Happy New Year, Everyone!

Best wishes to everyone for a joy-filled, fruitful and blessed new year, replete with love, fun, health and success.

***

The year just concluding, 2009, has been filled with changes for me. What will 2010 hold? Who knows!

I'm hoping that at the very least it will bring some semblance of organization to my life, something sadly lacking, something that has gotten worse over the last several months since I was gifted with a two-day work week.

The year gone by . . . a few of the happenings . . .

In November/December 2008 I discovered a renewed love of photography (following cataract surgery on both of my eyes, which totally opened up a new world of light and color). This resulted in THOUSANDS of photos captured.

In January, another cruise to Baja Mexico - this is really a great vacation, with virtually all expenses prepaid ahead of time. I'm looking forward to doing it again.

 In February, I ended a long-term relationship and moved from Cascadel Woods, above North Fork, to Yosemite Lakes Park, south of Coarsegold.

In April I acquired my Canon Rebel XS. Next to my family, it's the love of my life.

May saw a number of changes . . .

• I lost my last remaining aunt, at the age of 102. My dad's youngest sister, Aunt Bessie was amazing, and I thank Creator that I got the opportunity to reunite with her and my cousins Linda and Carolyn over a couple of summer vacations. Despite being virtually blind and deaf, Aunt Bessie was more alert and on the ball than any of us young whippersnappers. I sent her my copy of the Heuring family book, and when we talked it over, she remembered places, events and people I couldn't begin to recall. At the age of 100 she continued to take the senior bus every day down to daughter Carolyn's house to take care of her. She had a strength of character that was simply incredible and one that I would love to emulate.
  

•  I went from working full-time at ECCO to working three days a week, a plan that I'd developed during 2008, before I ended a relationship and moved to Coarsegold. I'd tried to renege on my decision, but that wasn't in the cards. In the end I have relished the extra time it's given me to spend with my family and to pursue other activities.

• I began volunteering at the Yosemite Sierra Visitors' Bureau in Oakhurst. This has opened up new worlds. I simply love being able to tell people about Yosemite and Madera County and getting to meet new people along the way.

In June I got to explore the Napa Valley with friend Pat and discovered that I want to see much more of this marvelous region of my home state.

In July 

• I began this blog. It's been more rewarding than I could have imagined to wiggle my way back into writing once again, with the added benefit of having found a relatively painless way to keep up with friends and family.

In September, on September 22 to be exact, I came down with the cold/flu/whatever that has been with me in some form or another ever since. But September and October also saw several opportunities to travel to the Yosemite high country, the Eastern Sierra and Lake Tahoe with friend Pat.

In November

• I reconnected with Pam Hundley, with whom I worked many years ago and who has always felt more like a little sister than an employee. We picked up right where we left off 23 years ago.
  
• I reconnected with high school friends Betty and Lowell Johnson, another blessing 45 years in the making.
• I got to spend several days with Nasreen, which is a rarity. I usually only manage to see her in company with her sister, and it was a real treat to have some one-on-one time, limited though it was.
  

In December

• I spent the Christmas holidays with my girls, Jason, Hunter and many of Jason's relatives.  

• I "lost" traveling companion Pat (at least temporarily) when she moved to Colorado/Arkansas with her son/daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

There are no confirmed plans for travel at this time, although I fully plan to do some exploring once spring and summer arrive. It'll be all on my own, according to my own schedule. This is something I should have done long ago.

One plan in the works is to move . . . my blog, that is . . . to a new site sometime within the next month or two. It'll feature some enhancements not possible at this location.

More, more and more picture-taking, learning how to REALLY use the camera. Favorite SiL keeps telling me, "Ma, you've gotta get the camera off 'P,' otherwise you might as well have a 'point-and-shoot.'" He's right, of course, much as it kills me to admit it.

Onward and upward, as my ECCO boss, Bill Swan, says.

I'm with you, Bill.