Year End Thoughts

It is the end of 2022 and the temperatures yesterday was a lovely 7.5C. Today we are to see a high of 10C. 

Today is a day of reflection on 2022. It was a tough year with the Spousal Unit declining with Alzheimer's and passing in September. He is missed every day but we know he is at rest from what he was going through. I am grateful I had 51 years with him and do not regret looking after him while he was ill. I am also grateful to have family who have been supportive and loving while we went and still go through this time of adjustment. Without them, I don't know how I would have coped. 

I spent a lot of time adjusting to a new role -- caregiver of the Spousal Unit and our home. I was able to do it well and didn't screwed up too much. If I did, I fixed it and moved forward. I learned how to be vocal when necessary and how to make plans that kept us surviving. I learned what exhaustion was and how horrid you feel when you are burnt out. Feelings like anger, sadness, and loneliness were felt and still surface on some days. But a feeling of calmness is starting to be felt as I recover from the trauma I went through. 

It was a year where I could have lived in one continuous pity party but I am looking at things with a more positive light. One big thing I did was look after and harvest the garden. I'm pretty proud of myself that I learned from a master and could do it on my own. I planted garlic for 2023 and have plans to plant the garden this spring. It won't be as much as in past years. I survived Hurricane Fiona at family's house and then another storm Nov. 30/Dec 1 when the wind tipped the BBQ over. I am ready for when the snows come -- the snow shovel and salt are in the garage. 

I am learning how to cook for myself and am enjoying it. I'm trying new recipes and love some enough to have made them several times. Falling back on how we ate is still easy to do but I'm trying hard to break those habits. I want to eat healthy tasty food. With a new recipe book for cooking for one and lots of recipes on the internet, I will be doing more. 

I am learning to take care of myself. My big thing was to get physiotherapy for my knee and back. Best thing I have done. Next is to move more outside -- walking. I can do short distances but want to walk further. I am learning that certain foods cause me to have IBS attacks and am weaning myself from them. I have less attacks from stress as I'm working on having less of it in my life. Having a purpose to do something each day helps. Getting out of the house a couple of times a week also helps me from having feelings of sadness and depression. 

Financially I have made several decisions which I'm striving to meet. I need to keep them in forefront so I can meet those decisions through smart goal planning. A couple of surprises that have cropped up and they will be dealt with in the coming year when I can afford them. 

I was surprised at how much I sewed this year. In the end I met my goal of sewing 50 meters but I bought more fabric than I had wanted to. Most of the bought fabric was sewn. What remains is on the list to be sewn this coming year. The sewing room is a mess and I'm started to clean it when I had the time and energy. 

I knit less this year than I have ever done. I put it away for quite a while. When I picked it up in the fall, I knit more slowly as my muscles were not use to it. I knit 1057 grams of yarn which is 2 lbs. 5 oz. I am slowly working my way through the yarn stash. 

I worked on Less Is More in all parts of my life. I did the first sweep of the house in the fall. I stopped when I got it done. I got rid of a lot of useless paper and put what I'm not sure of into a box that will go in a year. I cut back on Christmas decorations, and set up the family room. 

Tomorrow we welcome in 2023 and I will let you know what I have planned for the new year.

Until the next time.......................................................................