Year One

What an amazing year it has been

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If I had spent a lot of time (or any time, for that matter) thinking about what my retirement would be like, I could have never in my wildest dreams imagined this. 
TED award DaY One Prudential    A Super Bowl commercial???
    A Times Square billboard???
    A TED award???
    An award at Cannes???
    Suddenly see and hear myself on prime time national television??? (That'll make you fall off a treadmill, I can tell you!)

I do wish Tom had been here to share it all ....that's been a hard part - each time something good or fun or unbelievable happens, I've either been just with Deacon or with someone who didn't understand what's been going on in my life. 

IE: when I got the text from Kevin Brady at Cannes that we had won the most coveted award at the Lions festival, with a photo of my face on the big screen attached, I was out on my first date in 42 years!!!   The guy's reaction was, kind of "no, that sort of thing doesn't happen to real people".  He couldn't relate without the whole progression from making the documentary to the big stage at Cannes.  Not at all.

IE: when I got an email saying my and Deacon's photo was soaring over Times Square with a photo of same attached, I was with my eight year old grandaughter, Melissa. 
I'm going "Wow!! look at this!!!!!"
and she's going "Uh-huh. Can we get some popcorn?"  :)

Deacon continues to be great company.  I've gone a couple of places he couldn't go, as he is too big to fly in the cabin, but mostly we drive everywhere and he has learned to be a model houseguest.  He is even getting over his aversion to cats.  I've pretty much taught him all I know how, so we are taking a rally training course in Chattanooga. I'm impressed with the trainer and she is impressed with Deacon.  He's doing a pretty good job keeping our blog.

Trophy at Chattooga ClubI've made new friends and re-connected with old ones in the croquet world. Many have Tom stories that I love to hear.  It's not such a world of couples, as so many circles are - everyone has welcomed me and Deacon.   We've been hosted in some lovely homes and I even won a trophy at the Chattooga Club!  

There have certainly been times of boredom, times of insecurity, loneliness.  But they are few and far between.  I continue to be very, very blessed.  God is so good.

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