1 Write Way

Brave New Year

My youngest, Raji, superimposed over a stony path. The only time he is outdoors is in his dreams.

Happy New Year, everyone, and here we all are once again. You might notice that I’ve made some changes to this blog. I’m not yet done. Perhaps I’ll never be done, but I needed a change, and I needed it before the new year started.

As many of you already know, the last six months of 2022 were rather hellish for me and my family. Both of my sisters died unexpectedly as well as two of my cousins. The last (so far) was my oldest sister who died the evening after Thanksgiving, leading me to take the rest of the year off, so to speak. I can’t say I’m “better” since just thinking about my sisters will bring tears to my eyes. But I might be adjusting. Maybe.

I know death is inevitable. I get that. I just thought that everyone had more time. My mother, after all, is 99 and still squeezing some quality out of her life. I am, however, in a perpetual state of alertness now: always anticipating that phone call; always hoping, when I call her and her phone rings and rings and rings, that she’s just in the bathroom.

Well, there was that time recently when her phone rang and rang and rang because she had mistaken her TV remote for her phone. That gave us a good laugh.

When I ask her how she feels and she responds, “With my hands,” I can’t help but feel she’s got a lot more time ahead of her.

Meanwhile.

I have no resolutions for this year. I don’t believe in resolutions anymore. Too much pressure especially since I usually don’t do what I’ll say I’ll do and I often do what I say I won’t do.

I guess you could say I’ve resolved to have no resolutions, but I am lining up a few things to bring myself back to writing and to the social world I’ve been neglecting.

First, I’m cleaning up my blog, much like cleaning my house when I’m expecting guests.

Second, I’ve resubscribed to SmokeLong Fitness to get myself back into the writing groove. Yes, I still have my novel to work on, but it seems like a kind of punishment to focus only on that … at least right now.

Third, I’ve signed up for a Yoga Fundamentals Workshop at my local yoga studio. Four Saturdays where we will do a deep dive into the basics of yoga. I’ve been practicing yoga for over ten years but never really thought much about the science behind the poses. Plus, the instructor is an awesome woman who brings joy and humor to my practice. One can never laugh too much.

Last but never least, I’m also knitting. Knitting grounds me more than anything else I do.

We have a lot going on around our house … literally. Just recently we had a hardscaper install a patio and walkway on the west side of our house. The crew started work before Christmas and finished on December 30. Next, we’ll have a fence put up, making our patio private and our next-door neighbors happy. (Apparently, they don’t like seeing into our yard any more than we like seeing into theirs.) Roughly about the same time, we’ll have work done inside our house: replacement of hallway floorboards damaged by water from a leaky valve, and new tiles in our foyer. After that, we’ll take a breather and give our checkbook a rest.

So good things are still happening. I just have to make them happen. Hence, this post.

Happy New Year!

So tell me, dear Readers, what are your resolutions, if any, for this new year? And what, of all the things you do, grounds you the most? Please share in the comments, and thank you for reading!

 

Marie A Bailey

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17 responses to “Brave New Year”

  4. It sounds like you have your ducks in a row for 2023! I hear you about your mom. Mine is starting a new phase. She is starting to get confused. And now she’s telling me no more flowers, food, etc. for gifts. Those were the last categories left! She said to donate money to a cause. Now, I ask you, how does that give her a pick-me-up? I can tell she needs it as she sounds depressed. I am visiting her this spring but need to go with my daughter because I can’t travel alone (health reasons). Anyway, that’s a ramble. That’s exciting to do the SmokeLong again! Oh, here’s another tangent. Remember my knitting for the wedding journal? I put it away because the journal had changed so much and if the knitting was going to work out it would be used in a different way for the project. Then I couldn’t find it anywhere. I had to search on and off for a week before it turned up! And I’m talking about my mother getting confused! Anyway, I hope you have a really healthy, happy, and productive 2023! XOXOXO

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  5. Maybe if you donate money and write about in a handmade card? Sort of like your junk journal, but just one page. You’d be honoring her wishes but still giving her something concrete to enjoy. That’s good that you’ll visit her in the spring and having your daughter along will no doubt help in many ways. We’re planning to go to NY in the late spring or early summer, unless we have to go up sooner because of my mom. Damn, it’s so hard. I don’t want her to go but she spends the bulk of her time dozing in her chair, wrapped in a blanket. It’s not much of a life, and I know she’s tired, very tired.

    I’m so glad you found your knitting! That happens to me too. I try to keep everything in one place, but … 😉

    I hope you have a good 2023, too, although it’s starting off so awful with Perry being sick. Did I ever tell you that you inspired me to go slow and steady with Raji when he first came into our lives. Greg was convinced that he would remain forever feral, but I kept thinking about you and Perry and just knew that if I was patient, Raji would adjust to life with us. And, indeed, he has. He’s not (yet) a lap kitty but he socializes with us and is still really playful. Drives our other two nuts … lol. So thank you for sharing your experiences with Perry. I hope it helps to know that sharing your story helped another kitty adjust to his forever home. XOXOXOX

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  7. Well, as I wrote earlier this week I’m not doing resolutions this year so there’s that. I’m rejecting things this year instead. As for what grounds me the most, it’s going for a walk outside. It can be a suburban stroll or a nature hike, I’m not fussy.

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  8. I am sorry for the loss of your sisters! My sister died on 2012, sigh. Time wounds all heels. Hooray for grounding and knitting. I had surprise travel and was surprised that socks for my adult children are the popular gift this year. I continue on my sock roll. I resolve to roll with 2023 and just do the best I can.

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