52 Notes

At the end of 2024 when I was (and many of us were) still reeling from what had just happened in our United States of America (the November election) I read somewhere on social media about an idea that gave me hope.

Write one note a week about something positive and/or happy that happened to you that week, fold the note and put it in a jar. At the end of the year read the weekly notes – all 52 of them; you might be surprised what you learn.

I’m big on projects and little on follow thru. But I did it. I wrote a note about something positive that I experienced every week. Some weeks it was a stretch to find something; some weeks I noted more than one thing.

Today I opened all the notes and read them. Some were surprising. Some were touching. Some made me laugh. They all brought back memories.

I broke them down into categories.

#1 Not surprisingly over 52 weeks I enjoyed time with friends and family (some from afar) 26 times. Lunches and brunches and many art shows and concerts and holidays. And laughter – lots of laughter.

#2 Again, not surprisingly was time spent with and devoted to my “Many Paws” – Sugar, Teddi, Kobie, Kona, Kazz, Hana, Hilo and Kukki. There were many Vet visits, many pharmacy runs intermingled with cuddles and laughter and the very sweetness of them just being. Of course the year ended with the devastating loss of Teddi but even in that I found gratitude for the compassion of the medical professionals and the comfort of friends and family all of whom were so supportive. 

#3 was time spent outdoors, often enjoying the beautiful weather in my beautiful Colorado. Walks listening to books. Walks with Sugar in her stroller. Walks with my camera. Walks with a friend when I was grieving. Sitting on the deck in the early hours of a summer morning reading and listening to birds, watching the squirrels, rabbit and the occasional little mouse scatter about.

#4 centered around my volunteer days as a shelter photographer and the time spent with the cats there who became so dear to me and gave me purpose. And time spent with colleagues there who have become dear to me as well.

#5 was the health issues I encountered and being ever so grateful for good doctors who guided me back to health. The health I do not take for granted and am extremely grateful for. As I age I am aware of the things I need to do and things I need not to do.

#6 was my home life ~ simple things like cooking a warm soup on a chilly night, making a fresh salad on a summer day, baking cookies for friends (and for me). Organizing my home and feeling good about slowly but surely purging and decluttering. Nesting as the winter approached.

#7 coming in as a last positive note was writing again. I started a new blog which, in retrospect, I didn’t need to do. I had a pretty good one going here so I’ll probably merge them at some point this year.

It was a really good exercise and one that I will continue in 2026. I am also adding that, me the photographer who forgets to take pictures of anything other than flowers and cats, am going to up my game on photographing more memories, more people in my life and the things we share.

What this experience has shown me is what a blessed life I am living and the importance of gratitude.

Life is a series of thousands of tiny miracles. Take notice of them. 

Three Things

Long time no blog.

Maybe it was just too hard to return and see A-choo's precious face in my last post.  Or maybe life got busy. Whatever the case I'll give it another go. 

I have good intentions with every new year. So on the eve of 2016 ~ here we go.

I woke early today feeling inspired. I long ago gave up making New Years Resolutions. I prefer to call them Goals. Same thing I guess, but goals seem more achievable. What I thought about this morning although seemed less like goals and more like a shift in attitude.

I now aspire to do three things each morning: Positive Thought(s), Positive Action(s) and Gratitude.  By this I mean I plan to start each day by jotting down a positive thought for the day, followed by positive action (my plan for the day) and three things I am grateful for. Easy peasy. But I do think it will set the day off on a good foot.

I dug out an empty journal (I collect them with good intentions...) and made my notes. 

Awake and inspired, with puppies sleeping at my feet I picked up a book from my bedside table. It is one I started a few months ago and never finished. I don't allow myself a lot of reading time so saving reading for nighttime is a mistake. I always fall asleep two pages in. 

The book I grabbed just happened to be another inspiration ~ "the life-changing magic of tidying up" by Marie Kondo. A timely read as January is typically when I think about things like tidying up. 

Only a few chapters in I found myself nodding in agreement with the thoughts on the pages. It comes down to three things (there's that three things thing again...): 

Discard (read that ~ get rid of a lot of stuff you don't even realize you have), Store (read that as things you really need like ~ oh I don't know ~ food and clothing) and keep only things that bring you joy (that one is self-explanatory).

That last thought resonated with me because ironically I had just heard it last night. In an episode of  "Transparent" Shelley (the Mom character brilliantly played by Judith Light) was in the process of a major purge and reorganization of her home. Her daughter, Ali, (the fabulous Gaby Hoffman) was upset that her Mother had tossed out some of her childhood art. Shelley's response? "It didn't bring me joy."

Boom. There it is. Surround yourself only with things that bring you joy. And as I looked around the room I saw a lot of "things" that are just that - things. They don't necessarily bring me joy; they just kind of take up space. And I am reminded of something I learned in photography ~ there is something to be said for negative space. 

On that note ~ I will leave you with someone who's space is positive (usually...) and definitely brings me joy.

Cheers!

Time Love and Tenderness

The saga continues...

Pretty in pink I guess.  

It was re-check time today. The good news is - first of all - I am getting to know my nurse and PA and I like them both very much. There's something nice about feeling comfortable enough to joke around or be serious ~ and to be absolutely completely honest with each other. Now that was a freeing feeling for me - someone who has always been somewhat intimidated by the medical profession. It probably helps being my - ahem... age - but also having an awesome niece who herself is an ER doctor.  Knowing her since she was 16 it is so heartwarming to have followed her path and her successes. She overcame incredible obstacles to get to where she is today and I am so proud of her. Y

But I digress.

So some of the issues are showing improvement; some are deemed nothing to worry about. But one pesky little issue needs some further investigation. So in a couple of weeks I have a date with a 45 minute needle in my neck!  Oh joy.  What fun! And again - could be something; could be nothing.

But I refuse to worry.

Or stop being goofy.

Or lose my sense of humour.

Or stop walking.

Or stop working.

Or stop renewing my love affair with The West Wing.  The most brilliantly written, excellently cast, beautifully acted television show ever.  

Or celebrating life.

When my PA read my very detailed blood pressure measuring 

spreadsheet (which she said was - very, very good - 

great information and I said, I'm a little OCD),

she said, "I see that your BP goes down 

when you have a glass of wine 

and spend time with your husband. 

Talk to your husband more and drink more wine!"

I looked at her and wanted to kiss her.

Then she said, "Oh no, no... not so much the wine."

So I drank champagne.

I was reminded on my way home from the clinic that I tend to have musical mantras that define certain times in my life.  I've had my Jackson Browne time.  And my Billy Joel days and more...

I was and always will be a Parrothead.  I know just about every lyric to every Jimmy Buffett song EVER.  Years ago when he played at Red Rocks Amphitheatre he dedicated this song  to me.  I don't remember why. But it is a sweet memory.

Sometimes life takes you on paths you don't see coming ~ could never predict. In 1991 Michael Bolton got me thru my divorce.

So when I was driving home today - assimilating all that I had learned in the last 30 minutes - Lenny popped up in my iPod. And I thought - ok then. That is the mantra for now.  Dammit. Stand up to whatever comes your way, baby.

Sweet dreams, peeps.