New Year's Eve 2023

December 31, 2023

I did not want to be laying in bed, wearing a fleece onesie and still shivering, while my husband and daughter headed out to the several wonderful NYE parties we have planned.

I have a beautiful new dress that I got in Duluth for tonight, and was looking forward to the collection of friends we would be seeing. Our friend Whitney in particular is throwing the last party at her B and B, and it's breaking my heart not to go. But I feel logey and coughy, and more to the point, I have a low fever, and I don't want to mess around with possibly getting anyone sick. I'm still holding out hope that I'll miraculously feel better and the fever was a mistaken reading, but I doubt that.

And I feel lucky to have 3 sets of people who want me in their lives tonight and who I don't want to get sick.

As our yoga teacher Viv says, it's not like a page turns and everything is magic. You get some things that are good, and some that are not, and life is living in the middle.

In 2023 I became a Swiftie and managed to score tickets at the last minute to take my daughter to the concert. It was a once in a lifetime experience and something that has changed my worldview.

Due to schedules, we did not make it on a trip over the summer, which saddens me. But we FINALLY got in the Amsterdam/Berlin trip that was planned for March 2020, which meant we got to see the Vermeer show. And we had magical other vacations at the cabin, to New Orleans, in Spring Green with friends for MEA, and 3x to Duluth. I snuck off to 48 hours in Miami for a work trip.

2023 is the year Brutus' health started to decline, but he's still with us. It's the year the kittens became cats.

I lost a few friends and haven't seen others as much as I wanted to and that saddens me, but I also gained a few fantastic new ones, and spent deep, valuable time with ongoing ones. I've realized how deeply I love some of my oldest friends.

We spent an insane amount of money (well over 6 figures) on the Summit house with new windows, a new air conditioner, a new deck, and pool repairs after an ice storm collapsed it. But the windows at least were covered by insurance, and I planted a native garden, and we were able to hold amazing pool parties.

I had a record year of client engagement with new challenges and huge successes. Though I am overworked and terrified of dropping the ball, I adore all of them deeply and feel like I am bringing my A game to supporting them and their mission.

I had both conflicts with and successes with the City of Saint Paul, and I'm fortunate to love the city in the way that I do.

I have a teenager, so it goes without saying I'm over-the-moon proud of her one minute and annoyed at the towels on the bathroom floor the next. But mostly I think she's amazing, and she is my heart walking around outside my body.