When I was younger most all of my close friends were guys.  I really like guys.  They mostly have a great sense of humor and will say practically anything that is on their minds.  They don’t listen very well but I am not one to disclose secrets to them anyhow.

The older I get, the more I appreciate my girlfriends.  I have girlfriends whom I do different things with.  I have drinking girlfriends, shopping girlfriends, listening to music girlfriends, cooking girlfriends, gardening girlfriends, and many other girlfriends.

The hubster is at an age where he doesn’t want to do anything.  He doesn’t want to go out; he doesn’t want to drive (but won’t let anyone else drive but himself).  And I am at a retired age that I want to do everything that comes along.

I used to say when I was young that I wanted to do everything in the world and I was already pissed because I knew I could not.  Now a days I am doing what I want.  No, I’m not bungee jumping or cliff diving.  I went to a gardening workshop yesterday and talked with my girlfriends about gardening and gardening excursions.  It was a day of gardening.

In my life I have had many adventures.  The hubster was a certified scuba diver when we met and he encouraged me to get certified.  I was in college at the time and took scuba diving as one of my classes.  Oh I get to have fun while learning.  I’d never have passed the physics without the hubster.

I also took tennis while I was in college.  I was pregnant at the time.  Playing tennis two days a week I still gained 80 pounds with the baby.  I was getting pretty good when I finished the class.

When my girls were about 10 and 12 we started crewing for a hot air balloon pilot.  I have flown in a balloon so many times I couldn’t keep track.  The pilot, a weatherman and I went exceedingly high once just to experience the weather up there.  It was so wonderful.  We were above Rock City and could see to Freeport and Brodhead.  Unbelievable!

My soul’s home is Jamaica and I have been to Jamaica many times.  I love the people, the food, the music, the diving and snorkeling-- and you can drink the water.  Three other couples went to Jamaica with us one time and we had the greatest time ever.  We laughed so much I was sore.

I have had so many fun jobs in my life.  I was a stay at home mom for most of my life but I was a Kelly temporary office worker.  I’ve been a legal secretary, helped to destroy an A T & T office, where in fact I wrote most of my novel between shredding paper.  I have worked as a dental assistant.  I did a year at a television station.  I worked for a small newspaper and took pictures and wrote stories about children who did marvelous things.  I was a school secretary for 11 years, nine of which were fabulous.  I worked in a mental health facility for over a year.

And so now that I am retired my adventures are continuing.  So far I have been a movie star twice.  Check out “Pins”, a short film on youtube.  I have visited the conservatory in Rockford and took a tour of the Rock River in Rockford.  I have introduced my girlfriend to Indian, Japanese, Thai and Chinese food.  I am becoming a Master Gardener.

The girlfriends and I have gone shopping, gardening touring, junk shop shopping, bar hopping and so many other fun things.

Girlfriend, Nancy and I have baked and canned several times.  We are known as the Women Who Can and Drink and the men who love them.  Or the women who bake and drink.  We have entirely too much fun and put up lots of goodies in the meantime.

Friend, Garnet has introduced me to Zumba and we have Zumbaed together.

Future plans include doing the river tour of Chicago and perhaps an overnight in Chicago.  Next week we are visiting the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.  Girl trips are so much fun.

Here’s to you girlfriends!

Thank you for all your love and all the laughter.