Celebrating!

I had a birthday this past week and I have been celebrating for 3 days!  It has been a fun birthday, but for some reason this year I have "felt" my age.  Maybe it has something to do with the hard year I have been through, however, with all this celebrating it has helped me be appreciative of kind and loving family and friends! Since my birthday fell on a Saturday this year my work started the celebration with presents, chocolate oreo cake and well wishes.

My daughter Amanda had Friday evening all planned starting with dinner at Beehive Tea Room.

Beehive Tea Room

This quaint little eatery is right in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, on 3rd South, and is tucked inside this old building.

Beehive Tea Room - 12 West Broadway, SLC

The inside is very antique where some of the eating tables reminded me of small corner or end tables where you put your little nicknack's, and they all had the really old miss-matched chairs.  It's not very big - maybe sits 50 people scattered about these 3 rooms.

Inside front door of Beehive Tea Room

These are just a few of the decorations that make this quaint little place so very interesting.  I had an artichoke spinach sandwich on a homemade croissant and small tossed salad with balsamic dressing and we were treated to an old fashioned sugar cookie in the shape of a summer flower with homemade icing.  They have every type of tea you could think of in heavy colored glass jars. 

Children's Dance Theatre -

Alice through the Looking Glass

Then we went to the Capitol Theatre to attend the Children's Dance Theatre presentation of Alice through the Looking glass.  There were dancers from age 4 to age 18.  The whole night was such a treat and we had such a great time!

On Saturday I spent some time with my son Andy and his family.  We had snack food and watched a movie together.  My favorite time of the day is any time I can be with my grand kids!  They are the joy of my life.

Saturday evening I went over to my Dad and Mom's home and stayed overnight, then on Sunday Mom prepared a yummy birthday dinner.  I had lots of phone calls, emails and letters and packages from so many of you!  Thank you all for making my birthday so fun and memorable! 

Spring!

I think Spring is actually here!  By calendar date it began 4 days ago but our weather has been crazy, cold, and unpredictable! 

 I have this patch of Daffodils that come up every year right by my front door.  They are beautiful and I get so excited when I see their little yellow heads poke through the cold dirt reaching for the warmth of the sun.  I breathe in the spring time air and shout "yes" because here it comes - SPRING!

I snapped a shot of my beautiful daffodils and then turned to check out the tree in my front yard and noticed the green buds on the tips of the branches - more signs of spring.   Aww yes, I am excited for the sights, sounds and smells of this wonderful season.

All is well, now for healing

I'm alive!  And will continue to do so.  My doctor says I have a severe sinus infection and it will take some time to get the antibiotics working and for me to feel much better.  So, just as the sun comes up every morning and the beautiful sunflowers tip their heads to reach the warmth of that sun - so must I.  I will be good to me and do everything the doctor tells me to so I can enjoy the beautiful spring weather on its way!

I've been away - - - - -

I have been absent!  I got really sick on Monday March 7th and I even called in sick to work for 3 days!  If I call in sick, I'm really sick!  But I finally get to go see my doctor tonight and hopefully one of 2 things will happen.  She will find out what is wrong with me or I will have her take me out and hang me from the nearest tree and hit me as hard as she can with a big board to put me out of my M.I.S.E.R.Y.!!!  Maybe you will hear from me soon .  .  .  .

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

 Happy 107th Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Theodore Geisel began using the pen name "Seuss" after being banned from writing for his school Dartmouth College.  He started using his middle name to avoid getting caught.  And in case you were wondering why he was banned - he had thrown a "raucous" party during prohibition.  Geisel added the "Dr." as a shout-out to his dad's desire for him to get his doctorate at Oxford.

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?  There are certainly a bunch to choose from!  He wrote over 60 of them and he is one of the most popular children's authors of all time and his books continue to be top bestsellers for kids and adults alike!

 Is your favorite The Cat in the Hat?

How about Green Eggs and Ham?

In honor of Dr. Seuss birthday, grab one of his delightful books and loose yourself in the story!

Salt Lake City, Utah - Downtown Rising

My older brother Terry stopped into work yesterday to check on me and "just to chat".  I love it when he and any part of my family does this.  It makes my whole day!!!  Terry is very important around Salt Lake City these days - he is the safety inspector of the huge project Downtown Rising which is in full swing.
 

Salt Lake City, Utah

In the heart of the city there are cranes, people in hard hats, hammering, cement trucks, etc., and somewhere among all of this is my brother Terry, checking on compliance, progress and making sure all is well.  I am so impressed with all he does and I don't even know the half of it.  But what I do know for sure is I will visit "the city" often to see the progress.  If you would like to check into the activity of our beautiful city go to http://www.downtownrising.com/ ; it is beautiful!

Presidents Day

What did you find yourself doing with a day off because of Presidents Day? 

We all know that these two great men celebrate birthday's in February with George Washington on the 22nd and Abraham Lincoln on the 12th.  Did you know that Lincoln just celebrated the 200th year anniversary of his birth on the 12th!  Sometimes I think President's day gets tossed to the corner of our calendar and we forget to reflect on all the great things these men did or have done for our United States of America!  And while these two men have birthdays this month - we are really honoring all those who have held this great office!  We may not always agree with the man who holds the office but in my opinion - we should all honor the position and greatness this office entails. 

I actually used the day to have my taxes prepared and filed.  That's very American don't you think?  I have been earning a paycheck since 1973.  During my senior year of High School I had work release and drove to my Uncle Edwards business called NCE - Nuclear Controls and Electronics.  I started as an box assembler - I put together cardboard boxes which would ship the hand held calculator being assembled in the plant.  I did such a great job putting together the boxes that they decided I was ready to advance to being an assembler of the actual product.

I learned where all the capacitors and diodes needed to go and I was given a soldering iron and went to work.  It was a wonderful job and I am so grateful for the experience.  I have been working ever since - thus paying taxes and filing a tax return.  It's very interesting each year when I get my statement from Social Security to see the history of my earnings.