2016: It Was Full of Awfulness, But...

Me and my Mom, circa 1960

The first thing that let me know this was going to be a rough year is that we lost my Mom in January.  She had dementia, and had been difficult to have current conversations with (you could share past memories all day long, she remembered the past.  Just not the last few minutes) for quite some time.  Still, knowing your Mommy isn't there anymore when you just want to hear her voice is really hard to get used to.  Especially when you were her baby, and spent a LOT of time alone with her in your early years.

There were some good moments this year, though, in spite of all the beloved celebrities we have lost.
I got to meet THIS little sweetheart, even if it was while I was in Los Angeles for my Mom's burial service. 

That's me and my grand niece walking on the pier.  I got to see the ocean again this year, as well.

In February, I got another year older.  This can be both a good thing and a bad thing.  Aging is not for the faint of heart, especially if you're a woman.  I decided to own this gray hair, but I refuse to be a fat, flabby old auntie.  I walk several miles every day,  and do the Zumba class with the library sponsored crowd every other week.  (When it's my turn to facilitate the program , that is, set up and  clean up, I participate in the class.  Not required, but encouraged, because they want us to be as healthy as possible!)

I remember I had a lovely birthday. 

Tweet I received from Ron for my birthday.  He's such a sweetheart.

I also got flowers from friends, and from my hubby.

Flowers from my wonderful husband Matthew

Flowers from Fi, gifts from other wonderful friends far and near!  I am so spoiled!

My friends, near and far, made sure to let me know I was thought of and loved on my special day.  The fact that this happened is one of the best parts of 2016.  I have people I care about who care about me, too.  That is a priceless treasure.

Memorial Day weekend was also a great high point of 2016.  I got to meet some online friends for the first time, and I got to hug a bunch of my wonderful thoughtful friends who've been there for me for several years now.
Matt and I went to Space City Comic Con, both to see Ron, and Michael Ornstein, and to meet our favorites from Star Trek Continues, and also to see our friends Mary, Jana, Kelly and Mal again. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hugging on Doug

 

 

 

 

There were problems with the con that messed it up for a lot of folks, fortunately for us, we didn't have many issues.  A lot of the celebs had issues, though, and that was very sad.  They want to do the best they can for their fans, but it's hard when the con organization lets you down. Typical of 2016.  Mess things up for as many famous people as possible...

We got to meet Doug Jones for the first time, that was definitely a good thing that happened.

We also got to see and speak with Ron Perlman again.  My "spare" big brother.  Love that guy, he's the best.

Me and my buddy.

 We got to see, and Matt bought me a painting by Michael Ornstein. 

  Michael has always been so kind to me on Twitter, and he encourages my writing.  He's a very talented and very nice
guy.

We also met a few of our favorites from Star Trek Continues at that con.  We got to see the newest episode on the big screen before it was released online. 

Me and Michael Ornstein.

The painting by Michael that Matt bought for me is shown at the right.  We have it hanging in our entry hall here at home.

This is the poster for Come Not Between The Dragons, that the Star Trek Continues cast signed for us.

Later on, in the summer, we got to meet Vic Mignogna, and he added his autograph to the poster as well.

There's us with Vic at Soonercon.


Summer was far too hot, but I got to participate in a library event on July 4, and again in October.

These jack-o-lanterns are the Perlman themed ones I made for our house.  They were a big hit, even if some of the trick or treaters weren't sure who exactly they were...








Of course, early November was a big disappointment for some of us, and we are still trying to be hopeful about the after-effects of all of that.

There was ONE good thing; a new grand nephew.  Jackson joined the family in early November as well.

Christmas, however, was wonderful, as it always is, a celebration of the coming of light, and the restoring of hope.

I got a new cocktail shaker for Christmas.  Mostly because I have tried a lot of cocktail recipes this year, and Santa knew my "shaker" was two mixing glasses one inverted into the other. 

This was my favorite among the cocktails I learned to make this year.  The Lemon Chiffon Cake Martini.  SO tasty!

I have gotten a new journal for writing set up.  Gotta close out this year's , then I shall post some entries I have made lately.

Just wanted to remind myself that there were SOME good things about this year.  It has still been one stinker of a year, full of much sadness, and at least one major health scare.  (Matt had to have an appendectomy, and it was rather an emergency.)

May the year to come be less sad, filled with fewer frights and losses, and even more full of the the love of friends and family.
Many blessings to you and yours!