The Close of a Year and the start of a new one

​I for one am ready to say good riddance to 2023.  It’s been a crazy year….and full of stress and angst.  I can honestly say that the year has flown by though!  For this post, I’m not going to focus on the bad, the depression, the hardships and stress.  This is all about the positive, the good and the hopes for the future!

2023 in a nutshell

We started the year with Jason still healing from his run in with the axe.  I enjoyed having him in the house while I worked.  It was nice to have someone to chit chat with on my breaks/lunches.   It was also fantastic to have him home after work versus having to wait 2.5 hours after I get off work for him to get home.    However, when he went back to work it was a sigh of relief to have the return of his income after 6 months of being off work!

In January we got a dog.   Jason had told me from the very beginning of our relationship that he wanted to someday get another Newfoundland. 2023 was the year.  She was so cute and was 30 pounds when we got her!

She takes a LOT of time…lots of walks outside and lots of play time.  And she grew….she is now about 100 pounds and still growing.

We were able to get in some hiking, but not too much due to Jason’s injury and having a young dog.  (Recommendation is to not exercise Newfies too long or too hard in the first year of their life due to growth plates and joint development).    But we still got in some hiking.

We powered through the summer with push mowing our property again and we planted a small garden (bigger one coming in 2024).  And we finally got our barn painted!

It wasn’t a year full of crazy fun things…but we were busy!

Looking into 2024

I am looking forward to 2024.  I have not totally adopted the ‘I’ll start in 2024’ mentality.   I have started to watch my eating and been working to get back into the habit of tracking my food.  I have not recommenced with any exercise plan.  I was set to start and hurt my foot.  I limped around for a good week or so.  It still gives me twinges of pain but it is much better and if I watch what I do (low impact) I should be ok to start soon!

I have a slew of medical tests set for January.   I’m nervous about the results.  But am heading into them confident that all will work out.  One step toward taking care of me!

I’m not setting any fabulous goals and resolutions for 2024.  But I do have some plans and dreams for 2024.   Of course…get healthy is the biggest plan for the year.   I know what I would LIKE to lose in 2024. I know where I would like to be at the end of the year.  But I am not setting goals to be there.  I’m just saying that I am going to work to make 2024 my year to move toward those goals!  

So yes, exercise, tracking my food, exercise,  drinking my water…all of those healthy habits will be on the agenda for 2024.

The ONLY serious goal that I am setting for myself is to complete the goal of propelling myself 2024 miles in the year 2024.  I have done this in previous years and it really pushes me!  I don’t like to fall behind in my mileage!  One year I was done with my miles by September!  I have also challenged Jason to a mileage challenge.   We haven’t pounded out the reward yet…but a good friendly competition is always motivating for me.   (Hopefully he steps up to my challenge).     The goal of 2024 miles (bike, walk, run, swim, row…any miles count) is a good one for me…it keeps me focused and active!

I don’t know what 2024 will bring.  I don’t expect the depressive cloud to disappear overnight. But I am determined to focus on making me the healthiest and happiest version possible in 2024!

Closing out the Old Year

 Here it is, the end of the 2022 already!  This year has been a crazy one.  We searched for and bought a house.  My mom had a stroke.  Jason had an unfortunate meeting with an axe.  Worry about my job.  Jason being off work indefinitely.  Yeah, it's been a nuts-o year!

In December, I have started to work on healthy habits.  I've managed to get back into the habit of tracking my food.  I've also managed to get back into the habit of drinking at least 64 ounces of water!  

I also ate cookies.

And apple dumplings. 

We had a nice Christmas and enjoyed the snow storm that came a few days before Christmas.  It was neat to see our house covered in snow for the first time!

Oh yeah, and I gained weight this year.  Not a whole lot....about 5-10 pounds.  Ok, who am I kidding...that's bad enough!

As the year closes, I don't plan on making promises that the year 2023 will be fantastic.   Many of the same stressors that I have going on right now will still be around.  The hectic aspects of my life will still be around.  BUT, I am making a promise that I will work toward being healthier in this upcoming year.  SUre, I would like to say that I'll lose 50 pounds...or 75 pounds....or however many pounds.  But I"m only vowing to be healthier!  I have a few things up my sleeve...which we will discuss soon!  

In the meantime, I'm just settling in for the last few days of this ride called 2022!

Out with the Old..........

Yes, Happy New Year!   I am ready to tackle this year.  I am determined to make this year one of true happiness.  The kind of happiness that bubbles up from within ones soul.  I want that happiness.  And how I'm going to work on it this year?  First and foremost, I'm going to tackle my addiction.  I have an addiction to food. I have written about it so many times in the past that I can't even think straight.  I accept the addiction.  I know I will struggle with it forever and that the trick is to learn how to manage my life around this addiction.   My saving grace in my personal battle with this addiction is that I have figured out that I can get 'high' off of the pride that flows through me when I beat down the addiction.  True, the high I get from that burst of flavor on my tongue is a totally different feeling, I can STILL conquer this!

The new year rolled in and I decided to take  the saying "out with the old and in with the new" in a very bold way.   I had been a light  blonde for the last 6-8 months.. 

 But no more of that.....I got my hair cut a few weeks back and yesterday I went RED!  Out with the old, in with the new!   Now I'm just waiting for my husband to notice.  Yup, he wasn't home when i did it.....and didn't say a word when he got home....nor has he this morning!

I've got my food planned out for today and we are heading out in a few minutes to go for a nice walk on the canal and then to go watch the idiots people doing the polar plunge in the Potomac River.  That's always good for a laugh!  

Let the walking begin!!!!  I have to get myself out of Yorktown (which is where the virtual walk starts!!!!)