A Gathering Storm With A Garden Interlude

I am reading the Pulitzer Prize-winning book about Lincoln and his 'Cabinet of Rivals' which talks about how he took his rivals and welded them into an effective cabinet for prosecuting the Civil War. It is also a great history of the events leading to and through that conflict. I am just at the point where all the activities of his first election are leading to the secession and the war itself...the gathering storm clouds of the conflict...the feeling that the terrible fate was at hand.

My Ghana project is going full bore toward our own moment of truth...fundraising. Just since my Bastille Day post on July 14 we have:

• Given our project a name - The Theodora Project - named after the famous Byzantine Empress and wife of Emperor Justinian who started off as a sex worker as a teenager
• Completed the business plan
• Complete incorporating our not-for-profit corporation
• Are close to completing our IRS filing to become a 501(c)(3) foundation to have tax deductibility for donations
• Completed two beta tests of one of my escorts in Ghana doing virtual personal assistance projects
• Got such encouragement from my Rotary Mentor that I am going to apply for a Rotary Global Grant and am working on same
• Have lined up my list of initial people to begin the fundraising process scheduled to kick off with a meeting with a key prospect on August 12 
• Have lined up a number of businesses who are interested in being Mentor/Clients for our women once we start training them.

And all the while business continues to move forward (YES, I have the CEO calmed down...for the moment).

Despite what looks like I am working full time, in reality, I still have lots of days when I don't have much on my schedule. When I can take it easy. My 'for pay' work, in particular, is down to such a science that there is rarely a time when I have to put in long hours to meet client expectations.

As one of my advisors puts it, "Those who take the transition seriously and proactively, don't retire. They create new realities that nurture and fulfill them."

A Garden Interlude

I spent mucho dinero on well developed tomato plants this year and bought less of them

It has proven to be a great investment

Not only are the tomatoes coming in much earlier but as I bought three varieties, the timing is syncopated so they are not coming in all at once

The peaches are within just a week or two from ripening

While the good moist weather has meant chile is already being harvested