The Last One Standing

Just about all of 2016 has come and gone and not once have I stopped here to post. I miss blogs, I love Instagram, but reading a post on someone's blog really made me feel like I was sharing their experience instead of just the voyeurism of seeing it on Instagram.  I am making this one post, so all of 2016 was not lost!!

For 2017 I will try to come her more often and share my love of paper, planners, pen and stationary!!

2014 Year In Review

1.  What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?

Went on college tours with my daughter and husband.  I never went to college, other than community college, it was just never discussed or mentioned.  I think about all the times Jon and I have talked about CG going to college and wonder what stopped my parents from sending me?  Was it my lack of ability, finances, their own unsteady relationship?  It's a mystery...

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I make resolutions all the time, mainly on Mondays and then again the next Monday. I make the same ones and rarely get past a Tuesday with them intact.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not a close friend, but lots of babies were had.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My father-in-law passed away after a long struggle with heart disease and Parkinsons.  His was a sad life these last few years, living in a nursing home he hated and each day losing a little more control over his body and mind.

5. What countries did you visit?

None.  Not all get to wander....

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

Good health.  A feeling of ease and comfort.

7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

My memory is not so good.  I write a lot down, because it is so easily gone.  We do a memory jar every year and read all the little snippets of paper on New Years Day, I was surprised by all the things that had completely left my mind.  My life has very few BIG THINGS, sometimes the things I remember most are the mundane that fills my heart with joy.  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

That I didn't kill someone.  As I get older I notice that my fuse is short and my temper is hot.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Getting healthy.  It is all so daunting a task.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

It seems like something else stops working everyday.  In 2014 my biggest worry was my heart.  I have thought to myself more than once, "I will miss them when I am gone."  Hopefully this will be the year I find out what the trouble is.  I had a really horrible abscessed tooth that no amount of prescribed painkillers could touch, and believe me when I say I tried them all in many combinations.  Then there is the slow but complete ruination of my feet.  I have my grandmother's feet.  I think of her sitting in her chair until the day she died and it frightens me.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A Filofax personal organizer. I am a notebook and planner  girl from way way back, I have them all in a box in the attic and this summer while my daughter and I were up there in the blistering heat organizing and purging we read through several of them and laughed, laughed, laughed. (*see #7)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My daughter.  She has worked her butt off to do well in school, with college being the long term goal. She went to a tutor over the summer to improve her SAT scores, while working and juggling her first "real" relationship.  It was a joy to see her becoming the person she will be.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Sadly, so many.  The behavior of people in general is appalling.  I sound like an old lady, but kids these days are just horrible, rude, stupid and they are our future.  Now a days a polite person is a rarity instead of commonplace, no good can come of that.  I talk myself down from the ledge everyday when it comes to dealing with the public (*see #8).

14. Where did most of your money go?

On nothing terribly exciting, just keeping us clothed, fed and a roof over our heads is the goal.  We don't do trips or extravagant gifts.  We have one child and we save for college and retirement with every pay check, but some days I still have to rob Peter to pay Paul.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

My Filofax.....does that sound as sad as it looks typed?  I know a lot of people don't get, but to me it is WONDERFUL!  It is a creative outlet that I really, really enjoy and the ladies that I have meet through Instagram and You Tube have been just great!

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?

Shake It Off.  You know that Taylor is kind of a pain in the ass, but damn if she isn't catchy as hell.  The other song that immediately comes to mind is Let It Go from Frozen, I don't need to ever hear that again......ever.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder?

I struggle with this, I tell myself I am a happy person and I work hard on it every day, but deep down I am sad and sometimes the sad wins.

b) thinner or fatter?

Fatter, I lost a good 20 pounds in 2014 with another 20 that need to be lost, but I put it all back on by the end of the year.  The circle goes round and round....

c) richer or poorer?

We paid off some debts, we saved a little more for college and we paid our bills every month.  That's richer in my book.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Spent time outside last summer.  It seems like we waited all summer for it to start, and then suddenly it was done.  The pool was cold and the hot tub was idle too many times.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Swallowing my opinion.  

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With my two favorite people in our favorite place.  My husband had time off of work and the teenager had time off of school, so I took time off so we could be together.  No shopping, dinner out, movies or hanging with friends, we spent time together hold up in the house having a great time.  It's the most wonderful time of the year.

21. Did you fall in love in 2014?

I fall in love everyday.  My husband is forever wooing me and he is sooooo good at it.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Chopped.  Hands down, no hesitation, I can't get enough of that shit.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I hate the same people.  It takes a lot for me to truly hate, but when I do it is enduring.

24. What was the best book you read?

50 Shades of Grey, do with that information what you will.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I love all music.  I have listened to rock, pop, country, rap, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and hip-hop this year.  I find something that gives me goosebumps in most genres, unfortunately I rarely know the name of the performer or the song.  I love my Soundhound app!

26. What did you want and get?

Debt that was hanging over our heads paid off.  Nothing feels quite as good as sending that last payment.

27. What did you want and not get?

I feel like I usually get what I want, whether it's material or not.  I am very content with my lot in life.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

I love movies.  I love to watch them.  I love when I am still thinking about a movie the next day, that to me is the mark of good film.  That being said I am an action movie buff, pretentious and thought provoking films are not usually high on my list.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

This year I turned 45.  I spent it with my husband, my daughter and my dad.  We had a picnic outside by the bonfire, it was one of my favorite birthdays ever.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

*see # 27

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?

Whatever isn't too tight is what's on trend here. Sometimes underpants just don't make the cut...

32. What kept you sane?

My husband.  His voice and the smell of his neck make me feel better about the world.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I think Jimmy Fallon is a hell of a guy.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Honestly, I am so disillusioned I try not to follow the latest atrocity the world is creating.

35. Who did you miss?

I miss my mom every day.  I don't think there will ever be a time I don't wish she was here to share something with me.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I keep my circle pretty small.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

If it's what is right for you, don't let anyone sway you from believing in it.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"I'm a nightmare dressed like a daydream."

Thanks for reading all this, now go find something to do!

Roger Lee Pritchard January 18, 1941 - August 18, 2014

This week my family lost a wonderful man to Parkinson's and heart disease. A man who should have had a much longer time here with all of us and who should have been able to fully enjoy the last 10+ years he did have here. Parkinson's disease is not often discussed or the feature of a viral video on social media. Parkinson's disease can steal your loved one and yet leave him right in your life, forcing you to watch the slow dismantling of a man that you love. I am sad to see the funny, sweet, soft spoken man I knew go, but I a joyous to know that he is free of the pain and limits that his disease had put on him. I hope he is enjoying a long walk, a lobster dinner and a glass of wine with his bride. Goodbye Roger.

10 Patterns You Could Knit Again . . . and again and again.

1. Unoriginal Bordered Basket Weave Dishcloth by Lesley Karpiuk
2. Jack Be Little Pumpkin by Elizabeth Murphy
3. Simple Yet Effective Shawl by Laura Chau
4. Circus Cowl by Julia de Boer
5. The Vermonter by Abi Gregorio
6. Grandmother's Favorite by Traditional Design
7. Fuzzy Feet by Theresa Vinson Stenersen
8. Chevron Scarf by Cheryl Kubat
9. Peekaboo Mitts by Abi Gregorio
10. #26 Lace Rib Cap by Kathy North

I have knit all of these things numerous times, but I think my favorite is Laura Chau's shawl.  I have done five or six of these so far and I love every one of them!  Some I have given away (regret) but I kept my favorites!

Christmas Weekend

This weekend was heaven.
Lots of snow, no need to shop or visit.
Cookies, fudge and peanut butter balls.
The Bishops Wife and Love Actually.

Christmas is here...

The Force is strong with this one...

This girl of mine, she loves Star Wars.

I love Star Wars too, but she takes it to a whole other level.  She's been like that since she was little, she watched those movies more than any other cartoon movies we had.

Today was Disney day at school for homecoming and because Disney bought the rights to SW last October she thought it was a perfect opportunity to dress up as the princess.  With the help of a gracious Aunt and some websites we constructed the perfect costume!

She looked amazing, too bad some poor sports that couldn't be bothered to do more than pull out some mouse ears or a Tinker Bell t-shirt from Wal Mart had to ruin her day by being obnoxious, jealous little shits.

But the force is strong with this one and she has a Yoda like zen about her that lets her not get mad or upset with evil little brats.  I am more Darth Vader about it and if I could I'd show them who the evil one is.