starting over: the good times jar

See all of these folded bits of paper?

 

Those represent programs from every play and musical I attended, with or without company.

 

Those represent ticket stubs from every movie that I shared with one or more people by my side.

 

Those represent receipts for lunches and dinners shared with friends and family.

 

Those represent baseball games and vacations and even a concert.

 

And see this container?

 

Once upon a time it held spaghetti noodles.

 

Paul gave it to me many years ago, when he was moving away from Tallahassee.

 

For a while, I kept pasta in it.

 

Then, a couple of years ago, a friend on facebook suggested using a jar to keep tangible evidence of good times, to bolster mental health.

Yeah, that's not what they said, but it's certainly my interpretation of the caption they used.

(smile!)

And today, the good times jar has its first slip of paper for this year!

 

That's the receipt from the luncheon today with...

 

who else?

 

My first niece!

 

She's showing off the very nice card I gave her -

and her alone - 

for Christmas this year.

 

She's going to turn that three-dimensional floral heart into a Christmas ornament!

 

She is my heart, you know.

She meant this to be a "just us" lunch, but the universe had other plans.

 

(smile)

 

In other words, we were joined by the littlest girl.

 

That was just fine, though!

 

Miyah sat by her Aunt Tina -

that's me! -

and entertained herself with a coloring book

as well as her new laptop.

 

Perfect!

 

And the two of them, on this warm day, helped to start my new year in the company of two I love.

 

i thank You, God.