Oh, THERE you are.

Recently I was brushing my hair while looking in the mirror. I thought of a picture that my daughter in law sent me of my grandchildren and I smiled. When I saw myself smiling in the mirror, I thought, "Oh THERE'S Jorgi." I am figuring this whole widowhood thing out. I am doing a slightly above average job of raising a teenage son by myself. My house is clean. My bills are paid. My job rocks. My yard is in the process of getting mowed by the aforementioned son. All in all, it's a pretty good life.

There are a few lasting scars. For instance, I've met a very nice man, but I do a pretty good impression of a porcupine when he gets too close. He's persistent, so it's working for now. Other scars include my complete refusal to hear a word of criticism. No one else gets any say at all in my life ever again. Also, I'm spoiling the heck out of my son to compensate for all that he has lost. Still, like I said, all in all it's a pretty good life.

There are some odd ways that I have changed. Mike was addicted to music and the St. Louis Cardinals. Since he has been gone, I have one or the other on at all times. I guess I became addicted to both of them as well and I just didn't know it. I even bought a couple of Cardinals t-shirts and a bunch of CDs.

So maybe the old Jorgi isn't coming back after all. Maybe this is a new Jorgi that's here. Either way, I'm glad to see her smiling in my mirror.