Here We Are Again

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At the end of every year, I look over my calendars, pictures, reliving just what it was that happened in the past year, thinking on what plans I can make for next. Each year is always a gift and a wonder, 2010 was no different.

Traveling good times close to home and far away to the Yucatan. That was just my first cold winter time trip to a warm sunny place. Next month, to Thailand. Almost there....

Holidays, birthdays, and just good old days with friends and family.

Peyton's first baby steps.

Slowly learning to live with increased stress at work.

Fun loving days on the Wine Train, Hot Air Ballooning, visits to the City. Several exciting visits from new couch surfer friends and pals from near and far.

Happily, more healthy days than not. Good to have family moving in, to share my time at home. Warm and smiling camp days in the hills with EHC.

Saddest time: Bobby leaving this world. Never my heart.

Bliss and wonder at the DeYoung and the SF MOMA. Bigger than all of us - fundraiser, family time in Sonoma.

Anthony Bourdain... in person.

This is the best part. After looking at all these good times, I was looking for my budget planning stuff, it's somewhere in this computer, I'm sure of it. I did a desktop search, search phrase: BUDGET PLANNING BOOK. This is just a portion of what I got!! Think someone’s trying to tell me something?? LOL

---Cheap Travel all over the world
you can make your budget as a simple trip .. 12 pm I am planning a trip to South America .. aircraft.and same applies to booking ,book ahead as much as possible. also

---Quit your job and travel! Digest for Group: Properties Charity City Budget City Election City .. Oldetowne Parades Planning &Code Planning .. FY12 Grant Funding Gaithersburg Book Festival Announces Short Story. [CS digest] Cheap Travel all over the world.

---bulk of my budget unless i hitchhike which .. many pennies as i can as well! my budget is tight and i want to get probably .. MOUNTAINS. Get some book first, with CDs. [CS digest] Travelers. i'm on somewhat of a tight budget. i'm looking for another. Hello I am also planning the same. I have never .. find a match first book ur tickets and use...

Do I have a Family?

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Crawling into bed, pillows and blankets wrapping me to slumber, my mind's eye story-telling the day. Holidays, excitement, joy, loneliness for too many.

He asks me, "Do I have a family? I don't even know anymore if they are alive or dead." No information in his records. Just a bunch of words telling a story of defeat, wandering pain, his own nowhere man-ness. I want to send him a package from his family so he will think he has one. But I don't. My role in his life, his one and only life, is to support him, teach him, reign him in when need be, assure his safety in this place he calls prison, we call hospital.

Tossing and turning, thoughts of our sad wandering minstrel, just smart enough to know how sick he is. Day after day, drawings and songs, stories to the King. He breaks my heart, so young, so forlorn, so much wanting to be well, to make a life for himself.

So I drink to me. I drink to my health. And theirs. Let's salute all these poor souls. One day, long ago, a sweet little babe was born to a village full of smiles and love. Somewhere along the way, doubt showed up, pain flowered and suffering took over.

So we try to soften the blows. A birthday cake. Christmas stockings filled with little treats: top ramen, candy canes, hot chocolate packets. Buy a pizza. Show another movie. Feel my own compassion. Show it. Smile again. Love someone. Anyone.

And go to sleep at the end of the day in my nice warm bed.