2009 has been a mixed bag.
The bad:
We moved my folks out from Florida this summer and it's been one stressor after another. My sister & I are carrying most of the weight of dealing with my mother's dementia--that is, after my dad. I'm sleeping less well, having a harder time eating right and exercising as much as I should, and can't bring myself to write hardly at all. All I can think about is how hard the next few years are going to be.
My dad's older sister died in October, at 86. She had 11 kids and too many grandchildren to count, and she was entirely awesome.
I've had it with my neighborhood and want to sell and move at least a quarter-mile away, but this is the wrong time to sell a starter house in a transitional neighborhood. The boss I liked, and who looked out for me, moved to Washington and left me with the MicroManager and a workplace full of unhappy people.
The good:
My oldest brother's surprise 50th birthday party went off without a hitch, and it was pretty awesome. All my siblings are healthy and successful.
I got some skiing in. My job survived the reorganization. I still love telling people what I do. I have continued to run 3-5 times/week, and re-started my climbing gym membership. My baby niece & nephew are adorable and doing well. All of my employed family members have continued their employment.
I went to Peru for an awesome trip and had a lovely time hiking the Inca Trail, drinking Pisco sours, and visiting with llamas, alpacas, vicunas, and three other women I met via online fandom.
I don't have a lot of hope for 2009, other than to give me the stamina to get through it.
Sorry to delete, but thought better to not let everything hang out. I'm much more conservative in the morning, it's weird. Pretty sure my international misadventures qualify as avoiding comittment, but still. Pretty fun and good lord, I am crazy sometimes. It surprises me.
Sarameg, I am of one mind with you when it comes to travel shenanigans. Shame I haven't had any of those trips in a while. But last time was with my parents too.
Hahah! Man, it's hard to keep a straight face when discussing those trips, no?
We were sharing a hotel room! To this day I have no idea what or if they suspected.
I at least had my own room; insisted on it. Not like the shenanigans happened there. Especially not when the shenanigan in question put me in a room right next to my parents. Um, NO?
Wow, all of my shenanigans are firmly away from parents. I think they still wondered if I was a lesbian until I moved in with Dan. Despite conversations that included the words "Are you asking if I'm a lesbian? Because I would tell you if I were."
Then again, I've never traveled with my parents.
Takes a strong....something to travel with parents. I've done it twice as an adult and had one hormonal hell meltdown and one make-my-momma-cry episode (and I really, really do not get the latter.)
Good news is, best armed for future travel. Bad news is...well, that part sucked. I got over it.
My parents are totally confused by me. And that's fine. Brother does grandkids. I do...me.
There was an article in a very recent mag (not sure if it was Outside, Backpacking, Frommer's Budget Travel, or Nat'l Geo Adventure) about how many women end up having flings when they travel by themselves, and that often, married women end up leaving their husbands over it.
And - joining the sorority of fling-ers here!
