Happy Birthday to me!

I laid in bed this morning thinking about how many birthdays I have had and how many more I would have and immediately felt depressed. I'm sure it has a lot to do with Dad's recent death and Mom's poor health and probably multiple other factors, but the reality is I am 55 today and that is an unchangeable fact. Yeah me and Happy Birthday so I'm going to make the absolute best of it. First of all Ben is here today. He took me to McDonald's for breakfast and asked the gal behind the counter at what age they offered a senior discount...55!

I was born in 1955 and am turning 55 so that must mean something more profound than a 39 cent cup of coffee. Maybe this earns me the right to actively start practicing curmudgeoness by demanding every discount and perk that is available to me as a "senior". Maybe this is the year of the facelift, wardrobe makeover, sports car? Most likely 2011 will be pretty much like 2010 which was a whole lot like 2009. A little boring, but life is not bad at all.

What's a birthday without fireworks in the snow?

PS Gotta go back to work tomorrow and also shopping. I already have a gift return. Xena broke her steps.

Merry Christmas

Christmas 2010 - well here we are again! Thank goodness for that.  I think Xena looks a little thinner this year.  I've been feeding her diet dog food and I think it might be working. Ben is looking pretty chipper despite his recent meningitis and lumbar punctures, and Erin and Mike are their usual cheerful selves.  I am so grateful for my fantastic family.
Christmas dinner menu this year:
Swedish meatballs, lingonberries, sweet potato casserole, green beans with almonds, rolls, rice pudding, roasted red and purple potatoes, and of course pickled herring. Everyone was too stuffed for cookies and ice cream. I'm thinking about taking a jar of herring to my Dad's memorial service as a tribute to his Swedish heritage. He would appreciate the thought.

Burdette "Bud" Kenneth Bostrom

September 22, 1925 - December 9, 2010

PS Tomorrow is my birthday

Christmas Eve

My first post to my first blog is certain to be a subject of amusement on Ben's blog "Lull Excitement" since he helped me set this up and now knows the extent of my computer illiteracy.  Guess I'll just have to figure it out as I go along and ignore the eye rolling and threats to talk about me on one of those 'my parents are so stupid' sites. I'm pretty sure I have other strengths - still discovering them. Getting through the month of December 2010 with health and sanity intact has been challenging and a possible future blog subject. But today is Christmas Eve, I'm on call and waiting for the dreaded phone call to hustle over to the hospital, and I still have plenty to do.  I never feel quite ready for the holidays and somehow everything ends up being just fine. More later.

BTW - I had no good ideas about what to call this blog.When I asked Ben for suggestions he had no ideas but said I can always change it later...


PS. I did not have to go to work.  A Christmas miracle!