Happy New Year to All

jeez, a whole month has passed since I last wrote. That's what December (=Holidays) does to me every year: derails, distracts, confuses. How am I supposed to be spending my time? Cultural traditions demand one thing (and I enjoy a lot of it), commitments and emotions another. Pulls in different directions. We got my father moved into an independent living situation that helps keep my mind off his safety and welfare, though it's still important to see him. Long therapeutic walks, physical therapy, daily exercises as well as other therapies all take time. Long hours sitting in the car tend to set my healing back by days at a time; that's demanding physically. Standing is still painful after a few hours. The return to where I was is taking time, though last night when we were curling I was able to use the slide delivery again and to do some sweeping which I attrubute to the cranialsacral therapy I had yesterday. Amazing! I am headed, finally, to the studio today. This will feel normal, I hope. I'm looking forward to the winter working in my studio, preparing for a solo show I will have in the summer of 2012 at Aarhus Gallery in Belfast. I'll be teaching a few workshops, too, in the spring, so stay tuned for that!

December 1

Wow, already December. I have just harvested the last of the broccoli from our garden--unheard of so late in the year! (The deer fortunately left us the tiny tender sideshoots, prefering the coarser stalks. We had seven in our back field last night.) I walked along Appleton Ridge this morning with my neighbors and their dogs, so much more fun than walking alone, so many more laughs. Feeling blessed to live here among such wonderful people. Spending the week printing and writing Christmas cards and sending out a end-of-year holiday type letter. It seemed appropriate this year to attempt to sum up what Bart refers to as the "wacky" nature for us of the last calendar year.