their family, their childhood, their upbringing, their values. – all of which are copied and adopted from the marketing/advertising media as great style/design that you need to be that person in the pictures.

This group is trying hard to climb that ladder – or several ladders at the same time. Consequently, they have no time or patience for those on the bottom – who might, actually, in many cases be above them class-wise.

Those homes are generally filthy. They look pristine upon entering, but they are mostly the ones which support the huge industrial complex of products which make you sick over a long period of time because of the off-gases from the cleaning products used, and the chemical ingredients in the other products used.

We should add, that what we are describing is the English class system, not the French. That is a whole other story for another article. Let’s call this Third Class English as our discussion progresses on Class. And lets expand this class discussion from America to American plus the rest of the world.

Chime in with an e-mail, if you dare.

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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

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, breakfast table talk, Class in America, estate sale, furniture
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A Beautiful Meditation and Song

March 13th, 2014

For a rare treat, click on the following YouTube recording.

http://I Then Shall Live)

Sometimes you hear a beautiful song with words which bring your life to a standstill and it fills you with beauty, strengthens your faith, and makes your day richer. This hymn created that for several of us. We shared it back and forth and then decided to share it with you.

Sit in a quiet space and listen carefully the first time you hear it. It is a prayer, meditation and the photography is breathtaking in how it matches the words.

As you listen to this you will find the events and actions and thoughts you engage in over the day change.

This Hymn with words by Gloria Gaither and music by Sibelius (Finlandia) is that rare musical match which takes place between people separated by a generation living very different lives, but coming together to create a soul stirring event.

If you would like to buy the video you can do so by going to the website www.gaither.com

May it reach into your soul and affect the way you live the rest of your life.

Once the video finishes you will have to click your ‘back’ button to come back to Bettina Network’s Blog. We would like to do better, but technologically we are not there yet.

To get the full effect of the video, when the youtube comes up, at the bottom right of the picture you will find symbols. Click on the one which looks like a square with spaces on the sides enclosed at the corners. It gives you a full screen of the video and it is awesome.

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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.

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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!

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Tags: bed & breakfast, breakfast table talk, Guest comments and talents, Making Connections, Poetry, Spiritual Reflection, Thought for the Day
Posted in Guest comments and talents, Making Connections, Poetry, Spiritual Reflection, Thought for the Day | Comments Off on A Beautiful Meditation and Song

Bettina Network, inc NEWS

February 26th, 2014

Bettina Network, inc. NEWS is a new addition to the Bettina Network Blog. Appearing periodically, without timetable predictability, this is a way for you to keep up with all that we do – where you will find a Bettina person, event – some definitions and redefinitions of who we are and what we are doing – updates on past events, activities, and more.

MOST RECENTLY – we infiltrated Harvard Business School Women’s Conference “Let’s Go!”

One of our leaders was the second woman to be accepted into and attend one of Harvard Business School’s Executive Programs and the conference was a part of celebrating fifty years of women at Harvard Business School.

It was a great event with over 1,000 women and a very few very brave men who just couldn’t stay away. We met one man from Milwaukee, Wisconsin holding up his sex and his company. His company sounds as though they are doing much to help this world become a more equal place. We say “sounds as though” because long years of experience tells us not to give kudos for such without much investigation and that we have not done – thus a comment without man or company names.

It was a kind of shock to see the way of the world in large, fairly new companies which are there because of the advent of the internet. Their representatives talked about “teams”, “mentors”, “sponsors”. In large multi-national companies with world wide exposure through their life on the internet this, apparently, is needed to keep you, as one of their employees, from getting lost and becoming one of the minions instead of one of the management and on-your-way-up-people.

We tweeted, re-tweeted, favorited and more. It was great fun and much learning. Although the food wasn’t great. Not one organic anything from dinner the evening before for the conference speakers and panelists, through breakfast, lunch and by dinner the next evening we declined what was offered and went hunting for organic goats milk yogurt and kefir to make that food pass quickly through the system.

Yes, we did have a presence on a panel on hospitality and technology spreading the Bettina Gospel, during which we met some very impressive and very accomplished women from whom we hope to hear more. We have started to think on how to get them involved with Bettina Network, inc. – Interns, Partners, Consultants? If you have ideas, please let us know!

WE ARE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM YOU on the recent beginnings of sending out passwords and memberships in Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community.

Mostly, your questions have been about the password allowing you access to Bettina’s Menu of Events and how much basic influence this gives you. It is wonderful getting the suggestions. We hope you will ADD EVENTS and use the Menu when you are looking for ELEGANT, GRACIOUS, WELL ORGANIZED EVENTS WITH SUBSTANTIAL Bettina-style content in which to take part.

We have had many requests for passwords from people who want to be a part of Bettina Network’s Lifestyle Community and how to sign up! We are sorry to have to tell you, but there is no ‘sign up’ page on our web site or anyplace else for that to happen. To become a member you have to use the services of Bettina Network, inc. and the people at the point where you use Bettina Network’s services must recommend you for membership. Act ugly and no amount of money spent will get you that password.

BETTINA HOMES

We have been in conversation over this for a long time. This Newspage announces that homes which belong to Bettina Network, inc. and those joining in the future are and will be Bettina Homes. Bed and Breakfast is quite inadequate to describe one of the services we offer. Bed & breakfast has become a term overused, misused, describing everything from a hostel to a five star hotel room and the name carries nothing to begin to describe what you can expect in terms of quality or anything else.

We acknowledge the history of from whence we have come, but moving through the present into the future, Bettina Homes is the creation from that history by Bettina Network, inc.

For us to be able to be more specific and so you will know the basic quality you can expect from just hearing the terms, we have adopted and will use Bettina Homes to describe the places, services offered, etc. We do stand out and it is time for the name of one of the very particular services we offer to reflect that stand-outness.

The necessary legal trappings to insure that only homes in the Bettina Network, inc. can carry that name -can call themselves a Bettina Home – have been applied for. While we do not go after people who use our blogs, even though we put a copyright on them, we will go after people who try to call themselves “Bettina Homes” because we do not want to see created the kind of confusion around Bettina Homes which exists today around bed & breakfast or Inns, or Guest Houses, or etc. When you make a reservation to stay in a Bettina Home we want to insure that you have a good basic idea as to what you can expect. All of our homes are not exact replicas of one another and they vary and will continue to vary by location, kind of services offered, physical architectural look of the place, price, etc. There are basics which they all share which is why we take one and not another home into Bettina Network, inc. and that quality is what we want you all to know and be able to expect.

So – until the next time we meet in Bettina Network, inc. NEWS, — keep safe, stay human and be responsible for yourself and others.

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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.

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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

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Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Homes, breakfast table talk
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Buying Breadcrumbs!

February 20th, 2014

You know our food supply is on the down slide when you hear on the food channels and find recipes which tell you to buy Panko Bread Crumbs because others -basically the kind you make from your stale bread – are not good and can’t measure up to the quality of Panko. So throw out that day old bread, don’t buy from the day old bread shelf in the super market, buy Panko and pay the premium price for bread crumbs? We are becoming beyond ridiculous.

Panko’s marketing budget must be huge and we must be going slightly crazy when we have to buy bread crumbs.

If you have a problem and don’t like the bread crumbs made from your bread, that seems to say to us that you need to change the kind of bread you are either making or buying.

Try using organic whole wheat when making bread – or be careful to only buy organic bread made with organic whole wheat flour or spelt or other kinds of flour and you might find your bread crumbs a bit better than even Pankos.

Ridiculous is the name of the marketing game. This – currently – tops our list for arrogance, gall, etc. etc.

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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.

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.

Tags: Bettina's Cookbook, food shopping, health
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“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.”

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COME AND SPEND THE SUMMER SOLSTICE WITH US.

Saturday, June 21, 2014 is the day. From 10am-4pm is the time. And if you miss that we will do it again on Sunday, June 22 from 3-5pm.

There are those who have reached the status of “Gold” members of Bettina Network Foundation because of what they have given and the spirit in which they have given to others.

Sunday, June 8, 2014 from 3pm to 5pm AT:

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Woburn, MA. 01801

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