Gretchen Rubin had it right. And the years just keep on getting shorter.
This year has been a bit mixed for me. Sad and bad stuff has happened, balanced as always by good and happy things. I have much to be grateful for and a few things to feel a bit despondent about. Overall, though, the Husband and I are still celebrating life with gusto.
The Husband, as always, is my rock, my biggest supporter and my safe place. Marrying him was the best thing I’ve ever done.
Higgins is a joy, a demon, a greedy piglet, a rubbish-bin raider, a snugglepup and a huge personality. I’m so happy to have him as my daily companion, torment and joy. He is beautiful and clever and totally self-centred and rather too self-aware for comfort.
I give thanks for my friends, my distant family, my home and my contentment. I’m grateful for continued creativity, the joy of books and being at peace with who I am. I’m grateful for hands that can still hold a needle, and eyes that can still see to sew.
I thought I’d share a few of the last things I’ve made this year. There’s a lot more in progress, as it were, but nothing sensible to show you. Maybe the new year will bring me more energy and impetus. More on that later. In order of what you’re seeing: a jewellery pouch for the Dowager; three fabric storage baskets for… stuff; two extra-large bowl cosies for wide pasta dishes, made from 12 inch squares.
Unlike other years, I’m not counting my empty thread reels, or totting up my makes, or making resolutions or plans. I’m offering up gratitude for what I’ve achieved, giving myself credit for the things I’ve finished and being gentle with myself over things unfinished or not done. It’s hard to accept, but I’m getting older, stiffer, more easily tired, and pushing myself to achieve purely self-imposed targets is, well, stoopid.
So, the health stuff. It has been challenging. I already have an impressive ‘grocery’ list of issues: migraines, long term chemotherapy damage both mental and physical, arthritis, degenerative spondylolisthesis, spinal fusion with chronic pain, GORD, T2 diabetes, newly diagnosed Menière’s Disease and BPPV, and now the latest, o joy, a heart condition. LV diastolic dysfunction and a leaky tricuspid valve, to be specific.
The last item on the list is going to throw a spanner in the works… It means I may be a bit less present in Blogland, posting, reading and commenting a bit less. I don’t want this, but it seems to be my new reality. I’m grateful for small mercies, and I really hope this doesn’t come across as a pity-party. It’s just what is.
As my Ma used to say: “Eat what you’re given and be grateful”…
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