In January, I named Bob Allen as my "Man of the Year".  Since then we traveled to Arizona for Spring Training, dipped down to San Diego to see our Foster friends, journeyed up North a few times, did a fair amount of power gardening, drank a second latte every day at 11:00 am, saw each of the March NCAA Basketball Tournament games, watched more than few day baseball games, napped occasionally at 3:00 pm, made pickles and applesauce, baked peanut butter cookies, read three daily newspapers, whipped our condominium into shape, did errands, went to a few 11:30 am movies, shopped at 99 Ranch in Kent, and enjoyed many other job-defying diversions. That ended on Monday...Bob has a job.

Last month while on his daily 45 minute walk through Tacoma's North end, he noticed a Multi Care shuttle van parked in front of the Tacoma General Hospital. He applied for a job as a driver and for a job as a courier—both paid $10/hour, no benefits. He didn't have the experience for either but did see an opening for a Training Instructor which he applied for but did not get. Forgetting about that particular opportunity, we turned our attention to the NCAA College World Series, day games that drilled the hapless Mariners farther into the cellar, more power gardening, and a thoroughly enjoyable daily routine. Then, this Thursday at 10:30 am, Multi Care called and offered him a job as a Software Systems Instructor.

It didn't take Bob very long to weigh the goods and bads. The goods: completely paid health care, a very tidy salary, a job site that is within walking distance of home, and an opportunity to become involved with the one segment in today's economy that has more job openings than applicants. The bads: a six day work week, 4,000 employees to train, getting up at 5:00 am, the stress of looming corporate deadlines, learning yet another new, complex software system, and then there's the loss of that occasional 3:00 pm nap. The goods won and by noon Thursday, we were on our way to Nordie's to buy new shoes.

I know that this is a good thing—health insurance, money in the bank—blah, blah, blah. But I'll miss chatting with him whenever I want to, having someone to go to Costco with, knowing every Sunday night that there is no Monday morning, life without an alarm clock, and the murmur of a baseball game while I make dinner. Home feels different now, quieter and emptier.

Bob's Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 375°

Beat until soft:
• ½ cup butter

Add gradually and blend until creamy:
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar

Beat in:
• 1 egg
• 1 cup peanut butter
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. vanilla

Sift before measuring:
• 1 to 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
Roll the dough into small balls. Place them on a greased cookie sheet. Press flat with a fork. Bake 12 minutes.