Did you have a good year in 2014?

[No Vested Interest]

In the General Discussion a few are lamenting the year we're just finishing.
I actually had a good year, all things considered, as I wrote in my hastily put-together Christmas note.

In January and February I spent the months on the West coast of Florida in my son's condo. So very relaxing, with virtually no obligations, few phone calls, and, best of all, missed a cold snowy Midwest winter.

In May I ventured East to Gettysburg with adult son and daughter, toured the Battlefield and environs, as well as the Eisenhower Farm & Homestead. Visited with a seldom seen niece and her family.

In August, older son announced his engagement and forthcoming marriage in IL in Nov., and from then until wedding date, all attention focused on wedding details and coordinating with family arriving from across the nation. The wedding and all arrangements were beautiful - certainly the highlight of our year.

Sickness arrived to family members on Christmas Day, but we all got together on Dec. 27th, and it felt just like the Special Day.

So, I can't complain about 2014, and hope many here have pleasant memories as well. Looking forward to 2015.

[elleng]

1. Largely good, new grandson, 1 daughter married,

good times and pictures at my cottage. Not so good: time when other daughter not speaking to me. Finally changed her mind. (This stuff happens repeatedly.) Visited her for 1st birthday of her son, so 2 little grandsons now.

[No Vested Interest]

2. I would say new grandson and a wedding would make for a good year.

Congratulations! I may never have the pleasure of grandchildren, a heartache I don't dwell on, because it's beyond my control, and I am grateful for the family I have.

I'm glad for you the other daughter changed her mind. - Life is too short for ill will, but sometimes it happens, too.

All good wishes for 2015!

[elleng]

3. Thanks. Yes, grandson + wedding good things.

sorry I sometimes dwell on alienation between daughters, who don't speak and haven't seen eachother's sons, and repeated distance between 1 daughter and me. You are right: Life is too short for ill will.

Here's the moon, at my cottage on the river. CHILLY!



Good wishes to you too.

[No Vested Interest]

4. I too have a problem family member, who causes much concern,

and there is still a certain amount of sibling rivalry among my four, though they are now all middle-aged.

I believe people's personalities are inborn, and we do our best to shape them, but there are limitations in what we can do.

[elleng]

5. Yes, personalities or other attributes inborn;

daughters have had problems for years. I did what I could to help (one daughter with psych problems imo, but husband wouldn't face it) so her sister was 'bullied' and alienated, and doesn't want to speak with her now.

See my edit: the moon, will be FULL Monday!

[Sherman A1]

6. 2014 was like every year

a mixed bag of good and bad. I would lean towards the latter for the year, but despite that which did occur, it could have been far, far worse.

As the wise man once told me.... "Life is too important to take seriously......"

[No Vested Interest]

9. Most years are like that, Sherman A1.

Last edited Wed Dec 31, 2014, 07:16 PM - Edit history (1)

Those of us on the Seniors group know that by now.
Revel in the good times, dismiss the bad as soon as possible.

[Sherman A1]

10. Agreed

Some days you get the bear, other days the bear gets you, tis the nature of things. I have as you suggested tried to dismiss the bad and put as good a face on it as possible. I have learned that all families are dysfunctional to greater or lesser extents and sometimes the only thing you can do is to keep your mouth closed and do as you are told for the time being, as no situation is permanent.

[RebelOne]

7. Nope, not a good year for me.

I am hoping 2015 will be better. But Happy New Year to everyone.

[No Vested Interest]

8. Hoping for a great 2015 for the RebelOne! nt

[SheilaT]

11. By and large a very good year for me.

I left my job back in April, did a bunch of travelling, attended writer's and science fiction conferences, including a two week s-f writing workshop in Taos in July. Took the train to Portland, OR, to visit my younger son who lives there. I hadn't seen him in four years, so it was a completely wonderful trip.

Some family members have had some health issues, and a former brother-in-law died earlier this month, but these have been outweighed by the good things that happened.

The older son was intending to visit me over New Year's, but some other obligations made him postpone the trip. But he lives closer than the Portland son, and I saw him back in June, so it's not so bad.

In an hour or so I'm off to my friends Krista and Nancy and we'll ring in the New Year together.

[No Vested Interest]

12. Good for you, Sheila T. - Isn't it nice to look back

with satisfaction on the good times and good things we've seen and done?

Does "left my job" indicate retirement? Perhaps writer's and sci-fi conferences indicate working on one's own terms.

Hold the glass high at midnight, Sheila, and begin another fruitful year - 2015!

[SheilaT]

14. Even though I'm 66, and am not very likely to

hold regular paid employment again, it doesn't really feel as if I'm retired, mainly because I not only spent many years as a stay at home mom, but the last three and a half years only worked part time. By choice, I hasten to add. Even so, it is wonderful not to have to go in to work at all. Since I never had a job I loved, I don't quite get people who honestly don't want to retire. I never have trouble keeping myself busy. Although never too busy.

And yes, I'm trying to write, which is working on my own terms. I am expecting 2015 to be a very good year for me.

[No Vested Interest]

13. Happy New Year to all the senior DUers!

Or, should that be:

Happy New Year to all the DU Seniors!