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| My Mom passed away in mid January |
It had been a long process. She stopped eating in November. She stopped drinking on New Years.
She was ready. I don’t think we were, but
It is strange to be without her
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| This is the sunrise at my daughter’s at the time of her passing |
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| It has been mighty cold for the last six weeks. Thank God for the dog, or I would just be inside in this fog. |
Twenty twenty two began and ended with COVID. That makes three bouts. First in Jan 2020 had me ill for months, barely moving, depressed. The second bout was easy, no more then a tough cold. This last one has my lungs in a twist, but I am mending. Yes, we have been vaxxed. We are old and I am fat. That is what the vac is for.
In between we built a house with our own plans, sold our Delaware house in a hot minute, and hauled four truck loads of stuff to Idaho. There is no sanity amidst the poverty and wealth of the overcrowded Mid Atlantic when the middle class just walks away. Here people are just left to live.
I’ve learned a great deal about faith verses religion.
I’ve learned that, if on one political side or the other , people will follow “rules” that they had fought for all of their adult lives- and white males who make lots of money off of them- just to prove the other side is wrong. Logic and debate are no longer a reality in the educated world I grew up in.
I stepped back over issues I have no control over. Child trafficking, human trafficking, child abuse, slavery. The people I used to work with on these issue no longer seem to give a coin. At first I could not believe it, now I have to not watch. Ignorance or ignorant I am there for now.
Continuing my work in food scarcity, my eyes are filled with the 150 cars that come to the tiny food bank weekly. Still no touch, it is difficult to watch the loneliness and fear of the very young and not so old. Unseen. But I can help this.
I’ve stepped up, gone to the ground. Learned, again, how to be self sufficient. Enjoyed hikes and arts for their own sake.
2023. A good garden, ideas for gathering food for the food bank, plans for some trailer camping, lots of books to read, travel to see grand children, time spent with my life partner in the ebb and flow of the day.
Next week I’ll challenge my art teacher to move me from traditional still life to Impressionism. She will laugh. I will laugh. We commiserate over our 92 year old mothers. And then we will embark on a journey neither of us has taken before.
And 2023 will begin with optimism and newness and challenges. I hope yours does as well.
Working on weight is tough when it is cold outside. It is really 🥶.
Cue the alarm on the scale- Going up not down.
Sunday was my “come to Jesus” moment. Back to drink the water, walk away from the chocolate! Eight cups of water a day, when you have gotten away from it, is a moving experience.
Sunday I started. Today I pulled out my electric tea kettle. Water, water, water.
I feel better already.
On a side note- just finished Five Wishes of Mr Murray McBride and the second half of the last season of Billions. Both are strong recommends!
Small nuclear plants and inexpensive energy for everyone.
This is my son’s field and I have become convinced this is the way to go. Gone of the days of horrid fall out and pollution with the 1970 plants with these babies. The key is small with good safeguards. We SO need to get out of fossil fuels. I am not sure why people cannot see the whole nuc stop is fueled by the oil industry.
An EV vehicle. I am determined that we will make it a few more years with what we have, but am saving for an EV. There is rumor that a small nuclear plant will be available in our are, so there will be electricity to support an EV. Either nuclear or hydro- I don’t want to support an EV vehicle using electricity produced by fossil fuel.
Paying taxes on miles driven rather then oil used. I know this will give up some personal freedom of tracking my miles, but I think this makes more sense. To me it would help states take a better look at EV.
Not seeing the horrid windmills on the tops of our mountains for California energy. California says it is going green- but it is through the destruction of the land and birds (and waters) in the western states near them.
Buying 50-70% of my foods and clothing from local people. My grandmother only had a few dresses all of her retired life. Why do I need more? Food is easier. I pay a higher price, but my foods have less and less preservatives. Meats are key. Few if no “company meat”. I appreciate people who are vegan. We enjoy much smaller cuts that are local.We have found a few restaurants that also are about local. If not local- things grown or made in North America. I’ve done research and have been shocked at how much of our diet is grown here- but processed overseas.
Common discourse. No shaming, name calling, just a good discussion on what is going on and how to fix it. Or enjoy it. I think this is the least likely thing to happen. I am trying to break my own habit. It isn’t easy. So much easier to degrade someone then to look at why and how the other person does or thinks things.
Last year was a complete crazy time.
Now it is time to really get things in line.
I live in the West now, close to streams and mountains. A frozen tundra right now- it is amazing.
Spiritually
Get back to reading the Bible (or listening to it) every day
Attend a physical Church twice a month
Tithe to the small Spanish mission church in the next town
Work on daily prayer - include prayer beads for meditation
Physically
Find a GP and go to them!
Figure out why my elbow is out of sorts
Walk or exercise daily for an hour
Continue to lose weight - 20 down - 60 to go- I can do it.
Find healthy foods that satisfy my sweet tooth
Learn to cook on the dutch over (that means setting it up, doing the fire as well as the actual food)
Financially
Finish the lawn and begin my gardens
Begin buying twenty pounds of rice a month for the mission church
Finish sinking fund for a new truck in 2023 or 2024
Continue monthly contributions to travel fund and grand's education
Give each family a membership to someplace fun
Start Pensions and Medicare on my birthday.
Start reinvesting money
Save at 15- 20% monthly for nest egg for future fun. Spend it when the fun shows up.
Write and sign new wills
Travel
Go somewhere every month-
Phoenix, Baltimore, Yellowstone, San Diego, Honolulu are all on the "almost paid for" list. What else?
Consider, fully, purchasing a small camp trailer for a trip to Alaska in the summer.
Begin planning 2023 trip to Ancestral homelands
Learn to
Speak better Spanish
Paint
Try a new recipe every month
Limit my use of
Costco
Amazon
Find a
Social Group to do things with.
Time weekly to spend with my sister in law
Stayed home until I traveled to Phoenix for my nephew
Lost my nephew and my dear Aunt in February
Lost my mind in March
Lost - well sold- our home in April
Cleared out house in May
Lost- well moved- our state in June
Homeless in Motel Six in July and August
Joined our kid’s families for my Mom’s 91st in July
Moved into our house in August
Lost twenty pounds
Journeyed back East in late September
Worked on the dirt (yard) through October
Son in law lost his step father in law
Pulled off Thanksgiving with Mom in November
Back East for Christmas.
Snowed in ( and choosing quarantine ) for New Years.
GLAD to be home!
