Year in review ~ so far

There was a time when I wrote a "Year in Review" blog post every January. I'm not sure when I got out of the practice, but I kind of regret it now. It would be great to look back and see what each year had brought. I suppose I stopped because there was nothing new or unusual to report other than I published some books. There were also the pandemic years where everyone was suffering the same thing, so any recital of mine could be filled with comments saying "ditto."

My birthday happens to land smack dab in the middle of the year, July 31, so it's a good time for me to reflect anyway. This is not a year where nothing happened, and if you've been following, you'll know all about it already. 

I'm a list person, so I like to see things in point form. I process things visually. So this is for me, if not for everyone.

• January: my daughter Tasia in convalescence (if you missed what happened to her, go HERE); Norm and I are living on the generosity of strangers in a basement suite; we bought a house in New Brunswick with our son Joel and his wife Shadi; we leave the bitter cold of BC and return to our RV we'd left in Mexico on our sudden return to Canada in December; publish Murder at the Fiesta. 
• February: Recovering emotionally and physically in Mexico--beach walks help a lot; get good news from our son Jordan and his fiancee Chelsea, they're getting married!
• March: Get the news that Chelsea might have osteosarcoma; decide to leave Mexico sooner than planned and start heading north; get as far as Vegas when I decide to fly back to BC and let Norm drive the rest of the way alone; learn when I land in Edmonton that the cancer diagnosis is confirmed; get home in time to help my daughter put her most beloved cat, Missy, down due to illness and offer grief support; publish Murder at the Savoy.
• April: clean and fix up RV and sell; Joel and Shadi move into new house; hire our son Levi to start a Fantasy line for our publishing company; Chelsea starts Chemo; prep for wedding, it's still on!
• May: Wedding and Strauss family meet up (if you missed the blog about this fabulous, emotional day, go HERE; publish Murder at the Circus
• June: Sold our rental house (that Levi, Tasia, Jordan & Chelsea live in) and bought a new one in a nicer and safer neighbourhood; after six months driving prohibition (due to medical reasons), our daughter gets back behind the wheel!
• July: Chelsea has her surgery, the tumor is removed along with 9 inches of her femur and her knee is replaced, recovery proves to be more difficult that we had anticipated; Chelsea was in the news; Murder at the Boxing Club is published; I turn 58. 

And that brings us to now. We're all busy packing cleaning and preparing for a move this month, and I'm riding in the Tour de Cure which you can learn about HERE

Despite everything, (and I didn't include that we also all got Covid) I can say that with my whole heart I am truly thankful. These trials have brought us so much closer as a family and have put what's important and what is not in perspective. I won't say I'm not weary, but my faith is steady and I have hope for the future. 

What's coming next? Who can say for certain, but we're planning to return to Mexico for the winter. And to publish more books. So stay tuned!