I'm 61 years old and looking back on another year of my life. They certainly seem to go much faster than they did 50 years ago when I lived for Christmas and it took so very long to arrive each year. I know the passage of time has remained the same, so why the perception of it flying by? I'd love a bit of a slow down. Please.
As Ellen would say, "Anyway . . . " Let's get this post started.
January does not have much at all to report. I was in the final stages of dental work and hating life. That's it in a nutshell. One the last day of the month, things improved as I went off to meet friends for a weekend retreat which began on last day. Sounds depressing? Well, it kinda was.
February started with retreat and gave me 10 glorious days with women who lift me up and help me overcome all things through their love and laughter. Three days after returning home, the new teeth were put in. July was such a loooonnnng time ago. Life began to improve, at least mentally. Financially, well, the next 18 months will be challenging to say the least. Mister turned 60 and I planned a fun party for him where we were able to get together with friends, old and new. We had a special, extra quilt retreat to give a good friend a break and enjoy time together and I followed it up with four days of quilting classes up in Denton (one on March 1).
March began with me still in Denton, learning and sharing time with great friends. The rest of the month, Dallas Blooms was our weekly hangout and another retreat over St. Patrick's day added to the fun.
April came in with another retreat the first weekend and a decision to back off some things next year. The bluebonnets were magnificent and we drove out just to see them Grandson, Jonathan, asked me to go skydiving with him and I did. Yep, what an amazing experience and I'm so thankful to have participated in it. An amazing early birthday gift for me. The end of the month took me to Mineola for four more days of quilt classes and perhaps, the last of these for at least a couple of years.
May - The birthday season returned with 10 days at retreat down on the Brazos River and then was followed up by a trip to Montana to see Mom and Sis. White rock sailing, Jon's graduation, and a trip to Houston to pick up my new-to-me longarm rounded out the month.
June ended the school year and presented me with the opportunity to have a week with Rhiana, Elena, and Malea. Love, love, love. We were then hit with a crazy storm before having Jared and Jon come to stay for Gammy Camps. It ended with not such great news as my annual physical brought some bloodwork questions and more tests in the following months.
July started out with a gifted retreat in Kaufman and was just what the doctor ordered while I awaited more results, which turned out to be "wait and we'll test again in 6 weeks." Wonderful. We spent lots of time with Mom H., Raef, Ryan, and Caleb came to visit for a week and I ended with two more camps for Josh and Jacob. That's it for my summer fun with grands. They are definitely the highlight for me, but everyone packed them in early this year.
August was quiet except for a Red Hat activity and, well, a cruise with my incredible friends. A week in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica was just so much fun that I can't wait to do it again next summer.
September is our annual beach retreat and once again, the weather was not on our side. Additionally, Mom H. would up be taken to the hospital and we lost her within just days. My heart hurts and she will definitely be missed.
October got kicked off with another retreat, followed by our 9th Anniversary. I could have swore it was 10. The gift I bought will have to wait a whole year. Hyrum & Zyra came to share a few days with us after which we flew back to Montana Mom's 80th birthday and a fun party. It was so great to spend more time up there and I've got to try to do that more often. I also booked 2 more cruises for my group of friends - one in August 2020 and one in January 2021. We returned back to Dallas on the 30th and I was off to Houston for festival the very next day. No handing out of candy for me this year.
November's first weekend has meant "Festival" for the past three years but this one was our last trip as a group for awhile. Three wonderful days and back home. Mister and I had a little bit of time to spend together this month and we went to Southwestern Louisiana for 6 days and then had a couple more days of "staycation" back in Dallas. A new granddaughter, Mairead, joined the family this month and I simply cannot wait to meet her. Then it was retreat, followed by a very quite Thanksgiving alone in which we still cooked the entire meal. Leftovers for a week.
December is so hard for me so I tend to keep very busy in it. It began baking and hosting my 3rd Annual Cookie and Ornament Exchange party, followed by my 3rd trip to the Girlfriends party the next day. Jen graduated with her Master's in Gifted and Talented Education, giving me the best reason to drive to Abilene. Then bake, bake, bake so that I could mail treats to all the kids this year. A quick trip to Houston for Val's party and a day of play before returning back to the grind here. Christmas Eve is spent delivering cookies to some of the local places we frequent and the next day we drove to Abilene to be with family for Christmas Day. Back again the same night and preparing for Jen to make the opposite trip and visit here for a few days of fun and memory making. Mister brought two sewing machines into our home and we closed out the year, quietly sipping champagne and cuddling while watching A Christmas Story.
Onto 2020 and all the "Roaring" changes it will provide. I'm kinda excited and eager to see what will come down our paths. How about you?
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