Hey, Thanks!

Here are just a couple of people I’ve been meaning to say thanks to. Sorry it took me so long.

The moving company manager, who surprised me with a refund check saying they overcharged me when I wouldn’t have known the difference.

The ‘trash man’, who placed my emptied barrel on side of house, put the cover on and gave it a little pat before he moved on. I saw you, thanks!

Friends who pick up where we left off, even if there happened to be a 20 year break in the middle.

The people who tend to the sponsored traffic island gardens around the city- nice job!

Coffee Time, for making delicious golden birthday cakes with buttercream frosting. So delicious, I sometimes get a small one just for me, when it’s not even my birthday. Wait, did I just say that out loud?

The car repair guy, who waited for me to get to the shop to replace my broken wipers on a rainy night, even though it was long after closing hours. And he didn’t even seem to mind.

Little kids who take a liking to me and let me know what it feels like to be a mom, if just for a moment.

Philanthropic companies. Times are tough for all of us, but you still give what you can. You rock.

The person in the grocery store who randomly handed me a $1 off coupon for something I just put in my carriage. Nice!

The state trooper who was at the scene of my brother’s death in a car accident, who randomly checked in with me for years after my brother had been killed, just to see how my family was doing. Above and beyond.

Everyone over the years who has said “you can do it!” when I wasn’t sure I could. Sometimes I still couldn’t do ‘it’, but it was still nice that you had faith in me.

My long-time primary care doctor, who truly and deeply cares about my well-being inside and out. She's sick! (in the way that we now say something is 'sick' if it is really, really good).

My notoriously tough college English professor, who gave me an A+ on an original screenplay and added a note that my writing was indicative of a “beautiful soul”, words I never forgot and still aspire to live up to.

My wonderfully wild memories of the crazy hyjinks we use to pull in the workplace at the Salem Evening News, back in the days when it really was just the SALEM Evening News, and you could balance work and fun without getting into trouble.

The scruffy guy at the coffee shop who overheard me talking about a fundraiser I was working on, and handed me a $250 check from the construction company he owned. You never know!

The nice lady who gave me a hug and wiped my away my tears after I crashed my bike, back when you could show that kind of affection to other people’s kids without worry.

The penny candy guy on the corner who would occasionally let me pick a free bonus piece- score!

My co-workers, who send me encouraging notes thanking me for helping them balance their work and personal life, reminding me that we can sometimes make a big difference in very small ways.

The little girl who was washing her hands in the bathroom at Fantasy Island, and spontaneously said to her mother as I walked in: “Mama, she’s beautiful!” (NOTE: I was only about 10 myself at the time).

My running friend who said she missed my blog, reminding me I missed writing it too.