Farewell 2018.

How ironic it is to be ending the year with blog post #2018. Not planned, just how it fell in to place. 

What was 2018 like for our family? Other than my mom falling and shattering her pelvis, which turned in to an almost 8 week stay in the big City hospital, this year was a lovely one for the most part. A few hiccups here and there but that's what makes life what it is. To end off 2018, here were some nice highlights:

* I've made great progress in working with my board ~ an ongoing process that is taking a ton of energy but worth the time to get to where we want to be

* I received an unexpected promotion in my job at hospice, along with a sweet and very welcome raise

* We were invited to Ottawa to speak in the House of Commons ~ the whole trip was unbelievable, an honor we could not have imagined and one we'll always cherish

* Our granddaughter is finally old enough to sleep at gramma and grampa's and we've now had 4 sleepovers

* We worked very hard on our landscaping, getting our grass in, creating a better walk way, contracting out a deck to extend our back porch, creating a pergola, moving the fire pit over so there was more room for the deck, and the best of all these: creating our veggie patch with 8 raised garden beds, a white picket fence and a successful first harvest with strawberries, pumpkins (white and orange), peas, beans, onions, zuccini and tons of beets

* We bought crown moulding for the house (to go up soon), we put up blinds on the upper level and are currently receiving quotes for the main level, we finished up most of our art studio (2 lights and drawer pulls to be installed still), we organized the garage so we can finish off the shelving this coming Spring for dh's workshop and we made plans for some minor but helpful changes in 2019 ~ new benches for the mudroom, new shelves for our master bedroom walk in closet and more landscaping plans, including a greenhouse ~ we hope for this long awaited dream

There were moments that were hard and unexpected but amazing moments too. We had several successful events and a fantastically popular and financially viable Fringe show .... now we're on to our next project: the creation of an annual music and arts festival for our community. It's happening and all of council and our mayor are on board with support and proposed funding. Our hospice will be built this year (old building coming down and new one going up) and life is looking rosy for 2019 so far. It's always like walking on egg shells as we venture in to the New Year. Will it be a good year? Will it be a hard year? Always a mix of both, so off we go, on a new adventure!

Wishing you and your family a beautiful 2019!

~ Chy