Mother's Day, you can't surprise me

Is it really almost Mom's Day again? These days, it barely seems as though a week has passed, let alone a whole year. I must confess, I've been so busy lately that special occasions have been getting away from me.

Back in January, I actually made a special trip to the store to get a birthday card for my mom, but I got so caught up in everyday events that I completely forgot to get it in the mail. There wasn't even time for a quick order to 1800flowers by the time I remembered, so I had to settle for an old-fashioned phone call on her birthday. I didn't even realize Easter was coming this year until a couple of days before it arrived. What am I going to forget next?

Well, I'm ready this time. Mother's Day is coming, and I have the 1800flowers website open right now. I can order something for Mom way ahead of time and no matter how busy I get, the folks at 1800flowers won't forget to deliver those flowers on whatever date I specify.

Now, if I could just think of some way to make up for that forgotten anniversary.

Valentine's Day flowers

Oh, Valentine's Day. Once I beheld you with horror and disgust . . . but what a difference a fiance makes. This Valentine's Day is a first and a last: my first as a fiancee, my last as anything but a wife.

Because V-Day is quickly approaching and because a certain wedding date is as well (although not as quickly as I might hope), I find myself contemplating the ins and outs of flowers. I never had a favorite flower, but now I have to think about bouquets and centerpieces and wreaths and boutienniers (did I even spell that right?).

Roses are a romantic staple, of course. Then there are calla lilies, cherry blossoms, hydrangeas, orchids, irises . . . the list goes on and on. Would it be completely wrong of me to carry a bunch of illegally picked wildflowers down the aisle? Maybe a solitary daisy or sunflower? A bundle of colorful leaves, even? The opportunities are endless!

A Parco San Marco Wedding?

I'm engaged, and the search for a wedding venue is getting a little tiresome . . . mainly because I'm so limited in where I can have it. After about an hour of searching for a dream venue in my moderately sized hometown, I decided to pretend I could have the wedding anywhere in the world. One of the Web sites I stumbled on was for an Italian Spa Hotel called Parco San Marco. I've never been to Europe, but this resort exemplifies what I see as being the most enjoyable aspects of an Italian vacation, and I couldn't help but imagine what it might be like to have a destination wedding there.

My bridesmaids and I could enjoy all the benefits of a Lake Lugano Vacation and experience total relaxation on the big day. We could alternate between lounging on the private beach and swimming in the pool. After all that sunbathing, we could get massages at the resort spa and get beauty treatments before we start doing our hair and makeup for the ceremony. After all that, there's no way we'll be too tired to dance the night away at the reception.

The groom and his men can spend their day playing Lake Como Golf. There are 13 golf courses near the resort, and they are some of the best in Europe. The resort's partner, Golfclub Menaggio & Cadenabbia, follows the British tradition of golfclubs and is only 10 minutes away from the resort. If that's not enough to keep them busy while the girls get pretty, they can go kayaking, water-skiing, diving, or do any number of things in beautiful Lake Lugano.

Well, back to the real world. Now, what's the closest thing to an Italian resort in Central Florida?

Flowers are the finishing touch

Today is my birthday. Unfortunately, I still had to be at work at 7 a.m. today and I've been cleaning all week because my parents are visiting tomorrow. There's no rest for the weary, not even on a birthday.

The highlight of my day was a special delivery from 1800flowers. I'm not one to advertise around work that it's my birthday, but everyone instantly knew the truth as soon as they saw the birthday flowers sitting on my desk.

It's an almost effortless gesture, but it serves so many purposes, sending flowers. It made me feel loved, it told everyone else that I'm loved ... and it added the finishing touch to my clean apartment when I set the bouquet on the dining room table.

Westford Asset Management: Lucky to be in Boca Raton

Westford Asset Management is located in Boca Raton, Florida, a well-known vacation spot and popular escape for retirees, making it the largest city between West Palm Beach and Pompano Beach. The city is known for its affluent residents and high-income demographic.

Westford Asset Management is surrounded by Florida's beautiful Palm Beach County. The area is blessed with a year-round tropical climate, and temperatures range from a high of 86 degrees Fahrenheit to a low of 58 degrees Fahrenheit.

The city Westford Asset Management calls home is also home to Florida Atlantic University, Lynn University, and Digital Media Arts College.

Some of Boca Raton's notable residents have been singer Jon Bon Jovi, actor Ernest Borgnine, NASCAR racer Jeff Gordon, "Marley & Me" author John Grogan, and tennis player Andy Roddick.

Sakwinder Narwal makes catch and release his hobby

Sakwinder Narwal, much like the whale that shares a similar name, has an obsession with fins and scales. Rather, his obsession has to do with catching the creatures that come with those features.

An entrepreneur and avid fisherman, Sakwinder Narwal (Sak for short) has traveled the world to feed his fascination with all things fishy. He hunts the world's greatest sports fish, such as salmon, trout, catfish, tarpon bonefish, and redfish. He chooses to take the "catch and release" route with his hobby, so the fish he catches will live to swim another day.

Sakwinder Narwal is also known to hook a shark every now and then. He has waited for them off Montauk Point in New York, where the water is rich with many types, such as Blue, Mako, Thresher, and the occasional Hammerhead.

RENEW International is all about outreach

RENEW International is above all else a ministry organization.

An arm of the Roman Catholic church, RENEW International has dedicated 28 years to breathing life into the communities of more than 150 dioceses around the U.S. It is also a missionary organization, going outside the U.S. to serve the people of 23 countries and counting.

RENEW International reaches different areas of the Catholic community through its various ministries, including Campus RENEW, which focuses on college campuses during a 2 1/2 year process; RENEW Worldwide, which reaches people of other countries; and RENEW Resources, which publishes books, bulletins, videos, etc. and distributes them to dioceses, parishes, communities, and individuals.

The organization also offers several opportunites to get involved, whether it be attending a workshop or a retreat or making a donation to support the cause.