The "Good Bye 2014!", edition.

iPad shuffled to Heatwave, "Mind Blowing Decisions".  The end of another year. I remember when I was a kid I'd calculate how old I'd be in the year 2000. Now we're coming up on 15 years past 2000!  I never considered life past the year 2000.  Lol.  I think after that I was a one year at a time woman. I did to a countdown to retirement. Any time worked past 25 years was golden. Especially after my financial advisor explained a few things ( a lot ) to me. ;-)  I really did work as long as I could. Then the kidney failure hit. After that I seemed to work toward goals. Walking without the walker. Getting the infernal chest catheter removed, going to Disney World,  help Shawn  get settled into her new life, and moving to Las Vegas. And even out here goals are still being set. That's life isn't it?  Continuous planning and process improvement.  Lol. Once a Project Manager always a Project Manager.  I always said project management was just life. :)

Rick James,  "Give It To Me Baby".  Well, we're finishing 2014 in Las Vegas. We've been out here five months. I wouldn't change a thing. We've found our acrylic painting groove. Watercolor starts next month. I prefer watercolor but it doesn't hurt to learn both. We've redecorated the condo to open it and make it quite comfortable for 3 people.  And right now we're hosting Shawn and her friend and not feeling crowded...unless all 5 of us try to get into the kitchen...lol.  We also managed to go to visit Shawn twice.  Once at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and once in Springfield, Illinois, where she was involved with the illinois State Museums research project on President Lincoln's neighbor. The original neighborhood has been preserved. It's quite impressive. 

Shalimar, "For The Lover in You".  We went to Denver for a wedding. We went to New Orleans for a weekend birthday celebration. We emptied a house that had been lived in for over 50 years and had 4 generations of items and use. When we left all we took were clothes, computers, photographs and a car!  I dare you to try that!  Lol. I lost my dog. For the first time since I was 10 years old I am without a dog. And I really, REALLY miss having a dog. Life happens, eh?   

Lou Rawls,  "It Was a Very Good Year".  On the dialysis front, I successfully transferred from my Detroit clinic to the Las Vegas clinic. It helped that the Las Vegas clinic is the same clinic I used when I visited Las Vegas. I had visited it 3 times. :-)   And yes I dialyzed in Champaign, Illinois and in Springfield, Illinois this year. I kept the Denver trip short. We left after my Friday treatment and returned Sunday, so I didn't miss a beat. New Orleans was a bit different. I had treatment Wednesday and Thursday and we left early Friday. We returned Sunday.  I ended up with out treatment from Thursday afternoon until Monday morning. I didn't like going so long without treatment. I could feel the fluid building up. It was getting difficult to breathe. I was delighted to return for treatment Monday morning. Lol. Who says that?  Lol. Well the good thing was I didn't need oxygen. Anyway as you can see when I plan a trip, I really have plan a trip. *sigh*. 

Jackson 5,  "This Place Hotel".  I lost a very dear friend to kidney disease. It just broke my heart. We'd been friends since we were kids. But then another dear old friend found me...and he was having kidney issues!!  WTH?  Lol. What nonsense had we gotten into way back then that got the 3 of us to have kidney issues?  

Michael Henderson, "Valentine Love".  Shawn and her friend are having a good time. Right now they are at Treasure Island. The hotel had a deal where when you booked a room, you get 2 for 1 tickets to Mystere' (Cirque du Dolieil) , 2 for 1 buffet and drinks at the bar. The rates were incredibly inexpensive. I reserved a petite suits for them. When  we checked in the clerk tells us the petite suites have been sold out. I'm getting ready to say, "What?!" But the the clerk says so we've upgraded you to a luxury suite. Lol. The girls started beaming. Brian and I chucked because that's exactly heat happened to us when we stayed at Treasure Island....many years ago. Lol. They are on the 33rd floor, facing the strip. They have 2 bathrooms and one has a jacuzzi tub. Friend picked up a sculpture and announced " we have rich people art!!"  Anyway.  Last I heard they rode the roller coaster at New York New York.  The coaster runs around the outside of the hotel!   More of their escapades later. Oh yeah. There's a doorbell by the door!  

Signing off with Will Downing, "Send For Me".  2014 was fine with a few hiccups, but that's life, isn't it?  We keep moving on with plans. Brian and I wake up every morning asking what are doing today and then we "Plan, Do, Review" .... (Winks at Hester).  Or I call it project management. :)  I am that person who sees the glass half full.  I am the consummate optimist. I can't change that. With that said I'm looking forward to 2015. The first plans are the watercolor class and a visit to Laughlin, Nevada for a chili cook off. And believe it not that was Dad's idea!!!!!!!!  Roflmao.   Have a safe and happy New Yrars Eve.  And it's supposed to snow here. I've just met karma!!!  Lol.