Today is the Fourth Anniversary of My First Blog Post.

As I've mentioned before, this Blog began as a class project, with a poem by Langston Hughes and a quote from Erasmus, and has never looked back - figuratively speaking, that is. The quote has hung in my office for ever, (alright, almost forever) and is closer to the truth than my husband would like.

When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.

                                                                                                                        - Erasmus
 

Through this blog I have gained so much. I learned more than I ever expected to about computers. I discovered a world of writing - many worlds, actually. I found that information on any subject was literally at my fingertips. All the information from every side, so that I could make up my own mind. And once I lost my timidity, I discovered the most important thing - the many wonderful people I've gotten to know through this blog.

Writers, readers, critics, fans, people who ended up here accidentally while looking for something else: all have enriched my life, and I want to take a moment before I start my day to thank you and say that I hope you have gotten something in return. I hope the weeks and months ahead are filled with happiness and security. That second thing is in short supply these days.

I'll close with something that my Gran used to say:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

I Am Thankful

(From a few years back)

I am thankful for our soldiers, who put themselves on the line without hesitation or relief. May you you find peace and support with your loved ones as quickly as possible.

I am thankful for our peace officers, who strive to hold themselves to both the letter and the spirit of the law to truly serve and protect all. May you flourish in light and grace ..

I am thankful for our fire fighters, who rush into hells that others flee. May your angels always be at your side, wrapping you in their protective wings.

I am thankful for our emergency responders, who give their all no matter the situation in which they find themselves.  May you be cloaked in the the love and gratitude of those you've touched.

I am thankful for our educators, who struggle against every foe that they may prepare our children to achieve the best of their potential. May your fulfillment also be your security.

I am thankful for our care takers who endeavor to refill the cups of others, often at the expense of their own. If ever it is in my capacity to lighten your load, I hope that I have the strength of character to do so. 

Have You Ever Pushed a Button and Watched Years of Hard Work and Love Self-destruct?

You may notice some major changes in the look of my blog today. Although I've wanted to update for quite a while, this update was the result of a major F . . .  Well, lets just call it a boo boo and leave it at that.

I pushed the wrong button and all h . . . Well, my blog changed into something pink and bizarre. After a while I was able to reinstall the original template, only to find that my links and widgets were completely gone. 

But wait. There's more! Not content with a small . . . boo boo . . . I was able to make it much, much worse. When I followed Blogger's instructions to reinstate my back-up, a white page, full of what I can only surmise was code, came up in place of the entire blog.

Desperate at the complete loss of three year's work, I turned to my hero - my lover, best friend, and husband. You know, my own private superhero. In just a few minutes he had my blog up, with a new but working template that I was able to customize.

This isn't the first time he's saved my bacon.

He can fix anything.

And believe me, after more than twenty years together, he's had plenty of practice! 

So this post is for him.

Thank you, my love, for never shying away from the challenge.

I Am Thankful.

My motto has always been, "It could always be worse."

In spite of everything that has happened in the past few years, I still have much for which to be truly grateful. And I am.

For me, a part of being grateful is reaching out to others in need. And I hope not only to remember those for whom life has not been as kind, but to 'pay it forward.' It doesn't take much.

In this Holiday season, so mired in uncertainty, turmoil, and fear, I wish for you, my dear readers, security and love.

200 AND COUNTING . . .

To the (very) few intrepid souls who visit:

A Quick Note

To all of you who stop by my BLOG and tell me what you think,
or just say hello,
I would like to say,
" thanks for noticing."