Welcome, 2016

As the year comes to a close, rather than dwell on the nightmares highlights of my 2015--which are mostly not-so-great and will be the topic of a future book--I will focus on 2016, which represents a clean slate and a fresh start.

My son is spending New Years in London visiting a friend who lives there. He paid for the airfare with money he earned working at Merroir over the summer.  I couldn't be more proud of him for being curious, brave and resourceful enough to make the trip by himself. To make it even better, he will be meeting two friends of mine from college who live in/near Cambridge. That my son and college friends will be meeting for the first time in another country absolutely thrills me.

Daughter, in the mean time, is filling out her application for a passport in preparation for a trip to Quebec after she graduates in June.  She hopes to hear about acceptance to college in January.  In the mean time, she's in the throes of her last high school basketball season, and thus far the team is undefeated.  I'm relishing this precious time with her as we brace for the transition to I'M GOING TO BE AN EMPTY NESTER SOON WHAT WILL I DO WITH MYSELF? college life in the fall.

As for me, I am looking forward to an impromptu trip to San Diego next week thanks to my college friend Iris, who is going there for business.  Given the horrific 2015 I had, she offered to pay my airfare there!  Although I could give a million reasons why I shouldn't go--not the least of which includes all the time I've missed from work due to car accidents and surgeries of late--I'm realizing that the time is now to do the things I want to do, and I can no longer take for granted that there will be a "later on" to enjoy life.

I hope that 2016 brings you joy and good health.

Happy New Year!

Moving Right Along

I'm still here.

Right here, on Queens Creek, the same as I ever was.

The recent events of my life have been the equivalent of at least four Lifetime movies.

I could write a book about each major event, they're all lengthy, dramatic, quasi-incredible stories.

It was as if someone was testing me, to see how much I could take at once.

But, for whatever reason, I'm still here, alive and convulsing kicking twitching.

Right now, I'm recovering from my last major surgery for 2015.

So far, so good. I should be back to normal, whatever that is, soon.

Today I went on my first walk since the accident back in October.

It took me 39 minutes to walk two miles!!!!

(This is unacceptable; but all things considered, I am grateful to be walking, talking, typing, writing, twitching convulsing and alive.)

The whole family has been impacted by stuff.  And not just my stuff.

My mother was hospitalized for two days for an infection.

(She's fine now.)

My father has been having a very rough time of it for a while.

(Chronic problems that have worsened.)

But here we are.  Alive.  Pressing forward.  Doing the best we can.

I am very, very grateful.

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I hope to return to blogging more regularly as time permits.  I also need to write a book about the recent events of my life, but I'm not sure when I'll find time to do all that.  Right now, I'll just commit to a blog post here and there.

(But there is an unbelievable book--based on a true story--just brewing inside me.)

I hope all of you both of my faithful readers are doing well.  Thanks for stopping by.

I'm still here.

The Accident

Once upon a time, almost a week after her heart had been splintered into a million tiny shards, on her way to Richmond to see an oncologist--because 2015 hasn't been eventful enough thus far-- Chesapeake Bay Woman was hit by an oncoming car on a dark, two-lane, wooded country road near Glenns and was extremely lucky to survive.  After her very first helicopter ride from the scene of the accident to the hospital, she was diagnosed with two fractured ribs and a punctured lung.  (The top of her head hurt too--see pictures of car roof that is dented on driver's side above.)  She has nothing but the best possible things to say about the little car that saved her life--her beloved Kia Forte, whose airbags and seat belt prevented something far worse from happening.

The End.

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I've not been blogging because, well, I've just been trying to survive, and so far I'm not dead yet, so I'm winning!  I could write a screenplay--that nobody would believe--about the past several weeks, but the bottom line is I am alive, I am going to survive, and, after I get through a hysterectomy scheduled for November 30th, I will welcome 2016 in with gusto and more determination than ever to live well and fully.

My friends and family have been absolutely wonderful to me, there are not enough words to express my gratitude.

I intend to return to blogging, but until I get a few things resolved--such as a rental car and then purchasing yet another new-to-me car, never mind the upcoming surgery which will incapacitate me for a minimum of four weeks--things may continue to be quiet here.

In the mean time, when you get behind the wheel, don't ever forget to buckle up.

I hope all is well in your world.

Is it 2016 yet?