Sunday, January 3, 2016

2016 - A New Beginning

What is it about starting a new year with high hopes for better things? Each year we reflect on the previous year, our successes, failures, tragedies, joys, blessings and goals. Was it a good year overall or did the bad outweigh the good? Whatever the answer, we always hope the new year will be better than the last. It wouldn't take much for 2016 to be an improvement on 2015 so here is hoping that it is a better year. I can't control what events occur but I can try to cope better with what comes, look for every tiny bit of joy in each day and focus on the positive instead of being overwhelmed by the negative. Lofty goals...

November didn't go quite as planned. I did stick to my no-spending on anything but necessities but the necessities ended up being expensive. Starting with an unplanned veterinary visit to have Kitty Kat put to sleep which of course led to me being emotionally devastated for weeks. Stress, grief and my seasonal allergies kicked my asthma into high gear, totally out of control, which has required doctor visits and more prescriptions. Usually a good steroid shot and prednisone pack fix me up in a few days but not this time, going through another round and have added some new medications as well. Aggravating because I don't feel sick, but have no energy or strength to do anything due to the lack of oxygen. It makes me wonder how people with chronic and severe health problems manage each day.

To partially fill the huge void left by the loss of my precious Kitty, I have adopted a new cat. He is very amusing and has helped ease my grief. It's hard to get good pictures of him, though, he's so quick.
He doesn't really have a name yet, nothing has seemed just right. My husband calls him T for Trouble and I've considered Smoky, Scamp, Rowdy or Ruffian. Rascal would be perfect except we already have a dog named Rascal so in the meantime, I usually call him Li'l Stinker. I'm sure he will inspire a new cross stitch chart or two in the near future.

So here is to a new year, a better year, a more productive year. I want to stitch more, share more and enjoy life more. Lofty goals, but not beyond reach...

4 comments:

njstitch said...

I'm so sorry about your beloved furry friend. I totally understand. Our 23 yr old cat Gabby started not eating well on the day before Christmas. Five days later she was gone. I'm still listening for her. She was deaf the last year, occasionally we would hear a weird meow when she didn't know where we were in the house. Gabby meowed and purred at me until the last day. Hugs, Joan in NJ

Stitchhappy said...

Joan, I'm sorry for your loss as well. It is so hard to lose them, I say I will never let myself in for that heartbreak again, but the emptiness they leave behind is unbearable so I soon bring in a new baby to love.

Alyssa F said...

So sorry to hear about your beloved furbaby! Those losses are never easy. My poor Greysen died 2 years ago and it still hurts some days. But the new baby looks adorable, so I hope he soothes your spirit as he makes a new impression in your heart. I like literary names myself, so he looks like a Dodger to me (as in the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist).

njstitch said...

Thank you for all your kind words. Hugs, Joan