Finding It: And Finally Satisfying My Hunger for Life (31 page)

Terry, Kathy and Abra, No one finer could be in charge. It will be so!

Nancy, Kacie, Roque, Jetty, Torston, Carol, Bruce, Cristoph, Linda, Chandra, Daniela, and Jen at Portofino, thank you for making me feel beautiful.

Phil and Jimmy, still in my life, gratefully so.

To Dan Strone at Trident Media Group, who knew? I guess you did. Thank you.

To Leslie Meredith, Donna Loffredo, and everyone at Free Press, I know that, although writing may look like an individual endeavor, it’s really a team sport and with you, I couldn’t have better teammates. Thank you.

To Jenny Craig, I want you to know that very often during tough times, when more than anything I want to stuff gobs of food in my face, I stop and ask, “WWJCD—what would Jenny Craig do?” You are an inspirational woman.

To all of my buds at Jenny Craig Headquarters, okay, you got me in a bikini and I have to admit, it wasn’t that bad. So, what next? A topless beach in the South of France? Just kidding (about the topless part). Thank you for everything. Truly.

To my girlfriends, the book club ladies, and the small, intimate group of women (and their husbands) with whom I have laughed, cried, driven carpools, sat next to at graduations, and traded notes about our kids on the phone, I will simply say I couldn’t have asked for warmer or wiser friends. Again, I don’t know what I did to be so fortunate to have all of you in my life, but I’ll take it. Let’s keep going!

To Ed and Janie, I say, Mazel Tov! I want to wish you a long and happy and healthy marriage.

Tom, I said it at the beginning of this book, but I’ll say it again: Thanks for finding me. Without you, I doubt I would have started on my own journey to finding it. More than that, you ran a half marathon with me. That is love and I love you!

Wolfie, no project has inspired me more than being a mother. Nor has any project presented as many challenges or as much joy. I will forever feel so honored and blessed to be your mother. Could you do me one favor, though? Please pick up your towels! I love you, to the moon and back—and more.

V
ALERIE
B
ERTINELLI
has been acting since the age of twelve, appearing in more than two dozen made-for-TV movies. She is most recognized for her appearances on the long-running sitcom,
One Day at a Time,
and more recently on
Touched by an Angel
. Now a spokesperson for Jenny Craig, Bertinelli was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and raised in Southern California, and was married for twenty years to Eddie Van Halen (they split up in 2001). Currently she lives in Los Angeles.