It was freezing, this day last year. I remember finding it hard to keep my balance in my friends’ farmyard, especially when an exuberant dog dashed past and caught my leg. Today, it’s unusually mild. I opened the bedroom window to check the weather, and so decide what to wear, and there was no difference in temperature between outside and in.
Last year was brilliant, in a lot of ways. Starting with my own rejuvenation, by means of a new hip, ending with the announcement of another grandchild on the way, and along the way Ro and Dora found happiness together, Weeza and Phil both got new jobs, Al left his and Dilly moved hers slightly sideways in a direction she’s enjoying. The garden wall was completed, but not a lot more was. The Sage is full of promises, as always, but keener to start on new projects than ever to complete anything. This is also normal, but we don’t fall out over it. Better to remember what we love and enjoy about each other than to dwell on the bits that try our patience. His love and care for me when I had my operation are what matter far more than anything else, as they showed his real nature and his real feelings. And blimey, I’m not sure that I’d manage to live with me all these years if I had an alternative.
The greatest sadness of the year was the death of our dog Tilly, of course. I have been thinking about death a lot this year. In January, it was the fortieth anniversary of my father’s death, when I was 16 and he was 59, and I’ve been remembering those lost to us ever since, more sharply than I have for some time.
However, I’ve always found that a good way of feeling cheerful is to behave cheerfully and, in particular, to write a cheerful blog – I may rant on occasion but, since the early days of this blog, I made a deliberate decision to keep it mainly happy and upbeat.
Of course, when I finally receive the comeuppance that I thoroughly deserve, this may become rather more difficult. But for now, I remain hopeful. And I hope that all of us receive what we would most like this year (as long as it doesn’t involve unpleasantness to a third party, obv).
And now I’m off for a long country walk with friends. The same friends I partied with last year, although I couldn’t do the walking then.
I try to keep my blog downbeat and gloomy, so that real life comes as a pleasant surprise.
Happy New Year to you and yours 🙂
Get a new dog, get a new dog, get a new dog, get a new….
I whinge on both of mine, so it’s really good to come here and see what’s going on with you.
Life is good. Happy New Year.
That genuinely wouldn’t work for me, Dave. I started it at a time when I was quite low, and it kept me thinking positive. I’ve sometimes written a complaining post, but usually thought better and deleted it before publishing.
The odd thing is that I’ve become a lot more like my blog persona over the years. I no longer know where Z ends and I begin.
Chairwoman, I hope to.
This is great! I haven’t been keeping up with the blogs too much lately, and now, with this wonderful summary, I don’t have to. So sorry to hear about Tilly. Excellent news about new grandchild. Happy New Year to you, dear Z xxx
ps Dave, I second that emotion.
Succinct, too. Lovely to hear from you, darling.