The art of procrastination and reflection turned discovery:

I haven't been here in nearly a year.  I've posted in other places, social media, the food blog, my journal but I haven't put anything here.  Almost a year.

When this blog was started it was to cheer myself and my coworkers up.  Our district was going through a horrendous time.  Lay-offs, budget cuts, lost jobs, another superintendent ( of many) to make his way through.  Our lives were off kilter and it was hard to look for good in anything.  We had even considered renaming Happy Hour.  Something sad, pathetic more in line with the times we spent crying in our beer and wine.  We did not acquiesce.  We pulled ourselves up by our proverbial bootstraps and kept on keeping on.  We found ways, small at first and then growing, to acknowledge all that was wonderous and special and beautiful all around us.

Now I find myself in a similar but much smaller funk.  Depression has been playing funny things with me even in the midst of a 30 year Anniversary to a truly wonderful man and being able to spend time with my very beautiful, very brilliant, and funny family.  Depression has a way of flat-lining things and although they are enjoyable, they aren't fully enjoyed.  Like a soda or ginger ale (my favorite).  With the bubbles it is delightful.  When it is flat, the sweet spicy ginger ale taste is still there but needs to be more enjoyable.  It's like I need a soda stream machine for life.

I've been struggling with some old health issues that seem to be coming in with a vengeance and my adult children are really getting on my to get things checked out. It seems so much easier to chalk the pains up to getting older and power through.  I'm getting the feeling that my depression is related to my pain or my pain is related to my depression and so I'm going to do more than power through.  I will not acquiesce but I will reach down again for those bootstraps and make a plan.

Part of that plan includes using this blog again, as it was initially intended.  To post and reflect each day on the good and the weird and the beautiful.  I feel I can make sense of things again if I let this be totally random.

As I leave Lent behind and celebrate this stormy cold and yet still utterly beautiful peace-filled Easter Sunday, I will reflect on some photos from this really lovely Spring Break week.  I celebrated my 30 Wedding Anniversary to a simply exceptional husband.  There was a lot of beauty in this week, and peace.  If any of it felt flat, I just need to reflect on it more deeply and enjoy the richness that is life.