Finding some light in this otherwise troubled year wasn’t especially difficult. Remembering the specifics proved a bit more colourful as my usual steel trap of a memory is overloaded these days. Lots of things being processed but not necessarily a lot of output. The little circle is whirling, but not much is happening!

Now, most recently was the month spent with daily visits to my Mom in the hospital. I will preface this with saying of course I would rather have not visited her in the hospital, but what happened, happened. I would not relinquish that time with her. Some days we chatted, some days she slept and I read. While she wasn’t at her best, and the last bit she was lightly sedated to make the intubation more comfortable, I still am very glad I was with her everyday. I last week or so, I started reading her Black Beauty, one of her favourite books from childhood. I wish I’d thought of it sooner, but I know I couldn’t have read it all without crying, so maybe it’s for the best anyway.

Summer on my patio. We often camp a lot during the summer, however, this year, our RV was vandalized and sustained several thousand dollars worth of damage and spent most of the summer in the repair shop. This meant no camping for us! I added some new flower pots, outdoor lighting, and our refinished table and spent many evenings outside enjoying the summer air. Occasionally, I enjoyed a coffee, sometimes an adult beverage, but it was always a beautiful time in our little backyard paradise.

Early this spring, we undertook a renovation to our family room. What started off a ‘two walls and some flooring’ turned into a full scale remodel, however, it wasn’t so much the reno that I wouldn’t change (though, I wouldn’t change that, it is an amazing space). It is the time spent with my construction crew! My niece, her boyfriend, my sister and brother-in-law. The best little construction crew ever! We had some great conversations, laughs, the odd cursing session, but overall, a really great time. I’ve worked with my sister & niece before when we painted my main floor in 2018, but this was a first working with my BIL. I could never truly express my gratitude to them all for the amazing work they did for me! ❤

Three things I wouldn’t change this year, the opportunity to build and foster important relationships, enjoy my home, and those most important to me. ❤