Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Family

I was working on our retirees' insurance invoices and was reminded of the ones we have lost this year: Mrs. McKoy, the widow of a former director; James Haynes, who worked here for many years and was retired for quite a while, too. And there are the ones I worked directly with for so long: Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Johnson, Ernie Lindsey, Richard. Mr. C. had a heart procedure this week and is doing well. I called Mr. Johnson and his son and daughter-in-law will be here for Christmas. Ernie worked in accounting and later for Richard before her retirement, many years before his; she was working at WECC before I went to work there. Long-time friends. Last night we got to see Ruth (Ruthie) who worked in billing and was the supervisor for many years, and Donna who also worked in billing and retired last year just before her husband John passed away. We had our girls' Christmas party at Mike's last night and had a wonderful time. We missed Norma, who had gone to Bruce to be with family and her mother whom they had a party for at the nursing home. And London, who was in the hospital. There is a lot of history within these walls - peoples' lives who have touched mine, and hopefully I have theirs as well.

And just like family, there was almost a fight over something two of the girls wanted last night while playing Dirty Santa - the cookie jar! Ruby and Becky both love them and this time Ruby got to keep it. Carolyn was just trying to stay out of the way. We have to watch those two about the cookie jars! I think the same thing happened last year. I didn't trade with anybody, nor they with me! I held on to my Elvis Christmas CD!



But in the end chocolate won out, everybody was happy, and Becky passed around this wonderful dessert - two of them, in fact - that ten of us shared!
Although I think often of retirement days ahead and how nice it will be to be retired - someday - I wouldn't take anything for my work family. We girls have shared our lives - in some cases our whole adult lives - raising families, going through illnesses, births, deaths, joys, sorrows... and sometimes even sharing cookie jars. But not often.

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