It Started Monday

It all started on Monday. I awoke to a scratchy throat and went through the day taking every pre-cold product I could find. By Tuesday my head was starting to clog up and the throat was sore depending on whether or not I was breathing through my mouth or nose. By Wednesday I was coughing and really clogged up. Wednesday night was terrible and I nearly called in sick Thursday morning but instead forced myself to get up and get ready for work. I felt fairly good once I was up so I went to work. I made it a half day before running completely out of energy. I didn't sleep well that evening and when I got up on Friday I just said NO to going to work. Short handed or not, I could not get myself up and ready. Saturday I spent inside resting and last night I coughed a lot. This morning I feel better. No clogged sinuses, no sore throat, but I am still coughing and I still don't feel really good in the head. So it looks like today will be another day inside, resting. I fully expect to return to work tomorrow.
I get a kick out of old RV's. This one was built in 1931 for Paramount Studios to present to Miss Mae West when she left vaudeville to join the studio. It is a lounging car, chauffeur driven and has no bed. It is on display the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana, one of the places we hope to visit during our tour of the country.
Hope everyone is enjoying themselves out there....I can hardly wait to join you.

Goodbye

So we said our final goodbyes to my co-worker yesterday. A funeral Mass at a local Catholic Church. During the recital of the Rosery Thursday evening, one of his friends recited the following. I thought I would share it with you.

"We are travelers on a cosmic journey--stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. But the expressions of life are ephemeral, momentary, transient. Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, once said, 'This existence of ours is as transient as Autumn clouds. To watch the birth and death of beings is like looking at the movements of a dance. A lifetime is like a flash of lightning in the sky, rushing by like a torrent down a steep mountain.' We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment, but it is transient. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. If we share with caring, lightheartedness, and love, we will create abundance and joy for each other. And then this moment will have been worthwhile." -- Deepak Chopra

Think of this in each encounter with each other and be safe out there....

No Camping and Rambling On

It was my hope to visit and finish setting up our trailer this weekend but our state decided to close a major highway (I405) between us and our campsite. Rains drenched the Puget Sound area, rivers were rising and flood warnings were posted on the alternate route. Add to that a tiring and emotional week and we decided to stay home. There was a major change pending at work this past week. An opportunity to do something totally different was in the works. Unfortunately the opportunity slipped away. The emotional highs and lows really mess with your whole outlook. With two or three more years to go until retirement, I had hoped to be able to test my skills doing something different. Not to say the opportunity is totally gone, this one was the one that I feel would have worked out best for the overall organization. We have a couple of others but I am not as confident as to the long term for the organization. So, I spent yesterday pretty much in veg mode. Mia and I did very little. Today we have housecleaning, shopping and our grand daughters birthday. I am told our son and daughter in law plan to visit our daughter so we will get to see our new grand son again and I would like to catch up with my nearly grown grand son. Family stuff really matters for me... Be safe out there.

Death Steals in the Night

Thursday evening my long time co-worker and friend passed away. I was shocked and very emotional at how quickly he went. Over the years we experienced all the trials and tribulations related to living and pretty much went through them together. In later life, he straighten out and became very religious and had a very strong faith. I straighten out and wish I had the faith of him and others that I know. A warning to those males out there who choose to ignor pain...DON'T. See your doctor and ensure it is nothing. My friend had pain but did nothing about it for several months. He was diagnosised with non operable Mesothelioma in December. Had he gone to the doctor with the initial pain, he may have had a chance of surviving it. It has been a very long week filled with many ups and downs both professionally and personally. I am going to veg this weekend and try to get myself back on course. Stay safe out there.