So we start a blog again....I had one ages ago when I lived in Huntsville and stopped after a few posts.  Life got in the way, I guess.   This time I am determined to keep in going in some way or another.  I have several friends that have blogs and enjoy reading them, catching up with them in this personal way.

If you are reading this, you know me...so I won't bother to go into details about my life in general.  But for a brief refresher:  live in Fort Worth, married, step-daughter in the UK, 2 pets and a relatively normally family.

It's cold in Fort Worth, as it has been for the last several days so another day probably at home.   I have been taking these quiet days and taking advantage of them by cleaning out clutter.  Spent the morning cleaning the pantry and kitchen.

While doing so, I was taking stock in the past year and looking forward to 2013.

This year has been a year of changes:  Alan, my stepdad passed away, my dog of 15 years passed away and left a job that I thought I would stay forever at.
Death is hard but both of those weren't too unexpected.  The job was a death in another way.  I liked the actual job and the work I did was rewarding but never quite "fit" at the organization.  I miss aspects of it but truly think it was a blessing leaving the job when I did.

Perspective and being 40 has me looking back a lot and that is good.  I love my past and am really looking forward to the future.

That being said, I connected with an old friend from growing up.  I found an email for him on-line and actually reached him!  This was a friend, and always just a friend so I thought no harm could be done.  He was happy to hear from me but said his wife doesn't like him connecting with old "girl" friends.  I replied and answered all the questions he asked about me and people we knew in common, but haven't heard back.  I will let it lie for now, but I have to ask, "why is it that some spouses have issues with people reconnecting?"

It is the cyber age where people are looking elsewhere for fulfillment?  Do they worry that their spouse will start something?  My husband truly doesn't mind, because he knows that I am committed and would never break the trust.  In this email communication, I told this person about my life and that I was so excited to be connected so I can share with him information/photos/videos about the last high school reunion, keep him informed about the next one, etc...

So, I have to ask again, "what's the issue?"  I have had friends reconnect that weren't married and then go on and marry each other but when did it become inappropriate to have male friends?

I ask these questions because if you know me and know how I grew up, then you would know that I lived in a neighborhood of mostly guys: Joey, Max, Rick, Bill to name a few of the key players.  I loved them, they were my running buddies.  I definitely wasn't the only girl around, there were sisters, cousins and other neighborhood girls but they core of my friends for a large part of my life were guys.  I have so many fun memories and wouldn't change it for the world.

I will plant these seeds of thought for now.  Is it ok to have male friends?  How would you feel if your spouse had friends of the opposite sex?

Bye for now....
A pantry to organize awaits...
Jess