I'm Still Alive :)

Much to my shame, this blog is pretty near dead as a doornail! Sigh. When blogs first started becoming popular, pre-Facebook and back in the day when MSN instant messaging was the rage, a bunch of my local and international friends started up blogging. I was a fresh, vivacious 17 year old at that time and boy did I find something new and exciting, witty and interesting, thought-provoking and controversial to post nearly everyday! But now... now I'm a tired out, weary, steam engine, just a-chuggin' along trying to scrape out a living in this overworked and overspent world. 

Hehe, just kidding. But ok so maybe I do feel like Grandpa Steam Engine after working a grueling 12 hour shift, but aside from work (which is only a small part of my exciting, eventful life) I'm still fresh as a bloomin' Gerbera Daisy. 

I think one of the reasons I haven't settled into being a stodgy grown-up yet is due in part to my nieces and nephews. When I take two little butterball nieces to Wayne Gretzky to go swimming, swooshing down the slides and catarwauling in the water, how can I act like an adult?

When I take 2 nephews to Websters Falls to explore the "raging rapids" and duck behind the waterfall, must I act like a responsible old person?

When I plan a little girls tea party, complete with dresses and hats, streamers and cupcakes, games and goodie bags, can't I pretend I'm still a little girl?

I think one of the benefits of being a single, young Aunt is that I can do all kinds of fun things with the kids that their parents don't necessarily have the time (or energy) to do. One of the nicest parts has been seeing them grow up and being able to relate to them on a more adult level. When my first niece Katrina was born, I was 15 years old and adored being an Auntie. I babysat willingly and often and loved taking her out and about. It was unfortunate that I moved so far away when she was around 5 years old but since then we've had many delightful visits... and now that she has a new room and queen size bed I know there's always a place for her Aunt Bean to sleep when she visits, as we giggle the evening away and talk "girl talk."

And in conclusion, this post IS dedicatd to you Katrina... I'm glad you faithfully visit my blog even though I haven't posted in over 6 weeks! I will try to be more dedicated in my posting, even if it's just an anecdote or photo :).

*excuse my lack of better photos... I'm not on my home computer and am scrounging up pictures from my cellphone! (and Google Images :D)