Today's Joy: Glad To Be Back.

Yes, Reader, it's true. After a crazy month and a half of not blogging, I am back! Oh, how I have missed conversing with you! If you're not speaking to me after my prolonged absence, alas, I understand. But if you are, I have much to tell you.

Around mid-September, several circumstances converged to create the perfect blog-halting storm. First, my well-loved position changed dramatically. Where before, I was receiving invoices and handling paperwork for just one of my company's 11 locations, I am now installed at the corporate office--a much greater distance from my quiet, country home--and handling the invoicing for 9 stores. Truth be told, it is a heck of a lot of work but....I think I love it! It's wonderful to be challenged every single day. Of course, with the increased workload and commute, that leaves much less time for my daily chats with you. This I am still ironing out.

Add to that, a sneaky virus which has been waging war on our home network for several weeks now and I was feeling very cut-off from my beloved blog. But a few well-timed queries from loyal readers have given me the hutzpah to make time in my schedule to get back to what I love--sharing this very blessed life with you.

When I set myself this daily joy challenge on Jan 1st, I couldn't have foreseen any of the changes that have taken place this year. Still, I felt bad when circumstances caused me to miss a few (or ALOT) of days. But this challenge, like life, is not about perfection. A perfect record was never the goal here. Finding the joy that's in each day was. And though I may not always post on time or chronologically, I am always looking for that little something each day that I can share about in this wonderful forum. The funny thing is, when you look, you find so much more than you hoped for.

So, dear Reader, I will do my best to bring you joy in a consistent & timely fashion. But, if I miss a few here and there, I'm not going to sweat it. Just know that I'm out there looking for the joy. I hope you are too.

Today's Joy: Avid Readership.
It's official, Reader. My lovely little blog is beginning to garner a following. I realized this tonight, while having dinner at my dear friend K's house. We haven't gotten together in a while and were enjoying a leisurely chat in the kitchen while he made dinner.

At three points in the conversation, when I alluded to some funny thing that happened this week, he laughed and said, "I know!"
And I said, "What do you mean? How do you know that?"
Then he laughed again and said, "I read your blog."

Ah, yes. That thing I look forward to writing each evening. The place where I record my joy for the enjoyment of others. He receives it via email whenever I post. Hmm. My blog stole my punchline! What a strange sensation.

At this point, I realized I better start coming up with new material when I go out with friends, lest all my face-to-face interactions become blog re-runs. (Help! I'm redundant!) Still, I can't stop giggling about it. Thank you, all my dear Readers, for your kind attention & warm feedback. What a blessing it is to be a part of your lives and have you as a part of mine. I look forward to sharing joy with you for a long time to come! (And if I retell a few stories along the way, just humor me.) ;-)

Today's Joy: Lounging Out on the Sun Porch After Dark on April 1st.
Well, Reader, it's almost nine o'clock in the evening on this glorious first day of April. Here I am, sitting outside in bare feet, typing away as a nice breeze drifts through the screens. Ahhhhhhhhh!
Is there anything more sublime in early spring than drinking limeade and listening to the season's first peeper frogs croaking out in the ditch?
I was elated to leave work and step out into an 80 degree afternoon. Very uncharacteristic for Chicago this time of year. But Mother Nature has a way of evening the score--I'm told Saturday will be a stinker.
In the meantime, I shall enjoy every moment of outdoor bliss! Am looking forward to many more warm & lazy nights of blogging from this very spot!