Day Nine, January 14th, 2009

This has been a tough day. Not much to be happy about. It started off a little good when Nancy brought in Dunkin Donuts. She used a gift certificate that she got and treated the office. I asked her whose birthday it was, but there was no reason, just being nice, which Nancy always is. Turns out it was someone's birthday, Cathy D., but I didn't know that when the donuts came. I had a half of a blueberry one and those little crunchy sugar crystals on top made me pretty happy, or as happy as you can be at work on the day you get your paycheck with the new health insurance premium amount deducted. Yikes, there were a lot of gasps and tears when that happened. Nancy brought me a tissue, that was nice of Nancy. Maybe that's why she brought in the donuts, she knew we would need some cheering up. So on the way home, I was thinking that was probably going to be the only joyful thing that happened today, but there was another one coming, probably equal in joy to the donuts. This one like the other day, came in the mailbox. Grabbing in the dark I felt a small package, something the size of the box of checks you get from the bank. But this was a little soft and squooshy. So I saw the return address and it was from my sisterinlaw's daughter, I guess that would be my niece, its a little complicated, you see, oh well, let's just say she is my niece, Donna. She had emailed me a few weeks ago to ask me if I got the new Ann Rule book yet. I introduced her to Ann Rule and she is hooked, just like me. Ann Rule is probably the best true crime author out there. She wrote the Stranger Beside Me about Ted Bundy, who unbelievably she knew personally when she was a Seattle policewoman. In better times, I would rush to buy her newest book in hard cover, as soon as it came out, but these days we are all watching our pennies. When I told Donna that I hadn't read it yet, she said, I will send you mine. And that was what was in the mailbox today. Donna hasn't had it easy, she lives with many medical problems, a tracheotomy, and has lost two siblings in the last year. I was really touched that she sent me her book, and I have to remember to pay that forward. So a low joy day, but joyful nonetheless because two very nice people shared. Thanks Nancy and Donna.