Auld Lang Syne - It's A Wonderful Life!
2012 is coming to a close and it’s time for me to reflect about all that’s transpired over the past year. We had a fabulous, magical trip to Asia in March and visited Hong Kong, Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore. The highlights included visiting family in Singapore, hanging out with tigers and elephants in Thailand and experiencing the full moon festival in Hoi An, Vietnam while celebrating a friend’s 64th birthday.
I spent time in Alberta and Saskatchewan visiting friends and relatives and also got some time in Puerto Vallarta soaking up the sun and seeing friends. We also had friends and family come and visit us here. A trip to Hawaii in the fall ended up being put aside but hopefully that will happen in 2013.
We had a great Christmas with all the kids and grandkids around. We took them all to a friend's for a caroling hay ride (behind an old international flatdeck) on the 23rd followed by a bonfire and weiner roast. Then we took them to the Caravan Theatre on the 27th. It was just below freezing and snowing lightly and enough snow that they had the sleighs hooked up to the horses instead of the wagons. Very magical and the grandkids loved it!
We had a great Christmas with all the kids and grandkids around. We took them all to a friend's for a caroling hay ride (behind an old international flatdeck) on the 23rd followed by a bonfire and weiner roast. Then we took them to the Caravan Theatre on the 27th. It was just below freezing and snowing lightly and enough snow that they had the sleighs hooked up to the horses instead of the wagons. Very magical and the grandkids loved it!
Life is like a roller coaster ride so there were a few curves and dips to deal with over the year too. All I can do is move forward because I can’t change the past. I feel very privileged to have some wonderful friends in my life that have been there for me this year.
Dealing with life’s challenges always turns into a time of growth for me. I put my brain in gear once again and developed a course to teach instructors who want to Teach English as a Second Language (TESL). It’s been very rewarding and my first students are great! This is something that has been a work in progress since 2005. I have a good friend in Saskatchewan keeping me on track with course content.
I’m currently taking a medical break from work.... but I love doing the job I have, working with people with disabilities. It is also the perfect position to continue working at as I carry out my other life plans. I hope to give back to the community a little more in 2013 too. Maybe there will be an opportunity to start some theatre sports or something to do with theatre and include people with disabilities and seniors who have musical or acting skills they would like to share. Just an idea, but everything new starts with "just an idea!"
Travel is an important part of my plan and I intend to do a lot more. I’ve seen quite a few places already, including my own country from sea to sea, but I still have a number of countries I want to see. Turkey, Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Ecuador are high on my list. I haven’t been to the White House or the Smithsonian Institute yet. Nor have I stood on top of the Empire State Building, or watched the Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, or seen the Christmas tree all lit up in Rockefeller Centre even though I’ve been to NYC and love it! I want to see the Sphinx in Egypt, check out Casablanca and experience the canals of Venice, maybe as part of a romantic trip (or not). Then there is Victoria Falls to see and a safari to experience in Africa. I also want to go through the Panama Canal and see Great Britain but I can do that at a later date when I’ve got most of the 3rd world areas out of the way.
Because I have a grandchild I hope I can enjoy Disneyworld, the Epcot Centre, and the Kennedy Space Centre as well as swim with the dolphins and manatees with her over the next few years. I remember the trip I took with my own grandmother when I grew as tall as her. I was 10 years old and it is still an experience I recall with fondness. Instead of buying my granddaughter gifts for Christmas and her birthday every year, I’ve established a travel fund to share with her.
There are also other things I want to accomplish. My cousin is working on the family history on my father’s side and there are many interesting stories coming out of his research. I am also trying to put the history together about my mother’s side. I intend to have their stories and my own story written so I can pass it along to my children in 2013.
I would like wish everyone good health and happiness in 2013. May all your own intentions be realized and may you have special angels in your life too!
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