2019: Checkpoint

Yadda and all.

1. What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?

Driven Houston to Dallas between midnight and 5 AM. I'd like not to repeat that ever again.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Nah.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

None babies around here.  Wait, a cousin had a baby this fall and he's really cute.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Woo boy, this has been a year. Sabrina's teacher lost her dad in an accident the day before school ended for the summer, so we went to the rosary for him.  Then, we lost Chris's mom during the Weekend of Misery. My cousin, Chad, passed from leukemia that we didn't know he was enduring, and my friend, Kelly, passed after a very long battle with cancer - both far, far too young.  And this past week, a sweet 11 year old boy from just around the block died.  It's been a lot.

5. What places did you visit?

Houston, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina. Points along the way.

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?

As always: More surplus dollars.  A boatload of patience.  More and closer friendships.  Will power, fortitude, self discipline, and better ways to communicate.

7. What dates from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 23: the day of Sabrina's elementary school graduation ceremony and her being given an award by her peers.  May 24: Sammy's middle school graduation and watching my boy completely break down because he was leaving such a special place.  June 8-10 (AKA the Weekend of Misery): Sabrina gets sick on a Girl Scout trip to NASA in Houston, so we do the midnight ride home (she is fine upon return); Chris's mom passes away while he, Sammy, and my parents are in a car a few hundred miles from their destination of Las Vegas (Sabrina and my flight is mercifully cancelled due to weather); on the return drive, the road trippers stop in Amarillo for lunch, where my father suffers a heart attack (he is treated very quickly and is now doing very well; the boys drive my folks' car back and the folks fly back a few days later). Whew.  August 14: Sammy starts high school and Sabrina starts middle school.  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Survival.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Evergreen: Letting frustration win, again and again and again.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Thankfully, no. Let's do that again.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A Ring doorbell.  A new hot water heater to replace the one that gave out but did not flood the house on its way out.  Disney +.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My niece for welcoming our foursome to stay in her house and upend her life for 5 days.   


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Basically anyone who clings to arbitrary lines drawn in the sand for no other reason that they were on one side of the line when it was drawn.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Also evergreen: Day to day stuff.  Amazon Prime.  Taxes.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Game of Thrones.  Disney +.  Finding useful gifts for people I love.  Awesome bargains I found.  Watching my kids have a blast at the beach.

16. What song will always remind you of 2019?

I know nothing of music this year. Something about an old road?

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Tough year, but I'm working on happier.

b) thinner or fatter? My mind tells me fatter every time i look in the mirror, but my clothes still fit, so meh.

c) richer or poorer? 'Bout same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Smiling.  Finding the upside. 

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Fretting.  Being annoyed.

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2019?

Hosted a Christmas Eve dinner for my side of the family, then we went to Mass together and it was lovely.  Except that Chris said he wasn't feeling well.

We came home, cleaned up, somehow got the kids into bed, and let Santa do his business.  We finished much earlier than in the past, and Chris went to bed, and I followed (also earlier than in the past).

Christmas morning was happy.  The kids adored their gifts from Santa, we had donuts and pigs in a blanket.  We had trouble getting out the door to go to my parents' house because we kept forgetting things and having to turn around. More breakfast, then giftapalooza. We all watched Chris turn paler and quieter, then go sleep the entire afternoon and evening. I made him a clinic appointment for the next morning, then tried to enjoy the rest of the day. Epilogue: he had strep AND the flu.

21. Did you fall in love in 2019?

Um, pass.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

There was this little show called Game of Thrones. I watched the whole series the week before the final season started.  I'm glad I did it that way instead of having to wait years to see what would happen.

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2019?

It was a Thursday?  Yeah, I don't remember.  I'm sure my family was nice to me, and that's all that matters.

24. What was the best book you read?

Evvie Drake Starts Over, and not just because the author is an internet friend.

25. What did you want and get?

My Wifi thermostat installed (I've been waiting on this for years).  A new computer desk (see next year's list for said desk assembled and put in place).  A good start to high school and middle school for my kids.

26. What did you want and not get?

Skinnier.  Peace on earth.  Children with consistent table manners.  And where is that rich benefactor?

27. What was your favorite film of this year?

Probably Toy Story 4.  Although Captain Marvel was surprisingly fun.

28. Did you make some new friends this year?

I'm really hoping for a new or strengthened friendship in the future, particularly a local one.  I have lots of friends across the internet, but I'd really like someone close both figuratively and literally.

29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Inner peace.

Slightly modified from last year: the ability to communicate anything to my husband (and OK, children) and have him understand instantly and completely.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?

Ironing is clearly not a skill I possess.

31. What kept you sane?

Caffeine.  Naps.  TLI.  Long showers.

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Still not fancy. I enjoy following the British royals more than ever, so we'll put that here.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

Boy, that's a loaded question. Moving on.

34. Who did you miss?

Everyone I lost (which is too long a list this year) and everyone I don't see often enough (which is most everyone). As usual.  
 
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.

Take a deep breath.  Take another.