I'm HOW old???

The dawn of my 60th birthday has yet to break, but it's already been eventful. Had to break up a cat fight in the dark of 5 a.m. (The senior cat escaped indoors, but the junior cat took up a guardian perch on the railing of the back porch. He's a tough little shit - he was the one doing the fighting.)

Then I had a good cry, missing my longtime friend. She would have been all over this occasion, and I would have returned the favor next year.

She died in March and I guess I'm still not over it.

The tear fest was immediately followed by a 'happy birthday' call from my Dallas sister. From sadness to joy in three seconds flat.

I'm taking the day off.

Thank You!

At my brother's house, when my nieces were little, the dinnertime prayer/blessing was a round of 'thank you's' to anybody and anything that had something to do with the meal before us.

"Thank you, farmer." "Thank you, truck who took the food." "Thank you, grocery store." All stated sincerely in sweet little girl voices.

It did sometimes seem like a contest as to who could come up with the newest - and most creative - subject for gratitude. "Thank you, checkout lady...." "Thank you, company that made the bags..."

"Thank you, sunshine, for helping the plants grow." "Thank you, rain, for giving them water to drink."

A lovely anecdote to remember as this morning's sunlight touches the tops of the trees.

So thank you...for another day. (Even though there's a heat advisory and I plan to spend it looking at the world through glass today.)

Thank you, person who came up with air conditioning!