December 28 - 31, 2015, AZ

Tuesday, December 29.  I did my first house cleaning job yesterday and all went well. In fact, it went real well because I picked up 2 additional cleaning jobs and did one of them today.  The lady that had the key to the condo that I was cleaning hired me and she introduced me to a lady across the street who also hired me to clean every 2 weeks.  The first job took 2 hours and today's took 2.5 hours.  Yay! I think this will work out so much better than being a receptionist - and it pays more than double the minimum wage.

Thursday, December 31.  Wow, last day of 2015.  Looking back, it has been a good year for me, and I find myself in a pretty happy state these days.  I have an incredible circle of family and friends.  My sweet grandchildren keep me looking forward to a time when I can be living closer to them and taking part in their lives.   

This summer, we managed to have a reunion with my siblings and their families, gathering at a very nice resort that could accommodate all of us.  We reconnecting with my nephew, Anthony, and got to meet his family.  I sure hope we can do this more frequently and not wait 12 years for another group event with the sole purpose of being together.

Two of my nieces were married in 2015 and I wish for bright futures and long marriages to them.

I traveled 11,000 miles through the US this summer, pulling my little camper behind me, connecting with old friends, family, and places that I hadn't seen in many years.  My sidekick, Frisco, with me all of the way.

The sadness of losing my brother, Ray, hit hard and I think of him and his personal struggles with alcohol abuse and can only hope that others can overcome their dependency.  I also lost my dear friends, Tom Reinhart and Tom MacKenzie and JoAnne Bucko and have tried to stay in touch and provide support to their spouses who are suffering the worst grief possible.

Happy New Year to all of my readers!