Happy New Year to Everyone

 As we say goodbye to 2022 and prepare to say hello to 2023.  Was it a good year for you.

Generally for us it has not been too bad a year.  For me I had my gall bladder removed, and then ended up with an infection later on. Then celebrated my 63rd birthday by travelling down to Cornwall. This was the best bit of the year for me was being able to spend about 14 weeks of the summer months in my beloved Cornwall. I hope we get back there again soon.  I would very much live there if I could.  Never say never,  and "one day" as my Dad used to say - it will be.  Fingers crossed and toes plaited.  That is my dream as I just love the countryside down there, the light and the slower pace of life. Until then I will holiday down there when I can even if it means going without other things to spend time down there.

We have had the full spectrum of weather this year, going from drought to really bad snowfall for many and every variation in between. Perhaps a taste of what is yet to come.

Then we have had Covid, the immunisation programmes, Covid restrictions being lifted, fuel prices going up and there being a shortage of fuel, war in Ukraine, fuel energy prices going up astronomically, and everything else going up as a result. People really struggling with food and with heat and concerned with what has yet to come.  All we can do is to keep plodding on and do what we can to get through and to help each other where we can.  It is about the getting through at the end of the day.  Experience is always a good Teacher too, although not necessarily the lessons we would wish for ourselves, friends or loved ones, but lessons that stay with us.

In my younger years, I used to go out and about on New Year's Eve.  G has never been into New Year celebrations and so I have either gone to friends or in latter years seen in the New Year on my own, which is probably what will happen tonight.  I am hopeful that things will settle down again for everyone in the New Year, that remains to be seen.  However as we see this old year out, I am grateful for the good times and the memories, friends and family who I do have in my life.  We all have different pathways and different ways of progressing on our own individual journeys and sometimes things take longer in arriving, usually with good reason.  We cannot always organise or manage things how we want them to happen, sometimes things have to evolve and arrive in their own particular way.  It also does not do us good as individuals to get everything our own way!  We can try, but we cannot always have it all.

I am at home in the warm (the heating is not on all the time and only on eco to take the edge off things unless absolutely necessary when the temperature is increased).  It is a wet and cold evening and I have not strayed far from the house at all in the past few weeks.  I hibernate in winter months.

However, I do want to wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year, with health, wealth and lots of peace.  I also want to thank you for reading my blog over the past year and for the friendships I have made along the way.  Remember,

"Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is the gift, that is why it is called the present".

Breathe, be present, give yourself permission and let the journey of life make your heart sing.

Catch you on the other side.

Pattypan

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