Having just come off of vacation, I think I have this fresh in my mind.

- Seeing new things
- Going new places
- Seeing family that I haven’t seen in quite awhile
- Meeting new people
- The excitement or anticipation
- Relaxing
- Eating/Drinking without guilt
- Not having to make my own bed (maid service does that)
- Not having to cook. That’s what restaurants are for
- Coming home

Finally! It’s taken nearly a week but I think I’m finally beginning to feel human again. Remind me never to do back to back trips again. I came back feeling like I got hit by a Mack truck. If I’m ever tempted to try this again, give me a slap up the side of the head … cyberly speaking, of course.

Fortunately, my day job was not left in a complete mess and I was able to wade through any accumulation relatively easy. The rough part was clearing my email. I hate going “no mail” because I’m certain that I’m going to miss something. The downside is that my cyber box was over 600 emails. Now that took some time to whittle down. However, now its manageable and I’m back in business.

So, on Monday I will again post my Top Ten and on Wednesday I’ll be doing my Cancer Winner post.

Let the Good Times Roll!

Just writing to let everyone know that I’m leaving for Dallas tomorrow. I’ll be gone until next Sunday and then promptly hopping another plane for Portland, Oregon the next day. Therefore, I doubt very much that I’ll get a chance to do my Top Ten on Monday and my Cancer Winner on Wednesday. I may have access to a laptop while out of town, so perhaps I’ll be able to post something. However, I’m not holding my breath.

Until then … see ya at the end of the month.

This post is extremely late and I apologize for that. The fact that the holiday fell on a Wednesday threw me off, plus I was gone for a portion of the day.

Anyway, I’m going to take this blog and vent. The other day I got a phone call from a friend who lives in Arizona. She’d been diagnosed with breast cancer over ten years ago and had evidently kicked its ass. Unfortunately, she’d just received the news that the bastard had metasticized to her lungs.

And she’s terminal.

Enough to piss off anyone, if you ask me. I’m not naming names, but “M” is a brave woman. She discussed the prognosis very calmly, asked how I was doing and revealed that her doctors told her that even if her present treatment is successful, the cancer will definitely be back. Whether in four months or four years … there’s no doubt it will be back. “M” tells me that the chemo treatment she’s on now is horrendous and that her quality of life is crappy. Said that even if this treatment is successful, when the cancer comes back, she won’t go through it again. She’s in her 70s and decided she’d rather have her remaining time on her own terms. Like I said … a brave woman.

I cried after I hung up the phone.

Repeat after me … “YOU ARE A CANCER WINNER”

- A hot shower on a cold morning
- Sleeping late (for no darned good reason)
- Listening to the birds sing
- Watching the sunrise above Lake Michigan (obviously on one of those days I don’t sleep late)
- Staring at the stars on a clear night
- Listening to my daughter’s laughter
- Reading a book in the garden
- My husband taking my hand as we’re walking
- Watching a butterfly dance over the flowers
- The satisfaction of accomplishing a difficult task.

(And yes, I took the photograph at the top of this list. Rather pleased with it. )

What are your simple pleasures?