I guess I just have to break it down into manageable bits - trying to remember way back to January... For family & friends, we saw family this year, when we trekked to Kentucky for Memorial Day and the big Criner Family party, and saw my family the following day. Then the boys & I headed to N. Carolina during the summer, while the Big Kid played on his Super Y league. And just this past week, the boys & I again headed out, due to yet more soccer, to Florida, where the boys got to see their grandma for the first time in several years - they were little kids the last time she saw them!
I lost my constant companion of 20 years this year; Booger entered my life in Clovis, NM, in 1989, and traveled the road with me from there, to Box Elder, SD, to Ohio (3 different places), and then finally here to N. Georgia. Deciding it was time to put him to rest was the hardest thing I have ever done. But in hindsight, I probably should have done it sooner - I just couldn't. Not long after that, we lost Zeke, too. Considering he had cheated death when he was a kitten - and probably numerous times after - we were surprised when he really started to go downhill this year. Beanie became the sole survivor - and damn proud of it. But then we added another ingredient to the mix that is our house - the New Dog. It took us 6 months to figure out his name, but now that we have, he is called DumbChuck :) Because you can never have enough chaos in your house, you know. Or never enough animal smells, apparently....
We played a LOT of soccer, I had a temporary break with sanity and volunteered to manage the Big Kid's team (which was such a huge PITA - you have to remind me of it next year), and I took a helluva lot of pictures this year! You might've seen a couple of them :) Work was work, every single day, and trying to stay afloat was even more work.But we made it through, relatively unscathed, and had a good Christmas AND pulled off the Florida trip without too many bumps along the way....
The needlework community lost a bright, shiny star this year when Marc Davis of Needlemania passed away completely unexpectedly. We had been waiting to hear the news about his partner - and got it concerning Marc instead. Poor George - I hope he is doing well, though I know their poodles, the Girls, had to find new homes, as George is permanently a nursing home resident now.
Much closer to home, and just such an incredible loss, was my friend Lori Mihalko, just last week. It is still unreal to me; I am so deeply saddened, and my heart goes out to those adorable girls, and to her husband. I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to know her as long as I did; she was an amazing person, and if I could be half as strong as she was, and inspire even one person the way Lori inspired so many others, then I would live a fulfilling life. I will miss her.
I had an amazing year in needlework - none of the stellar finishes of last year, like two TWs in one year - that will be hard to top. But some great finishes nonetheless - BoInk, which really is one of the neatest ideas I have ever seen, and a true joy to work on (except maybe that never ending border :) ); not one, but two Long Dog pieces from Foursome Reel, one of them over-1 on 36ct; a small TW, Medieval Miniature; my very first Chatelaine finish, albeit a small one - MMM03, the companion to MTM. And lots of other things here & there. I framed several pieces, and I made my first biscornu and pinkeeps - I didn't get to a mailart this year, but hope to this coming year. I also participated in my first ever Round Robin, which we have all agreed was a resounding success, and plan to be part of one for the new year, as well :) And then there was Boo! Club, which I was compelled to do; there was a minor snafu with the fabric, which I chose to live with, in my impatience to get started, but all in all, it came out wonderfully, and is in the next To Be Framed pile :)
I had several great starts, as well. I started Medieval Town Mandala on January 1st, and have to say that it is my favoritest project to date :) I also started Chat Noir, in tribute to my old cat, and Celtic Banner, which is one of the first designs that really grabbed me when I first saw it on that new Internet thing years ago. I did something I've never done before, and restarted a project - AD's Samplar 4 Saisons; I really hated the fabric I had it on, so I got new, better fabric, and started over, and now it's in the rotation :)
Other things just kept clicking along. TW's English Garden Sampler saw some sporadic progress, and I finally reached the huge milestone of finishing the top row of pages on SQ Lady & Unicorn. I am moving towards the end (i.e. over half-way) on Knotgarden, and am making small but steady progress on a piece I am finishing for Lyne. And other things really wanted my attention, but I just haven't had nearly the time I would like on them - Tanglewood, World Tree, Noah's Sub, Marquoir Ancient Vert et Mauve. I have another Halloween piece that is close to finishing, so I can get next year's two Halloween projects going next summer/fall, with a clear conscience :) You know, if work and all this soccer stuff would just stop intruding on my time, I could get so much more done! I've already mostly cut housework out of the equation, since it's pretty pointless around here....
It's been a crazy-busy year. I can't remember the last time I was this tired. But I do have some things to show for it, so maybe all the work and running around and everything will be of benefit later :) For all the hard times I've had this year, I've had as many, or more, equally great times - I guess you can't ask for more than that. I've had a great time with my kids this year, in between wanting to throttle them, and cherish my friendships even more than I did a few weeks ago. Here's hoping 2010, the beginning of a new decade, is better than 2009, and maybe a bit less chaotic? Less brain-draining maybe? Just a little quieter maybe. Less miles driven would be great :) I wish everyone peace and happiness in the New Year, and I look forward to what this year will bring! I am going to ring the new year in on Beach Time, myself....
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