A New Year...

And new issues...

First off, I survived the first couple of days of my 40th year. I was in a major funk all last week but like every year, I get over it. And this year is no exception... I have recovered more old aplumb (more or less).

I got a call from my friend Amy during the week...
I got a call from my friend Jim on the morning of my birthday...

to both of them, I say this: She who laughs last, laughs best....

My the Man got me some lovely Bose noise blocking headphones... I tried them out today, I could barely hear any screaming from les filles at all...

From my friend, Maggie, I got a beautiful flower arrangement that came in a giant Margarita glass... I think it is a hint about how to handle the upcoming teen years and an indication that be a year of gifts... she is too generous with me.

My folks gave me an amazing pile of bath goodies including salts from the dead sea... and super absorbent towels that dried my hair in about half the time....

From my friends, Richard and Charles, I got a copper paella pan that is big enough to make paella for about 20 people...Oh and a copy of the cookbook, The New Spanish Table... yummy, I definitely have the menu in mind for the party we will have when we finish the house construction....

But the best thing that I got were beautiful earrings from my girls. (Well, I am certain that the Man assisted them in some way...) They designed the earrings themselves and were immensely proud of themselves for keeping the secret...I guess my babies are growing up, because I used to be able to break them like a twig. Sigh.

But with the good news came the bad.

One of my cousins, a couple of years older than I, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has had surgery and will have to undergo some chemo. She is waiting to hear if there is lymph node complications… but that will take some time to know. In the meantime, we wait.

As awful as this is, more bad news followed on Saturday. Another cousin, one who is 11 days younger than I, had a stroke. Well, in all fairness, she has had multiple strokes but never went to the doctor before this one…

I am trying to keep a positive attitude, but it is difficult. It certainly reminds me that I have to take better care of myself. These problems will be more common in my life from now on… Blech.