Oh January! Winter Update From Our Lil’ Suburban Homestead
I have missed all of you so much! I know I haven’t shared much in January….so you know how life goes right? You are just moving along and you get a little knock down and you pick yourself back up, then you get a little knock down, and you pick yourself back up. Then you get slammed down and you don’t recover quite so quickly but I’m a survivor so I do. It may not be good that I have the gift of empathy so I feel things around me quite deeply more so probably than others or so I have been told. January is a tough month for many people as the holidays are over and it’s so cold…not so much in North Carolina but in many places this time of year.
So to be transparent and share we suffered a loss of a good friend in January to suicide and if you would have asked me I would have said I would never have suspected and then I realized I had not seen that friend in real life for years…isn’t that how it often goes these days? I hoped that he would know that we would have been there for him but then again it’s not so simple is it? We can’t just jump into someone’s life and fix things. I have learned much in January 2017 and I am 46 years old isn’t that crazy? I guess we are always learning and if I learned anything through the loss of this friend is that we need to do everything in our power to help others.
So now on to the positives for January….I am back to reading again and my Mom helped me pick out my first two reads of the year both were emotional but my Mom’s exact words and I am quoting her exactly were…”Good books evoke emotion!” I bet Mom never thinks that I will take her texts from Google Hangouts and quote her lol…
January was not all bad as the Viking in my life and me went to Epcot! Yes you heard me right we went to Epcot….and met up with my Mom and my niece and we had an absolute blast! I want to go back but my hunny is like we just did that. LOL! We went for just the weekend you see the empty nest isn’t all bad ;).
This pic above was of an old country store we saw when we went on a road trip to go to our dear friend’s funeral. I truly do love these lost old treasures along the country side.
Another piece of good news…we received our annual lemon shipment from our good friends at Schneiders Peeps and we will be making them into lemon wine so I see good times this summer in our future from all that delicious citrus. Thank you Angie and family!
The garlic has been planted so we should have another healthy garlic harvest this year although I have been so inattentive that I just found out the Viking planted it this past fall. Thank goodness we have a partnership going on! I am so grateful for him. I have so many goals to plant so many different items this spring now lets just see if I can make it all happen that’s the true test.
We are empty nesters officially now if I haven’t told you this all happened in October sometime….yes our baby boy who is now 19 flew the coop they do that you know. I can’t accurately convey to you how fast this happens…you hear people say in the blink of an eye and it’s true. I only hope to inspire and encourage all of you so just remember this blog exists because of all of you! Yes you!
I hope to provide hope and inspiration if you are feeling like a failure or if you too like me work full-time and you are trying to juggle it all I mean it’s not easy but it can be done.
As far as my fitness goals I am working out every week and trying to log over 10 miles each week that was my January goal. As we move into February I am trying to log over 12 miles each week and continue on all year-long.
What about you? Was January tough for you? Do you want a re-do? I’ll go first I have to say I honestly do but it doesn’t work that way does it?
Since it does not work that way I focus on my gratitudes for each day and yes I do this all year-long! Do you? If not I highly recommend it
I am grateful for all of you! I wish you all joy, peace and love and happiness in your life! I wish you all a beautiful week until next time!
Fondly,
Karen, I am so sorry to hear about your friend. Prayers for you and the family for healing. So sorry.
I think a lot of people are having a hard time getting going this year, lol. Maybe spring will help! I was sick for almost 6 weeks during Dec/Jan and it was a miserable time. Didn’t even seem like Christmas! 🙁 I am an empty nester too and it does take a while but it is nice.
LOVE Epcot. I am in Tampa and a ticket holder so look me up next time you go! I love that place. 🙂
xoxo
Bobbi
Bobbi I am so sorry about your sickness that stinks 🙁
January dragged while I was grieving and while we are still sad February flew by so fast!
I would love to have us meet up with you the next time we are that way!
I so appreciate your kind words. I hope you are on the mend too and I hate that sickness robbed you of your fun holiday season. Sending hugs friend!
Gentle hugs on the loss of your friend……. Life does have a habit of sending some challenges our way. Hope things improve for you and the Viking!!
Thank you so much Christine! January is over thank goodness and February flew by way too fast! I so appreciate the kind words friend. How are things for you?