The Care and Feeding of Lama Kathy

(Last revised 2.14.06)

Kathy enjoys traveling to teach at dharma centers, and tries to be as low-maintenance as possible. Here are a few tips for the care and feeding of this particular “llama:”

Travel planning tips

For ticketing purposes, please use Kathy’s full legal name: Kathleen M. Wesley.

You have two options in planning Kathy’s travel:

  1. Your center may plan her flights and purchase her ticket -- in which case the actual itinerary must be cleared with Kathy’s travel secretary, Merijn van der Heijden, in advance.
  1. You may ask Kathy to plan and purchase her own ticket, with your center re-imbursing her within two weeks of her ticket purchase.

Please contact Merijn van der Heijden in advance regarding all travel and scheduling matters. Merijn can be reached best by e-mail at:

If you are purchasing Kathy’s airline ticket, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Kathy’s departure airport is Columbus, Ohio. Designator: CMH

2. Kathy is a member of several frequent-traveler programs. Ask her travel secretary for the numbers when you book her travel.

3. If possible, try to avoid flights before 7 a.m., as Kathy must drive for one hour to reach the Columbus airport.

4. Generally, it’s best to fly Kathy in and out at times other than your city’s rush hour – that makes pick-up and drop-off easier for everyone.

Scheduling tips: Day of Arrival

Because travel tires her, Kathy prefers not to give public lectures on the date of arrival. However, it’s OK to schedule an evening program (meet-and-greet, Q & A, pujas, etc.) with the members of the dharma center.

Scheduling tips: Seminars

If you plan a seminar, you are welcome to use the KTD schedule: two 90-minute sessions, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. An alternate is two 2-hour sessions (one in the morning, one in the afternoon).

Scheduling tips: Interviews

If people would like interviews with Kathy, you can schedule them in two-hour blocks, divided into 15- or 20-minute sessions, depending on how many people request interviews. If needed, it’s OK to schedule interviews before and after teaching sessions during a weekend teaching program.

Scheduling tips: Exercise

Like many people over 50, Kathy needs exercise. Her doctor has asked Kathy to walk for 30 minutes each day to maintain good health. If you can help by suggesting times and places for her walk, it would be appreciated.

At the Home

Unfortunately, while Kathy likes all kinds of pets, she is allergic to cats and dogs – most especially cats. So, if there are pets in the home – particularly multiple pets -- it’s good to check with Merijn in advance about whether Kathy will be able to stay in the home.

Food tips!

Because Lama Kathy has digestive problems, she eats small meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Therefore, people taking her out to eat (or feeding her in their homes) should be aware that she will not be eating a lot. Please don’t take this as a criticism of the food being served; it’s just a matter of capacity!

The fact is, Kathy loves to eat and loves good food. Instead of naming favorite dishes, she prefers to let cooks be creative within the boundaries of the foods she has to avoid because of her health. She eats both meat (poultry, lamb, beef and some fish) and vegetarian fare.

Thank you in advance for your creativity and patience!

Foods to avoid

  • Melons and cucumbers
  • Orange juice
  • Peppers. Hot peppers, red and green peppers, yellow peppers and chilies of all types should be avoided. Black pepper, paprika, etc. as garnish is fine -- just no vegetable peppers.
  • Salmon
  • Spicy-hot foods. Mild curries are fine, but Kathy avoids spicy-hot foods.
  • Oily foods
  • Deep-fried foods

Meals

* Breakfast can happen anytime between 7 or 8. The menu is easy -- Plain black tea, wholegrain toast or oatmeal or granola. Eggs on occasion are nice.

* Lunch is the main meal, and can happen anytime from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

* Dinner, which can be between 5 and 6:30 p.m., should be lighter fare. Soups and salads are great for this meal. Please be mindful not to schedule Kathy’s dinner after 7 p.m.

Dining Out

Dining Out, with Kathy’s food regime, can be a challenge. The most important thing to avoid is a restaurant that serves mostly deep-fried foods. Again, please don’t be offended if she only eats a small amount. That’s the best she can do!

For talks and seminars

* The drink of choice is simple -- plain water, no ice. (Is this easy or what?)