Quiet SundayToday is Mother's Day and it's a day that as a single parent Gary also celebrates. For years he was a Mother and a Father to his two children and the three of them sure went through a lot of trials and tribulations. Gary's hat is off to all those single mothers out there as he knows that they really have their hands full as they try to balance so many things all at the same time. Life is hard for us all but for some it is even harder. Love your kids - they will never forget you.
May DaysThe weather is finally warming up in the Seattle area. The winter and spring hung on forever around here and most folks thought that springtime might not show up until the 4th of July. There just may be something to these concepts of global warming and climate change. It has been especially cold through March and April with more snow in the mountains and rain near sea level than many of us are used to seeing. One good thing is that no one is worried about summertime "drought" around here. We have lots of water in the lakes, rivers and reservoirs. The weatherman tells us that sunny days and temperatures in the 70's are coming our way - maybe towards the end of this coming week. Yeah! Right!
VacationOld dad here is embarking on two weeks of vacation - starting right now. He won't be out in the early morning cold waiting for the bus to show up to take him to the office. The workplace will get along just fine without him as no one is indispensable. A long list has been made up and all kinds of things may get done around home. In other words, this guy has no plans to jet off to Tahiti or France or even Italy. Not even Canada which is only a two or three hour drive away.
We are talking a vacation dedicated to rest, relaxation and sleep. A no-stress vacation - one of just wandering around Ballard and Seattle. A time of going slow and pretending to be retired.
RetirementSpeaking of retirement - Gary recently discovered that he can actually retire in about 11 months. He can walk away from the Ferry System on April 01, 2009 if he wishes to do so. Of course many folks elect to keep on working especially with the Recession and poor economic forecast. This old workhorse is wondering what to do. He has been with the State Ferries since 1991 - almost 17 years and it is losing it's attraction. Presently it is a real mess and undergoing management and reorganization changes. Old boats are either falling apart or being taken out of service. A new building program is in the works that include the design and construction of five (5) new ferryboats. Three large vessels and two smaller ferries. This program is just underway and promises years of work for those who remain employed with the Ferry System. However, it will be at least two or three years before any new ferry is launched and is ready for service.
FamilyGary's mother is past her 90th birthday and continues to be full of life. She keeps most active is is pretty darned healthy. She can carry on a bright, lively conversation about everything - from world politics to what the neighbors are doing. She jumps on the bus and goes to see her doctor, buys groceries, shops at the mall and even occasionally to the casino. Gary's three sisters are keeping busy too and seem to be leading full and robust lives.
Gary's two children remain the bright lights in his life. They are so talented and special that he often feels that they must be from some other person's family. David and Christina have worked hard all of their lives - paying their fair share of taxes and helping to keep America free and strong. And they have contributed to so many with their good works, their personal skills and talents and helpful attitudes. Old dad is so proud of what these two children have accomplished. All on their own. At this point in time, the family is doing fine.
