What’s your twenty?

three, two, one oh wait, we here in the Coachella Valley have around 8 or so more hours left of twenty-twenty! Woo-hoooooo! Oh sorry! Doing a happy dance but then decided against it as I stubbed my toe…d’oh! It’s December 31, 2020, the last day of the longest year. Every year I have the same hopes for the incoming year. This year I still have hope even with how rough this past year played out. Actually, I got to meet or virtually meet so many people from all over the world. Daily I was reading and looking at photos from all over the world and learning about different cultures. Thank you to everyone that has responded to me when I comment on blogs, even though they are not in my native tongue or probably shouldn’t comment but do anyway. It was also cool to meet people here in the States and closer to my twenty. Hopefully, with my mind and temperament mellowing as I still feel the affects of the Topamax but they seem to get less noticeable everyday, I can finish the items that I keep inserting to my list of projects. Also, I still hope to meet others that have Cauda Equina Syndrome and see how they are living. I have met virtually several CES people through IG and here on WP and love seeing their stories and such. Often, I try and reach out or comment on their posts as I know that many just want to be heard as this condition leaves many like me, homebound and looking for answers and connections. So thank you to all of you that have responded to me in this past year it really meant so much! Before I go on, here is a little musical break, please press play…

The first time I sung this in karaoke was the first time I had heard the song. A guy at a bar I been at said that I could probably pull off this song as I had just sung Homecoming Queens Got A Gun. I was drunk, pulled up the song on Youtube and then took the challenge and it became a favorite of mine to sing.

I love this song it reminds me of New Years Eve and karaoke at the Brass back in the day. Tonight, many will be celebrating in their PJs in front of the TV. Some will have parties with their immediate family and others, I am sure will be having, covert, under ground, secret (but everyone knows about it) parties. It is all okay and YOU are the one that has to live with what ever decision you make. The sad thing is, other people may have to live or die with your decisions as well, just a thought. People are going to do what they think is good for themselves and rationalize why it was a good thing to do or not do. I am an expert, level 200 in the rationalizing department. Twenty three years ago on this night, I rationalized that it was better to deliver my son via C-section on New Years Eve or wait till January 1, 1998. Actually, the L & D nurses persuaded me to go early as my blood pressure was spiking as I was trying to hold out as long as I could as I knew every moment that my son had inside the womb would give him a better chance. However, he decided that it was time and his heart rate dropped a few times to many so they delivered him around 8:45 PM. Often I joke that I said “Have him tonight so I can get a better tax refund!” Did you know that a child born at 11:59:59 PM on December 31 can be claimed for that entire year? Great fact to know well if you family planning. Joking really. He is now a father with so much on his plate but I am so proud of him for being responsible even though I know he could have taken a different path.

My son 10 years ago in DTLA.

This was taken in 2013 in San Pedro, CA at White Point tide pools.

As per usual, my usual, I am still working on organizing my SD cards and the files of uploaded photos to my computer. After I finish that unending task, I need to organize my external drives…Oy vey! I do like pulling an unlabeled card and finding fun stuff like the one pulled a few days ago. It had photos from last December. Many were video of Joshua Tree that was taken on December 28, 2019. It was way too cold for me and I only got out of the car a few times, so most of the video was shot while Hubby drove.

Winter wonderland…

The video is just under three minutes…

It was hard to condense as I had around an hour of footage. That day that it had snowed was truly magical and it looked like it was fake, really. As I look at the photos, some of them can take me back to the moment that it was taken and I can almost feel like I back in those spots that I captured. I picked out some of my “favorites” of the past year.

This was taken on the 10 Fwy Westbound. Most of my photos are taken from a moving car.

This was taken in the Santa Monica Highlands. I walked up those steps like a BOSS!

I had all grandkids in the house at the same time!

I walked on the beach a few times!

I cooked more in the past year then I have since I moved to the desert.

I shot photos just so I could make funky edits. This was taken from the parking lot of the Motel 6 in Las Vegas. This was taken in February 2020.

We ate many lunches and dinners on the backroads of the Coachella Valley and saw some spectacular sunsets.

We saw celestial events that were once in a life time.

We drove down lots of lonely roads here in the valley and seen some cool stuff.

We spent lots of time in the morning sun.

Politics was just too much! I even got caught up in the hoopla!

Despite everything that has happened in this past year, I am so thankful that I got to experience it and be part of this time in history. Yes, it has been more like a tale of fiction or maybe more like a four year long reality game show with no winners. Well, at least 80 million or so people here in the states will have something to rejoice when the transition from the big cheese to Joe and Kamala happens this January. I have hope for healing of our nation and this great land that I have always loved and am proud to be a citizen of despite everything that has happened. One last song to close out this year. Puling this one from many years ago. Please press play…

When I worked at a bar, I was not a fan of this song….

Yes, it is closing time. Time to reflect about the good things that happened and the bad. There are still lots of unfinished business that will carry on into this year and the following but at least we are headed in a better direction. I hope the progress in race and gender equality keeps marching forward. May voter suppression become part of our history and never be allowed in any election in this great land. One thing though, people will still need help. I know that many of those senators that have convinced themselves that it is okay to let people lose their homes and not be able to feed their families just as I have rationalized that easting a Krispy Kreme mini is okay for my diet. Ooops, took a slight detour and hopped on my soap box.

Thank you, to all of YOU, that have stopped by for a visit to my blog! I appreciate all of you and thanks for the comments as well! Small gestures like those are the best sometimes. Blessings to each of you for a healthy and prosperous new year. Where ever your journeys take you get there safely. Hugs to you and you and you and YOU!