February 2nd. Jonathan’s new birthday, Groundhog Day, Gary Snyder’s birthday (RIP)……and twelve years (and one month) ago, my brand, spanking new adventure started! Goodness, how things change over the years!!! And this past year of my life was phenomenally changed!

First, MY ADORABLE GRANDSON WAS BORN!!! Barrett Jonathan “Bear” Plsek was born May 29th. I fell in love with him the first moment I saw him! He is a precious gift from God! My condo in Florida has been put to good use. I spent a couple of months there—and plan on many more months next winter and maybe some in between. And a sweet family that are dear friends used it when, after moving to St. Pete three weeks prior, they were ordered to evacuate due to a hurricane. And my niece and her family used it to go to the parks. No regrets buying it!

Another big, new development in my life is, 5 1/2 years after Kenn died, I have met someone special. His name is Chris. When we met, he had been a widower for 3 1/2 years. And while each of us had met other people, we are each other’s first relationship since becoming widowed. He is a great guy and lives on a farm about 20 minutes away from my home in Murfreesboro. I’ve gotten to hold a baby piglet and a four day old lamb since meeting him! Eeeeek….right up my alley!!!! However, he has warned me, that occasionally they have to send some of the animals to freezer camp. I won’t be visiting on those days. 😳. Anyway, we are enjoying each other’s company and taking it one day at a time.

My big, 35 day cruise was a blast! But I got some surprises, too. Everyone who knows me well, knows that I am—and have always been—an extrovert. I will talk to a wall if I think it will listen. All of my table mates at dinner were solo travelers as well. It was a very interesting group from all over the USA and two were from other countries. I enjoyed visiting with them a lot. However, I felt so awkward doing things around the ship alone. One day, I called Chris, and asked him a simple question. If it’s allowed and possible, will you fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina and meet our ship to sail on the last half of the cruise. He said yes, and I asked, and they said yes, and he did it! His cabin was on the opposite end of the ship and three floors above me so needless to say, he got his steps in every day! But we both had so much fun! We saw one colony of penguins (from a distance, thankfully) that the captain said was over 250,000 penguins! And boy howdy, could we smell them! We did get up close and personal with some smaller colonies in the Falkland Islands. They were so interesting and cute! And very human tolerant! It truly was a trip of a lifetime!

Overall, my year was good. I had some heartbreaking moments but all in all, God has been very good to me. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next year brings!