2008 in in regular type, 2009 in BOLD, 2010 thoughts are in Red and 2011 thoughts are in blue.
The children are all employed, and reasonably healthy. Trica our oldest daughter still struggles with Pancreatitis. Ditto..Trica is still struggling..she might just be a tad more cranky too. She has pancreatitis from a Gall Bladder surgery years ago. Trica is on a temporary medical leave from her job as an RN. She had a very scary episode in October which we now believe was a direct result of a prescribed medication that was taken off of the market in November. She still struggles with Pancreatitis. Everyone still has jobs, Trica is enrolled at UND and in three years she will be a Nurse Practitioner. She still struggles with Pancreatitis.
We still struggle with Doctors and Far Guys Trigeminal Neuralgia. We are comfortable with Dr. P. he seems adequate. There are no miracle cures..Trigeminal Neuralgia is a rare disorder that you must just learn to live with...easy for me to say..Far Guy is the one with continual pain. Dr P. is still taking good care of Far Guy…nothing is new with TN, it is still one of the most painful disorders known to mankind. Dr. P is still taking good care of Far Guy..no great discoveries are forthcoming to fight this rare disorder.
No new Grand-babies..No divorces..a few deaths (two cousins and a very dear friend) This year five friends died.. Rhonda, Jim, Sam, Charles and Pat. Two family members, my Uncle Delbert, and my cousins fiancée. No Grandbabies ( I think the baby years are over). Deaths we had a few..My Aunt Marie and Far Guys Aunt Esther. No new grandbabies and no divorces. Deaths we had a few.. Aunt Violet, friends Ardith and Elsie both from Indiana and friend Tammy succumbed to breast cancer.
No new pets, and no pet deaths. In 2009 Madison got a new kitten that she named Ziggy. Trica found a new home for her Pomeranian Daphne or "Daffy". Daffy now gets to be the Queen of her castle and no longer has to tremble in fear and hide under the couch to escape her terrorist companion Dakota who had a stroke a number of years ago and has an ongoing thyroid problem and is just not right in the head. I miss Daffy..she loved me. When they all lived with us..she was my constant companion. Paige got a kitty that she named Skittles and Savannah got a pitch black kitty that she named Luna. Andy went out and got himself a Sheltie puppy who is named Little Elvis. No new pets and no pet deaths.
Biggest Adjustment..Far Guy's Trigeminal Neuralgia and how it affects our day to day life. Ditto..we must always be flexible.... it just may not be a good day, or a good week. Ditto. Ditto.
Biggest Change..Closing the Greenhouse business, a very wise decision. I miss it, but I am getting over it. Well I am way over this one..this years biggest changes..lifestyle..healthier eating..more exercise. Biggest change this year..being able to see without glasses after my cataract surgery. Biggest change this year was leaving Far Guy and Chance on their own while I went to work at the Museum…they can survive without me!
Biggest Frustration.. Doctors that don't know their butt from a hole in the ground, and the phone ringing. Ditto.. and gaining weight because I quit a nasty habit..that I enjoyed..but now my metabolism is all out of whack. For now and since July I have been an ex-smoker. It ain't easy..it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my entire life. I have however curbed the desire to lick every ash tray I see..and those smokers outside freezing their skinny butts off..I envy them..perhaps I will get over that with time..old habits die hard..I began to smoke as a teenager..that was well over forty years ago. My daughter said "Mom we would rather have you alive and healthy looking and a little fat, than dead and skinny." The phone ringing still irritates me..and now that Far Guy has a cell phone sometimes they both ring at the same time. We are still non smokers..fatter ones.. Ditto..Still non smokers..still fat too.
Happiest Moment..a very nostalgic Ferris Wheel Ride last August with Far Guy. Playing a little "kissy face" stopped at the top! I had to think on this for quite some time.. I had many happiest moments this year and if I had to pin it down to just one moment it would be watching Chance and Far Guy on the lake shore of Lake Superior..watching Chance run between us. The happiest moment this year: When our oldest daughter Trica woke up after being unconscious for more than 24 hours..and she knew who we were. The happiest moment this year was finding out that Far Guy made the Emergency Life Flight to Fargo alive and that he had no Heart blockages..he had treatable pericarditis.
It was another year of ups and downs. We are getting older..we are thankful for healthy grandchildren and the companionship of a great dog!
Our “No Snow “ spell ended yesterday with three inches of snow. We are expecting some freezing rain today and then more snow and then it is supposed to get windy. Winter must be here.
If you go out tonight..stay safe and use a designated driver..you will have a happier New Year that way! Us old folks are just staying home:)
I loved your post today. I don't have to feel bad because my life isn't perfect,some only print the good parts of life. You did a great and factual job explaining how life is coming along. We have no small children in our lives either. Kind of wish we did but God knows best. I do love your dog to pieces. a ((hug)) for Chance. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteA very good way to do a retrospective. I learned things I didn't know from before I started to follow your blog. I didn't know you were a smoker! When I quit in my mid-thirties, I gained 17 pounds that stuck around for a long time, but they did finally go away.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm glad that you are all healthy and happy today. I will be spending the midnight hour sleeping, hopefully!
Another year...hard to believe it is over. I feel like I've been a part of most of these things you wrote about. You've shared the highs and a few lows over the years. I'm so glad I found your blog and now call you my friend. You are a special person Connie and I wish you and your family a blessed 2012.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you parallel all the years in retrospect. I didn't realize it was only 2008 when you had closed your greenhouse. You generally don't mention Far Guy's health much during the year so it's easy to forget his chronic pain. So sorry he has to deal with it and the way it affects your lives.
ReplyDeleteIt has indeed been a pleasure to be able to read your posts and look forward to many more in 2012!
Connie, That was/is a clever way to review your past years. Hearing about the tough time you had smoking brought back some memories. Fourteen years ago I stopped after smoking over fifty years. It was a strange thing, I just quit, just quit. I think I had an angel on my shoulder, perhaps my Mom who was always after me about smoking.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and your family a healthy and prosperous new year.
Pam
I love this post! A good way to look back on the last few years.
ReplyDeleteHoping that 2012 is a happy healthy year for you and yours!
Love reading about your life and the subtle changes from year to year. Hope 2012 is great for you, Far Guy, and Chance!
ReplyDeletePeace,
Muff
Happy New Year to the 'Far' clan!
ReplyDeleteI like your yearly reviews. Like someone else mentioned, we forget about Far Guy and his TN, poor man. Let's hope that 2012 will be a very good year.
So glad FarGuy was okay. What an ordeal! Sounds like everyone is doing well. I quit smoking in 1989. Glad I don't smoke any more, but I did love it. ;)
ReplyDeleteMay you and yours have the best darn year ever in 2012!! :):)
And what a ending to a year, you have had.
ReplyDeleteHope the upcoming year is filled with joy.
Happy New Year.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I have to say that I agree with everyone else on this post! You did a great post.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post. I usually don't care for 'year in the review' posts or 'hopes for the new year' posts... your's is different! I hope you don't mind, but I may borrow the style and do something similar. After all imitation is the best form of flattery!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a fabulous New Year and that some of those not so great things from this year have resolutions on next year's blog!
Lifes ups and downs ! A note ! whether your a smoker or not when your times up its up , Papa and I are smokers no ones perfect , I had a friend that was a health nut that ate right kept fit and still passed away at only 48 just last year where my mum smoked from a teen till she was 72 and was told she was healthy regaurdless then had a massive heartattack a week later ! so ya just never know do ya ! We all just have to live our lives the best we can no matter what ! All the best for the comming new year !
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year tp you and your family. Was great seeing your Mom at the store yesterday.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year tp you and your family. Was great seeing your Mom at the store yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI loved your last two posts. You should design your own paper, I'll bet you could market it and other would buy. Every time someone says something like that to me I shudder...I'm tired of marketing 17 years of marketing has me exhausted, 10 more years of marketing and retail before the 17 makes me even tireder.
ReplyDeleteHoo ray for you in stopping smoking. I need to apply that to myself on eating. You are a hero to all of us who have hard times stopping bad habits.
Love you and Far Guy...wishing you all and Chance a Happy 2012.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Thanks for making me part of your blog friends. I look forward to your real life post in 2012!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Great retrospective post! I wish you a wonderful 2012. We, too, will stay home tonight (and we are supposed to get 3-5 inches of snow, finally).
ReplyDeleteI am glad thins are staying positive from the years past. No snow here but the wind and cold air are due soon. We don't go out and enjoy staying safe and warm. Happy New Year to you both and Chance too.
ReplyDeleteA great post, Connie. We are staying in tonight too. I did go all out and order a REAL coffee earlier at the cafe.
ReplyDeleteI wish you and your entire family a safe and happy new year. May God watch over you all.
Smooches to Chance from Harriet.
Love you all.
Love, love, love it. What a wonderful idea. Look forward to your New Year's Eve post 2012. Wishing you and yours a most Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! Loved reading your post tonight. Hope 2012 brings happiness and joy to you and your family. Hugs to Chance from Sophie! :)
ReplyDeleteNeat idea to have a running tally on the major episodes in your life. It gives new followers like me some background in an interesting way.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the hardest thing I ever did in my life was to quit smoking.
Sounds like you just take life as it comes.....one day at a time....all the best in this next one! Keep on keeping on eh;)
ReplyDeleteThese old fudds are staying in tonight also. The MN snow is coming our way, with freezing rain first. Hoping you have a wonderful 2012.
ReplyDeleteA wonderfully retrospective post! Sounds as if life is still good and you had more ups than downs.
ReplyDeleteWishing you and yours a wonderful 2012!
Funny how fast a year goes by. I read your "year in review" last year (2010) and liked the format so much I started a file on my computer for my Year End Musings. Same format. Really fun to look back on and jot down things that occurred thru out the year. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteChance is a great dog! And Happy New Year to you, too! I really enjoy reading your blog.
Wish I'd had this idea. Pretty darn cool. I passed up my year 5 anniversary -- didn't even note it. but I haven't been doing much blogging last year either
ReplyDelete