Thank you to the two mothers with 5 children who were in the same eating establishment with me and my children this evening.

Thank you for allowing them to run wild, scream at each other at the top of their lungs, knock into things, etc.  I know, I know… I should not judge.  Perhaps one of you is going through a divorce, or a loved one is gravely ill, and you needed to sit at a booth with just your friend so you could talk.  Maybe it made all kinds of sense to you at the time to sit all the children on the other side of the restaurant from you.  I truly do not know your situation.  

At the same time!  The behavior my children witnessed was fascinating to them, as they could not IMAGINE being allowed to get away with such misconduct.  It was the perfect vehicle for discussing why Daddy and I REALLY want them to display good manners everywhere — but especially in public.  It was also a good opening for talking about how we do not know what others are going through, and we should be as kind as it is within us to be — including not pointing and saying loudly in a sweet but embarrassing 2 yr. old way, "Mommy!  Why dose kids running and screaming?"

So this evening as I was checking my brother’s Twitter feed, this is what greeted my astonished eyeballs:

"My mom got laid off today, 2weeks before she was gonna retire. But a good time to stop working is when you’re about to stop anyway!"

Never expected to learn news like that in this way, but there ya go.  She just hadn’t really been able to call me yet because she knew it would be a long conversation.

No severence package either.  But she was going to give retirement notice in 2 weeks anyway, and the whole family is glad she’s outta there.  In fact, they all went out to Texas Roadhouse to celebrate her getting "canned."  My dad’s comment was, "Well, I guess now you can come with me to the ‘Prime Timers’ breakfast tomorrow morning."         

I think all of us feel worse for the other 9 people in the company who also lost their jobs today.  They were NOT ready for retirement.  So prayers go out for them…. and all others who are looking for work.

So, um…. Happy "Forced" Retirement, Mom!       When you guys comin’ down?    

Dear CO Family,

Let me get right to the point.  I love you all, you know I do.  But I need to make a request.  Please refrain from any future references to "Colorado peaches," "peaches from the Western slope," "peaches I got at the Farmer’s Market," "the wonderful smell of the peaches," etc.  You get the idea.  It is making me hurt.   I want a good peach so very much I can hardly stand it.  In fact, in my request perhaps I should include an array of beautiful produce to which I became accustomed while growing up in God’s country.  I know that having exiled myself to this… place… I pretty much get to forfeit a nice supply of REALLY GOOD peaches, cantalope, corn, apples, and a few other things for the rest of my days.  But unless you can find a reliable way to send me some, let’s just agree to not bring it up in front of the "don’t haves."

Love Always,

Catherine

*******Was that a bit much?*******

BY THE WAY: In an attempt to not COMPLETELY alienate my OK friends — I want to make it very clear that "exile… to this… place" is in no way a reference to the people.  My beef is mostly with the climate, somewhat the terrain.  In fact, before I moved back here I said to more than one person, "Oh, if it weren’t for how much I like the people down there, there’s NO WAY I’d be going back!  But so many of the people I’ve known in OK are so great, that I think it’ll be okay."    I just am feeling a serious desire for good CO produce.  Oh well.  Maybe I’ll go get a Twinkie.