I have been a silent bystander for several months enjoying the blogs and comments.  Needless to say, I have learned a great deal.  I have been content being "silent" but at the urging of my better half (Sleepinjeezus--SJ) I have decided to take the plunge and be part of TPM.

I have finally gotten the courage to participate mainly because you people seem so friendly and forgiving.  I need the "forgiveness" due to the fact that I feel my writing skills are not the greatest.  In the past, I have been very comfortable allowing SJ to be in the drivers seat (in more ways than one).  However, SJ has never been one to criticize one for anything and has always been encouraging regardless. 

I grew up in Canada, twelve miles from Niagara Falls.  At the age of 21, my parents decided to move to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, after visiting for vacation on a number of occasions.  After living there two years, I decided to move back north and settled in Hamburg, NY near Buffalo.  After 17 years of marriage and a subsequent divorce, it was there, during a blizzard that SJ almost ran me off the road in his orange "Pumpkin."  I was a long way from my home in the far north side of Buffalo, and after a few apologies from SJ on the CB, we engaged in a pleasant conversation during the hour and half ride that should have taken 15 minutes.  My girlfriend happened to be the Night Auditor at an Inn in my hometown where SJ always stayed.  A few weeks later, she called and said, "Someone is here looking for you."  That was the start of our relationship - convened over a cup of coffee - that ultimately led to my two children and myself moving  to Madison WI to become a family with SJ and his three children.  We are now celebrating our 25^th Anniversary this summer and have eleven grandchildren.

I was never afforded the luxury of even considering going to college in Canada.  In my hometown, it was available only to those who had well-to-do parents.  So, that let me out.  It always bothered me especially when I moved to the States and learned that almost everyone went to college.   So at an advanced age, I decided to go back to school.  I was scared to death but soon discovered that at our local Tech College, the evening classes consisted of half young students and the other half older students.  In a couple of my classes, I became the class Mom and that was fun.  I chose Liberal Arts and to my surprise, was able to make the Dean's List each semester for two years.  My intention was to transfer to UW.  After a conversation with a school counselor mapping out my future, I discovered the very next day that Jeff and I were about to become parents to our nine-month old grandson.  So, my schooling had to be put on the back burner (with the exception of several computer classes.)  Raising Jordan has been fun and we have thoroughly enjoyed it.  Jordan will be a senior next year and will go on to college.

So, with this information in mind, please bear with me in the future. I look forward to posting and sharing with you ideas and comments as they occur to me as being appropriate for these pages in TPM.

I am always open for suggestions and look forward to continuing my reading of the various bloggers here. I have one of the best, SJ, to critique my writing before posting but he is hardly without bias. Thank you all in advance, and let the dialogue begin!

Sincerely,

Joaneliz