Y'got me blushin', Jo. I'm flattered that y'find our conversations so cheerful. I always dig talkin' t'ya for just that reason. You're mighty cheerful. Good conversation, too. 😉
What brings me cheer? Hm. That's a lot of typing. Mind you, I'm a reformed cynic, and have what I'm guessin' are fairly powerful gripes for my lot in life. I've 2 strokes (cerebral embolysms), auto collisions, stabbings by knife and by steel post (long story), an absent father, lost loves, blah, blah, blah...
OTOH, the strokes made me kinder, more patient, happier, and reminded me that life's precious and short. The collisions were and are fine stories (as things are when you survive 'em). Bein' punctured hasn't killed me, and the scars (all but one) have faded well. My mother's tougher than any of your fathers (kid ya not), and no one, thus far, doubts my masculinity, so she did somethin' right in raisin' me. Jo already told the five of you that DIDN'T hear already about my lady love.
She lights up anything I could conceive. She's everything to me. It's wonderful.
Add to that the fine fact of my new 10 year old son. He's brilliant, kind-hearted and loving, and a new light in my life, one I thought I'd not get this time around.
Then there's that powerful mom o' mine. She's not only aware of our interest, it's no big deal to her. The way she raised me allowed me to host gatherings easily and well. She's wonderous. Buyin' her a home lit me up last Christmas, and will continue to do so every time I visit her.
Oh, then there's those little ole gatherings o' mine. 6 years o' them, 4 to 12 per year, ain't a bad thing by any means. Fine friends from those, includin' QBWeaver, AffectionateDan, Hawkikim... aw, hell, the list's too long to type. There's over a hundred folks I've met through those, and 50 more through NEST, several through MidWest, etc. Fine folks in this interest, there are, and I'm blessed by their company. The ticklin' is pretty good, too. 😉
Life is what you make of it, of course. I actually appreciate the humor in our stated cynics, especially the elder ones, 😉, but this life is fine and dandy by me. I hope t'live it long.
d , to the v, to the n, and the c