This is 45

I have reflected on the good things in September instead of being sad today. It was the hardest thing in the world for me to see Max leave home for his hockey dream. So the first twelve hours were awful. Then, flip it! The next twelve hours were much better.

1. Friends: Sunny poolside backdrop for lunch on the deck.

2. Hosts: Unlimited free drinks and food at a birthday party.

3. Dancefloor: As self-appointed Official Birthday Party Planner, my ‘daughter’ Preslee ensured that the dining room table stayed decorated. She inspected the flowers for beauty and cupcakes, and I'm happy to file in my report that forty-fifth birthday parties should receive government funding and that sons deserve tax breaks for dancing with their moms in America. We did not get paid overtime, did not take any union breaks and dutifully submitted our paperwork early.