Perhaps I was being over optimistic . . .

I was suggesting to a friend that he check out the joys of blogging when I decided perhaps I ought to go look at my blog.  It was then that my hypocritical self realized that I could hardly sell said friend on blogging when I had not yet even come close to living up to my lowballed forecast for blogs for the 2008 year.  So, to attempt to make amends I am now putting up a post.  I don't want you to worry, though.  I am sure I will get this out of my system and forget I have a blog for at least another 6 months, allowing all those who might be measuring themselves against my bar to feel confident in their reign of posting frequency.  Of course, not coming to my blog with a thought in mind about which I want to expound, I am going to have to force myself to write about something.  Hmmmmm.  My Mom, quilling, my Dad, my brother, religion, Spirographs, responsibilities . . . sooooo many options, how can I choose.  I guess I'll hit on all of them - you guys deserve it after all.  Well, here goes!

My Mom.  She is old.  70, to be exact, which isn't really old, but apparently her body seems to think it qualifies.  She just had hip surgery, then broke her hip during recovery.  We are waiting to see if it will heal on it's own or if she will have to go back for surgery.  To make matters worse, she also appears to be suffering symptoms of pre-Alzheimer's, which has reared it's ugly head once before on her side of the family.  Because of these two factors, it is unlikely she will ever work again.  Well, my Mom grew up in an age when women had husbands to take care of them and if they ever got jobs they sure weren't making a lot of cash.  Guess what the social security checks for those women look like?  Yeah, they are so small you can barely see them.  So, with the help of a family friend, my brother and I got in touch with each other for the first time in ? years - 10 maybe?  We are working together to try to stabilize my mom financially.  It's a tough road, but it is so much more doable with my brother helping out, especially since I'm still thousands of miles and a 12 hour plane flight away.

My brother.  In all fairness, I have 3 (*ahem* 4) brothers, but the youngest of the three (*4*) is the only one capable of taking care of himself and therefore the only one I could turn to for help with my mom.  I won't say much about him, but I am so very grateful that he is helping out.  I've always known that he and his wife were good people, but it is so nice to be able to rely on them a bit and know that they are doing what they can and dealing with the same frustrations I am.

Religion.  Yeah, no.  I'm not touching that one.

Spirographs.  Seriously!  I love this toy!  I found one at the thrift shop for $1 and grabbed it.  They are way fun and are actually giving me some ideas for some quilling designs of my own.

Quilling.  Also known as Paper Filigree.  I took this up a few months ago and have been enjoying it.  If You get really lucky you may someday receive a card I made with some quilling on it.  Perhaps not, though, as I am very busy with it and might not be making cards as planned.  I sold 10 quilled snowflakes in an auction ($70!) and have to complete those and I may also be teaching a quilling class on base too.  In addition, I may be selling some in an A&C show right before Christmas.  We'll see and I'll try to keep you posted and maybe throw up a picture.

My Dad.  I love my dad.  A lot.  I'm not really sure where the feeling comes from as I don't know when we connected or why, but I really, really love him.  Which made some news that I got earlier this year very, very hard for me to handle.  My dad had knee surgery and everything went to hell after that.  He had a severe allergic reaction to a drug they gave him, believing it would save his life, and he almost lost his life because of the drug.  Dialysis for a week, hallucinating, about 100 pounds lost, the list goes on and on.  I talked to him the other day and he is actually back at work.  He says he feels like he's passed the 50% mark and is feeling good.  He actually feels good enough to lament that he missed his favorite seasons this year: spring and summer.  Our conversation just has me grateful that it looks like he will be here for at least another spring and summer and probably quite a few more after that.  If you haven't experienced a moment in which you realize just how much you love someone and just how close you came to losing them without realizing that, I'm not sure I can really explain how fortunate and sad I feel at the same time to have had that moment.  Nor can I say if I would wish it on someone or not.  It is still painful many months after the fact.

Responsibilities.  This is a tough one.  Even with no job I still have many responsibilities.  I have to tell you, though.  Without other folks expecting you to accomplish things, 'responsibility' reads just like 'optional' and it doesn't often get done.  That doesn't really make you feel too good about yourself.  If you've heard the commencement speech "Everybody's free to wear sunscreen," then you will recognize the advice to "Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard: live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft."  Well, something similar can be said of being unemployed;  It has been great and has allowed me to heal from my self imposed stint in the hell of corporate America.  But it has flipped to the other side now, and I am jonesing for work like an Atkins follower for a bagel.  I've got my sights on some potential (and various) job opportunities when I return to the states (and none of them are Chiropractic school, to my husband's chagrin), but I would honestly be happy just to work at Target.  Oh, and if you haven't heard "Everybody's free to wear sunscreen" be sure to check it out.

Well, that's it.  I hope it fulfills you for as long as it will take me to post again.  Perhaps you should read one paragraph a week . . . ?