Saturday, January 2, 2016

out with the old, in with the new


2015 was an easy year, a year of transition, a year when I started to think of myself as semi-retired as opposed to just not having any work. We've had plenty of slow years work-wise in the 40 or so years that we have been doing the architectural glass but last year was the first year that I haven't worried about it, mostly because with the sale of the old homestead in the city in 2014, we didn't have to worry about not being able to pay our bills. Other changes came as well. In the spring, I failed my eye test to get my driver's license renewed and for the first time in my life, I had to get real wear-all-the-time glasses as opposed to the drugstore magnifiers I've been relying on for years for reading and close up work. They took a good deal of getting used to and even now, I still don't wear them sometimes. Also in the spring, with my 65th birthday, I became eligible for Medicare and so for the first time in my adult life, I had medical insurance.

What else...I finished all the Botanicas, got them cast, finished, and framed for mounting. Well, all but one which cracked and upon re-firing, cracked again. I think about doing a new one so that I will have the full 20 pieces but I'm really sort of done with them. The last, cracked Botanica will just become part of my personal collection, I guess, along with all the other pieces that have cracks in them. And while I haven't started on a new body of work yet, I have made a few miscellaneous pate de verre pieces.

I found a yoga class in the next little town over and have been going twice a week in addition to my 'five a day' sun salutations I'd been doing all year. Summer was full of the visits from the grandkids, all teens now and three out of the four have full-time summer jobs so I love that they still want to come out. A little puppy came into our lives, dumped, abandoned, who found her way to our yard and wouldn't leave and who has made a huge space for herself here. I spent a week in Calgary, Canada with my girlfriends. All in all, it was a pretty laid back year and we ended it with loud pops, bangs, and sparkles with the Girl and her family.

the bone pile

And celebrated the new one the next day.


The grandgirls are here and I take them back on Sunday. 


We've been doing our usual end of year of sleeping late, snuggling on the couch watching movies and, new this year, giving the twins practice time driving. Later today we head for our favorite shops and there is a key lime pie in our immediate future.

Happy New Year! May it be filled with wonder and prosperity.




14 comments:

  1. Much the same here today. Boys have had their pancakes, there's a lemon pie in our refrigerator.
    And here we are- all still on the planet, going about our business as we do.

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  2. This has been a pretty good year for you - I'm glad! After being off work for three weeks Monday is going to be RUDE. Plus we're expecting snow. Sigh.

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  3. Happy New Year to you and yours... Sounds like a great 2015 and looking forward to 2016. I've never been so busy in my life as I've been since retirement. Sheesh!!!

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  4. Yes, here's to getting on with it. A fairly decent year left behind and a good new one starting.

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  5. I am glad your grands are still an important part of your life. I am slowly beginning to expect mine will begin to have other things to do....I hope not, but will adjust.

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  6. great way to spend time, you are good at it! I have a dog to walk for the next day , and then I can get back to my studio. Time is speedy!!

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  7. loved the pic of the girls sacked out after celebrating. :) glad your year was easy. my last half was a bit rougher than normal, but maybe 2016 will help me figure life out. :)

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  8. Happy New Year! May each day bring surprises and wonders.

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  9. Happy New Year, Ellen! I imagine you will always have more than enough to do, with your art and family and flowers and dog, along with the glasswork jobs that present themselves. Here's to a good 2016 ~

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  10. key lime sounds nice. I was headed that direction , but decided a cake instead. Took a 5 and 6 year old to an art center. What an experience, even though the guards kept a rather watchful eye on them not to touch.LOL

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  11. Banana bread was necessary today because of some over ripe bananas! Pie sounds better! Happy New Year and glad you are close to your grands - ours are too far away! Texting and photos help.

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  12. Happy New Year, Ellen! Maybe you'll be motivated to recast that last Botanica after some time passes. And maybe not. :)

    I haven't yet needed real glasses, but I am using the drug-store magnifiers now!

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  13. Happy New Year to you! I envy your time with the grandkids!! I want to sell this place and be in a position to spend more time with mine.

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  14. well I look forward to a new year of "Ms Ellen's" head thoughts and beautiful work...

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