I'm BACCKK!!!

Well friends, I decided to come back.  I'll try to behave myself here and just share recipes, kiddos, books, and my art.  

It's been a long year, lots of ups and downs.  

I started the year vowing to do more figurative drawing.  It really spoke to me using charcoal and graphite and drawing figures was something I was still learning and loving.  I also continued the sketching journey in my little sketchbooks.  I had so much fun finding a photo that prompted me to draw and write a story with.  More on that later.  

In January we also celebrated 49 years of marriage so you know what this month is.  We immediately started planning the big bash for our 50th!  We've rented the space, got a caterer and sent invites.  Time is rapidly speeding by to get ready for it.  I still need to go to the florist but all is running smooth right now.  

We also celebrated our sweet little Max's 2nd birthday and Sunday he will turn 3.  He is doing so very well and is just precious.  The funniest, smiliest little boy.  I melt when he says, "Grannnney"!  We are still in a holding pattern for his next surgery which may take place this summer.  Fingers crossed.

Art stuff, I received Honorable Mention in the Bold Brush Competition with my painting of the old man, "Waiting".  Soooo, made my year on that one.  I've not entered anymore competitions as I've just been too busy.  I've also been extremely busy being president of our local art guild.  I stepped up because we were in danger of crumbling.  So far it has been a bit of a challenge but it's going very well.  I've organized, organized, organized and everyone seems to love it.  I've warned them though that I will give it one more year but someone else will have to take over.  It may fail at that point if no one steps up.  Now some good news, I was successful in securing my first solo show at Circle Cinema in August.  I've been working hard on some beautiful graphite florals.  I'd already done 12 of them, had them framed and ready to launch.  I'll have some oils too but the best is a very large floral I'm still working on.  It will be the star of the show.  

February we traveled to EGYPT!  Yes, I did it, we did it.  We cruised the Nile and saw pyramids.  My bucket list got a huge checkmark!  It was great fun, and so much walking.  

I'd already lost about 20 pounds before the trip, thank goodness but put it right back on when we got back.  All the low carb cooking was just not working and I was miserable.  About 8 weeks ago I finally said UNCLE and decided to do the shots.  I decided I did not want to go into my 70th year this summer being 250 pounds and I didn't want my grandbabies to remember me as "Fat Granny."  So my doctor put me on Zepbound.  I've lost 12-13 pounds so far.  It seems to go back and forth right now and so Wednesday the dose has been increased.  I really don't feel the effects of being full so much lately is the reason I think it's not really working.  My biggest fear was the constipation thing but that has not been an issue except the first week.  So onward.  I just want to be under 200 pounds at this point.  

Also in February Min and Min had RSV and had a trip to the hospital for him.  Scary with his heart stuff.  

Then in April, we FINALLY got around to having dinner with my brother and his lovely.  I felt something was bad and I was right.  She had been diagnosed with lung cancer in December and by September 24 we lost her.  It was just devasting.  After losing Daddy a few years ago then Dana three years ago now Brenda.  Just not fair. 

The rest of the year has been a shit show of absolute crap with our new administration.  That has taken up too much space in my brain.  I do my part in protesting on FB.  I've lost friends, people I've known since I was in elementary school.  I'm okay with that as I don't need them in my life if they continue to support this regime.  I am lucky to have a huge mass of friends that see things as I do.  Gives me hope we can make a change in November.  

Okay, I'm going to wrap up this wrap up of the year of 2025.  Frankly, I am so glad it is over.  I NEED to look ahead to a brighter future for this country, this WORLD.  I may not blog often but I'm here.