THE YEAR IN REVIEW

January:  Did I mention I got to go to Germany this year?  Oh, well I did.  First time overseas, and it was excellent, particularly because the company paid for it.  It was truly amazing, and has instilled in me a deep seeded need to experience those the European lifestyle.  I really, really want to go back.  It might sound stupid, but IKEA is the closest thing in Orlando that I've found to being in Germany.  Especially the restaurant.  There's just something about it that feels right...

February:  As her life coaches, we helped The Winner finally get a car of her very own.  Although I miss her scooter, too, sometimes.  Also helped her recover from a tonsilectemy.  Which was very interesting to say the least.

March:  Hmmm.  March.  I don't recall.... is this when I decided to narrow down the seven colors of hair on my head and finally became purely a redhead?

April:  I turned 30.  The age I've always been, really.  Finally feeling more comfortable in my own skin.  STILL working too much and not playing enough. 

May:  Work.  Work.  Work. Work. 

June:  Work.  Work.  Work.  Work.  Recession hitting a bit close to home, but impact still managable.  Had no idea it would get much, much scarier.

July:  B and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary.  And I re-entered civilization when he gave me the best gift ever, a laptop  Seriously, it's like having my head screwed back on correctly.  I didn't realize how much I missed the daily food of the internet. 

August:  Got to enjoy the hazy days of summer with Tropical Storm Fay.  Jesus, what a mess that was.  And a little scary.

September:  VERY BUSY.  Took a day to go see (and meet!) the greatest chefs in the world compete and judge the American Bocuse d'Or, conveniently held at EPCOT where we were able to enjoy free Champagne and Fois Gras thanks to B's press pass.

October:  It didn't really seem like fall this year.  FINALLY started to hit a comfortable stride between work and life, and figured out how to actually cook dinner at home a few nights a week.  Halloween came and went, with sadly, no costumes this year.

November:  Hardest month just about ever.  The first week was truly amazing, with the election, and getting to go to Louisiana to see Steve & Lindsey get married, and enjoying hanging out with both her and our family and friends.  And the moonshine.  It was extremely good times.  The next week, not so much.  Recession hit VERY VERY VERY close to home.  Teammates, good friends were let go.   The survivors were walking around shell shocked, most were actually too choked to up speak. I barely remember what I worked on that week.  People I never thought I'd see cry broke down in the middle of a meetings that first week.  It was just shock and horror all around for 10 days.  And then I got laid off for a week.

December:  Quiet, nose to the grindstone work for the first 10 days of the month.  Got a lot done, which is a nice way to start the new year.  Decided to have a little shin-dig in lieu of shopping for everybody.  There were tiny hamburgers, and it was good time.  Then another week of being laid off, and now two weeks of yearly shutdown/ vacation.  Baking, cooking, being a domestic goddess again.  Had a good, if low-key, Christmas, and looking forward to New Years.
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I've spent a lot of time (cause I have a lot of time) just being thankful for what we've got.  When I feel the need to shop, I clean and re-organize something.  I keep wondering if this country and the majority of people living in it truly realize what is about to hit them?  Do they understand that not being able to afford a daily coffee is going to be the least of their worries? Does my generation really understand what it takes to make ends meet when you have nothing?  Do they know what it's like to eat nothing but rice and tuna for weeks on end?

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm thankful for all we went through in the years before I had a job, all the budgeting and learning cheap, tasty cooking and learning how to take care of our selves without it being just awfully depressing.  How to have fun and do things for free.  For the time being I'm thankful that we only have us to take care of.  I can't imagine going through this again if we had kids. But, we're trying to lay a smarter course now (probably should have done that sooner...), so this won't be too insane. Who knows what the next year will bring.  This one was a bit of a doozy.

Coming up next:  Ironing, New Years and Jury Duty.  Then back to work.

Talk to you next year! When there will be less working (hopefully not by force) and more playing.