More cards! Received from Kristin and Drew, Zenkitty, Laura, and Sue! My stair rail of cards is looking really good. I signed up for a card exchange with all my twitter figure skating friends and the sheer variety of cards is bonkers. Next year I'm going to wrap a string of lights around them to show them off better.

I love how many cards I got this year! Including a bunch today! My mantle is overflowing, so thanks to so many of you!

I will have to get in on cards next year. If I start thinking about it now surely I'll be able to manage it...

If my 2018 was The Year Everything Changed, then my 2019 was The Year of Finding the New Normal. But it's only a temporary normal.

The divorce isn't officially final, but I think my lawyer will be ready to file shortly after the New Year. We signed the property settlement at the end of September, which means that I'm single for all practical purposes. I've adjusted to living on my own and the idea that I have to do things for myself. I've started getting out there again, and I'm dating a bit.

My balance problems were finally diagnosed, and treatments have started. I've had to get used to the idea that I have a chronic illness called CIDP (if you're familiar with Guillain-Barre, think a chronic version of that). The regular infusions were fairly easy to adjust to -- every fourth week, my mornings are taken up with IV infusions, and the worst of it is having the catheter in my arm all week. I'm used to the ankle braces now that I've found shoes that open wide enough to insert foot and brace at the same time. The physical therapy is helping -- today the therapist gave me the Berg balance test, and I scored a 25, or 55 percent limited (which is a lot better than the 8 I scored a few months ago).

I had to say goodbye to both my male cats this year. I'd kind of expected Coco to go ever since he was diagnosed with cancer in September 2017. But he made it until July of this year, which is a long time for a cat with cancer (even with aggressive treatment). I've talked about Coco so much in other threads, so I'll just repeat that I was Coco's human as much as he was my cat. I've heard the theory that Coco held on against the cancer until he was sure that I'd be okay without him.

Losing Joey in February was the surprise. He was a kidney donor for Arthur. His remaining kidney started to fail just as I came down with bronchitis, so by the time I was well enough to see that he was sick, it was too late.

On the bright side, Bally (Cat Ballou) came out of her shell. She has always attached herself to a male cat, and I figure that she was willing to attach herself to a male human once the male cats were gone.

Looking ahead, I've decided to retire in 2020. The plan is to retire at the end of the year, but I've given myself permission to retire sooner if I decide that I've had enough. Which means more changes coming up in my life.

Hi all! It's been a weird year (or couple of years) and I am waiting on some documents to be signed after the new year before making an official announcement of sorts. And apologies, but I've not yet sent any cards because I'm using my New Years cards to make the big announcement. I didn't foresee this or I'd not have signed up the cards exchange, but I am hoping people won't mind receiving mine a little later. 😊

I've totally enjoyed getting cards from people so thanks for doing the card exchange. If you have to send them later, no worries, javachik.

I really wish I'd had my shit together sufficiently this year to participate in the card exchange.

I didn't participate in the card exchange because our cards are picture cards without any room to write on, but I do have a couple extra if anyone wants one.

I'm not normally a card person, but the card exchange got me to actually send a few, and brought me great joy from the ones I got; I totally plan to send a few more as new years' cards, uhhh, real soon now.

(And for anyone who hesitated to join in: I don't think anyone has any problem with cards arriving after whatever holiday, or cards without a lot of personalization, or anything else like that! It's just lovely to hear from a bunch of friends at a dark time of the year! I would definitely do it again next year!)

I wanted to send more cards but I ran out—I thought 40 would be plenty but apparently I have more addresses than I realized. Oops.