Thursday, January 16, 2014

2013 - The Year of Ups and Downs



Hi All :)

I Hope your 2014 is off to a great start :)

As my 2014 starts with an adventure (more on that another day :)

I am looking back at the Ups and Downs of 2013.

I haven't really been a very good Blogger Buddy the past year but........

I have to say that health-wise 2013 was most probably the most challenging I have had to date. I spent the last 6 months of 2013 suffering from Shingles and it is only just now easing off. Six months of exhaustion on top of the crap I already deal with, not a recipe for fun :( 
I guess on the upside the pain was more bearable for me I guess because of living with Fibromyalgia every day, I am used to living with constant pain and so I didn't even know I had Shingles for almost 6 weeks into it, I thought it was some kind of bug biting me, DUH!!! 
So, my house was cleaned, from top to bottom, my bedcovers wash over and over and my house sprayed, organically of course, for pretty much every kind of insect known to humanity; so I worn myself out (and the rest of the family I might add too) doing that rather than resting to recover and so when I finally went to the doctors and they told me what I had I felt like a complete idiot. But again on the upside there isn't a bug within a 20 mile radius of my house who would dare enter, lol ;) 

On the up side I got to spend a few weeks this year with my whole family together, one week in Ohio where my Son graduated from Uni (college :)

It was so awesome and of course this proud Mama sobbed as they entered to "Pomp and Circumstance" - One, because I actually made it there at all! :) 2. That we were all together for the last college graduation of our little family unit :) and 3. The tune is to the song, "Land of Hope and Glory" known to us Brits. very Patriotic and Powerful to a Homesick Girl :)


Then we were all together at home for the Holidays, I felt truly blessed, our time together gets harder to juggle with everyone's schedules and some living in different States too, so every moment is cherished  :)

We also had a "downsizing" sale in the Summer; the stress of organizing and working that may have been enough to bring on the Shingles, never again!!! (Shingles or any kind of sale Downsizing, Moving, Yard, or Garage, NEVER!!!!
Goodwill here I come, lol :)



Of course, We got to do our Yearly "B.Day" trip, (me & Hubby) to Lovely, Sunny San Diego :)

Also, My Hubby and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anni :)



click on photos to see larger images :)


Night shot of Downtown :)


I got to go to my favourite Winery (in the local Oregon Wine Country) and also, to the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon and the Portland Rose Garden on perfectly beautiful Autumn days here in the Pacific N.W. in October, I couldn't ask for anything better than that :)




Old Highway Columbia River Gorge in the late afternoon Fall Sunshine, Oregon :)



Vista House - Shot from Portland Women's Forum Scenic Viewpoint, Oregon :)




One of the many beautiful waterfalls along the Old Scenic Highway, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon :)







(Both shots above are views from the new Ponzi tasting room :)



So, I was going thru my photos, taken in 2013, trying to find a photo that best represented me and how I felt thru most of 2013 and this one sums it up for me.




Beautiful Roses with Bokeh at the lovely Rose Test Garden in P.Town Oregon :)


There was beauty to been seen but the Glaring, Blinding distractions of so many things kept my attention from completely enjoying it all the time but I tried with all my might to get the best out of even the worst days. :)


I hope 2014 has a clearer path with less distractions (oh, who am I kidding?!?!? lol :)


Wishing you all a wonderful 2014 :)

Cheers, T. :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.


19 comments:

My Life Under the Bus said...

Oh T I have had Shingles a few times lucky for me once I start the antiviral it's a week or two. I seriously could not imagine 6 months! XOXO I can imagine you are glad that is over and you can start anew! Happy 2014 T!!!

Jaime Haney said...

Hi T! Wow you really have had a very eventful 2013. Yes, 2014 will be better - think positive thoughts and only expect for good things to happen. If you find yourself stressing... stop. You may not have total control over your health but you are in control of your body, mind and spirit. I hope nothing but a fantastic review of 2014 will be in order come next January. ;)

I'm so sorry you had those awful shingles and that you suffer so much already that you couldn't tell.

Your anniversary looked like it was one for the books... just beautiful pictures, thank you for sharing those with us. So glad you got to spend a week with your little family unit (that made me smile). I may use that phrase now if you don't mind... LOL

xx Jaime

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi There P. :)

So cool to hear from you :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS :)

So sorry to hear you have had Shingles more than once, did you get the vaccine?

I took the anti virals and it made things worse, only me right!?!?

Have a lovely Friday, cheers,T. :)

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi There J. :)

Thanks so much for your positive words, yep, I think I am going to have to use a lot of positive thinking over the next year :)

And definitely, use "little Family Unit" :)

Have a lovely Friday and wonderful weekend, cheers, T. :)

Annette said...

Wow, that was some kind of year you had! I'm so glad you are over the shingles and I hope you don't have to deal with that again. At least you had some good times, especially with the whole family :)

I like the photo you chose and the description of the year. It's very positive and inspires me to focus less on what I can't do and more on what I can do.

I hope 2014 is a very good year for you! XO

keithchip said...

I hope that 2014 is less challenging health wise for you. I look forward to sharing many adventures with you in 2014 and to see many more great photos. All my love K xxxx

Clare said...

Here's to a healthier 2014, T! What a roller coaster 2013 must have been for you, it can only mean that this year will fulfill all of the potential from the last :)

I can't wait to hear about your upcoming adventures!

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi A. :)

Thanks so much for your sweet words :)

Yep, I am hoping for a better 2014 but.......who knows :)

I try to stay as positive as poss. I guess I have a lot to be truly grateful for but something the self pity does creep in and I have to literally yell at it to go away (in my mind that is, lol :)

Wishing you better health in 2014 too :)

Have a lovely weekend, cheers, T. :)




Hi K. :)

Oh you know we are going to have some awesome adventures in 2014 :)

I'm so glad we get to do them together :)

Love T. :)

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi there C. :)

Thanks so much for your lovely supportive words :)

Well, life for me is always a roller-coaster and seriously I'd like to get off just for a bit and chill :)

I'm truly hoping that 2014 is a better year health-wise but I am going to try and enjoy every min. I can :)

Wishing you great success as you take you company forward in 2014, that is brave and awesome :)

Have a lovely Weekend, cheers,T. :)

Unknown said...

oh you poor thing with the shingles. My mum has had it so I understand the misery of it. But congratulations on your 30th anniversary. What a good idea to look back on the ups and downs. I believe it is almost always swings and roundabouts if you step back and look objectively. Happy 2014!

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi A-M, :)

Thanks for stopping by :)

I truly appreciate your lovely words
yep, I do believe life is "swings & roundabouts" :)

Hope you have a lovely 2014 too :)

Cheers, T. :)

Meeling said...

You certainly had a full year!!

Shingles. :( I feel for you my friend. I had a good friend and coworker who had it just a couple months back and she was downright miserable. Pain, tired and then all the medicine she had to take. It was awful. I hope you have seen the last of that!!

Don't you love little BD trips and things like that. My hubby and I usually plan at least one little getaway a year sans children and even though we tend to haunt the same places everytime, there's something comforting and familiar about it.

Here's hoping that your 2014 is spectacular in every way!!

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi M. :)

Thanks so much for your sweet words :)

Yep, those B.Day trips are SO important as a couple, to try and stay sane in this crazy world (for one thing, lol ) and we too like to go to the same places, just switching it up a little now and then :)

I hope your 2014 rocks and I bet you will be SO excited to graduate :)

Have a lovely Wednesday, cheers, T. :)

Unknown said...

Very nice

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi S. :)

Thanks for stopping by and your nice comments :)

Good to meet you :)

Cheers, T. :)

Almost Precious said...

T - Well 2014 hasn't started off very promising - perhaps, with luck, it will improve. :)

Glad that you never lost your amazing sense of humor throughout all the "downs" and happy to read about the "Ups" that helped (somewhat) to counter-balance that wicked teeter-totter.

Thank you for all your lovely photos.

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi Anna,

Thank you so much for your sweet words :)

Yep, 2013 was challenging and 2014 is proving to be very stressful and I am not sure my sense of humour has much more tolerance but I'm trying, lol :)

Hope you have a lovely V.Day and a wonderful weekend, cheers, T. :)

Victoria Bennett Beyer said...

Oh, T, what a year! I am glad to hear there were some ups to go with those downs, and that you are such a positive spirit that you picked a truly uplifting photo to represent your year. I pray you have a healthy, happy year!

T@PoppyPlacePdx said...

Hi V.

Thanks so much for your lovely caring words, you are really kind :)

I LOVE seeing all your beautiful work and I am truly grateful we are Blogger Buddies and also "sisters" of fPOE together.

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend, cheers, T. :)