Is it review time?

Seems everyone does a 'year in review' during the last few days before a new year. [I just have to remember to write a new number on the few checks I do write]

Photographers on Instagram put up their top 9 photos. FB folk like to put up their TOP 10. 

There is a photographer I've know for a very long time. We both took on line classes together. He is a pro dude. He does layouts for hotels and spas ... and such. His hobby is producing landscapes. His work is beautiful but he insists that he must go to certain very over photographed spots to find THAT photo. That's cool and I admit, I am jealous. I have to stay home and find cool amazing stuff.

But the top 10. Meh. 

I love the one person I follow on Instagram that posted her TOP Fails from her year of hiking mountains and rough areas. Her boyfriend/husband/hiking partner helps out by videoing and photographing the places she goes. They are incredible and I like to view them because I like to dream.
Her Fails were wonderful. Because she wasn't trying to say: Look how perfect my year was!

Me?

I start thinking of my review of the past year. 
Pfft. Not much different than the year before. 

Good things did happen. I made a new friend! She was brave enough to hike with me in the Wilds of the Reserve.

I want to say all those fine things. Like. Hmmm, I grew as a photographer. What does that even mean? I didn't grow taller but I tried new techniques.

What were my accomplishments? Um. 

What stood out last year? Um. Oh, I know! But I am not going to say it as it will jinx us.

I started Yoga and that is good, however Yoga doesn't work when the TV in the other room 10 feet away is blaring Football or Boxing. Sort of ruins the concentration.

Wait, how about Mindfulness. 
Here is a definition of Mindfulness: a form of meditation being aware of what you are feeling in the moment. That is a loose definition. 

I think I flunked that. I start being Mindful and Meditating and my mind doesn't meditate it sort of floats off into a daydream.

It was another year of caring. Of being patient. Another year of being empathetic. 

My year's highlight was to sit quietly on a rock and sip coffee while the world awakened below me. 

And hopefully I end this year seeking out new ice caves.

Review or not to Review

Basically 2020 will be year that historians will write about. If nothing else, it will be interesting to read about.

And we may hear things in the Future...like "My Grandmom lived through the Great Pandemic of 2020!" or some such thing. 

I have made it to the end of the year. That much is certain. Well, it will be more certain if I get past midnight.

For me, it will be the year that I began to seriously question people's priorities and friendships. The year I 'un' friended so many on FB. The year I kept count of many things. 

The Great Toilet Paper shortage. The year of the mask? Or the year of the anti mask? 
The year when most people started to understand just how fragile our lives can be. Or the year that some people said the Hell with It All. 

The craziest political year in the history of the United States?

So I'm not going to go on and detail 2020, but I may just toss out some photos I did this year.

Nope, I don't think I will write much of a review.

2020 happened. I'm not going to say 2021 will be awesome or great or...a new start and a blank slate.

But I will approach each day with a feeling of hope.

For without hope, we have nothing.

"Someone I once loved gave me a box full of darkness.
It took me years to understand that this too,
was a gift." ~~~ Mary Oliver

I think that sums up the year quite perfectly.

2019

What did 2019 bring us?

Well. Hmm.
NO medical incidents! Wow. That was awesome!
Family unrest. Well, yes that happened.

MDD. I visited the black hole with Rich. And it is not a pretty place. However by June we saw him climb out of despair.

I learned to drive the skid steer. I broke the skid steer. I hired out to get it fixed. Becoming a shade tree mechanic is NOT my forte.
But I can change the oil in the little mower. I got help to do the 4 wheeler and the big mower. Both are in line for a tune up this spring.

MIL was taken to the nursing home. Her Helping Hands folks were doing their best, but her health was precarious and her slippage was getting the best of her.

I discovered Infrared photography with a little converted pocket camera. I fell head over heels in love with the look.

I met Miss Molly and she was a welcome relief from constant running to Pulmonary Therapy appointments and physical therapy. She made me stop and ride mules with her. I have her to thank for many things.

I bought a cross between a road and dirt bike and rediscovered bicycling distances. If I had fenders, I'd be out on these nice days fighting the wicked muddy gravel roads!

Rich had the knee bursa moved and it was a great success. The attending doctor described it as 'kinda gross looking'.

We had some great visits from my Kenosha Gang and I got to dog sit Teslin!

When I look back on the years, I generally see them as pretty good. I'm lucky to be with a partner that I really respect and love and I know it is reciprocated but not always very evident.
Yes I am Rich's CareGiver, but I am his partner too.

Our lives are pretty good. We have a roof over our heads, plenty to eat, and we have each other.
Color me blessed.

How lucky am I too also be making new friends through CrossFit.

Last but not least is a new interest in macro photography.

Oh there is so much more, but I will leave things like that.