A New Year

Happy New Year! Thank God 2008 is over! Better yet, thank God the Bush dictatorship is almost over. Now, we get to help clean up the mess. Thanks Rush and Sean for your support of the most inept president and the most hated vice-president in the history of this once great nation. Oh, and by the way fellas, if you don’t like it, there’s always Iraq.

Enough of that, here we are at the beginning of a brand new year. Today is special in many ways; my friend’s grandmother turns 104 today. Happy Birthday, Grandmom! Grandmom was the oldest voter in her county this year. She’s amazingly spry and aware and a true joy as are all little old ladies. But, Grandmom is the shining light in that crowd. She took a fall yesterday and we are all hoping she recovers. The doctors at the hospital said she was fine, but wanted to hold her for observation. I guess not too many of them have ever seen a 104 year old woman up close before. Go, Granny go!

This has been a shitty year. I went to my doctor yesterday for a follow-up and when I told him what a crummy year I’d been having, he corrected me and said it had been a shitty year for me. So, I fully agreed! Yet, somehow I don’t see the year as a total loss. In fact, this has probably a year of monumental growth for me, as well as my children. My illness hasn’t just affected me; it’s had an affect on their lives, too. For one thing, they have all had to come to the realization their parents are mortal and one day will be gone. This became very apparent when their father had a couple of heart attacks and had to have quadruple by-pass surgery, he died a few months after. I was sickest at the time he was in the hospital and was told by my children, that their father and I had to coordinate better. So, I willed myself to get well and was doing fine until his death. I found it ironic that our health should fail at the same time and figured when he died, I would soon follow. But, not yet, today starts a new year and with all things new, the shiny is nice. My health is improving and I’d like to stick around a while.

The tradition on New Year is to make a resolution, or several. Quit smoking; finally lose all that weight, save more money…the list goes on. I learned early in my adulthood not to make New Year resolutions. By March they’re forgotten or reduced to the back burner with clear intentions to pick up the gauntlet again some day. The only resolution I’ve kept is to not make resolutions. Last year, however I unofficially resolved to exercise more; the goal was a pool worthy body by June. Little did I know my body was secretly plotting against me. I was working out three hours a week, yoga, ballet, weight toning, and core training. I made it as far as spring training when I finally admitted that I was sick. I couldn’t lift a two pound weight to shoulder height and became exhausted doing exercises that I had been able to do just weeks before. My training was waning, strength and endurance became foreign concepts to me. My main goal for my day was to nap and nap I did; like a cat.

This year, however, I’m getting better instead of sicker. My pool worthy body is still a goal by June, I’m just not committing to any specific year. (See previous post) I would like to spend the year doing things with my, now adult, children who are the bright spots in my life. I’m amazed at the people they have become. Their Dad and I did alright. And I know, they will find their way when it’s time for me to move along. But, this year is still shiny and bright and I want to see what it grows into. Happy New Year to you all!