F IS FOR FUR-FRIEND

One of the highlights of the year was welcoming Grace into our home. Part lab, part beagle – Gracie is a compact bundle of power, determination, intuition, and joy. She the best gym-substitute ever — two long walks every day and never an excuse. And a faithful companion, ever at my side!

(Plus, when I cry or am feeling a bit low, she comes and — honest — rests her head on my shoulder and puts her paws around me…what a good, wise dog!)

G IS FOR GRANDCHILDREN

Brand new grandson, born December 23 – nearly a month early. He’s a fighter, and such a sweetheart, even though he is a wee one! Loving this munchkin beyond measure…missing is cuddly little self and his sweet little baby sounds.

And then there is my little love. Who knew, in just a bit over a year, one little girl could add so much love and joy to my life! Sweetness and Imp, combined! Precious love – grandmother and granddaughter.

H IS FOR HOME

This was the year of the cross-country trip from Arizona to Wisconsin that lasted nearly three weeks instead of 5 days. It was the year when, in a moment of whatever, I agreed to put a “for sale” sign in the front of my home of 28 years — the home I’d raised my three children in, the home that now had two studio rooms tucked in its rafters, a home surrounded by lovingly planted trees and beds of perennial flowers, and tiny gardens wherever I looked.

It seemed like a reasonable step in downsizing, the kids out of the house now, until…until I pulled up to the house after my epic cross country sojourn, up to the house with the “for sale” sign in the front yard — and I burst into inconsolable sobbing.

I stuck to my word for two weeks — two weeks of daily showings, constant cleaning and staging and putting away everything including pets and my coffee cup and any evidence that anyone actually lived in the house!

And finally, when I couldn’t be with the idea of selling and moving any longer, I said “I can’t. I can’t move. Not now.”

And then I went outside and wandered in the gardens, luxuriated in the perfume of the lilac, while a conversation with an understanding realtor went on inside the house. There was the moment when he walked across the yard to where I stood studying the white birch bark.

“There are offers being written as we speak. Two, maybe three, this afternoon…”

I couldn’t answer. The thought of moving had become untenable. I shook my head.

And so they pulled the ‘for sale’ sign out of the earth in front of my home, and the understanding realtor said you have a marketable home so call me when you are ready and I’ll come back.

And so I hugged the tree nearest me. And cried in pure relief.

That is the story of HOME in 2014.

 I IS FOR ICY ICE-COLD NO-SUN-WEATHER.

This is ice. Ice is cold. Ice lives in cold weather spaces, of which many are stunning in their beauty and bone chilling in their cold.

Ice itself is not the problem, Even cold, while not a best buddy, is not the problem.

The problem is what is what is not in the photograph. Or rather — the solution is what is not in the photograph.

THE SUN!

I don’t mind the snow, I can even deal with the cold. But my constitutional makeup does not deal well with cloudy days that extend into weeks and sometimes months. I wish it weren’t so. My family lives in the land of no sun and I like living where my family lives!

So there is a compromise. For a few months each year, when the cloudiest is at its peak, I head to sunnier climes. I do love the sun and the warm and the space, I totally admit it. And yes, it is hard to be away from family and friends for such long periods of time.

Life is compromise. Right? Right!