Okay, so here we are, 2025. And my last post was in February of 2024. So... yeah...a lot has happened.
I somehow managed to float through one of the weirdest, busiest years I've had in recent memory without actually feeling like I took part and now it's 2025 and I realize I need to take the reins and get back on the horse and any other horseback riding metaphors that mean I need to focus on writing and entertaining people on the regular again.
So, here's a nutshell of my 2024:
1) Started a new job on January 2. No phone. No computer. What do I do? I sort medical documents all day. Stacks of paper. Just me, a rubber finger, and paper. And I love it. I'm finally in a company that honestly believes if you're sick, you should not be in the office. It's a company that offers paid sick time and PTO, not just a lump of PTO you're expected to burn when you're sick. It's amazing, and I can't believe that tomorrow is my one-year anniversary because it's gone so fast. The one downside is I really can't write at work...which is somehow a good thing and annoying at the same time. My work days fly by because every minute is busy. Not a bad thing!
2) I started in on what I like to call MAJOR speaking engagements. I did a 90-minute presentation for a women's conference in April and that's given me the confidence to market myself more, not so much as just an author talking about books, but also a legit conference speaker who can entertain and educate all in one. (I'm available for bookings any place, pretty much any time. Except February. I'm booked solid in February.)
3) The knee replacement. Yeah, 2024 was all about the right knee. Pretty much the minute I started my new job I knew the knee was not good. (Probably got super damaged at the IT office job I had, those stairs where a menace. But the knee wasn't great to begin with...) So, in July I got it replaced. And that surgery, which was supposed to be outpatient one day, turned into an ambulance ride, a four day stay at a hospital, endless appointments with lung doctors, a sleep study, and a new BI-PAP machine.
Way too much fun!
4) The kids really made 2024 interesting! Peaches announced she's buying the bakery she works at (She's still looking for investors if you'd like to invest some cash in a small, local bakery that makes the world's best cinnamon rolls!). Negotiations continue, but the sale should be final around Easter, and we can't wait to see what she does with that little shop!
Not to be outdone, Skippy also did a thing and got engaged! (Yeah, this just happened yesterday, so...yeah.) We love Skippy's young lady and are so excited for this couple to start their lives together! Of course, if means Skippy will be moving out, and I'll lose my TV buddy, but they won't be too far away. Skippy's lady will forever in this blog be known as Dearie!
5) 2024 was the year I realized I'm not a young person anymore. Oh, I'm not that old, but with both the kids doing serious adulting stuff, I realized I'm the older generation. I'm needed less by my children and more by my parents. My dad had a stroke in late 2023, and that's sort of been the focus of a lot of our energy. He's doing perfectly fine, but my mom's taken sort of hit, realizing that she, and he, are the OLD people and maybe can't do everything all the time.
6) Writing continues, although at a slower pace. The knee replacement took me out of Farmer's Market action much of the season, but people found my books anyway, especially the new Max Marchino Mysteries which is a series I'm really excited about. I did Nanowrimo again this year, but the week I traveled to the Dells for my writing week, I wound up getting a yeast infection in my throat from the BIPAP machine and didn't do nearly the amount of work I wanted to. Oh well.
7) Hubby managed to keep one of his resolutions in 2024: he didn't do anything bloggable and therefore stayed out of the blog. (As did most people because I didn't blog at all, but you know...let him have this win.) He actually was my hero in so many ways this year, I can't even count. He's truly a gift from God and I would be lost without him.
8) Ray-Gun. Come on. Who wasn't obsessed with this?
And that's sort of been my year. Kind of a mix between "ugh" and "Whoo-hoo" which gives 2024 pretty much an "Oh well" grade.
Do I have resolutions this year? I haven 't put much thought into it. I mean, all the usual stuff: Lose weight, eat better, exercise, don't use the credit cards, blah blah...
I think 2025 is going to be a good year. My family is good, my faith life is good, my friendships are good. I'm not looking for fireworks and lottery winnings this year (although it would be nice, I've got some serious house repairs we need to do.) But mostly, I'm looking to keep the chill, floating feeling going on because in spite of all the drama, this has been a good year, now that I'm taking time to look at it. Maybe I felt like I didn't do much, didn't have an active role in the year, but looking back, I realize it's okay. This was a year of figuring out that it's okay for others to do things while I take a seat on the sidelines and rest a bit. And maybe, maybe that's what we're supposed to resolve at the start of each year: rest more, accept help from others, and just chill.
So, happy new year everyone. Be good to each other. Turn off the TV news. Take deep breaths. Drink the coffee, eat the cinnamon rolls, and let's be chill in 2025.
And now, some 2024 pictures from the Bradley family:
Happy new year everyone!
