It’s a new year and I’ve decided to blog on Tuesdays. I don’t really do social media much anymore, so I will try to save up my memes for this.

Once a week will likely not give many memes, because the world moves so fast and our attention with it. Just today our president elect is he-hawing about changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of the Americas and continues to talk about invading Panama and Greenland. I think some things he does just to jerk chains. And jerk he does. He is. Fucker. And social media will become more dangerous over the next four years… Zuck’s not going to bother checking for facts. It’s a Facebook/Meta conundrum, do I stay or do I go? Is it a media company or a service? YUCK! I feel like there’s lots of people I’d lose touch with, but so what? I keep in touch with many people from my childhood that I like via text, so, what’s the point? But still….

I participated in the 12 magical nights ritual, from Vanessa and her iPhone, who I found on Instagram. Me and two of my kids over the holidays got together once a day and burned wishes. In the end, we all have goals for the year. Mine is to write and finish a romance novel. Cameron (oldest son) suggested an enemies to lovers trope. I have been noodling on my favorite love stories and I tend to be drawn to enemies to lovers and forbidden romance.

My not even close to complete list includes, The Abyss, The English Patient, Fourth Wing, Outlander, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Gone with the Wind, and that’s just the ones I thought of off the top of my head. So, I’m guessing if these are the ones I think about first, that’s where I should start.

I have finished writing a 2nd-ish draft of my novel about Iola and her three dragon children. It’s certainly not the shitty first, but it’s still got lots of stupidity and not enough of the good stuff. But it’s enough for now.

It’s hard to believe last Tuesday was New Year’s Eve, which was a wonderful night of games and my grown kids. The photo of my son laughing, on the left, was how the night felt. Warm and joyous. It’s the first time I have felt like that while entertaining in a very long time. I wasn’t nervous, I didn’t worry about people having fun, I just had fun with them. It was really nice. Maybe I’m just getting better at being me. And I went to bed before I drank too much. Bonus!

Today marks the beginning of the end of a journey I’ve been on since July when I had breast reconstruction surgery to fix Poppy and the Wanderer. I ended up with a terrible skin disease called pyoderma gangrenosum. It took what felt like forever to heal it and get to a place when the surgeons could clean it up and close the wounds. Today, I got stitches out and I no longer have open wounds. AFTER ALMOST SIX MONTHS! Hallelujah! I am so grateful! It’s the perfect day to start something new.

And a shout out to all the fantastic doctors at the Cleveland Clinic: Dr Graham Schwarz, Dr Sarah Bishop, Dr Marilyn Wickenheiser, Dr Kathryn Riley and the support staff in Dr Schwarz office, especially Sarah Block, Sam Powers, and Hailey. They were so attentive and I don’t know that I’ve had that kind of care since I was a kid and Dr Branch used to visit us at home. (really! he did!)

And, of course, I could not have done it without my family. They were the bomb diggity. They fed me, clothed me, wrapped my wounds, slept with me and watched TV with me when there was nothing else I could do. I’m a lucky mama!

I have a lot to be grateful for!

My favorite meme this week has been one that was sent to me by my friend Jenny Rebecca who texts me each morning.

And before I forget, a card for the week: the Ace of Cups, reversed. “If the Ace of Cups appears reversed, it reminds you that pouring your energy into what brings you joy, is never wasted energy.” -Elliot Adam.

Peace out & promises!