01.09.23 Now where were we?

When I made my last post almost exactly 7 months ago - and I had really high hopes for 2022 - but the universe decided otherwise.

Less than a week after that post, my husband had a horrible bike crash (from which, I am very happy to say, he is fully recovered) - everything on the calendar for the next few months was canceled and replaced with doctors visits, surgery and physical therapy.

Instead of the things we had planned on, I spent the summer trying to stay as productive and positive as possible.  

I took a lot of yoga - I mean a whole lot.  Over and over, my yoga instructors reminded me that it is important to let go of things that are not serving me...negative thoughts, unreasonable expectations, and I took the opportunity because I had the time, to carry that over into my physical life. 

After 25 years in the same house, we had too much stuff...in the backs of closets, cabinets, drawers...and it was time to let a lot of it go.

I discovered The Real Real - and they were all too happy to take the embarrassingly large cache of high end bags, shoes and clothing that had been languishing in my closets.

Not only did these things go to new homes, but I was able to make some nice donations to organizations I support with the proceeds.

Other things went to the local assistance league, and to a wonderful place called Austin Creative Reuse; happily, very little actually went into the trash.  Not surprisingly, I began to feel lighter - emotionally - with each carload I took away.

Things began to return to a semblance of normal in September when our son and his longtime partner got married - yes, I did make the rings - and I promise to post about the process soon.

We had a wonderful week in DC - eating, drinking and celebrating with our now combined families.  

In October, my group of high school girlfriends (the "Ciao Bellas") got together again in Charlottesville for another fabulous long weekend.  

The only way to describe it is to say - it restored my soul.  We ate and drank, laughed and cried, read Tarot cards and set a date for 2023.

The rings were the only jewelry I made in 2022 (an improvement, since I spent no time at a bench in 2021), but I did acquire a couple of special pieces - souvenirs - for my two fall trips.

The first was a pair of earrings from Berkeley jewelry artist Corey Egan.  I discovered her work when our daughter headed to the Bay Area, and I've wanted one of her pieces ever since.  I bought the earrings to wear to the wedding, and have been enjoying them for several months now.

I  also added another charm from Bamboo Studio - a compass rose, one of my favorite symbols - to my Ciao Bella necklace in advance of my October trip.  I bought it to celebrate both a return to traveling (despite some of the canceled plans) and as a reminder to embrace the journey, even when the road is bumpy.

We continued making up for cancelations and lost time in November.  We rented a beach house in Galveston for Thanksgiving - and spent it with all our kids, and my mother in law - making it the third time in 2022 that we were all together.  

The only thing we brought home from this trip was leftover brisket and smoked turkey from Goode Co BBQ, where we picked up Thanksgiving dinner.  It's long gone now - but it sure was tasty.

So, here we are at the start of a new year. As much as I'm ready to put last year behind me...I'm in no rush to make lots of immediate plans for this year...because man plans, and God laughs.  

I am though, setting some goals - and one of this is to return to this blog for my own benefit as much as anyone else's - at least once a month.  

I'm not sure what I'll write about...but I'm determined to come up with something.

Until next time...