OH!

What a year it has been!!!

Saturday was our one year anniversary of "freedom."  A year of traveling.  We were bitten by the dream of traveling years ago and have been lucky enough to be able to make it happen.

And, as it turned out, there truly have been waves of new experiences, just not in the way I had imagined.

I lost my mother during the year.  In fact, it will be a year this month.   I can't believe how much harder it is a year later than even in the beginning.  I wish I had held her hand more, had her over to the house more, sat down after a full day of shopping to have that cup of tea she always offered.  I miss her.

We lost dear Wilson (Willy, Wilsonator, clown-boy, WeeWee) this year.  Neither of us can stand to look at a Golden Retreiver yet without tearing up.  As naughty & irritating as he could be at times, he was very sweet, often amusing & a great friend.  I miss him.

So sitting outside in the evening, we remembered the year; the good, the bad, & the ugly.  And we still feel blessed.  Thank you God.

Also, we thought it only fitting that we toast the year with a bottle of wine given to us by a young couple that was parked next to us in an RV park in Texas.  His father's family own & operate Truchard Winery.  With a very thick accent they brought it over to us one evening, saying they don't really care for red wine & hoped we would enjoy it.  We did, very much.  Thank you!