Another year has come to an end. Heck, another decade has come to an end – maybe I’ll review the decade in another post. For now, 2019:
January. Started off on a negative note with me having to start the first waves of mass layoffs at the company I was working for. This finished by mid-January and by then I had begged my hubby to book us on a vacation because it really took a toll on my mental health. I know this is part of my job, but these people didn’t deserve to lose their jobs because someone at head office made the wrong business choice; these people paid the price.
So, our family had an adventure during the last week of January which also happened to be my 42nd birthday and the first without mom.
I don’t remember anything overly significant happening until April when I changed companies. You see, as a result of all those lay-offs and bad decisions by senior management at my company, I knew my plant was going to be shut down. I started looking for another job and started in April.
Again, nothing significant happened until the summer months. After A’s 15th birthday in July we sent her by herself to Calgary for 10 days to visit my brother. The day before A returned on the August long weekend, we dropped E off at a summer camp for the week (at what turned out to be a religious camp, oops). E came back a week later and then a week after that our family went on another adventure. Two weeks in Europe. First was a 9-day Baltic Cruise on Norwegian.
We flew to Iceland to change plans to fly to Copehnagen where we boarded the ship. First stop: Warnemunde, Germany. We took a 3-hour train to Berlin where we spent the day. Next stop: Gdynia , Poland. Here we spent the day visiting Stutthof Concentration Camp. The next day was a sea day, then on to Tallinn, Estonia. What a BEAUTIFUL place! Very Old Quebec, but with more history! The next day was what I was really waiting for, Saint Petersburg, Russia. I got to go to RUSSIA!! WOW! We spent 2-days visiting magnificent palaces, the Hermitage Museum, the Faberge Museum, taking a boat ride on the Neva river and visited the Church of the Spilled Blood. The next two days were at sea as we returned to Copenhagen, Denmark. Here we spent the day visiting the Little Mermaid Statue, Nyhavn, the Opera House, and Tivoli Gardens. Next we flew to Paris, France. My hubby and I went here on our honeymoon 17 years ago and didn’t like it all that much. It was a mch nicer experience this time around. We had an early morning guided tour of the Eiffel Tower where we got to go to the very top (not me, heights and anxiety stopped me). We went on a cruise down the the Seine. Paris is where I was able to find 100% gluten free bakeries and restaurants. We got as close to Notre Dame as we could, visited the Mona Lisa at the Louvre. We strolled up the Champs Elysees, visited briefly the Arc de Triomphe, and walked the Catacombs. Our next stop was London England. I got to go into Buckingham Palace!!! ARGH! SO BLOODY EXCITED!!! I loved every minute. I sat where I could to take it all in. I made my whole family sit with me in the garden restaurant just so I could enjoy an English Tea. Then I spent too much money in the gift shop. We went on the London Eye, walked to Trafalgar Square, toured Chelsea Gardens, big Ben, toured the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.. We then flew nack to Copenhagen and flew over to Reykjavik, Iceland. Sadly there would be no Aurora Borealis on this trip. We went to Thingvellir National Park, on to the Geysir’s, over to Gulfoss Falls (so beautiful), on to the Kerid Crater (yep, its a big ol’ hole in the ground), and off to what was one of my “must haves” on the trip – The Blue Lagoon. We got VIP treatments, enjoyed silica masks in the Lagoon while sipping on wine (for me). It took me a good 3 weeks for my hair to feel normal again. Once we were officially prunes, we left for the airport and flew home. By the time we got home, it was almost 7pm our time so off to bed we went.
September holiday was the day after we landed home and the kids went back to school. At the end of that week we were off to Sandusky, Ohio for E’s soccer tournament. The kids changed sports clubs; winter soccer started and hockey started with a few tournaments.
Thanksgiving, and Christmas and now New Years have all come and gone. I have missed my folks alot this year. I especially miss my mom and her talks. My mental health has taken a toll. I did what I thought was best for me and distanced myself from those I felt were toxic to me (and lost one of my BFF’s in the process).
There was a saying I saw on Facebook that I really liked; “I am moving in to 2020 with a clear heart & mind. If you owe me, don’t worry about it – you’re welcome. If you’ve wronged me, it’s all good – lesson learned. If you’re angry with me, you won – I’ve let it go. If we’re not speaking, it’s cool – I wish you well. If I’ve wronged you, I’m sorry – it wasn’t intentional. I am grateful for every experience that I have received. Life is too short for pent up anger, grudges, extra stress or pain. Forgiveness is a gift to yourself.” I am making 2020 a season of Love, laughter, happiness and positivity.
I wish you all a new year full of love, laughter, health and happiness. Live life with no regrets. Not even one letter.
~Cheers, S.
In Mom's Heels 