I know it's been a few days since you heard from me. 
Honestly, I had to take a break!
There was just so much swirling around me. There were opportunities ,choices, and challenges that were compounding daily and coming at me from all sides.
I wasn't sleeping.
I was making poor food choices. 
I was becoming sloppy and ineffective.
I was making mistakes.
 I was becoming forgetful.
And I certainly was not choosing happy!
All of this was evidenced by my choice to not write. 
I wasn't liking myself or the way I was leading my life.
Over the last 72 hours or so, I have been able to slow things down, put some things in perspective and create some separation from the things that were adding to my frustration and anxiety.
I wish I could tell you that I was able to wave some magic wand or drink some magic potion and every thing just completely changed.
 That would have been nice .
 It's not reality.
I simply shut down,starting with my writing. 
I knew that by Friday I would have a tiny bit of me time, not running from one job to the next.
That helped a lot.
I reached out to a friend and mentor for an ear. It helps to articulate sometimes when I get overwhelmed.
Soon after that I chose to "eat the frog" and had a conversation that needed to take place with some one else.
While the situation has not been finalized, it is mostly resolved, at least from my end. 
After dealing head on with one challenge , I was able to address another and another and another.
Like moving a heavy vehicle, once you break the inertia, momentum picks up. 
After a while things begin to roll more smoothly and with less effort. The trick then becomes to remain vigilant and not let things bog down or even worse start running away from you. 
Today I am in a much better place than I have been in a couple of weeks.
That's a good thing. 
I even have some scheduled down time. 
Susan and I will take a 48 hour break from the routine tomorrow. 
A tiny one night getaway.
Again, just what the doctor ordered and absolutely at the right time.
Also, I have a week of no bus driving ahead of me. Not my choice. It seems the program shuts down for 1 week a year in late August. 
Good to know for next year!
We have already begun making plans to close the shop for a week at that same time next year. 
Imagine that......a real vacation!
Who would ever have thunkit?
It truly does amaze me how aware I have become of all of this. 
When pressures start mounting and things start piling up, I now have the tools and skill set to respond and react.
In the past, they just would have continued to mount, and mount  and mount. 
Imagine the toll this has taken over the decades of abuse I have heaped on myself.
I honestly believe that these changes in how I deal and cope with stress have saved my life.
I can only imagine how often I was 1 heart beat away from a stroke or a heart attack in the past.
What a blessing this all is!
Any how.....I am back for now. Hopefully I can pick up right where I left off and get back to doing the one thing I look forward to every day.....writing to you!
Shabbat Shalom!