Wednesday, December 28, 2016

All In A Decade

Today is my 55th birthday.

Exactly ten years ago, on a whim, I decided to start writing a blog.  At that point I had no idea why and was fairly sure that no one really wanted to read what I was writing.  But, I did it.  The title perfectly summed up what I wrote about, all the things that happened in my day.  I was faithful to the process for quite awhile.  And then I became unfaithful.  And then faithful again.  And then unfaithful.  It was like the the plucking of the flower petals...he loves me, he loves me not, faithful to blog posting, not faithful to blog posting...and there I ran out of petals.  Realizing that this was the tenth anniversary of beginning All In A Day and that I have done a terrible job keeping up makes me sad.  So much has happened in my life during these ten years, some of it I have written about and lots of other parts I have not.  Here is the condesnsed version.

  • I have lost both of my parents.  My mom died three days after my first post in 2006 and my dad in 2014.
  • Both of my girls have graduated from high school and college.  
  • I have gotten divorced and remarried.  A new flower with enough petals to end with "He loves me." 
  • I've moved about fifty miles away from where I lived for 25 years, from the country to the city.
  • I've lost a few friends and made a whole lot more.
  • I succumbed to Facebook.
  • I've reconnected with friends from high school and college.
  • I've lost some weight.  Gained some weight.  Lost some weight.  Gained some weight.  I need another petal on this one too!
  • I've traveled to many U.S. cities that I have never before visited.
  • I've been to Europe three times - once to Italy and twice to England.
  • I've had some stitches, just a few and it was the fig's fault for not being still, not my mediocre knife skills!
  • My hair has gone from really short to really long.
  • I have discovered my love of photography.
  • I broke my leg.  It was a sacrifice I made for my art.  I NEEDED to be in THAT spot.  They shouldn't have put that big drop off there, especially when it was dark when I needed to be there.
  • I have gained two dogs and a cat and lost three cats.
  • I have read lots of books, but not as many as I would like.
  • I have written lots of haiku but not as many as I would like.
  • I have knitted lots of things but I still have lots of "unknitted" yarn.
  • I have become part of NOAH (National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation) and now have lots of cool pale pals.
  • I still don't like mushrooms, olives, peas, or fish.  I've tried.  I really have!   It hasn't worked.
  • I have become part of the online community Capture Your 365 and have taken at least one photo every single day for the last four years.
  • I have learned to drink coffee, lots of coffee.
  • I am writing two other blogs: Pixels, Plates, and LOLs with Tracey, a new friend, and Blueper B's Blueprints with Weber and our furry blue and orange monster, Blueper B.
  • I have had lots of thoughts that have not made it to written words.
  • I have learned to relax.
  • I have learned to love myself.
  • I have learned how to be happy, really happy...not just on the outside, but on the inside too.
  • I have remembered how much I love to write.

As I reflect on 2016 and look forward to my desires for 2017, reviving my relationship with my blog is at the top of the list.  I miss it.  I want it.  I need it.  It doesn't matter to me one way or the other if other people read it.  If you do and some of my words speak to you, make you think, make you feel, make you act, that's great.  But if not, that's OK too.  I will have written for me.  I will have acknowledged in words what is in my head and on my heart.  THAT is what I want.  THAT is what I need.  THAT is what I miss.

A stray petal...be faithful to blogging...has been found!

This is the best birthday gift!

Beginning on January 1, I will also post my daily photos along with my musings of the day.