I sat at a table at Lucky’s Brewgrille last evening with Ms. Penny Thieme, artist, powerhouse, inspiration, sistah.  And kvetched.

She knows what subjects we covered and nobody else needs to know, so I’ll spare the rest of you.  Suffice it to say that I had a good old relapse — complaining about lamentable situations from thirty years ago to just yesterday.  And Penny, God bless her sister-soul, kindly listened and gently encouraged.

We talked about other subjects over dinner:  Plans for the new VALA Community, her pieces in Beyond Bounds — ELECTRIC!,  the recent gala auction for the Nerman.  Which, it must be said, I did not attend though I had gone to the last two.  I moaned about that, too.  And bigger things — major troubles with which I’m grappling, though it must be acknowledged that  my father isn’t dying and my house warms and shelters me.

Tsk, tsk, girlfriend.  What about your resolve?  What about your plan to go a year without complaining?

I’m better this morning, but true to my plan ten months ago to hold myself publicly accountable, I’m here, now, proclaiming that I backslid.  As the radio yammers in the background, with a cup of Red-Headed Philosopher Coffee at my elbow, I’m standing up before you saying:  Hi, I’m Corinne, and it’s been one day since my last complaint.

Everybody together now:  HI, CORINNE!

I’m starting over today — but in ten months, I’ve learned a lot of lessons and it should be a bit easier to get back in the saddle and rekindle my resolve.  Suckin’ it up, Buttercup.

From Brookside, Kansas City, Missouri, in the good old U.S. of A.  Go Royals! #TakeTheCrown