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<p>What a great topic! I started over (a farmer's wife) in 1981 by
hiding in a battered women's shelter and leaving everything but my
5 year old daughter behind. I re-invented myself after that so
that I graduated college, founded 22 battered women's projects/3
women's funds/17 women freed from prison who acted in
self-defense, and created lots of cultural/social change through
that work. <br>
</p>
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<p>Next time I re-invented myself was in 2002 when I left the US
with nothing but our 6 year old granddaughter that we'd raised
from birth. It felt like someone had taken a giant eraser and
wiped out my career, my friends, my goals but I'd promised Catlyn
we would be there for her. During the 3 1/2 years we fought in
court for her I stumbled often but I found my way by writing for a
newspaper about life in a small town (first France and then
England) as a way to protest the invasion of Iraq after 9/11. I
volunteered at Catlyn's school to teach English to French 5 year
olds, and I translated the SOS FEMMES' prostitutes health and
safety "Little Blue Book". I grew an amazing garden, made
friends, traveled everywhere imaginable, and tried not to loose my
mind as I mourned the life I left behind.</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>When we returned to the US in late 2004 I re-invented myself
again as the builder of an Earthship, the first one east of the
MS. I learned how to use the Internet and social media, won
custody in court of our granddaughter (that's a whole other story
involving the grand jury indicting us and more), and learned to be
a goat herder. <br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Reinventing is a miserable experience - it's like being birthed
into a new reality and trying to make sense of what works, and
what doesn't. I had hoped not to do it again, but I find myself
there right now with our need to push our business online. We'd
been doing that a little at a time, but now we have had to push
all of our classes and workshops to the fall with the hope that
things will improve for our country's health. While we'd had a
plan to speed up the process of the transition in late 2020 we
find that we must let go of everything else and just focus on this
one thing for now. Perhaps the most nerving for me is the
separation physically of those I love deeply. It is growing
difficult as the days pass with no physical contact with people
like our granddaughter, who is married and lives an hour away with
poor transportation. Jay and I have agreed we will sequester here
until it is safe, which means no visitors. It is especially
difficult to say "no" to former interns who would like to be here
with us since they are not going to work everyday, but if we are
to remain reasonably safe we need to honor our agreement to each
other.<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Perhaps there will be one more re-invention as I grow older and
have to stop being a goat herder, and a farmer. That work
sustains me so I am making plans for how I can continue to hand on
to that part of my life. But then the best laid plans often are
not how things turn out. I hope to hear more stories from each
other you. Annie<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/6/2020 9:10 PM, Rebecca Phillips
via Women wrote:<br>
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Great topic!</div>
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<div>"If you have a garden and a library, you have
everything you need."-- Cicero</div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font style="font-size:11pt"
face="Calibri, sans-serif" color="#000000"><b>From:</b>
Women <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:women-bounces@fuusm.org"><women-bounces@fuusm.org></a> on behalf of Gillian
via Women <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:women@fuusm.org"><women@fuusm.org></a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 6, 2020 8:04 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> A List for the Women of FUUSM
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:women@fuusm.org"><women@fuusm.org></a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Gillian <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:gillianabbo@gmail.com"><gillianabbo@gmail.com></a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Women] April meeting</font>
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<div class="" style="word-wrap:break-word">Hello
<div class="">As the host for the now cancelled April Women’s
Group meeting it was suggested that I still pose a question
for discussion as we do at our gathering. We can email any
response that you may wish to share. I was talking with
Caitlin and it is her topic.</div>
<div class="">Hugs Gillian</div>
<div class="">
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font-family:'Helvetica Neue'">
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<div class="" style="margin:0px; line-height:normal;
font-family:'Helvetica Neue'">
Women’s Group Topic of Discussion:</div>
<div class="" style="margin:0px; line-height:normal;
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Though these are strange and difficult times, a promising
future still lingers on the horizon. The sun is shining
its face, the birds are singing in their choirs, and the
flowers are beginning to stretch their arms skyward.
Spring is upon is. And with it comes rebirth, renewal, and
hope.</div>
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<br class="">
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This leads me to my topic of conversation for the week.
When was a time in your life where you had to start again?
Find a new beginning? Start a new chapter in your life?
Was it through circumstance forced upon you, or was it
perhaps spurred through your own free will? </div>
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There are many such occasions in an individual’s life, but
I hope that we can focus on the positive. In these
difficult times it’s good to remember how much we’ve
already overcome and how we’ve thrived regardless. Like a
dandelion through the pavement’s cracks, we will all see
the light again. </div>
</div>
</div>
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<br>
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<pre class="moz-quote-pre" wrap="">_______________________________________________
Women mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Women@fuusm.org">Women@fuusm.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://fuusm.org/mailman/listinfo/women_fuusm.org">http://fuusm.org/mailman/listinfo/women_fuusm.org</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Annie Warmke
Farmer, activist, consultant, writer
Blue Rock Station/Warmke Farm LLC
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.bluerockstation.com">www.bluerockstation.com</a>
(740) 674-4300 or (740) 252-6295 Mobile
Radio: When the Biomass Hits the Wind Turbine
WOUB Digital Wednesday 9 am
WGRN Digital Friday 11:30 am & Saturday 8:30 am
Publications:
The Business of Goat Herding (BRS Media)
The Journey Toward Nothing (BRS Media)
Naturally Healthy Goats (BRS Media)
Podcasts: bluerockstation.com
When the Biomass Hits the Wind Turbine
Arriving at Blue Rock Station</pre>
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