On The Year That Was

     So here I sit, on my deck watching the sun go down on my final day of this incredible year.   I feel many things; fortunate,  rested, content, but mostly oh, so very grateful.  What a fantastic gift these last 423 days have been. 
     People have asked me if it went fast or slow and I have to answer that it was a strange combination of both.  In many ways, the time seemed to fly by but when I stop and think and look back on all the things that I did, many of the events seemed to have happened oh so long ago.  While I experienced some very significant loss this year, I also reconnected with friends from childhood, high school, university, UWP and work and I got to meet some very cool and interesting new people as well.
     The gift of time is such a luxury.  To have been able to do what I wanted when I wanted to do it is something that I don't think I fully appreciate even yet.  It has been really interesting to chronicle the events of this time fairly regularly.  I wanted to do it for a couple of reasons.  One is to be able to have a record of events from the year, but the other reason was to force me to look back on all the things I did fairly regularly so that everything didn't just become one big blur, which it totally would have! 
     Highlights from the year include (in no particular order):  running 1600 miles, reading 28 books and going to 16 eclectic live concert events, driving through the New England States in the fall, a whirlwind weekend in New York City, a sunset sail in Boston Harbor, going to Salem, Massachusetts during Halloween season, a week in Washington, DC, leaving New England days before Hurricane Sandy hit, a great Kootenay mountain stay in Kimberly, BC, annual summer days in Fort Macleod, 4 trips to San Diego (!!), "Electric Run"ning, chasing the sun in Mexico, California, Phoenix and Costa Rica during this heinous winter, buying a leather coat in Tijuana,  Bredenbury's Centennial Cele
bration, spending time with family and friends.  I could go on and on.
     And of course, what year in review would be complete without a Top Ten List?!

TOP TEN EVENTS IN "THE YEAR OF BOB"

10.  Parasailing in Nuevo Vallarta-November

9.  Helicopter ride over Manhattan- October

8.  Overcoming fear of height (and speed) to
zipline (Superman-style) in Costa Rica- March

7.  January in California

6.  Loon Hollows, Orrington, Maine- October

5.  Any time spent at Torrey Pines State Park
and Sunset Cliffs, San Diego-July, September, January, February, June

4.  A week with my sister Wendy and brother-in-law in Puerta Vallarta- November

and
a week with my sister Brenda in San Diego in January

3.  Oceanfront apartment and pool house accommodations in San Diego-

September, January, February and June

2.  Not having to get up on cold, winter morning at home-December, March, April, May

(no photo available)

1.  Losing Dad-July 2, 2013
Profound and life altering experience

     So thank you for checking in, regularly or occasionally, and sharing this wonderful experience with me. It was an opportunity of a lifetime and I feel so blessed to have done it.  And now, on the the eve of returning to work, I look forward to seeing what is out there for me once again.  Carpe diem!