The thought isn't new. We've all thought it and said it thousands of times. It's been written on blogs as many times as there are grains of sand in a handful: "my, how time flies!"

I remember the first day of nursing school thinking; three years to go? That'll take forever. And then we were at graduation morning; all of us moving on; our separate ways. It'll be 40 years next month. My, how time flies!"

December 5th, 2009, I resigned my position at my hometown hospital, after 34 years, to pursue a slower pace. After a month off, I started a locum job at a nearby hospital: a 5 month assignment.

Today that 5 months is up. "My, how time flies!"

For the first time since I was thirteen, I'm taking the summer off. Well, from work anyway.

There'll be kayaking, biking, run-walking, swimming, basking, and bar-b-q-ing. There'll be grand kids and family outings, and watching a new grandbaby in the oven. Two weeks hiking in the New Mexico Rockies comes in the middle of July. Should September come, we'll be concluding this vacation with our yearly 90 mile kayak/canoe race in the Adirondacks. When I start back to work, God willing, I can hear me say: "My, how time flies!"

but for now; there is today!