Time to say thanks!

Forty-#*$*@ (I used to proudly state my age- as I get older I find that I am not quite so generous with those numbers) years ago today I was born in Podunkstown, Oklahoma-- also known as Nowheresville or Smalltown. Fortunately escape was in the stars and I wound up in Denver. Had I stayed in Nowheresville...well, let me just say that the life of many of my kinfolk has not turned out anything like mine. So that is the first thing I am grateful for on my birthday and on this week of Thanksgiving. In spite of my grumbling about the weather and the conservative politics here I'd rather be here... 

than there! (not pictured)

It's been quite a year. Maybe the best year in the last five years which has been the best five years of my life. So many things are settling down-- just less turmoil! My relationship with my daughters continues to improve which I am grateful for. They show signs of maturity which I am most thankful for!

I'm grateful to have a pretty great kid! He's doing well in school, he's polite and everybody who meets him speaks highly of him! 

He and his friend Rudy (in front) from his birthday two weeks ago.

I am thankful for my job in an economy that is as uncertain as this one.

I enjoy my coworkers and I have a nice boss which I have not always been able to say and though I don't make tons of money at my job, I don't dread walking in the door in the morning which is really nice. A few of my coworkers are great friends (Amanda, Jan, Robert, Noel) which is really great. Amanda, the honoree of my post in October will be leaving us for a better job and I am very happy for her but I am also sad about that. She painted me a lovely picture some time ago which I always cherish. 

I have found some terrific friends online! Some time ago-- last year? I found Conchscooter's blog. It's his picture diary on living in the Keys all year round with great pictures, and interesting comments as well. I began commenting on his blog and he became an occasional commenter here. Though he's not listed as my "Blogging Friend" his comments made blogging fun at a time when comments were few and far between. Last summer when passing through Denver on a lengthy road trip it was he and Layne's intention to stop and have dinner with Maurice and I. It didn't work out as I was working when he drove through but we did wind up meeting up in Key West when we were there on vacation in August. We had lunch with he and his wife and had a very enjoyable time! 

(I didn't take any photos of for some strange reason! but he did)

and another day we went out taking pictures of Key West. He and his dog Cheyenne were most hospitable.

note his trademark pink crocs

We also visited him at the police station where he works. It is most enjoyable to find friends in places you visit and I am very glad we got to meet each other on our blogs. Thanks for your friendship Michael! 

I have met other friends blogging via NaWribloMo-- and I should, in mentioning, NaWriBloMo, thank Amy Kalinchuk who began the crazy month long blogging thing. Three years ago I had no idea what the whole thing was about and I certainly didn't get into the spirit of it, but I did start blogging as a way of working on writing when I couldn't write at home. So thanks Amy! And thanks Heather for keeping it going!

And thanks to all my new "Blogging Friends" that I met this year- Sarah, Roland, clp333, Aleta, Rayna, Cruella, Jen, Patricia, & Alexandra . It has been so interesting to read of your lives and nice to have your comments! And I have run into other interesting blogs as a result of your blogs!

  

A special thank you to Rayna who linked to me from her blog and so many of her readers popped over to view my "Perspectives" blog. It has become my fourth most viewed post as a result of your mention!!!!  

As for my birthday day! I had a wonderful day and had lots of great gifts--- Shelly at work made me a delicious brownie pizza to celebrate. A brownie pizza is a brownie (made from your favorite brownie mix) baked in a pizza pan then topped with M&Ms and Caramel drizzled on top. Sound ridiculously decadent? It is! You can also add marshmallow and peanuts if you really want to pile on the toppings. Thanks so much to Shelly!!! (I have a picture of her elsewhere but I won't post it here as it is rather silly and she was embarrassed by it.)

I received a lovely antique table cloth from my wonderful friend Jan (she is also pictured elsewhere). She knows how much I love Key West and combined it with her love of buying antiques and found this tablecloth of Florida after she heard about them on Martha Stewart. Too fun!  

You'll note Key West is at the end of the Keys there and marked with a Sea Turtle. There are tablecloths like these of other states and if anyone knows more about them, I'm interested now that I have one!

I spent a wonderful day with Maurice, antique shopping (no pictures??? what was I thinking!?!?!?) and a little Christmas browsing (not shopping for others) then we had family time with a fun game and cheesecake (my fav!)

My son, Mack, ready to eat

Here we are dishing it up... Nisa on the left next to my son is Aubrey's girlfriend (I caught her completely unaware). Aubrey is Maurice's son. And Maurice is on the right serving cake.  

    

and gifts! Cuddly warm socks for the woman whose feet are always cold ~from Maurice!

Beautiful earrings from Nisa and Aubrey that are from the Museum of Nature and Science

A favorite TV show (I am completely mad about Mad Men-- if you haven't seen it yet, you HAVE to! It is quality television! ) from Maurice's other son who is away at college and Books for the Bibliophile (from Maurice and Mack)

So a wonderful day all round! 

Special thanks to Mo for making it a marvelous day!!! For that matter Thank you always to Mo for making life fun, full of  adventure and reading and writing and laughter!