Monday, December 31, 2007

2007 ~ 2008



Naw, this is not a good resolution list posting. Or bad resolution list for that matter.

This is always a time of reflection for me, the turning cusp of the year, looking over and slightly behind at 2007 with its dreams and aspirations, its joys and sorrows and ahead to 2008, looking like one of those piƱatas, ready to be broken open but slowly and carefully and over the long stretch of twelve months ahead (with one bonus day – it’s Leap Year!).

2007 Sorrows:
Personal
A dear friend moved to the ether in the past year. I will never hear him sing “Mammy” again or hear his wicked Scottish jokes.
Another friend of forty years is so careless with our friendship that she never emails, writes or calls back while I am away. But she is also careless with herself and even though extremely wealthy lives in squalor, so I have my answer. Nothing to do with me but how she feels about herself. A life lesson learned late and very slowly.
Global
Ongoing wars, famine, genocide.
Water shortages, global warming, common welfare being run for profit - health, education, water.


2007 Joys:
Personal
I find hard to count, there are so many. And I realize more and more as time moves on that none of the joys cost any kind of money. They are the whales that frolic, the hiking with the grandgirl, friends who come and stay, fish stews bubbling in the cast iron pot on the cast iron stove, writing, reading, knitting, ‘visiting’ and being visited, card games in the village hall, walks on the shore, the hope of one last great love, a gentleman caller who bakes for me and makes me a bowl and ‘visits’. The wild lynx on my property in Newfiondland, the bluejay who hops on the railing every morning, the gros-beaks who flood the trees in extravagant streaks of yellow, the otters who come and play at my front door.
Global
Code Pink, Al Gore, Keith Olbermann, Rick Mercer, Michael Moore, The Green Party, Fellow Bloggers


I just finished a lovely road trip with my daughter, and I'm staying in her house for a few days until I move into another Toronto house I will be taking care of for four months while the owners are away. I want to see two movies tonight, New Year’s, and as the grandgirl’s plans have fallen through (oh, the uncertainty of a 13 year old’s life!) she is probably going to come with me. Which would be lovely.

I am kinda laying low, observing R come to the surface again, now that I am back and he wanting dinner with me tomorrow night and emailing me every day for the last two weeks. I am really, really curious as to where he’s at, but I don’t nurture any hope after our week together in the summer.

The grandgirl just read me a marvellous short story she wrote about Zimbabwe and a mother and daughter there. I was moved to tears and profoundly affected by her writing and recognise her awesome talent and take a teensy bit of credit for all the writing projects we have been doing together since she could read.

And here is my wish for all of you out there in Blogland for 2008 – an Irish Blessing.

May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire
Cosy beside you.

19 comments:

  1. What a nice blessing. Thank you! :)

    I have the feeling that I am going to become one of your faithful readers!

    S'wadee pi mai ka

    ReplyDelete
  2. may I wish that blessing right back for you too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. And GM:
    so lovely getting to know you in the past year and all your lovely writings and jokes.
    Much healing and renewed vigour go your way!
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's lovely, WWW.

    I wish you and yours all that you wish for yourselves for this new year - and for many, many more of 'em.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A Very Happy New Year, bringing you much joy in 2008 and onwards, WWW.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Richard and RJA:
    So happy to have gotten to know and respect your writings over the past few years.
    Backatcha both!
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good to know the joys clearly outnumber the sorrows. How true that is, that so many joys have nothing to do with money, even though we still fall for the idea that buying X or Y will make us happier. But who can buy a spectacular sunset or a leaping dolphin or a tender kiss?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello there. Just found you via Nick's place. I've always wanted to visit Newfoundland. I think I just have something about windswept islands.

    Happy new year etc, and looking forward to reading.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Annie and welcome.
    Oh you would love Newfoundland, people are so blown away for its beauty - no pun intended.
    Backatcha for the New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  10. WWW, I loved your reflections on 2007. I am not one for resolutions either, preferring to start new things at any point in the year and continue them for the sheer joy of it.

    I also wrote a list of things I was grateful for on New Years Day. I thought of them and smiled as I walked through the cold and slushy rain with my health, my family, my humour, my friends and my new blog chums to carry me through 2008.

    May 2008 be rich and rewarding for you, in every way. Your fish stew sounds mega, by the way.

    H
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Welcome Hullaballoo!
    Thanks for the great wishes and anytime you're down my way in NL you are more than welcome to a sample or two of the stew!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks WWW. I just checked your blog and, clicking on the wrong bit, got a whole screen full of Robbie Burns. Until now, it's been the first year that I have managed to avoid the dreaded Auld Lang Syne.

    I do recall some enthusiastic Germans wanting to hold hands and turn in a circle singing on Hogmanay, but I was feeling a tad antisocial at the time. Boy, can I be mean spirited, they weren't maning any harm lol.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Hullaballoo:
    Germans and Hogmanay?
    Well I nevah!
    I think ALS belongs to the Scots as they seem to know what to do with it all, handsome darkhaired men and lumps of coal and crossing thresholds, et al. I always got confused!!!
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  14. WWW, handsome darkhaired men and lumps of coal and crossing thresholds reminds me of a Scots Porrige Oats advert lol.

    I am going back down to my mum's in the Scottish borders for the weekend, taking the kids along too. I must remember the shortbread this time oh yes, and the coal.

    ReplyDelete
  15. H:
    Enjoy yourself and yum on the shortbread, heavenly.....
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete
  16. What films did you get to see over the holidays?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Not as many as planned (so far!) Medbh. And reviews to follow.
    I did see "The Savages" - highly recommended as a story about a brother and sister (subject rarely tackled respectfully in film) who have to unite to handle their elderly demented and hateful old father.
    I also saw "Waitress" , written by, directed by and music by a Adrienne Shelley (now dead, awful story). I and granddaughter (13) thoroughly enjoyed. A very empowering film.
    XO
    WWW

    ReplyDelete

Comments are welcome. Anonymous comments will be deleted unread.

Email me at wisewebwomanatgmaildotcom if you're having trouble.