Hello Life

I'm feeling a little less pitiful about my cat Newt. For the past few days I've been crying whenever I thought of her and when I talked of her. Today was better. I haven't cried, but just feel lifeless.

I officially want to thank Murphy, or is it Mr. Murphy?, for the cold I woke up with this morning. Now I feel lightheaded, sniffy, headachy and tired on top of lifelessness.

This is a list of conclusions from the basic Murphy statement: "If anything can go wrong, it will."

1. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the first one to go wrong.
   Corollary - If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen then.
2. If several things that could have gone wrong have not gone wrong, it would have been ultimately beneficial for them to have gone wrong.
3. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
4. If anything can't go wrong, it will anyway.
5. If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which something can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop

Here's a song I just love from Michael Buble. I just wish it was a video of him singing, not just a single picture. Oh well....I was having my iPod shuffle songs today and this came up. It's very peppy. If you are experiencing low fog, like here in Northern California, or it's snow or rain, this should get your toes tapping. You might even get up and start dancing around doing the swing by yourself.

Talking about swing reminded me of a couple of things. I learned to swing with my boyfriend in high school. I've always loved it. I taught my kids how to do the basic swing I knew. I can't find the photo of me with Talented Geek Son, which he is probably thankful for. I was teaching him to waltz in the living room when he was about 13.

Then Nancy Drew, my second daughter, learned how to swing. Really swing. Talk about a love affair. That girl had to drive to Sacramento every week for the big dance. It wasn't too bad when Sacramento was a half-hour from where we lived, but when we moved to Santa Rosa... It takes 90-120 minutes one way to get to Sacramento. In Germany she went to several "master" type classes with the legends of swing. She also started teaching swing in Germany and then back home in Massachusetts. She entered a ballroom competition doing the swing. It was great...and that's not just a mom's opinion. I wish I had the video to post. She and her partner took first in their division.

She walked out onto the ballroom floor and my jaw just about hit the floor. She was dressed forty's style, had red lipstick on and when she danced she was sexy. Talk about revelation of seeing your daughter growing up all in one moment.

Here are some documentary pictures to show her progression in dance! (Hi sweetie! I love you!)

Nancy Drew Swings!

Top Left 2005: In her living room swinging with friend the night before she was 

deployed to Germany.

Top Right 2001: Dancing as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, in a skit while on a mission in Japan.

Bottom Left 1997:  In high school play, Guys & Dolls, dancing as Chick, Chick, Chicky

She is last in line, right before the cows.

Bottom Right 2005: In Germany ready to go out and swing, baby!