Long Time, no talk

Hello Dear blog readers,

I often wonder if there are any of you left? Since I persist in neglecting you all so much.... what can I really tell you? It's been an awful, and challenging year, and although we are hanging in there, it is pretty hard to keep up with a lot of things.

So, here is the update:

We made it through the Summer, and Dad's birthday, and all the patriotic holidays that hit me straight in the heart. We made it through Thanksgiving and Christmas, with some dear friends around us.

We are generally still sad, but there are good days and tougher ones.

My Mother is doing pretty well. She was a bit sick in December and January, whatever stomach/flu thing going around. It is taking her a lot longer to recover than it used to. She is ok, and doing her normal winter hibernation- she hates to go out in the cold, and I am watching her pretty closely.  She is one strong lady.

Keith is still fighting the back issue. There are a lot of positives- he has had 3 lumbar injections, he is off the walker, he is walking - albeit slowly and carefully. He has made it 1 year past the lung operation on 2/5/19 for the spontaneous pneumo-thorax ( collapsed lung) - his 3rd in his life. He is not smoking cigarettes. He has gained weight, much to his chagrin- although he is still shaped much like a pencil with broad shoulders.  All of this diagnosis, and treatment has made him unable to work for the past year. I worry, as he is bored, and concerned to try and do things, that may undue any good the treatment has provided. We just celebrated 16 years together, and we both agree, this past year has been the most challenging. We love each other very much.

Me? Well, I'm hanging in there. By a thread some days. Work is going pretty well. I'm still at the hotel.  I haven't been doing much if any crafting- my big push was for a show last November with Creekside Creations- where I made a bunch of canvases with chalk couture products, and I had a great day. My friends came out to support me, and I plan on doing it again this year. I feel.... very pressured all the time. The financial burden of the household is on me, and it is a challenge. I started taking Zumba last year, and I'm down 37 pounds. Bad news is, I was a lot heavier than I realized. So for the next 16 weeks I have joined a Fitness challenge, where I commit to going to the gym 3 times a week, and adhering to their meal plan. We will see.  I have been reorganizing the house, trying to get rid of unneeded items, and bring in a little extra money. I have been focused on not spending, couponing, and trying to get healthier.  I am struggling with the grief sometimes. I make it out to see Dad and Bob once a month. I miss them both everyday. Sometimes , I just cry, for no reason, or every reason. I take a little medication to help me, and I do not like that, but it is necessary.
I would like to start up my old YouTube channel again, and start making things. That always helped me. It's all time and money and discipline, and I have a lot on my plate.

I do have a few promises out there to make some memory books , one for a dear friend who lost her Mother , and I could do one for Dad and another for Bob. It might help.
This grief stuff is for the birds, you just don't know what will help you, until you try.

I try and have a happy memory of Dad everyday. He was such a happy person. I figure it's the least I can do.

I will try and figure out how to do some videos and maybe get back in the swing of things.

I miss you all, and you are thought of often.

Keep well.

Hugs,
Laurel