Definitions & A Purpose

The summer that I turned ten I remember my Aunt Inez telling me that I was my Daddy's girl because I loved everything about baseball yet I was also my Mom's girl because I loved to bake. Forty five years later my parents are no longer here with me on earth, but I still LOVE baking & baseball. As I tried to think of a name for my very first blog, my husband Mark came up with "Home Plate" -- I immediately knew he had a winner.

According to the Collins English Dictionary, the obvious definition:

Home Plate - (noun) In Baseball a flat, often five-sided piece of hard rubber or other material that serves to define the area over which the pitcher must throw the ball for a strike and that a base runner must safely reach on his way from third base to score a run.
I love the connection between home plate and being safe.

Home Plate - can also be thought of in terms of food. It is a title used by many restaurants & cookbooks as well as personal chef services. When I think of Home Plate in these terms, I remember family gatherings where I am surrounded by loved ones AND plates of wonderful home cooking (especially the desserts!!).

Home Plate - there is a third definition that is a personal one. Running through my mind is the picture from "The Sound of Music" of Julie Andrews singing "when you read you begin with A-B-C".



I want to tell you about my A-B-C: Alice's Breast Cancer. In September 2008, I had an awakening of sorts with the breast cancer diagnosis that changed my life. I am currently cancer free, and life is even better now. The love and support I received during my journey through various surgeries and chemotherapy was instrumental in my recovery. When I reached the end of all my treatments, I felt like I had hit a home run and was finally able to cross My Home Plate!! I don't know how my Game of Life will end, whether the cancer will ever return or not, but for now I will just enjoy this feeling of safety.

Because of my good fortune, I am filled with a strong need to Pay it Forward. Five months after my last chemotherapy I rode in the 2009 Inaugural Texas Mamma Jamma Bike Ride - an amazing charity ride that has raised $1,000,000 in 2 years. The money raised goes to the non-profit organizations that provided services to me & continue to assist thousands of other breast cancer patients and their families. Did I mention that I also love BIKING??

Mark & I after we rode our first century ride - yes, a 100 mile bike ride
 in the 2009 Texas Mamma Jamma Ride, just 5 months after completing my chemotherapy.

Now for the purpose of my blog -

My goal is to:

• Share not only my cancer story - but also those of friends that I have met
• Post information about new breast cancer advancements
• Spread the word about the amazing Texas Mamma Jamma Ride
• Share my love for Biking, Baking & Baseball along with posts sprinkled in about my other interests such as painting, crafting, photography & gardening
• Finally, I will be introducing you to some wonderful non-profit organizations that hit a home run everyday by the services that they provide to cancer patients and their families here in Central Texas. I hope that you will in turn share with me some of the support organizations that are in your area.

Let's CELEBRATE LIFE!!!




One last definition:

Home Plate is also the name for a rocky outcrop on Mars that measures about 90 meters across. Interesting!!



I want to reach for the stars when it comes to sharing information with you in future posts. I invite you to come along for the ride at This Home Plate.