This
5th year on the prairie, still adjusting, still rolling
my eyes, still grateful.
If last
year
was surpassingly strange, this one has been exceedingly
difficult. Had no idea my medicare year would be so
tough, starting with the hard drive crash of February, taking 2-1/2 yrs
of fun photos and addresses into cyberspace (notably the lone Hemphill
descendant (bay area I think) who made contact fall 2009).
Reconciling the
medical world with my passion for self care turned out to be
upending. Sick for weeks, starting in May following rainy day
kayak outing, then again in the
fall! Currently I've let a
tooth
drama/
abscess/ antibiotics
take over my life. Sick again the night
before the root
canal. Big lessons in surrender to health, dental work,
expense. Gratitude for guidance and help working through this--
"Courage, little piglet" Laura quoted.
Exceedingly wet again this year and exceedingly
hot (sprinkler
system never used; good thing-- more and more heads out of
commission--another SUV backed onto lawn a few weeks back). Pond
in back turned slimy; unplugged
pump. Come
fall, Pat's team cleaned pond; enjoyed watching birds and squirrels
play in the water... 'til ice
moved in. I'll never get over having red birds to watch! No
pseudo lady bug plague this fall--something
different in the aphid world of crops.
Maybe I can learn something from sorting through the yin and yang of
2010.
Making sense of
the decade is out of the question. Need this review
to look back, remember and appreciate what an amazing world and life it
is, more often than not, to find balance in what looks for all the
world
like chaos!
Friendships shifted. Make new friends, keep
the old? Maybe, maybe not! A small town is not an
endless pool, but it is endless lessons. Looking back at
last year's ramblings, sense I'm more comfortable being the new-old kid
on the block. Rather do genealogy
anyhow and practice doing one thing at a time, than try to keep up with
Jacksonville's amazing social scene (no joke).
Evidently I ran around a lot--put ~30,000 on the
prius--still trying to shift; used the
high clearance older RAV (w "new" white door) to take J. to
hospital
one terribly snowy morning (and me to dental cancellations this
winter). Two car family.
Haven't made stollen and sandbakkel for 2 years now, but neither have I
been
sick for the holidays as I have most my life. Change,
change... Every year it's own flavor (my world, nat). Read
on,
if you dare, for highlights and reflections....
