29/4

It's the 29th of February.  I haven't been able to say that for 4 years.  (Has anybody?  ;) )  I couldn't pass up this opportunity to write SOMETHING on this day.  After all, I won't have a chance to write something on February 29th again for 4 years.  And who knows where I'll be then, or if this blog will even be around!  So with that in mind, I'm listing 29 things that have changed since the last February 29th.

1.     Obviously the biggest "thing" is that 4 years ago there was no Bfth's Boring Blog.  Thanks to a Michael Nesmith Concert and some inspiration, look at what happened!

2.     On the Last February 29th, I worked for a different company (and I made more money).  I love the people I work with now, but I still miss the close group of people I spent over 5 years working with.

3.     It was on the last 29th of February that I heard the news one of my teen idols had passed away.  I was lucky enough to see Davy Jones as a solo performer in a small venue where he sang "Girl" just to me (ok, maybe not just to me, but it was pretty close).  I also got to see him on tour a member of the Monkees more than once.  

4.     My son could barely read.  (He was in 1st grade at the time.) 

5.     My 1st grade teacher was still teaching; and teaching my son to boot!  (She retired at the next year.)

6.     My son was also shorter than me; now we're neck and neck and pretty soon he'll overtake me.  (Scary thought:  he's only in 5th grade!)  His feet are also larger than mine now!

7.     My son walked to school pretty much every day.  Elementary school was only a few blocks away and an easy walk.  Now that he's in middle school and need to be in a music class 3 or 4 days a week by 7:40, I drive him (and friends) downtown.

8.     Since my son was only in 1st grade, I wasn't aware of PARCC tests and the Common Core.  Ignorance isn't bliss, but not dealing with standardized testing sure was.

9.     My son had yet to go to sleep away camp.  He would try it for the first time the next year, with fantastic results.  (He's already signed up for 2 weeks this summer.)  The ability to do a partial week to "test the waters" at Camp Johnsonburg (http://www.campjburg.org/) was a great comfort to me.

10. Great Grandpa Murray was still alive.  Miss him still, but am grateful that my son got a chance to know him.  How many kids get to play with a great grandparent?

11. My brother was still alive.  I wish he was around to read my blog posts; I'm sure he would have provided lots of fodder for them!

12. Superstorm Sandy had not yet destroyed a part of NJ that I hold dear to my heart.  It will be four years this October and despite what you may have heard; things are NOT yet back to normal.  (Although things continue to improve.)

13. My father still had 10 toes.  I would never have imagined that he would get an infection that would land him in the ICU and eventually cost him 1-3/4 toes.

14. My "go-to-mom," the woman who was the 2nd mother for my son and so many other kids in our neighborhood was alive and keeping an eye on all "her" kids.  I've taken over one of her traditions (the Easter Egg Hunt) because it just felt like something I had to do.  But no one could ever do what she did, the way she did.

15. We hadn't discovered my husband's eye problem (a complication of his diabetes).  Years of treatments (for the squeamish I won't go into the details) have been trying, but FINALLY progress seems to be made.  A reminder:  don't let things wait, especially when it comes to health issues.

16. The Thrift Shop where I volunteer did not yet exist.  Not only did it provide me with a place to "work" when I was unemployed, but I became one of their best customers.  Thank goodness for it, as it has helped so many people in my community.

17. I had never stood in a pulpit and given a sermon.  I am still sorry that our pastor decided to retire and never imagined all the work that I would have to put into the new pastor search committee, but a side result is that I've been able to try my hand at something new.  I'd like to think I'm pretty good at it.

18. I hadn't attempted my "Pulitzer Project” (I'm still slogging through "The Executioner's Song" for those who are keeping tabs on me.)

19. My son didn't play an instrument.  He may not be the best trumpet player in the world after two years, but music is an important part of his life and I feel should be an important part of the school curriculum.

20. I'd never stayed "home alone" while my boys went on spring break trips (with my in-laws) to Washington, DC and Philadelphia.  While being on my own had its advantages, I missed "my guys."  (But I'm glad they had the experience and am still a little jealous.)

21. I didn't have a smart phone!  (How did I live without it?)

22. I'd never Skyped!  (When did that become a verb?)

23. I'd never had guacamole or even tasted an avocado.  Oh Chipotle, what have you done to me?

24. I'd never sprayed/dyed my hair (and my son's) a crazy color.  School Field Days turned out to be more fun when your hair was the same color as your team (red or blue).

25. Paid more than $60 for a purse/handbag.  (Curse you Dooney & Bourke!)

26. Gone ice skating on the 1st of the year.  (Two years in a row!  I don't even want to think how long it had been before that!)

27. Revised "traditional" family celebrations so that they better met our family's needs.  Traditions are great, but as times and people change, so traditions need to as well.

28. Going away with my family (including my parents) to ring in the New Year (2016).  Watching fireworks; balloons dropping at midnight; we were all together to celebrate it.

29. Continuing to dedicate time to myself to write this crazy blog and tell my story.  It may not be thrilling or star studded, but it's mine.  I've been writing since I was my son's age (and I'm thrilled to see that he does the same), I'm not going to stop!