A Very Good Day

I expected Friday to be a very difficult and sad day because it was the day we had Liz's good-bye luncheon. Most of us in her unit and a few others wore black or black and white because those are her signature colors. Some of our people were dressed up very nicely. A small tribute.

Lunch was not the emotional affair I expected it to be. There were 20 or so of us, not just Liz's unit. There were several people from the department she was in before she came (back) to our unit and she sat mostly amid them. We were fine with that because we were going back to the office with her. They were more full of happy memories and less full of separation anxiety. No emotional good-bye speech. She would only say, "Thank you for coming."

Most of the day we kept to business and only lightly touched on our impending doom. When I left, Liz was in conversation with someone who used to be in our unit - mostly joking about the joys and trials of grandparenthood. Not nearly as traumatic as Thursday when I checked out and said "Good-night, Liz" as usual, then went through the office door, closed it, and started crying. Monday we will have potluck treats for Liz's last day. It will be hard to leave Monday.

Except Liz is going to go on Facebook and we will get to be her friends.

3 things made Friday a very good day.

One, the gulf oil spill was capped and the cap appeared to be holding. At last! It isn't the end of the trouble, but it may be the end of it getting worse.

Two, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Patrick Marlette ruled against state workers being paid minimum wage - at least for now.

Three, the BEST thing that happened Friday was the first thing. At 0015 Naomi Elisabeth Hinds was born. 7 pounds 11 ounces, 20 inches. A beautiful little angel!

Early Thursday Ruth had wondered whether she was feeling 'real' contractions. Shortly before 8:30 in the evening she was admitted in the hospital. Tom texted us when she was admitted, when they broke her water around 11, and not long after Naomi was born. (Thanks, Tom!) Ruth only had to push about 10 minutes.

After work, the boys and I went over to Debi's where David and Teresa were making pizza. We ate some with them, then took some to the hospital for the Hinds.

Each of us got to hold Naomi. So little and sweet. And very pretty. Naomi has dark hair. My first brunette grandchild. At least for now. I wonder if her hair will go light as so many children's do and then go dark again. She was very quiet. Ruth and Tom say she is pretty mellow.

It was already my bedtime or later when we went back to Debi's and watched "The Jensen Project" - well, I watched most of it. I was asleep before it was over. That little nap made me safe to drive home.