A year gone by

A most interesting year. It’s gone, but I look back today, the first of the New Year and celebrate with gratitude.

With love for those we lost.

A beautiful, funny and sincere friend I met on WordPress – introduced by my dearest Jen – Thank you. A friend I never met face to face, but with whom I giggled endlessly, every time she posted, every time she talked about Colin Firth’s white shirt and my er, sincere affection for said shirt, in fact she would come up with what ifs… like if I was chopping and Colin Firth was watching, what would I do – we would talk about chocolate – she would pretend to grab mine and then take more because she loved it so much, and oh my we gabbed about Downton Abbey. We had much to say about story lines. Anna & Bates were a favorite topic. Once Upon a Time – I love this show and I enjoyed talking about where they would take the story, this happened a couple of times on a Sunday night between Once a Upon a Time and Downton Abbey. Most of all I cherish the few conversations we had about our daughters. She touched my heart.

I am thinking of my mother in-law, whom we just lost. It was only a week ago. We were altogether. She wasn’t. But I suspect it was her plan all along, even though, in this last year she couldn’t remember many of us. She wanted a united family at all times, good food, laughter, she wanted all of her children, her in-laws and all ten of her grandchildren to celebrate life every chance they got. She was humble, a brilliant mathematician( graduated with honors in math way back in 1948)  a teacher – beloved by many generations. My friends, my parents friends and many of her students are now celebrating her life. She welcomed me into the family last – my husband being her youngest. But she visited every chance she got, spent time with us, she was quiet, loving and full of wisdom. There was no idle chatter, when she spoke, it mattered. You listened. She always brought me chocolate. She knew. She had gifts but it was the chocolate that counted. She cooked with heart. She never forgot a birthday. We all loved her.

I celebrate with gratitude

the books, authors and plot lines that have inspired me to write, write and write some more. I intend to find my space and allow the words to flow.

dear friends in my life, some I have not met, except virtually, but feel as though I have known you forever – you know who you are. I have learned so much from you.

family – near and afar. My precious little family, my beautiful mum. I could not do without any of you.

and

while this particular loss is of the fictional kind,  it is heartfelt, I ached. Many of you will understand why I mourn. Well, I didn’t say I was sane did I? I miss Mark Darcy. I do. Colin Firth was made to sit down whilst the news was broken to him. I don’t understand it, I accept it, it has made my reviewing process slightly challenging. Um, Helen Fielding, wish you didn’t, but I know it was necessary.

To all my blog friends, I wish you the brightest of light, unending joy, passionate posts, delicious morsels of food and  much love.

Here’s to a Beautiful and Bountiful 2014 – Let the Year begin!