find life experiences

and swallow them whole

travel

meet people

go down some dead ends and 

explore dark alleyways

try everything

exhaust yourself

in the glorious pursuit of life

~ Lawrence K. Fish

I stood the other day at the gas station and I heard a song I have not heard for many years. Certainly, I have not heard it played in the USA on New Years Eve.  It was Auld Lang Syne.

Find life experiences and swallow them whole.

I was transported back to my childhood, to family and friends, to the gatherings on New Years Eve and the celebrations of life.  I remember being woken up from sleep so that we could see the New Year in as a family.  Those were good moments and good memories.  All of my parent generation have now passed on.  We are in a different country and traditions have changed.  But I miss those times.  I miss seeing my mom put shortbread, and a bottle of whiskey, and some coal at the front door, so that the first person coming into the house would traditionally bring food, cheer and warmth into the house for the coming year.

Travel

As this year closes I reflect that it has been an interesting year.   Cameron has now been married to Kathryn for a year, Amy has been in Macedonia for a year, and Richard and I have had to deal with my foot surgery that is taking far longer than I expected to heal.  In that we have had good moments, but we also had had struggles. We have faced those struggles head on.  This year gave me a greater and deeper appreciation, love and respect for this quiet man in my life, my husband.  He stepped up when I needed him to step up. He was supportive and helpful throughout my stuck in bed, unable to move much experience.  Cameron also made himself available to do shopping for me and bring me Chinese take out, and I so appreciated it.  This surgery put our lives on hold for 6 months. Next year we will face the same thing again.  Hopefully once this has all healed life will be back to normal and we will begin to explore again.

Meet many people

This year we got to spend 10 days in Seattle.  It was an amazing trip.  We met up with my brother Barry and his wife, Enid.  Seattle was everything and more.  I loved exploring the city.  The trip out to the islands was stunning.  Heading into the snowy mountains was stunning and cold.  Meeting up with my friend’s mother and brother, was a blessing to my soul.

Explore dark alleyways

We traveled by ferry to the Orcas Islands.  It was bitterly cold and I endured it.  I kept a lookout for whales but apparently they don’t like the cold either.  From the Orcas Islands we traveled to Leavensworth.  What a quaint little German town, filled with snow, and seriously cold.  We wrapped up and we walked the little town.  It was delightful.  Heading back to Seattle we stopped off a the Snoqualmie Falls.  Then back to the city to drop Barry and Enid off and then it was off to the airport for the red eye home.  All I can say is that I loved Seattle and I hope that I get back there one day.

Try something new

We also did a relaxing trip to Long Key near Marathon.  This was our in-between Seattle and surgery quick get away.  For me it was a time to unwind, and enjoy the ocean and to just relax and read a book and enjoy nature.  For Richard it was a time to get out in the kayak or off on the paddle board to work off some energy.  Cycling played a large role in that as well.

Exhaust yourself

Post surgery the first bit of time away was in December.  We were so excited and happy to have Amy come home for Christmas.  We have missed her and it was good to catch up on all her news and to just look at her beautiful face and be so proud of her.  So to grab a bit of down time and for her to experience a bit of the ocean again, we headed off to Curry Hammock for 2 days.  Again for me it was a time to just relax, read a book, enjoy the wildlife, watch the sunsets.  Amy and Richard did some kayaking and a fair bit of cycling was done by Richard.

In the glorious pursuit of life!

And now we are back to the end of the year.  It seems like the year has flown by even though I spent 8 weeks plus on the bed.  I am grateful for all those in my life who have popped in and spent time with me, when I could not go out.  I am grateful for my online community who have encouraged and supported me along this year.  I will happily say that I really only had one melt down post surgery and I got over it pretty quickly.

As I look to the New Year and 2017, I know that Richard and I face more of the same of what we had this year, but I hope that we will pull through as well as we have done this past year.  Amy still has another year in Macedonia, and Cameron and Kathryn has just settled into a new apartment.

As I think of you, I wish you everything of the best for 2017.  May your year be filled with love and laughter, good health, prosperity with humility, the opportunities to reach out and touch someone else’s life. strong family ties, good friendships, communities that make you laugh, and encourage you to be more than you think you can be.

May you step out and embrace what the world has to offer, using wisdom and good judgment in all occasions.

…..And I hope you dance …(Lee Ann Womack)

From our family to yours – be blessed in 2017.

Richard

Sharleen

Cameron, Kathryn & Buster

Amy

Moonshine

Simba