cats and balloons

these 1930s kitties don't really look too thrilled to be sending out birthday wishes

so  I was thrilled to get this hand made postcard from Finland this week

PostcardFriendshipFriday

indulgence

but just a taste.... shooters - this is all you need

anything more would be overindulgence

abcwednesday

update

It has been three weeks. THREE WEEKS. And I am so tired of being sick. Today I feel as if I have turned a corner, but then I have said that before only to feel just as bad (though in a different way) hours later. I have heard from several people who had this strain of flu and we all agree - the worst part is the coughing. It is almost relentless. Even the cat is fed up with it and has managed to pull down a towel off the shower curtain rod and made a cozy little bed for herself in the bathtub. When she is not asleep on the chesterfield. Can't say as I blame her, really. At least she is no longer sleeping on my head, or my chest.

I have managed to continue working at night - the fresh air feels so good - but it was getting embarrassing to have to phone clients back after rescheduling their appointments to say "um, sorry, I'm sick again."

I have more than an adequate supply of kleenex, vitamins, lemons, ginger ale (and even ginger beer), chicken soup, cough drops and bottles of cough syrup (currently Benalyn, Robitussin, and Buckley's). Then there is the Vicks Vaporub which has not done a darn thing for relief. I have a new vaporizer, several new toothbrushes and change my pillowcases every other day. I am fighting this with everything I can think off and yet still this damn thing hangs on.

The bad news is my birthday weekend away has been cancelled.

The good news is I have lost several pounds.

age is relevant, or not

Barely 3 weeks ago, the last surviving Canadian Veteran of WWI, Jack Babcock passed away at age 109.

On Sunday, the oldest Canadian and American woman, Mary Josephine Ray, died at age 114 years, 294 days. On the same day, the oldest African American woman, Daisey Bailey, also died at age 113 years, 342 days. She became the fourth oldest person in the world when, in January, another 114 year old, Maggie Renfro, passed away.

And with them go all their memories of an era very few of us can imagine.

Hardships, endurances, loves, wars, inventions, agonies and ecstasies.

We are amazed by the speed and intricacies of the internet.

They were amazed by the invention of electricity.

My parents both lived to their 90s. My father had health issues for most of my life, several of which could have claimed his life, but didn't. He spent many years in and out of various hospitals, but no matter how many times he wished to die, his body stubbornly continued to fight death. My mother had a few health issues, though none of them were life threatening until the last two weeks of her life.

With such genes coursing through my body, I hope I have invested wisely. One of my greater fears is outliving my money. I have no children to take me into their care (although that is never a guarantee) and no spouse to resent my dependence on them (also not a guarantee, though more likely than not to happen).

We've all seen the statistics for our respective countries - we are an ever aging population the world over.

As an aside, while writing this, I was also doing laundry.

There is a bookshelf with a variety of reading material to be shared.... this is what I found sitting on top.

Art Linkletter himself is still alive at age 97!

I am not sure I would want to live to 114 years. Or even 100 years. Though getting that letter from the Queen would be nice. Oh wait, she'd have to live to be 132...

In the meantime, I just want to make it to next Sunday.

A bit of spring cleaning this week.

Have been busy working so that I can enjoy the weekend.

Have yourselves a chocolate. On me.

tulip photo from Southern Living