Another Year, Another Birthday, and a Good Attitude

Photo by: mrsiraphol@FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I turned 42 yesterday. If you've followed my blog long enough, you'll notice that I have a tendency to reflect around my birthday. For the most part, I decided I'm much better off getting older, seeing as how there's only one way out of getting older...right?

I lsually compare myself to where I was twenty years ago. At twenty-two years of age, I lived at Panorama Resort, British Columbia. I was a housekeeper. It didn't pay shit, but there were perks. Like half-price ski rentals, and free lifts with your Panorama staff I.D. There were great staff functions and you could use the weight room, saunas, and hot tubs aaaaanytime you wanted. I met a lot of cool people, including Sonya and Blair, who I keep in contact with thanks to Facebook.

But when the ski season ended, my roommates left.  Blair went back to Manitoba, Cheryl to Saskatchewan, Lee and Dale to Edmonton. Even my friend Sonya went home to Calgary before joining her future husband, George--who drove snow making machines--back to Saskatchawan. (Great wedding, by the way!)

I stayed and I became unhappy. I was broke and alone. Housekeeping was delegated to Spring Cleaning, aka/Washing Walls. I didn't have a vehicle, so I could only get to Invermere--and the bank, and the grocery store or doctor--if someone else from the office was going down. IF they drove down...I ate the almighty staple of the poor...Ichiban.

I remember I went home to Fox Creek around October/November and decided I didn't want to go back...Not that living on my parent's acreage was any less isolating, but my mother was a little bit more willing to chauffeur me around AND feed me...Stuff like vegetables. Things not noodle orientated.

Sometimes, like this week, I look around and see how far I've come. I married my best friend, the beloved troll named Dan. I still remain happy with my choice to not have children. Instead I have cats I adore as my 'fur-children'. Yes, I'm that weird. We just learned that our house is over half-way paid off, and we can live within our means WITHOUT  me working full-time. And my husband doesn't see my work as a hobby or anything so trivial...he believes in me. (I'm a REALLY lucky woman.)

He gave me THIS!  He soooo GETS me!

I am living my fondest dream. I write novels. I write this blog. I WRITE, THEREFORE I AM. And I am proud.

I used to feel guilty...mostly because my life is actually pretty fabulous, and not everybody gets to be as spoiled as I am. But I paid my dues. No more long hours, no more scheduling conflicts due to working two jobs, no more starving in order to make ends meet--I'm not willing to be a size 9 again if it means not being able to afford to eat.

Yup, forty-two is just fine. Glad to be here, and I can't wait to see where this year takes me. Again...Wish. Me. Luck. <3