surprise visitors and new year's resolutions

My 2019 resolutions included refinancing Chez Pez to a shorter term mortgage, getting back to my WW goal weight, firing up the blog again, keeping a houseplant alive, and making a will.

I seem to have discovered my green thumb and the plants are flourishing, as are the cuttings I've grown from them. The house is starting to look like it's occupied by a plant hoarder.

I signed my new mortgage (knocking almost 10 years off), just under the wire, on December 20. Last week, after a whiskey (mine not hers), I mentioned the will to the attorney that will make it happen, so that sort-of counts.

Getting back to my WW goal ain't gonna happen in the next two hours, so here we are, at the 11th hour, updating the blog.

I wouldn't be sharing any of this with you, if not for a visit from the Morrows and a promise to Cliff that I would update the blog before the year was over.

I'd been feeling a little blue this fall...nothing specific, just in a funk.

In October I was lucky enough to be invited to the twins 11th birthday celebration - visiting the haunted house at the Children's Museum. I was looking forward to it - hanging with Tammy and kiddos in costumes and I'd never been to the haunted house.

Even though we had timed tickets the line wrapped up a ramp and into a room and then another room. I was in a panic - I was clearly going to be late for work - did I bail or were we almost to the main event? Ultimately I stayed in line, but I was feeling the stress of being late but not wanting to ruin the party.

I wound up being an hour late to work. I'm not known for my timeliness, but this was an all time record. I hoped off the bus and raced into the front door of the Red Key making apologies as I went. As I was trotting towards the back of the tavern to hang up my jacket I whooshed by a table and and mumbled "hey Cliff." By the time I took two more steps it dawned on me....Cliff and Marilyn were sitting at the Red Key - and they live in Nebraska!

I hadn't seen them since Blogstock in 2008.

They were kind enough to route their vacation through Indianapolis on a Saturday night to visit me at the Red Key! I was gobsmacked at their generosity!

And I swear that I've been in a better mood ever since then. Their thoughtfulness in planning their trip to include a surprise visit flipped a switch in my brain. It has reminded me of the power of face-to-face visits and friendship.

I've been making an effort to have more visiting time recently and all visitors are welcome here...except maybe for the possum currently residing on my porch - that's a post for another time.

Big thanks to Cliff and Marilyn for coming to Indianapolis. I can't begin to tell you how much it meant to me.

Here's to a great 2020 and another resolution crossed off the list - with almost two hours to spare!

Cheers!