Now that I’m back…

And back after such a long period of silence, I feel that I should offer a brief snapshot of various and sundry things that have happened over the past year.  So, let’s catch up. And yes, for my conservative friends, I’m probably going to say a few things to upset you. So, y’all are excused. If you need something else to do, go check the Olympic medal count. Or go watch the curling coverage. (Or just skip the first three items.)

Here goes:

• I’m still not eating Chick fil a. Don’t miss it. At all.

• His Holy Hairness (Texas Governor Rick Perry) tried to run for President, made a damn fool of himself while on the campaign trail, dropped out of the race, then much to my delight and wonder, decided he would finally do what is best for Texas and not run for governor again.

• Pope Benedict decided he had had enough of people like me complaining about what he didn’t do to protect innocent children from predatory priests and decided to step down saying he was too tired to go on. (Yes, that would be my personal theory on why he quit the job.) Much to my surprise and delight, the College of Cardinals decided to elect a Pope who I actually like! Miracles do happen and I love that Pope Francis is shaking up the Vatican by insisting that those pampered clerics in the Curia and elsewhere stop living like kings and start serving the poor. 

• My daughter Emily graduated from the University of St. Edward’s Magna Cum Laude. She was also named a Presidential Award recipient. Which means that if you are in the St. Ed’s student center anytime until the end of April or so, you can take a look at a picture of her w/ her bio and an account of just why my darling child merited this honor. Am I proud? Why yes. I am.

• My sister Mary Claire and I went up to Connecticut last summer and visited out sister Jane together. First time MC and I had ever taken a trip out of state together. Or taken a trip together at all. We all had a blast and topped off our trip by meeting up with our sister Julia in NYC for lunch the day we left for home. How cool is that?

• My other daughter Sara, after definitely paying some dues by working at a small grocery store in Austin, was rewarded for her great attitude at said job by one of her customers telling her she was going to recommend that Sara be her replacement at the job the customer was leaving. Said job being a legal assistant to a local Austin attorney, that paid full salary and has fabulous benefits: Proof that being nice to people, even when you are having a rotten day, will be rewarded. And yes, I am proud of her. She had her dream of working and living in Austin and she did what it took to make it happen.

• My son Michael is going to grad school, pursuing his masters in school administration. And he’s doing extremely well. All while teaching 4th grade English, working on the side when he can, and being a husband and father, and father to be. (Yes, he and his wife have another child on the way! Yippee!) Am I proud of him and them? Well, yes. I am. 
 
• After what seems like over a year of growing out my hair, while claiming I was ‘rocking the ombre look' (I wasn't), I finally got my hair long enough to cut off the old dead dyed stuff and go completely gray. Am I happy with it? Yes. Extremely so. It’s great no longer having to touch up the damn roots and my hair is in the best condition it’s been in for years and years. Basically ever since I started dying it to hide the gray.  Quite honestly, I should have done this ages ago. So, go ahead. Embrace the gray people. It’s fabulous.

I think that covers all the major events since I left off. So onward y’all. I'll be back soon.