2012

Happy New Year Everyone!

I was pretty disappointed in my lack of posts at the end of the year. I really wanted to do better. I would wake up in the middle of the night with the best ideas, plan it all out in my head and by morning, it was gone. I'm sure you're saying, why didn't you get up and write it down. I've tried that before, and when I do, I can't go back to sleep. So, I am giving up ideas for sleep is what it sounds like! Since my sleep is often given up to hot flashes (or "power surges" as one friend calls it) I don't like to give up much more!

I was overwhelmed with our trip to Australia, and quite frankly it took a lot to get back to normal after that trip. It pretty much took the wind out of my sails if you will. But, it was worth every minute -- it just came at a bad time of the year, but it was the only time we could go and did I mention IT WAS WORTH IT?

I don't usually do the traditional resolution thing at the new year. Why should you have to wait for a new year to make a change? If you need to make a change, you need to make a change. I'm not sure I'm up to "changing" things this year, that probably isn't within my power -- or at least the things I would like to change are not. But, I need to be better about some things. ....but don't we all.

I want to be a better friend. I don't want to keep saying "we shouldn't wait so long to get together" -- I just need to make it happen. A few of my friends have kind of gone by the wayside this past year. That saddens me some. I wonder why that is. Do our friendships run in cycles? Do we just not work hard enough at it? Is it maybe the friendship wasn't meant to be? Has the friendship run its course? Am I to blame? I get the feeling people don't want to be around me as much anymore. That's kind of hard to come to terms with but what bothers me more is not knowing. If those that choose not to be friends any longer would just admit it or bring it to a close, rather than leaving that faint hint of welcome in their voice it would be so much better. I know that is hard to do, but I'd rather just know why it is the friendship has ended. We have invested a lot of time over the years and to just let something go without paying attention to it is sad. I don't know what else to say about that.

Another thing I want to work on is to be better to myself. I need to pace myself better. I need to let things go more easily. It's hard to admit you can't do something that you could do all your life -- I just need to let go! I'd like to do more public speaking on behalf of Azlheimer's so if there is a group you think I could talk to -- let me know.

I'm grateful for a lot last year. My family's health has stayed about the same (not gotten worse thankfully), there have been many new babies born to bring a smile to my face, my son and daughter-in-law have moved "back home", I got a new knee and lots of help from friends when I was going through that ordeal. I read Dr. Mary Cail's book, The All-Weather Friend’s Guide to Alzheimer’s Disease and everyone dealing with someone with Alzheimer's should read it. I've stayed active on Alzheimer's Association's boards. Our Walk to End Alzheimer's reached its targeted goal of $75,000 raised. And, of course, the aforementioned "trip".

The bucket list got a little shorter this year, but I'm thinking of adding more things to it. There really can be no end to your bucket list if you really think about it -- there is always something you want to do. I've been very fortunate all in all. I'm still pretty active physically even though not as much mentally -- but I'm hanging in there.

Thanks for all your support. I'm going to try to be better about blogging in this new year.