New Year's Letter 2023

Sacred Bond by James Neafsey,
a favourite image of mine
that can be found if you click here.

Happy New Year, friends far and near!

Hope you’ve had a Christmas break blessed with the presence of family and friends. We’re back from Christmas with Lee's Dad in Lethbridge, just celebrated Ukrainian Christmas with my family here, and as usual, I’m late with my greetings! How did 2022 treat you? Here are a few highlights for us:

January – Volunteering Sunday mornings at the Community of Emmanuel's worship services and reopening to allow people to actually come in after a long Covid stretch of handing coffee and lunch bags out the door to folks on the streets. Finishing basement suite renovations where our nephew, Iain, is staying as he completes his engineering degree.

February – Hanging out with my sisters and watching Hallmark movies as mental health required. Hiking and walking with friends. Holding small, masked rallies to support health care workers, and mostly avoiding convoys with Christina, Landon, and friends.  

March -- Returning to work (masked) at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music (my dream job!) two years and eight days after my last 2020 shift when Covid began. 

April – Warmer weather and walking to a local coffee shop with Suzanna (who recently moved back home -- rent is cheaper here). Helping Pastor Quinn save a life with Naloxone/Narcan. Lee feeling happy that the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence he worked on for the previous year was announced and is underway.

May – Working with Lee to convert more of our lawn to garden and sharing the remainder of a huge load of free wood chips with family and friends. More of that coming in 2023. Gardening experiment this year was growing asparagus from seed (we should get to eat some in two years if we're lucky). 

June – Taking Lee's 90-year-old Dad on a trip down memory lane (to Vancouver Island and back) with brother-in-law, Les, and enjoying visits with relatives there. Lee happily transitioning to full-time at Innotech Alberta after a 16-month secondment there from the Government of Alberta.

July – Growing a pretty good garden (and almost too many tomatoes). Taking Suzanna and Jay to see “Hamilton.”  Giving our pear tree a serious haircut (took three Saturdays) to try to save it from fire blight (fingers still crossed).   Having the Pope living 2 blocks away (holy security, Batman!)

August – Golfing with my folks and sisters at Spur Valley, BC, and canoeing with Mom from Invermere to Radium. Saying goodbye to Auntie Mary, my other godmother, and seeing Prediger and Stang cousins at the celebrations of her life in Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

September – Celebrating Christina's 9-year Bachelor of Arts degree. Singing Taizé music in person again. Attending an International Healing of Memories workshop and meeting some people I will never forget. Good autumn dog walks with Shadow, who is 10 and slowing down.

October – Meeting some of the many kind and generous people who provide 200 bagged lunches every Sunday of the year for Inner City Pastoral Ministry. Receiving Murchie's Tea deliveries from the coast after Jay's trips there (thanks Jay!)  

November – Getting the garden under wraps just an hour before the snow came (many thanks to Lee’s brother, Louis!) Flying to Vancouver Island (aka Hallmark Christmas movie land) to catch up on the missing pieces of the past three years with my best friend, Cathy (amazing how much never gets said on the phone!)

December – Succeeding in finding a condo home for Lee’s youngest sibling, Lynn (move-in date mid-January, we hope).  A much-needed spiritual retreat with Ron Rolheiser. Hearing amazing Christmas concerts at the Winspear and enjoying friendships that have developed there. Celebrating with family.

It's hard to imagine the highlights coming in 2023. Completion of Landon's Master's degree in Community Engagement, for sure. Retirement for Lee? I’ll believe it when I see it. 

A visit from friends far and near would definitely be a highlight -- you're always welcome at our kitchen/picnic table. And if Edmonton is too far to come but you feel like connecting in a different way, my writings here at www.simplemoodlings.blogspot.com can drop into your inbox occasionally if you put your email address in the box on the right sidebar (where the words “Get Simple Moodlings by Email (easy peasy)” appear).

In the meantime, we wish you and yours a wonderful New Year. May you be blessed with good health, happiness, and just enough that you can share with those in need.

Hugs, and peace on earth to people of good will!