It is...

Finally Friday!

Got out of work early (a BIG thumbs up on that!) We all had to skip lunch to be able to leave early. So needless to say I was starved when I exited. Wound up doing lunch with a chum, who just moved back to Dallas. Upon return to Dallas, she actually worked at the same place I did.

After 10 days my chum quit.

It was the right decision. Anyway, we chatted for about 3 hours. Long overdue. And alot of fun. When I left work, I'd pondered going to a movie--but heck, you can always do that. So to lunch I went. Made me realize I'd missed our get togethers, plus time has flown. Her daughter just turned 20.

* sigh*

So, on this Friday after the yummy burger I munched and dee-lish onions--which I gotta admit weren't at the best burger place in Dallas: Burger Island-and quite tasty on the tummy--gotta go tread and bike.

The scale didn't scream as much this morning. I can tell some inches have slid on off. Gotta like that.

If you will excuse me, gotta get the tennyrunners on and go do my thing.

My Birthday...My Bench

My day isn't over yet. Phone still rings with those to add their wishes for a great birthday. Feels quite nice. Even my cats have been good and plus, I'm off again tomorrow...LOVE that!

Most of my day was spent with friends, as will be the rest of the week. In fact, I just came from dining with Movie Man. He looked all spiff in his shirt and slacks-just came straight from work-while me in my shorts, Tazmainian Devil t-shirt and tenny shoes. Perfect pair. :) See, before I met up with Movie Man, I think I did my most fun thing today.

I went for a walk. After all it was National Walking Day--I LOVE being national!--and I walked around the park I spent so much time on. Especially during my recuperation from open-heart surgery, in 2006, when I wondered if I would ever get around it -just once- and not have to sit on one of the benches-before I continued on.

My walk around the park, which is about 20 miles from my house, was my chance to reflect and be grateful. Honestly, I couldn't wait to sit on my Forrest Gump bench. I've missed it. How many times, in the last three years I sat there after my laps? Just to look up to the trees, the sky and talk out loud to God? Then smiled when the wind's kiss rustled thru the trees and carressed my face. I knew I had been heard.

Funny how things change. In yester-decades' birthdays I was always out. Usually partied pretty hard too. I reminded a chum of my 35th birthday where--well...hmm...let's just say, another time another place. A good time was had by all that night and I got home about 4 am. Even at my 40th birthday, some guy tried to tell me how his wife just didn't understand him, and why don't we just take a bath together?

I digress.

The point I'm trying to make, my birthdays have been memorable, some more than others. But these days, there's a small thing that sticks out. And today that was my walk. I walked for my parents and for me. I walked for the fact I was their last chance at a baby after four stillborns. Because of one more try, I'm here. My mom and I stayed in the hospital for almost a month after my birth because she wasn't well enough to go home. I walked for the memory my dad's annual story of how the nurse whisked me past him. I screamed at the top of my lungs while the nurse said, "Don, it's a girl!' and Dad said he just saw all this black hair. And I walked to remember Dad would call me at 4:37 am on each April 8 to wish me Happy Birthday. He's been gone eight years and I still expect that call. I walked because even at this age, my gift is to my parents is to do the best I can. For them. To make them proud. Then my bench gave me rest.

Happy Birthday to ME!

Stay tuned.

A Day

one day closer to Movie Man leaving me. Not in a bad way. In a good way...for him. Movie Man had a good interview today. Proud of him. Know he sparkled. Happy for him, kinda yuck for me It's that whole patience thing I have to remember. It's all in His time. Not mine. That really is the kicker. I am better than I was in the past. Some folks, who read this blog may disagree. :)

Oh well.

On the bright side. I headed for my Poke today. That's what I call my Coumadin check-due to having the mechanical mitral valve in my heart. I tick. Did you know? When it's real quiet, you can hear me. Anyhoo, the Coumadin check is to see if my blood is too thick or too thin. Vitamin K affects Coumadin aka green stuff like broccoli or spinach. Today I was right in the middle of my range. 3.0. So I don't have to go back for another month. Glad. Through this whole ordeal, I've not had one major setback. Very Glad.

And since we're in February, it's when I start to reflect how my life changed in February 2006, February 27 to be exact. The day paramedics carted me to the ER. I spent all day and all night, and nobody knew where I was. Left the hospital on March 24, 2006--scar and all. Movie Man picked me up. Took me to Wal-mart so I could buy groceries. I drove that little cart and ran over everybody. I digress, plus I was scared to even THINK about spinach or broccoli, cause the nutritionist told me 'avoid it at all costs' because of the Coumadin. I didn't buy any that day.

Took me six months to finally get OVER that. Brings me today. I'm consistent in my Vitamin K eating. Don't think twice. Your body needs em. Just need to be consistent. Today, I'm in my range. Feel good. Cardiologist says, my valve works great, my heart itself works great, and she knows all is well with me. Even tho Movie Man might leave me, that's OK--it's time for him to move on. He'll just owe me a burger at the best burger place in Dallas: Burger Island! :)

On this day I'm very, very glad.

It's Friday...

And I gotta get my walk in by nightfall. Was gonna ask Movie Man to do a burger with me at the best burger place in Dallas: Burger Island-HOWEVER--that would mean no walk, plus a sway from my diet. Trying to stay focused. Another time--soon.

So as the Weekend circles us and I get my tennis shoes ready for the jaunt on pavement, how about a little 60's song?
Cue Nancy Sinatra for a little walkin' with some boots!

Pass the Tissue Please...

Whatever is in the air tickles my nose,. Hence the sneeze that follows could blow the house down. Throat scratches some too. Soup will smooth out that scratchiness. Heck, I just woke up from a nap. Cats stuck to me like glue. Which was sweet yet I couldn't move. When a cat is in a deep sleep they're nothing but bricks made of fur.

Thought about my business idea again--when I was awake that is. In my dreams it was all ready done. Last night I told Movie Man, over burgers at the best burger place in Dallas, Burger Island, if I don't pull off this business idea by year's end, I will be so ticked at myself. Need to get the numbers down and focus.

OJ did it. Oh wait....what year is this? And what was he convicted of? His kids are the victims in all this mess. What have their lives been like? Just need to pray for them, and even OJ. I bet he wishes he kept on his search for the 'real killers' instead of doing what he did in Vegas. OJ did it--then and now.

On a lighter note: the wind through my window has slight hint of autumn chill. Feels so good. It also has whatever tickles my nose in it. Drat! My tissues are in the other room. I'll fetch them on my way to kitchen. Gotta heat soup so it can me watch my soap, the Young and the Restless, and whatever else tinkles my fancy and not my nose.

Burgers and Buds...

I met my chum , Movie Man, for a tasty burger with even more delicious onion rings, last night. We hadn't been able to chat, face to face of late--so we were long over due. Movie Man, is just that--a Movie Man--he can tell you anything and everything about movies in the last 30 or so years--box office, director, producer, behind the scene stuff. He can tell you every movie we've seen together, plus the theatre and if the sun was up or not that day. Yea, sometimes I think he visits the Land of Oz more than he should, yet he's one of my bestest, goodest chums.

So we sat there last night. He listened to me ramble on. Movie Man will keep mental tabs of everything I say. I gabbed on about the 50th birthday bash from last week, threw out several names-he remembered them all. He's good like that. He gets kinda ticked when I don't remember as much. "Mad Cow" I say. I told him about my one classmate suggesting--urging me on to go into public speaking.

Movie Man agreed. He checked off a list of topics I could speak of. He even mentioned to speak about being the only black kid in my class of 150--how many people know about that? What did I encounter? Born with microtia. The writing. Losing my mother when I was 13. Movie Man was great---so supportive. Encouragment. Just like my classmate.

Only one major difference. A little eighteen year difference. Movie Man was born in August 1976. Three months after I graduated from high school.

We have our differences. Certainly. There are times I want to hit fast forward, so he'll grow up faster. Then I'm sure he wants me to re-wind so I can remember what it was like. Movie Man keeps me on my toes, even at times I want to kick him with them. He gives me insight of things, at a different point of view--a different generational point of view.

We went to Barack Obama's rally here in Dallas a few months back. Our discussion after was fruitful. Just as it was last night. It astounds me, how conversation with someone who was five years old when the first Indiana Jones movie came out and I was just thinking "Wow, Harrison Ford is hot and I wonder how much beer I can drink tonight?" can be so good.

Movie Man is more of man than he gives himself credit for. After all, after my surgery in 2006, he made sure I celebrated my birthday. I couldn't drive yet, so he picked me up, took me to lunch and made sure I enjoyed the day. We actually sat in a grocery store parking lot, while I gave myself my daily IV. He sipped a Mountain Dew. It couldn't have been fun, for him, to see a friend of his, impatient to regain her strength. Yet he made it through. We both did.

Now it's 2008. We chat. We laugh. We tick each other off. I still don't remember as much as he'd like. Movie Man still remembers everything. I asked him last night if he's up for some racquetball, since he injured his calf a couple months ago.

The kid says, 'Oh sure. I won't have to run around that much to beat YOU."

Yep, one of my goodest, and bestest chums.

Game ON!