Wander and Ponder on Friday: 2023 Roses and Thorns.

No, I don't make resolutions, but I do keep a running list of goals. I have done this since the early days of the 1970s leadership development courses of Dale Carnegie. I keep a yellow legal pad and on the pad, I keep a running list of goals. Now these goals often have no time frame, to accomplish them is at my discretion, and also my discretion to remove them if they no longer serve me. 

2023 was a year of roses and thorns. The thorns? My childhood friend (and later my maid of honor), my former husband of 20 years, and my old four-legged pal, Nash of 18 years left this world. Speaking of roses, Nash left the world resting his head on a pillow of roses from the same bush where I would bring cuttings of roses into the house. I often had to place the vase of roses in a high space or Nash would chew on the leaves, and swat the flowers eventually destroying the garden bouquet. So, this time the roses were only for him. 

My roses for 2023 were I had two surgeries to restore my eyesight to almost perfect, a trip to California to visit family, and a dream trip of a lifetime, a trip to Paris, France.

There was a section of a wall in my living area that needed some attention. It looked a bit bare, and it has been bugging me for the last 10 years. I could never find the right combination for the bare space, let alone even one good object. And then, like magic, I visited a Paris flea market, and my problem was solved. Mirrors and an old page of a magazine were involved - Les Modes Parisiennes. 

Frankly? I don't care if it looks perfect to the decorator's eye or not. The decor on the wall is from Paris! 

Let's see... What else? 

This year I want to make a few small trips - perhaps to the other side of the country towards the east coast, as well as a trip to my favorite cabin on a lake in Oregon. I am thinking I will try to revive my podcast (will anyone listen?) and I want to do some updating on my 1980s home. 

How about you? Do you make resolutions and since we're on day five, how are those resolutions going so far?