Farewell 2016! Welcome 2017! 

2016 was a bust for me and from what I understand it hasn’t been kind to many. I started last New Year’s Eve off in a foot/leg cast and was in bed before midnight. 

 I quickly gained weight from being in a sloth like state for over two months, and then graduated from a cast to a boot which was like walking with a leg which is two inches longer than my other leg, I have been having hip and lower back issues ever since, and the bunion I had removed is making its way back despite never wearing high heels, nor tight nor pointy shoes. 

A position at my work place which I had been waiting for years to be reintroduced finally became available, BUT I was not the successful candidate. Hey, all is fair in love and war, but that one hurt me to my core, and made me question myself.  Life goes on. 

My Dad had heart valve replacement surgery and then had a heart block a month later which nearly took his life with CPR having to be performed at home & two more times between ambulance rides & being in hospital, until he received his temporary heart pacer and then a permanent one. On the bright side my Dad survived (Snoopy Happy Dance) & the doctor told my 80 year old Father that he has the heart of a 20 year old now. Very blessed, as Christmas could have been way different. 

Suki, my Siamese kitty broke into a pill box and ate some of my medication which landed her at the kitty hospital hooked up to an IV on fluids, but once again she came out fine, and it only cost me $350.00. Pic below taken by my love Brian, of me and Suki at 4 Paws Veterinary Hospital in their family room which we spent two hours with Suks as she had to stay overnight for observation & more IV fluids. 

 I joined Weight Watchers and lost 8 pounds in three months, I guess that is better than gaining, AND, it does work if you follow the program. For example this morning, I ate some peanut brittle, some fruit cake, and two short bread cookies PLUS my healthy fermented milk (Kefir) smoothie full of fresh fruit and some almond butter. 

 Last night after eating more turkey leftovers, Brian brought me some his Mom’s world famous delicious pound cake with vanilla icing, he brought me two slices, and guess who had two slices of pound cake for dessert? YEP! I did! Doris’ pound cake DOES taste as good as skinny looks. 

With the emotional breakdowns from being immobile, and all the ugly crying over my Dad and his health, Brian has been my rock. I threw a lot of tantrums while I was casted and booted, and I was extremely depressed over not getting the position I wanted, and then my Dad’s health which kept me on my knees praying from July to the end of November. I think most guys would have bolted for the hills, but kind Brian has stood by my side. I hope I can make it up to him some day, but in a different way, I don’t want anyone to go through what I have this past year.    

Some great musical artists passed away in 2016 starting with Scott Wieland, David Bowie, Prince, and then Canadian icon Leonard Cohen. 

Another great Canadian, Alan Thicke passed away, and most recently Carrie Fisher, and I am sure from a broken heart, Carrie’s Mom Debbie Reynolds passed away the very next day. I am pretty sure I have missed other significant artists, but all of above mentioned names really played a part in my life, childhood, adolescent, university days memories. 

 There were some great moments too such as Brian and I traveling to Florence, Italy for a month and we didn’t kill each other. 

 I am back to working out three or plus times a week, it is just the eating part I need to get a grip on, for example I went to this crazy class called Athletic Training where you are doing interval training gasping for air and sweating like a horse (since pigs don’t sweat!), and as I came back to the office to eat my kale salad and chicken wrap I popped into a colleague’s office and grabbed a sizable slab of peppermint bark. FAIL. 

I am sure there are more positive moments, but honestly, this past year feels like it was all about my Dad and advocating for him at appointments & in between appointments.  I have cried a lot, pretty sure I could fill a small swimming pool up with the amount of tears I have shed worrying about my Dad, and feeling frustrated with the distance I am from my parents’ home (two hours).   

Hold the phone! For 2016 I have really improved on my ability to not shop. I believe I am still a recovering shopaholic, but that is better than being a full blown in denial shopaholic. I am going to come up with a Shopping Ban list for 2017 which I will share, and I have some pretty neat resolutions for 2017 which will focus on self-care, self improvement and saving moolah. 

Brian gave me a bicycle for my birthday which I love. I had not owned a bike since I was a teenager. 

I was also reunited with one of my best girlfriends from high school, Amira.

All in all 2016 could have had many different story endings for me, but the ones which really counted turned out to be happy endings, and I am grateful. 2017 resolution list will be up next.

Peace & Love – Rachel