A different kind of lesson

My 16-year-old son got a first-hand look at one of the ways service providers work when he accompanied me last night on a search for our area's homeless.
The team I was with did not find anyone, but that doesn't mean there aren't people living on the street in our community.

I hope the lesson was a valuable one for him.

Homeless count

We didn't find anyone. Neither did the other team in our area.
I wonder if volunteers searching in Connecticut's big cities were able to make contact with people living outdoors.

It's snowing out now.

I'm Ba-a-a-a-ck

Yes, it is I.
Took yesterday off.

Tonight I'm tagging along with staff and volunteers from two social service agencies on a Point-in-Time count of area homeless.

Be back tomorrow.

Getting organized

It's not easy being organized. At least it's not for me.
But today I was.
This morning I put all the ingredients for beef stew into our slow cooker. Tonight we had a delicious dinner.
'Nuf said.

The Elm City

This is about a woman from suburbia (me) going to the city with a friend. Not The City, as in New York, but New Haven.

She is an artist and this month she has an exhibit of watercolor paintings of flowers and shells and more that she calls "Think Spring."

So today, January 27, we took a break to "think spring" for a while. It was a pleasant diversion on a gray and chilly day.

In the single digits

It was c-c-c-cold here in Connecticut today. It would have been a perfect day to use the crock pot, so that we would have come home to a hot meal.

But, being disorganized, I didn't have any ingredients to throw in the slow cooker.

So it was Chinese takeout tonight for us.

The cat's OK

Whatever was ailing Humphrey last evening went away. He's back to his usual furry self.

Crisis averted.

Hairball time

Our felinus obnoxious is not feeling well.
I got home from work two hours ago and the cat clearly was feeling poorly. He actually let me hold him for more than five minutes, so I know something is up.
Or will be soon (hork, hork).

Who's in charge here?

I fed my cat at 3:48 a.m. today.
I was awake and he seemed hungry.
I guess he's spoiled.

Late Bloomer's Night Out

In the old days it may have been called a hen party.

But the get-together I attended last night with a friend who is a high school English teacher, pianist, and wonderful storyteller was a networking event. And it was women only.

I was hesitant about going (I'm a writer, not a talker) but am glad I pulled myself up out of my rut and tagged along. There were more than 50 females there, and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves.

It was snowing lightly, but that didn't put a damper on the evening. It actually lent a peaceful quality to everything, and where we were the driving conditions were no problem.

The event was held at a newly-opened salon. Manicures, massages and facials were on the house, as were the refreshments. This group meets once a month at various locations. If I were a small business owner, i would join.

Today's takeaway : If someone invites you to do something out of the ordinary, go ahead and do it. Even if you are : a) tired b)coming out of a bad day at work c) feeling you have "nothing to wear" or d) did I mention tired?

Coming to terms

The name of this blog sums it up. I am a boomer coming to terms with the fact that many of my colleagues are younger than I, and some are decades younger.

I think back to what I was doing the year they were born, and I shiver a bit.
But c'est la vie.

It's a challenge, but I believe blogging about it can be cathartic.

I hope.

Boomer in bloom

Chronicling the travels of a middle-aged wife and mother of two teen-agers on what once was called the Information Superhighway.

Here I am, a late bloomer just entering the blogosphere. I figured, why not? All I have to lose is my dignity. (insert laughter).
But seriously, I am writing this in the hope that by keeping my fingers moving at work, as a newspaper reporter, and at home, as a "blogger," I will keep them from getting too stiff to use.

Yes, ladies and gents, I am a baby boomer. Born after World War II and before the Beatles hit the stage on The Ed Sullivan Show.

You remember the Beatles, right? The Fab Four? Beatlemania? Well, it was a big deal in the 60s, lemme tell you.

Can you tell I am starting to feel a bit ancient these days?