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Is this evolution or just getting old? Or are we talking something else?

That’s what I’ve been asking myself recently as I’ve clearly changed from my morning person ways.

I used to be awake before the birds or the worms. Before the sun even thought about showing its face I was up and going full speed ahead.  I’d be typing away on my keyboard, or climbing onto the saddle of my bicycle, or out doing yard work long before most people rolled over to slam the snooze button for the first time.

But that doesn’t happen anymore.

I don’t even remember the last time it happened.

Sure I still get out on the bike and ride, quite a bit actually. But that ride starts long after the elementary school across the street has morning announcements and well into first recess.

Who is that Grandma on her bike at ten am, or later?

Yesterday I had to rethink my late ways. Being January, naturally the morning hours are cold and I’m quite justified in waiting to ride until the air warms a bit. But yesterday, good grief, it was nearly eighty degrees when I was on my last couple miles. Too warm for my liking.

If I value my life, here in the bowels of Hades during the summer I have to get out  to ride before the sun breaks the horizon. Eighty degrees pre-sunrise is the norm. But I’m not putting up with that nonsense in January, or even in February.

So how do I get my early bird ways back? Or is that impossible? Have I crossed some invisible age barrier? Wait, that can’t be it. I’ve heard that old people only sleep a few hours a night.  I’m close to needing double digits of sleep.

Maybe, just maybe, it’s the lack of sunlight. I’ve noticed that the sun doesn’t rise until sometime after seven, which is weird for this part of the world. Seriously, I swear every other year we’ve lived in Arizona we were immune to that whole short days/long nights winter thing. Just like we’re immune to the snow, rain, intelligent drivers and honest politicians. It just doesn’t happen here.

This year has been different, seriously. The sun sets at some dumb hour like five-thirty when it used to set at seven. And mornings take an eternity to arrive. I just don’t understand.

Don’t give me any of that earth tilt and rotation and planetary alignment stuff either, because I’m not buying it.

I blame Trump and Congress and especially those Californians. In fact, I’d let those Washington people slide and lay it all at the feet of California. They’re right there where the sun sets, weighing down the country with their strange beach-going ways. And all those earthquakes, what’s up with that?

I could be wrong. I admit that. Something else could be the cause. But, think about it for a  minute.

Okay, okay. Probably it’s the whole aging thing. And not having the grandkids close by, that’s clearly thrown off my chi. One out of seven lives nearby-ish. The rest, I have to rely on the Jetson’s style of contact, video chatting. It’s something, but it doesn’t make the sun rise on time like it used to when they all lived close.

Maybe we accidentally subscribed to some charming door-to-door salesman’s pitch of daylight savings time and it’s really messing with the account balance of the space/time continuum. Those sales tactics are sneaky. (And no, I am NOT buying any girl scout cookies this year. It’s still January. I’m still rocking my resolutions to eliminate all joy and gladness from life.)

It could also be evolution. But I’ll have to give that more thought. Wasn’t it Einstein or Lincoln or MSH who said, “The only thing constant in life is change.”

Maybe if you’re out and about on the trails around here I’ll see you and nod or wave. But it won’t be early, that’s for sure. Worms are for the birds.

I think the universe might be sending me a message.

What would the universe say to you if it could speak its ageless wisdom into your mind and heart? Would you suddenly have your priorities rearranged? Would life become more meaningful? Would you change your daily walk and talk? It’s a profound thought, don’t ya think?

And how would that message make itself known to you? Would you hear some actual voice? Would thoughts flow into your mind in a color filled river of universe melding consciousness? Would a sign along the freeway have your name and words written just for you? Would you get a letter in the mail? Or may be it would even come across as a text.

My message from the universe looked like HTML code. And it said one word I understood: “The”. How weird is that? Unfortunately, that message also went out to all my blog readers as well. They probably figured my blog had been hacked. In fact, one of my daughters asked if it had been hacked, which is how I found the message the universe sent me.

Now most people wouldn’t see much meaning in the word “the” and some HTML code. But I did.

So last night, after epic fireworks I won’t even attempt to describe here, the universe took matters into its own hands. (Does the universe have hands?) Actually, in this case it wasn’t hands that created the one word blog post, but a different body part, and it’s really close to my heart.

Without being any more vague than that, can I just say, it’s not a good idea to put your phone certain places for temporary storage. And let’s just suggest that a bra is a really dumb spot for a phone to hang out.

So that weird blog post I’ve taken as a sign from the universe. Actually, two signs. First, “put the phone away in the pocket where it belongs.” Second, “you NEED to get back to writing.”

Seriously, it’s the universe not so quietly telling me I need to finish “the” sentence. It’s time to get back to writing. Even if no one reads what I write, it’s always been something I do for myself, not for others, not really.

I paid big bucks to attend a writer’s conference a couple of months ago. I was looking for inspiration and motivation and camaraderie. And I found all of that there. But I failed to translate it into action. Putting my fingers to the keyboard just didn’t happen. But now it will.

I will get back to writing because the universe did the equivalent of a butt dialed phone call, except it was through WordPress and my boobs did the writing. That’s some weird karma, if you ask me.

When She Loved Me <<—(click on this link to hear the song. )
Today is a bittersweet day.

I received one of the greatest gifts of my life 29 years ago today. I celebrate the birth of one of my children every January third. She’s brought joy into my life, like children do, and like only she can. 

I also lost one if the greatest gifts of my life on January third three years ago. My friend Kathy passed away from the ravages of multiple myeloma. 

I only knew her, really, while she had cancer. Our lives intertwined in a surprisingly fast way. The friendship lasted only five endlessly painful (for her) short (for me) years. 

I wrote about her, about our friendship a few times. If you didn’t know her, you really missed out on one of God’s best creations. It’s easy to paint the dead with rosy hues, we humans do that. Kathy deserves it. But she was flawed, too. She could be bossy, and perfectionistic, but she did it with a charming smile and a strangely kid-like voice so you didn’t mind so much. 

My daughter moved a couple years ago, a three day drive away. Too far for frequent visits. Not to mention she’s busy raising a family, like all my kids are. In a way I’ve lost them all to life’s path. That’s what children do, grow up and leave you. 

Anyway, I’m a bit melancholy today and this song captures that friendship, that joy, the losses, the memories. 

Listen and see if you can hear Kathy’s laughter. Or maybe you’ll feel a bit of childhood’s hand holding yours. Either way. 

Happy January third. 

Big J always did like a hot bike… Even better if he could ride with a friend, or a cute chick on the back.

Happy Birthday to one of the best guys I know. I might be a little biased, since he is my son, after all, but he’s definitely one of the good guys! And everyone seems to agree with me, so it must be true.

Riding his Hot Wheels with the little sister on the back. 

Is this a cool looking kid? He’s cook looking cuz he is cool!

The Happy Harley couple a few years ago.