Catching up

My friend, Judy, told me today that I was very behind in my posting. She said she guessed I was too busy with FaceBook to post to my blog. I have been enjoying using FaceBook but then there are several of family members and friends who have not joined the FaceBook crowd, so I still like blogging with them.

If you read my blog because of an email that is sent when I post something new, you may be missing one of my favorite parts of my blog, - the music. If you go directly to the blog site, you should be able to hear it. I have learned how to use Playlist. It is another amazing part of technology that I love!

I had a very nice and quiet Christmas. Here are some snipets of what has been going on since my last post.

I reconnected with my friend Lisa. She and I worked together before either of us had children. We worked with children - wild children, so it is a miracle that we actually some of our own. It has been almost 25 years since I last saw her. I found her on FaceBook. It felt like we had just seen each other last month. I really enjoyed our friendship. We will be getting together again next month.

Some of Joe's family came over the day after Christmas and we had a fun time. We ate and then played a little game I made up since we were not exchanging gifts. It was fun and I think I will do it again next year.

My Mamou was supposed to spend Christmas with my sister Betty in Arkansas, but you her "stomach was just not right" and she could not go. She came over Christmas day and had lunch with us. She loves to use her stomach as an excuse to not do something she does not want to do. I think my sister and niece and nephew were disappointed she did not come.

My lifelong friends came over after New Years for a girls lunch. Judy does not like being referred to as "the girls" but it does not bother me. I made Chicken and Rice and tableside guacomole. It was very good, if I do say so myself. We were always together: Terry, Paula, Judy, me and my sister Betty. Judy's sister, Debbie, did not always "hang out" with us kids when we were younger. But, she tolerates us pretty well now and she is one of "the girls".

I know two people who lost their mother over the holiday. One is my brother-in-law. How difficult it must be to loose a loved one at Christmas. Two new angels will sing in heaven's Christmas choir!

One of my co-workers, who is several years younger than I am, suffered a stroke at work the week after shutdown and was hospitalized for two weeks. She does not seem to have any mobility issues but her vision has been affected. She had just gotten married a few months ago and was so happy. Her life was going great. It reminds me to never take for granted your health and life. She apparently had some uncontrolled blood pressure issues. Never stop taking your blood pressure medicine.

My very brave friend Cindy, who I also found on FaceBook, is battling breast cancer. I spoke of her in an earlier posting. She is taking her chemotherapy treatments at MD Anderson. She lives in Houston. She never complains and is very thankful for God's blessings with her care. Please pray for strength for Cindy as she goes through this difficult fight. By the way, the lump she found in her breast was thought to be "nothing" by her GYN and the surgeon he sent her to see. The surgeon wanted to remove it just to be safe, and it turned out to be a very aggresive cancer.

Joe's daughter, Lynn, who is somewhat of a "wanderer" has left for a trip to Spain and North Africa. She will return in August. Lynn will be 30 this year, but loves to travel and see the world. She is part of team who goes into remote areas and works with groups of people who most of the world would never see. I don't know if I could do that,On her last adventure to an island off the coast of Indonesia, she slept on the floor of small huts and used a hole in the ground for the toilet and ate pretty much only rice for about 6 weeks. She will possibly start natureopathic medical school in the fall.

My Katie and Drew moved to Seattle. They drove a moving truck and towed Katie's car behind. Their dog Finn rode in the middle of the front seat with them. It was a great adventure. They drove west to California and then north along the coast. He has started a 6 months internship with an Architecture firm and Katie is working in a vet clinic. What an exciting time in their young lives.

A new position may be opening up for me at work. It will be a developmental position and I could get some "on the job" training. I am very blessed to have a job that I love. There are so many people out of work, I am very thankful to have a job. Joe looks everyday for a new job. I can tell somedays he is down, but he just keeps on looking.

OK, this was sort of depressing post. I apologize. I will also post some random photos in another email from over the last couple of months.

Oh, one more thing: My baby boy turns 22 on Friday. He is the brown sugar on my sweet potato casserole, he is tartar sauce on my fish, he is the bubbles in my gum, he is the shooting star in my galaxy. OK, I guess I should apologize once again for completely gushing. Happy birthday, best bud!!

Smooches to all.