The week between Christmas and New Year is such an odd week. It’s a short work week that is usually very slow and this year was no exception. It is also the time where I find myself in deep reflection over the past year and thinking about goals for 2023. I start thinking about all the things I want to do, places I want to go and making a plan of how I am going to get there. I like goal setting but this year my goals are going to be very different. I am going to have a set of plans or ideas I suppose versus goals because of what 2022 handed me.

As I was reviewing the year, I started off well with tackling the stack of quilt tops and long arming several. I got my Dear Jane quilt out and made a few blocks. In the spring we visited our kids and grandkids in Virginia and took a vacation in Gettysburg. We had a family get together with all the kids and grandkids in the spring and went hiking. Then I was knocked on my butt with Covid in mid May and I was really sick thru July with it. I struggled daily with breathing, my brain being befuddled and cognitively scrambled as well as totally not able to tolerate any activity. I started my rehabilitation by taking up a craft that I knew how to do from my younger years and learning something new wasn’t possible. I took up cross stitch. I could sit in a chair and it was safe as I wasn’t using rotary blades and sewing machines with my brain feeling like I was starting over again.

When I came down with Covid in May a major tornado ripped through my town and my neighborhood. I was too sick and contagious to seek shelter with family or friends. My husband stayed home with me. We had no power for a few days and our cleanup was minimal. We were very lucky. To heal from this, I tidied up my garden the best I was able to and planted some sunflower seeds to bring me some joy of new growth.

I impulsively joined up with the Great Granny along and I cross stitched grannies, crocheted grannies and started a granny square quilt that I am still finishing up. I wasn’t thinking clearly obviously, LOL. Over the summer and fall, to get me out, we went on many nature drives in the wilderness and photographed the animals. We documented a huge forest fire in our wilderness and later in the summer we found the witness Tree.

We did spend the 4th of July with our Son and went to a car race with fireworks. I went to a couple of Highland games that I could take care of myself, pace myself in the activities I could and just to get out to get healthier. All the while I was working fulltime but I was able to finally work from home 3 half days a week. The fall was spent rehabbing myself as there is no rehab from what the Dr finally called Long Covid. I was slowly exercising, smell training, doing brain activities and working through my mental health by journaling. I was feeling so much better by Thanksgiving we went to 2 football games out of town and a concert. I had the flu in December and survived! I started working out in the garage gym and found Yes2Next YouTubers walk in place exercises for Seniors.

Then we were snowed in for 4 days over Christmas and got 3 feet of snow in the blizzard! We were stuck at home binge watching shows, football and I was sewing. I had joined Sewcialites 2 to help me remember how to quilt with tutorial by the FQS with each block as I struggled doing the Christmastime mystery in September.

It’s News Year’s Eve. Yesterday I spent the day pondering the year. I grieved the loss of my life that I had prior to being sick with Covid and all the things I wasn’t able to do this year. I then shifted gears and looked at all I did complete and that was what you just read. I saw that I survived many things that could have been devastating. I have begun making my loose plans and a few goals for next year. First thing is to get my house and especially my sewing rooming in order. I am joining Just Get It Done Quilts Declutter your Sewing Room challenge and I plan it will take me all winter to complete the 21 challenges.

I am planning to quilt all the quilt tops I have and bind them. I want to bust the stash of fabric I have, and I bought Lori Holts Scrappiness is Happiness book to help. I also want to do a Scrap challenge quilt I saw on Last Homely House You Tube.

I plan to regularly podcast, post on YouTube, blog and journal. What all that means and will look like I don’t know. I have ideas for the first few posts. We will see where that all takes me!

I am very excited to be stronger than I was and to continue on my journey. I am so thankful that you have been with me, cheerleading me, sending kind words when I was ill and struggling. I hope that you continue to be with me as I go into next year. I have bought champagne to ring in the New Year tonight at home with my husband. I think celebrating surviving the year is in order!

As I put 2022 to bed, I think of our vacation plans, quilt shows I want to go to, classes I want to take and people I want to see next year. I think it is all very exciting.

Now off to get some coffee as I begin my prep for the declutter challenge. Today’s goal is to hang a white board, get the garbage out of the sewing room and begin to clear the surfaces to see what I really need.

May peace, joy and happiness find you in 2023

Vicki