Whew. It's Mother's Day, May 9, 2010, and I am tired to the bone. It's Buddy's 40th birthday tomorrow, so we had a barbecue for the whole family to get together, to celebrate the day with him, and to give everyone a chance to see their mother, grandmother, whatever. I think it was fun. We counted 22 people, who went through 38 gourmet hamburgers and about 20 pounds of salads.

How lucky am I. Among the crowd, my mother was here. My sister was here. My daughter was here. Three granddaughters were here. So we had four generations all sitting together sharing a meal and enjoying the day. Sometimes our greatest blessings are right there in front of our faces, and we just forget to be grateful. We do ourselves a huge disservice by taking things like that for granted.

Also met my son's girlfriend and her son for the first time today. And my niece's boyfriend's Mom came too. How blessed are we? And my nephew's family was all here.

And of course, my big birthday boy. Buddy. 40 years old. Wow. I don't know where the years went.

Thank you God for the blessings in my life. Amen.

Spring is springing up all around me here, as I gaze out my office window. The trees are bare, but the sun is shining. I can tell that it's nice out there because people are running or being thrown by the wind toward their cars or buildings. They're strolling. That's nice.

What's decidedly NOT nice, however, is that this lovely spring is also ALLERGY season. Geez Louise! I haven't drawn a clear breath in two weeks. Tonight I shall take drugs and sleep like the dead.

Asia, my little 16-year-old dollface granddaughter (but I use that name for all five of them!), left for Florida today, for a cheer competition. I wish I could see it, and I hope somebody puts it up on YouTube. I do love to watch these kids.

Countdown to retirement continues. It's just 288 days from today. I have a zippy plan for the final day. I will have been on holidays for four weeks before my final day. So, picture this. It will be my 60th birthday. It will be my final day at the office. I will come prancing in here, all rested and relaxed. I will bring a bottle of Bailey's and sit it on my desk. I will send out an email inviting those selected colleagues and friends to drop by with their coffee, and I will top it up from my little bottle. And we will party all day long. Some of them will actually have work to do. But not me. Oh it makes me smile to contemplate it.

Is it still agoraphobia if you just don't want to go outside? Are you officially a hermit if you stay at home because that's your favourite place in the world. It's where your stuff is. It's where your books are and your coffee pot and your computer. It's where your big chair is and your photos and your albums and your big, comfy bed. Above all, it's where your sweetie is, at least most of the time. I like staying home. I like pajama days and fuzzy slipper evenings. I don't have to be stepping out for parties and concerts and movies and games.

Maybe when I retire, 330 days from now, I'll begin to learn to be bored with it all. But for now, home is the place I love. In fact, I'd love to be there right now. Sigh.

I'm on the countdown to retirement. As I sit here today, there are exactly 350 days left till I'm free. At least, that's if all goes well, if the company stays afloat, if I'm not one of the 120 jobs that are supposed to be cut across the country. This economic recession has taught me that nothing is forever, that security is an illusion, that pensions can't be counted on, that eating catfood might be a reality in my future. But still, I don't plan to work after my 60th birthday. And that's a fact, ma'am. Right now, I'm looking forward to nine days away from the office. Maybe I'll feel better when I come back. I hope so.

It's Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010. Only one workday left before we get a long family-day weekend and a week's holidays too. Cool. But why oh why does life have to be so complicated. I thought it would get easier when the kids grew up, but how wrong can you get! Little people have little problems. BIGger people have BIGger problems. Like now two sons are at loggerheads, daughter is thoroughly unhappy, granddaughters all have their issues going on, except the six-year-old who's just cute all day long. Oh it makes my heart hurt when the family has issues. Why can't life just be easy? Sigh.

It looks like three years have gone since last I passed this way. It went by in a blink. But I'm back because today is important to me in a HUGE CAPITAL-LETTERS kind of way. Today is Jan. 29, 2010. My second youngest granddaughter is 13 years old today. That's cool. It's Friday and payday, also cool. But mostly, this day marks ONE YEAR exactly until my retirement. In fact, Jan. 29, 2011 will also be Cassie's birthday, and payday. But it will also be the first day of the rest of my life. Please God, please please please God in all your mercy - please let me live to see that happen!! I cannot imagine the joy I will feel after all these years.

If I can figure out how to do this, or remember whatever passwords I need, I might - MIGHT - update holiday news on this blog... testing, testing, testing. RHONDA, help! What do I do next?

Finally it's Friday. Well, by that I mean it's Thursday and a long weekend, so it's as good as Friday only better because I don't have to work on Friday. Got it? Good. I should work tomorrow though. We are so busy, sickeningly, depressingly, overwhelmingly busy. There are projects on top of projects and they're coming at us from every direction at lightening speed. Overwhelming, truly. And not looking good for easing up any time soon. So I continue to come home dead at the end of the day, with the energy to do nothing but sit in front of the telly and eat bad food choices. I am terrified that I shall wake up dead of a heart attack one of these fine summer mornings. But if that happens, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll go find that chick on Ghost Whisperer before I cross over to the light, and I'll have her get in touch with y'all. So, I wanna share my inspiration, my heart beat, my pride and joy. These are recent shots of my goils. I wanna live because it sure is fun watching the grands and the godchildren grow into such little characters. Here's Asia (the spine-bender), Cassidy, the toe-toucher and Livvie the little purple duck-girl.

Finally it's Friday. Well, by that I mean it's Thursday and a long weekend, so it's as good as Friday only better because I don't have to work on Friday. Got it? Good. I should work tomorrow though. We are so busy, sickeningly, depressingly, overwhelmingly busy. There are projects on top of projects and they're coming at us from every direction at lightening speed. Overwhelming, truly. And not looking good for easing up any time soon. So I continue to come home dead at the end of the day, with the energy to do nothing but sit in front of the telly and eat bad food choices. I am terrified that I shall wake up dead of a heart attack one of these fine summer mornings. But if that happens, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll go find that chick on Ghost Whisperer before I cross over to the light, and I'll have her get in touch with y'all. So, I wanna share my inspiration, my heart beat, my pride and joy. These are recent shots of my goils. I wanna live because it sure is fun watching the grands and the godchildren grow into such little characters. Here's Asia (the spine-bender), Cassidy, the toe-toucher and Livvie the little purple duck-girl.

Finally it's Friday. Well, by that I mean it's Thursday and a long weekend, so it's as good as Friday only better because I don't have to work on Friday. Got it? Good. I should work tomorrow though. We are so busy, sickeningly, depressingly, overwhelmingly busy. There are projects on top of projects and they're coming at us from every direction at lightening speed. Overwhelming, truly. And not looking good for easing up any time soon. So I continue to come home dead at the end of the day, with the energy to do nothing but sit in front of the telly and eat bad food choices. I am terrified that I shall wake up dead of a heart attack one of these fine summer mornings. But if that happens, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll go find that chick on Ghost Whisperer before I cross over to the light, and I'll have her get in touch with y'all. So, I wanna share my inspiration, my heart beat, my pride and joy. These are recent shots of my goils. I wanna live because it sure is fun watching the grands and the godchildren grow into such little characters. Here's Asia (the spine-bender), Cassidy, the toe-toucher and Livvie the little purple duck-girl.

Finally it's Friday. Well, by that I mean it's Thursday and a long weekend, so it's as good as Friday only better because I don't have to work on Friday. Got it? Good. I should work tomorrow though. We are so busy, sickeningly, depressingly, overwhelmingly busy. There are projects on top of projects and they're coming at us from every direction at lightening speed. Overwhelming, truly. And not looking good for easing up any time soon. So I continue to come home dead at the end of the day, with the energy to do nothing but sit in front of the telly and eat bad food choices. I am terrified that I shall wake up dead of a heart attack one of these fine summer mornings. But if that happens, I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll go find that chick on Ghost Whisperer before I cross over to the light, and I'll have her get in touch with y'all. So, I wanna share my inspiration, my heart beat, my pride and joy. These are recent shots of my goils. I wanna live because it sure is fun watching the grands and the godchildren grow into such little characters. Here's Asia (the spine-bender), Cassidy, the toe-toucher and Livvie the little purple duck-girl.

Okay, now I am having trouble with this. The mysterious message keeps telling me that my template is blank. Well, be assured that lots of parts of my life are blank. But this template business is bugging me. Why did it work before, but not now. Argh! Anyway, here are three of my five beautiful granddaughters, Livvy, Cassie and Asia and their father, the world-class son-in-law, Leon. Aren't they pretty!

Am I getting the hang of it now? Didn't work last time. Anyway, I found some pix of the girls and their dad. Leon and Livvy, Cassie in pink and Asia by the tree. Three of five beautiful granddaughters and one world-class son-in-law. Life is good, indeed.

Getting the hang of it now!

So, here's some of the family, and not all pix taken by me. Is that a copyright infringement, or a theft of intellectual property, I wonder. Oh well, they're mine now. Leon and Livvy, Cassie in the pink, and Asia by the tree. A world-class son-in-law and three of the five beautiful grand-girls. Life is good, indeed.

Getting the hang of it now!

So, here's some of the family, and not all pix taken by me. Is that a copyright infringement, or a theft of intellectual property, I wonder. Oh well, they're mine now. Leon and Livvy, Cassie in the pink, and Asia by the tree. A world-class son-in-law and three of the five beautiful grand-girls. Life is good, indeed.