Dear Family, Friends, and Diary,
(No pictures this time. My Lightroom library needs a complete reorganization, and I am not sure how to reorganize 25 years and 1.7 terabytes of stuff. Besides, we have been doing nothing picture-worthy!)
New Year's Eve had us host a small dinner with three neighbors - at our normal mid-afternoon time. Our party, our time, but everyone seemed OK with no late night celebrations. That's definitely a sign of aging.
On January 1, I tried to make a list of resolutions, but all I could think of were the same promises from previous years: lose weight, exercise, and travel to visit family, friends, and fun places. In retrospect, 2023 was pretty good for all these, except my weight jumped up measurably in November and December. Darn.
Where do we stand at the beginning of the year? The elephant-in-the-room is back and Marianne is facing care for her fourth round of cancer. She remains, for the most part, positive, as she faces more surgery and a new drug regime - one she will apparently need to stay on forever. We are hoping "forever" is as long as it sounds.
We watch current events with concern. Russia continues to batter our old home of Ukraine. It is hard to see how that conflict will end or even if it will end in our lifetimes. Conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, and the Far East seem equally intractable. And the prospect of 2024 US elections in a most divided country is locally discouraging. Where will things be a year from now?
Turning from gloom, what are we "following" that should be encouraging? Marianne continues to study and practice her art. Painting has been a welcome refuge and, for sure, that will continue in the new year. Exercising remains important for us; Marianne in Zumba classes and doing therapist-prescribed exercises, while I stick with walking, gardening, and strenuous Peloton sessions. In addition, we talk and meet with friends and family - more for Marianne than for me, but increasing is something I can add to my 2024 resolutions.
Marianne has added a specific resolution to talk youthfully and avoid references to age. The word "old" will be stricken from our vocabulary.
When we think of "fun", we continue to think of travel, so what might be doable this year? I would like a road trip or two, maybe for a car test in San Diego, an art workshop somewhere, and friends and family in Texas and Colorado. And then there is the absolute need to visit the East for Maryland family, Virginia and Maryland friends, and "new places". Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, Marianne will paint (once the elephant is pushed back behind the curtain again) and I will stay occupied with books, puzzles, and Spring gardening when it is time. I will also continue to spend more attention than I should to YouTube. (Current topics: Ukraine; electric transportation, Iceland volcanoes, rocket launches, and "technology".)
Here's hoping for peace in our time.
Stay tuned and write or call when you get a chance.
John and Marianne