40 YEARS

We have celebrated 40 years of wedded bliss!! Well at least mostly bliss. We were on our way to South Carolina that day. You know me, I wanted to celebrate all day. We had the free breakfast at the motel and I was hoping to have lunch someplace cool. Well best laid plans! We shared an individual pan pizza at the timeshare. We did have special plans for the evening. We met with friends and had dinner at a restaurant that we had not been to in a long time. It was really very good. With the economic times and the fact that we did go out of town, we did not indulge in lavish gifts. I gave John a book. Granted, it is one that he would have eventually bought himself and he is already reading it. He gave me a gold chain. Earlier in the year, I had taken several stones from various pieces of jewelry (a great-aunt's and my mother's) and had them put in one setting. I did not have a chain to use so now I have one. It was very thoughtful of him to do this. We are enjoying the great weather and the relaxed life style (well almost relaxed - we have played golf the two days we have been here). Our friends are leaving in a few days and then there were two!!!. I know that this is riveting stuff. I am typing on a smaller computer and my fingers slip a lot and so I think that is all for now. My next posting will have pictures.

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

We always enjoy watching our winged friends as they either pass through on their migratory route or return home. We refer to the male mallards as the boys. Here is a picture of them from Sunday with the geese. We know that the geese will be nesting soon if not already and then we will have the babies. The goslings are cute BUT they are so messy. At any rate we enjoy the ducks. My grandson's birthday is coming up and I asked him what he wanted. One of the items is/are bakugun(?). I am searching them on the internet and apparently they are from a Japanese kids show. Don't know much about them yet but will do some more study before deciding if I will get them. If he is reading this blog then he won't know what I am going to do plus I already have several items for him. It is miserable here. My sinuses are acting up and I have been chilled for the last three days. I cannot get warm. On a different note, we used scype last night to talk with the kids. We had some trouble with it but it is fun to see and hear them when I can't see them all the time. Right now it is a novelty and so they clown for the camera. Still going on about different things, I bought the CD set "Family Tree Maker". I am having some trouble with it but I was able to access my great-grandfather's Civil War record. It included when and where he enlisted, when and where he mustered out and I could also access a brief history of the unit and where and what they did during the war. That was cool. I am looking forward to the end of week when the weather turns nice for a change.

TAX DAY

Finally it is the 15th. A day to celebrate. I look forward to starting projects (although with my tendency to procrastinate I might not finish the projects). One sobering thought. I am going to e-mail everyone on this but for those who read my blog, I am asking you first. I have a client whom I have prepared taxes for over the years. While it is a married couple I usually only meet with the husband. He is a delight and I just "love" him. They have been clients for most likely at least 15 years. This year he informed my that his wife was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. She was diagnosed the day we were supposed to first meet. At any rate, her first chemo treatment was today (actually I think it is now yesterday - April 15). The couple are in their mid 40's and good people. One of their children has some disabilities. Please pray for them. I know that prayers for those that we don't know often fall by the wayside - it is only natural. So since her first treatment was April 15 - tax day and I prepare tax returns - on the 15th of every month think of me and then pray for them - pray for Deb. They need your prayers. Thank you.

4 DAYS TO GO

I have just four days left to work until the end of the tax season. Even though I enjoy working, I am delighted when the end comes. I have a tendency to enable needy clients and I get tired of that. The fact that there is a Masters Party tomorrow and I work until 4 (the party starts at 4) fuels my need to leave work behind. I miss out on the fun things when I am this busy, this tired and my mind is boggled down with facts. I miss the grandkids, Brent and Jules and my friends. John is tired of cooking and being alone and I miss being with him. OK, that is enough pitying for now. We have enjoyed all the migratory coming through. We saw some interesting ones tonight. Their tails lift up at an angle. There were quite a few of them and we think that they might have been ruddy ducks. We have seen some lesser scoups also.
I hope that any one reading this will have a great Easter, whether it is hectic or just laid back and relaxing.

SATURDAY

Yesterday, I went to Columbus for a shower for my nephew's fiance. It was at a "tea room" type of restaurant. It was fun. They had everyone create a scrapbook page for the bride. They supplied the materials and we just put together something. The only negative was that it was crowded and there was not a lot of time for creativity. Two of the gifts given (from a dear family friend - on the bride's side) were a handmade garter and the ring bearer's pillow. A small bead was attached to both. It is the Evil Eye. Apparently it is a Turkish tradition and is to ward off evil. I am going to google this and see what all it says. It is fun to go to something like this and see what other culture traditions are. On the way back we stopped at John's parents. I had not seen them in a while since I have been working a lot. They seem fine and my mother-in-law bought a new outfit for the wedding. I thought that was great that she got out and went shopping. On a totally different note, I am leading in the NCAA family basketball brackets. I had picked three of the four teams to go to the final four. My picks were Michigan State, Connecticut, North Carolina and Duke. I had Michigan State and Duke in the final game. Unfortunately, the system did not record my winner. But even with that, I am 21 points ahead of any other family member and rank 1343 in the country. I do not know how many people signed up for this. So that is sort of fun. I took some pictures of migrating ducks this morning and I will post those tomorrow. I work Monday-Saturday with Easter Sunday off and then work the last three days of the tax season. We are winding down.