Each year I try to summarize my year whether good or bad…..here goes!
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I turned 56 years old
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I interviewed for a job in near San Francisco that didn’t pan out
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I spent almost 2 weeks of this past year in the hospital
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I had a cancer scare
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I had colon surgery where the surgeon removed 12 inches of my lower colon
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I became slightly hooked on pain pills for the first time in my life (I’m clean now)
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I started training for the Chicago Marathon 3 weeks after major surgery.
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I sadly went a whole year without seeing my sisters (Barb, Janice, Bev) and
brother (Barry)
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I spent another year enjoying my grandchildren which I never take for
granted
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I was blessed another year with a son and daughter in law who are doing a good job raising the most important things in my life and keeping them healthy and
happy
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I was rewarded with another year loving and being loved by my furry children (Peyton and Eli)
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I had my DNA tested and found out that I’m 36% British, 25% Irish, 19% Western European, 9% Eastern European, 6% Scandinavian, 2% Iberian Peninsula and not a
smitch of Native American blood which I grew up believing that I did
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I was pleased to spend another year with my best friend, playmate and lover (Kevin)
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I ran my 2nd marathon in a beautiful, big city…Love Chicago! (Chicago Marathon)
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I spent time with, ran with and ran the freaking Chicago Marathon with a good friend whom I had never met in person before this year.
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I experienced a Lou Malnati’s pizza in Chicago
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I stood under the Big Bean in Chicago
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I spent another year in love
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I visited Buddy Holly’s crash site in Clear Lake, Iowa
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I was less fit than the year before
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I unfortunately became more unhealthy
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I continually realized how lucky I am that I met and married Kevin
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I had a tough, frustrating and rewarding summer training for the Chicago Marathon
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I spent another 8 days in my favorite place in the world…Santa Cruz!!
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I hiked in a forest of Redwoods and touched a Sequoia
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I enjoyed the wild and crazy election season!
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I was jubilant that the crime family didn’t get into power on the Nov 8 election (I still pinch myself over this)
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I continue to realize that our current government has betrayed us deliberately
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I was surprised when my son penned a Mother’s Day post to me that made me cry. I never thought it possible.
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I ran on beaches in California including a yearly 4k along the coastline on trails
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I sat and listened to sea lions bark for hours again (one of my favorite California things)
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I watched a Los Lobos concert while riding a sky lift over a boardwalk
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I continue to believe that my dogs make me a better human being
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I felt myself aging quickly this year
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I still grieved over losing Jimmy
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I missed Tennessee badly
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I came to believe that the country has become irreparably divided by race
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I feared for our protectors…135 police officers died in 2016…up 250% from prior year
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I was lucky to still have a job that pays well
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I lost 2 cousins this year who died way too young
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I was paid for an article that I wrote about my weight loss and running journey as a contributing writer to an online health magazine and have an offer to write another.
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I lived another year in both my home in Columbia, Mo and an apartment in St. Louis, Mo
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I spent the best week of my year with Daniel at Camp MyMy in Columbia
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I visited Daniel at his Summer Camp…his first
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I gave money to charities and not a single penny to a politician
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I ran my favorite races this year (Run for Your Beads, St. Patrick’s Day 5 Miler, Macklind Mile and the Chicago Marathon)
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I dropped out of a Half Marathon (Go! St. Louis) due to health. It’s the first time that I registered and paid for a race that I didn’t run
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I cherished another “Grand-Friends” day at Daniel’s school
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I spent more money on dogs this past year than people and that makes me feel good
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I watched the “Nutcracker Ballet Live” with Sadie and Allison
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I enjoyed another year at Mardi Gras in St. Louis with Kevin and didn’t get as drunk as the year before
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I cried when Alan Rickman died
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I was sad when David Bowie, Meryl Haggard, Prince, Gene Wilder, Carrie Fisher and George Michael died
This has been a rollercoaster ride of a year for sure. For the most part, I enjoyed it. But a quote from one of my all-time favorite movies “Parenthood” – the one with Steve Martin, not that knock off crap show, sums up the 2016 ride ~
I continue to be blessed more than I deserve. I never take that for granted. My life is far from perfect but without the downs, the ups would not seem as special. I never forget that. My only hope for 2017 is that my friends, family and I stay active and healthy.
I am very optimistic about 2017 both for the country and for myself.
2017……bring it!