Today sucked.
I mean, it really did.

Well…most of it.

At least it did until I got home.

I went to a meeting this morning that I was very hopeful would bring some bright things in to my future.

I ran smack dab in to an emotional brick wall.

At least I think I did. I cannot really tell because I was still reeling from a phone call I got on the way in to the meeting where I found out that a young man whom I have known for his whole life- and whom I care for a great deal- was in trouble.

Big trouble.

And there was nothing I could do to help him.

And to make things absolutely perfect, I went to a non-prof Board meeting that devolved in to something between a high school hair pulling match and mud wrestling.

But women are good at these bumps in the road- right?
And somehow, the groceries were bought, the laundry got done and there is a roast in the oven.

Grandpa Bruce's Birthday

We celebrated Grandpa Bruce's birthday this weekend and the Fam came out for the day.

Our son Cassady and our daughter in law Rebecca packed up the kids and grabbed our other son Jason and our daughter in law Georgette and they all made the trek to the Valley
Our Grandson Dylan helped him blow out the candles on the pile of Birthday "Skinny Cow" ice cream sandwiches.

Our daughter Megan, who is at home in Sacramento waiting with her husband for the birth of our next grandchild Maya, even called in time to sing Happy Birthday through the speaker phone


Auntie Georgette wades in to play




And Uncle Jason looks on

The weather cooperated so we were able to have some pool time.

It was a great day, a great time and some great memories.

I live a small life.
It is not that it is not meaningful
But it is meaningful in small ways.
I mean..... night times never find me cutting million dollar deals at an Upper East Side restaurant in New York

And I yet to find a book I wrote on any list at all.
I don’t send diplomats to Syria or soldiers to Afghanistan

I teach…I walk my dog…I love my family.

But there are days like today when I am glad that my life has some open space. Today, I was able to hang out with 150 and kids at a place called Angel Light Academy.


These were kids who may have the odds stacked against them, but they are ready to take on the world.
They worked together today on the tough questions in their community- drugs, harassment, hate and violence.
And they looked for real life solutions for real life problems.
And gave my life more meaning as they did.