I haven’t published anything in 3 years but I have drafted a few blogs which I may finish and post. But first …. this update.

Three years ago I got a telephone call from a lawyer I know. They needed a bookkeeper right away as their bookkeeper had breast cancer. Would I step in and help? I had to.

My husband, John, enjoyed working with Joanne. He used to tease me she was the best bookkeeper he knew but would laugh and say he married me anyway. He talked to Joanne regularly because she had her hands full dealing with this lawyer. This lawyer is headstrong and likes to be in charge. This lawyer has quite the temper and snaps at his staff. When he wants something he wants it immediately. But he was a close friend of John’s and spent a great deal of time with him while John was dying. He stopped here regularly on his way home to talk to John and to read to him once John was unconscious.

The six months were expanded as the treatment progressed and at the two year mark Joanne decided not to return. Her treatment was successful but she decided it was time to leave. The job had evolved from bookkeeping to managing the office. Major renovations were done in the building and I oversaw them. Changes were occurring with the lawyers. The older lawyer moved to a separate floor to enable his son to spread his wings to take over. So much changed since she left.

Those first two years were very stressful for me but I was very busy and buried myself in the job instead of my grief.

Just over a year ago I started to train a girl from our office to take over. She is a natural and was unhappy in her role in the real estate department. But as soon as we started the world fell apart.