2006 Big Picture Recap

Man, I am so happy my kid seems well and I haven't been throwing up and I'm going to have a kid...but I Really don't enjoy being pregnant. Yesterday, something tweaked in my back and put me in more pain than I could imagine. I'd already had to cancel the camping cabin reservation in the NH woods that I had, and then had to keep cancelling plans. Including my new plans for New Year's Eve. Every few hours it plagues me again. Man it hurts. Tylenol, heating pad, hot baths, staying still. I guess that's all I can do.

It's been a crazy year that flew by. Here's a wee recap, since I'm laid up at home for the evening:



In January we got our two kittens at the pound and they are such a big part of our daily lives now. I can't believe they used to be so teeny.



I then drove cross country across the south with my old friend Andrea in February as she was moving to San Luis Obispo, CA. That was a great two week trip. I ate lots of wacky fried food in the south and saw a lot of art, and played in the desert and was really impressed by the beauty of that part of the CA coastline.

When I came back, the jeweler I'd been working for was moving further away than I wanted to commute and I landed a more local jeweler to learn from for this year in a place that is also a store. I enjoy the fact that people (customers) come in and out throughout the day, but I miss the energy and focus at the old gig, too.



Glenn finally got laid off from the job he was at (he was a big fish in a small software company that got bought by a bigger one and a bigger one and he'd gotten a bit lost in the shuffle) and found a job he absolutely loves a block and a half from our house. Just before he started we went to Vancouver for a week on my frequent flyer miles; it was pretty great.



In May I lost an incredibly dear friend of mine, Jim, and began this blog with his eulogy. His birthday was yesterday, and I miss him terribly. I spent last New Year's Eve with him and tried so hard to make him a great birthday cake that I think I used four kinds of chocolate.



Over the summer I managed to climb a few mountains and get a few kayaking trips in. I went Down East and up north and to Gulf Hagas and various parts of New Hampshire.

My brother and I had work in the same gallery in Gloucester, then this fall I was able to rent a studio space with two metalsmithing friends as studio mates...and then this last month Jade, my current employer, invited me to sell my work in her store. I did my usual web writing/content type consulting/freelance gigs this year, but stopped in the fall when I got sick.

The fall was a bad time for me physically, I spent some serious time at the doctor and in hospitals. And then presto magic, I was pregnant. I still haven't gotten used to that. The tyke is currently practicing cartwheels. Meanwhile we got to see friends and family get married here in New England and in Texas.



Glenn and I just went to Puerto Rico for a week. We visited the huge caves in Camuy and saw the world's biggest radio telescope and then went to Vieques (island off the coast) and kayaked at night in the bioluminescent bay. It was great, but definitely not easy while pregnant.

We managed to celebrate the holidays with each other, with each of our families, and with our friend families. I baked some of my usual fare, and then made a fab brunch one of the days. I painted a tree on my sliding glass door this year and put a dress of my grandmother's on a dress form and put a big star on top of it and strung it with lights and put presents under it. Our little cat sits and stares at the lights like she's worshipping the headless xmas lady. I told glenn it was in honor of the important ladies of the season with no first names like Mrs. Santa and our daughter. My toddler friend Anastasia was over the other day and I showed her my painted tree and thought she'd find that pretty funny that I'd painted it on the door. Instead she toed the rug and swayed back and forth with her face scrunched up and said pityingly "Yeah. well. WE have a Real tree." My 12-year old friend Devlin, however, said the lady was "quite possibly the best Christmas tree Ever."

In July I reserved a camping cabin on a x-country ski trail in NH for New Year's but I had to cancel it. Then I had to cancel my new plans. Hopefully I will have recovered some more tomorrow and can start 2007 afresh. I wish all of us a peaceful, environmentally conscious, loving 2007. 10...9...8...7...

(maybe I'll add photos later)