Catching Up

I am way behind on posting on this blog. 

Life has been very hectic this year, and when I have free time I have pretty much been quilting and watching old episodes of Hell's Kitchen over updating the blog.

Adding a grief group facilitator to my list of responsibilities beginning in the end of February meant another night of the week I was booked for 13 weeks.  I was one of three facilitators and I must say the whole experience was a roller coaster of emotions.  To end the sessions and then be told that you "made a huge difference in my life" was very rewarding when I wasn't sure how things were going in the sessions.

Another night of the week has been taken up with a quilting club, that I never intended to join.  I joined out of guilt after several people invited me to the club  It is a great group to be in and I love all the ladies and the laughter, but the project is straight from hell.  Despite all the errors that were made in the beginning, we have made a group quilt and are currently hand quilting the blocks and sashings.  Sometimes it feels like we will never be finished, especially since several women have dropped out due to health issues that have cropped up during this project.  Once the quilt is done, we will turn it into a sit and sew group and I am sure I will enjoy it much more.  It will be designated time to work on my projects.

Work has been extremely busy the last few weeks as I have been participating in the transitioning out of my old boss and transitioning in the new boss.  So far I am really pleased with my new boss.  She will definitely be part of my "be the change" this year.  She has already shown that she appreciates me and my abilities.

As for how am I doing on the "Be the Change " part of my year, I think I am doing okay.  I have been stepping out of my comfort zone by taking on a facilitator's position, joining an outside group, and today I went to a 4th of July brunch where I only knew the hostess and her husband, and I have only known them for a week. (It was at my home of my new boss.)  I have not behaved as a wallflower at any of these events.  In fact this morning I tried to go up and introduce myself as each new person entered since it was a come and go event. I have also signed up for an upcoming event, that I have avoided in the past.

Unfortunately, one of my buddies passed away on June 26.  He was 89.  I am happy I was able to visit him several times before he was no longer aware of who was in the room.  He sang to me one day, and we were able to exchange "I love you's."  I will miss seeing him. 

This weekend will be the wedding of one of the boys who has been in and out of my house since he was in 3rd grade.  The great thing about it is I love his fiancee and she spends a lot of time here too.  So they will not be going out of my life, it will just be a different relationship for all of us.  

One other catching up point and it will be bedtime for me.  I have decided to go back to Alaska on another cruise.  The price was right, the timing was right, and since it is a known factor to it there won't be a lot of stress attached to the trip.  I am not planning on doing a lot of excursions, but I am planning on detoxing a lot of stress out of my body.  This time there will be a verandah off the cabin, and a couple of different cities.  Loni will be traveling with me.  Unfortunately, Mina and Stan are already booked on their trips and will not be joining us.  The boys will be in school, but I already told the youngest he never had to travel with me again, and I told the oldest that he would have to pay his own way from now on.  

Tomorrow is a new day in more ways than one.  I am looking forward to seeing what will happen.