Well hey! I’m still here, just really busy. In fact, I’m working on a speech called “Don’t Let Your Sanity Check Bounce” right now. I’m giving that speech as an audition on Friday and ran across this game we love to play. Here’s how it goes: You just won $50 million in the lottery. What are the first three things you would do? How pathetic are mine:
1- Finish the basement so the kids have somewhere to go. Anywhere.
2- Pay off debt.
3- Fix that stupid tear in the kitchen linoleum that the dog made while searching for invisible kibbles. Even better, rip the entire kitchen out and start over.
A list like that means I don’t have any real problems. Real problems are ones that can’t be fixed with money.
THREE POSITIVES:
1- Just got back from our annual tri-family event at Timberline, where it dumped like 17 inches of snow. Last year, we were frozen in fear from just learning about cancer while our friends rallied around us and gave us warmth. This year, they planted a rubber chicken in our luggage and claimed we owe them a family dancer number.
2- The kids got to meet the author of Wimpy Kid yesterday. (Thank you, Jillian!) 
Lucky for me, they never said, “Hey, you’re a writer, Mom. How come you don’t have a tour bus!”
3- We took the kids to see A Place of Truth, Barrett Rudich’s documentary. Look at the glowing report they gave the film festival.
jacki kane 