FEBRUARY

A week ago I wrote:

There's a storm coming in the north east and they're predicting blizzard conditions. Everything is set in place for a replay of last year. About this time last year, Katie's father died. There was snow on the ground. We went to Tennessee to the funeral.

You should have seen us. We were a force to be reckoned with. Our goal was to support Katie in her most painful time of need and let her know we cared. Over this last year I have grown to love Katie better than I would have ever thought. She is a remarkable young woman and I think she's a hoot to hang out with and the feeling is mutual. Like Katie said, "We're like two peas in a pod."

Katie and I have become walking buddies. We try to go walking several times a week. We're both getting in shape. We are going to be so fit and so healthy everybody is going to be amazed. Well, I hope we are.

I'm "going under the knife" or whatever this week and I'm a little nervous about it. Not the surgery, per se; just the recovery thereafter. Ouch! I don't like pain. "It's be alright. Surely."

Last year about this time I was about to begin an odyssey with Donny when he collapsed in the bathroom. What I had mistaken for the flu turned out to be a heart attack. We were stuck in ICC during Valentine's Day. Looking back, I am so thankful we have come this far. 

You can imagine why I am nervous about having surgery after everything that happened last year.

*******

This time last week I was obsessing about my upcoming surgery. I didn't know if I'd come through it or not. I was being very pessimistic. I can happily report that I did survive and am beginning to bounce back like the proverbial red rubber ball. 

I spent Groundhog Day, watching the movie "Groundhog Day" over and over again. It felt about right. I've been mulling over the past and realizing you can only do whatever you think is right. We can only hope we make the right choices at the time. We don't get any do-overs. I would give anything if we could try until we get it right like in the movie "Groundhog Day." I have lots of days I would replay over again. I love how Bill Murray's character transforms into a better person by the end of the movie. 

******

Last month we got to go to Chuck E. Cheese's to celebrate Bennett's birthday. I forgot how much fun it is to be surrounded by about a hundred little rug rats, running and screaming, all around you. We got to fill up on pizza and enjoy the ambiance. Kids were crawling through bright colored building blocks overhead and other kids were playing various token machines happily gobbling up everyone's money. 

After about an hour, we had all had enough. Everybody split up to leave. 

Donny and I got turned around and lost before we got turned back around in the right direction and came home. 

Whew! I don't envy people who have to drag their kids to parties all the time. I can only handle that kind of excitement about once, or twice, a year.

*******

Savor every moment you have with the people you love. I can't say that enough. Love the one's you're with. Who knows if we'll ever get that opportunity again. Even if you have to face your phobia about germy kids and noise. "It'll be alright."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Mikki, Alicia, Brooke, Don, Douglas, Bailey

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

RIP
Delbert Callahan

AS ALWAYS

PIO