Smash's recovery mailing (everyone has something)

I love, love, love the colors and the lettering.

The sentiment on the card is steal worthy

I have received so many good wishes from blog readers.

It's been wonderful to hear from you and I hope it jogs me into doing a better job of dropping things in the mail when I am aware of situations where an actual piece of mail would be welcome.

My apologies if I already wrote this.

When I got home from the hospital and started emailing people to let them know that I would be out of commission for a while - responder's emails would express concern and then relate equally horrific circumstances going on in their lives. I'd feel bad about sending too much info about my situation, oblivious to what they were going through.

So, by week three, I started prefacing the emails with - Please let me know if you are currently dealing with something difficult --blah blah blah. And I would just keep my info brief. Then I had a few people I needed to contact by phone so I would start with, "Hi, I haven't talked to you in a while and first - I'll ask if there is anything catastrophic going on with you."

Sure 'nuf. Pretty much everyone my age is going through some difficulty or they are in the caregiving mode. Some of them are down-sizing -- and even that can be pretty stressful.

Then there are the people who have not responded to emails. I refrain from letting myself get carried away with possibilities. 

I was at a loss on how to spin this into something cheerful when Ashleigh Brilliant came to the rescue.

His *cheerful* approach to the not-exactly-fun part of aging and ending will pop up tomorrow.

I just noticed that aging and ending could be abbreviated to A&E - same as arts & entertainment. How cool is that?

****

The news from Lake Tahoe is heartbreaking. Even though my son has been in Whistler, BC for almost a year, it was his home for almost 15 years and I'd been there in both warm weather as well as winter. While I have been to some beautiful places around the country, Tahoe is magical. Or perhaps it was the altitude.

I recall a childhood trip to Yellowstone National Park a couple years after forest fires had swept through. It was already full of beautiful new growth. Not tall, but vibrant. While it would be a shame to lose all the man-made parts of Tahoe, maybe it would be an opportunity to rebuild and consider all the people who maintain the area and work at the resorts. Playgrounds for wealthy people do not offer much for all those people who are providing services that they expect.

****

Scroll down for another opportunity to sign a petition to help the USPS