I don’t make new years resolutions. I don’t think I ever really have. I am pretty sure I never have because I think they could actually do the opposite of the intention, which is successful completion of a task of some sort.

The weekend before the end of the year I was at home and thinking to myself that I wanted to write more on both the blogs I write, and then the ‘resolution’ self talk happened, “I am going to start on January 1st”. Buzzer sounds, wrong answer.

I didn’t actually write a post on January 1st, but if I would have it would have sounded just like this:

Happy new year everyone! I hope you all had a great night wherever you were and who you were celebrating with. Full honesty out there, I wanted to stay home as I have never liked new years. In younger years, going downtown and freezing your butt off at Nathan Phillip’s Square, to making reservations at restaurants and paying three times the price as if you went the day before or the day after, to paying for an overprice ticket to a banquet hall party with bad buffet food and cheap wine to being sick and home alone on Y2K. Yes, I was home sick on December 31st, 1999.

This year I opted to go to a friends house where a group of friends gathered for a regular group house party. It was loud and crazy and full of kids, adults, pets and more. It was also a pot luck which even had its own Google Doc for organization. Group messaging, and so much more. Exactly what the doctor ordered this year.

In the centre of this island full of food was this stunning charcuterie board. The wood plank came from a tree of the home owners house. Brie, Boursin, Oka OH MY! Fruit, meat, crackers and more. Take a look:

I should have taken a photo of the bar set up, but I was too busy drinking. I had brought all the fixings for a great Caesar bar, but the additional options were plentiful.

Music was a huge part of the night as it should be. Thankful for spotify and queuing up the tunes we had our own karaoke party and who needs words on a screen. We are children of the 80’s we know all the words.

As the clock counted down to the end of 2018 and the start of a new year I was deliberately distracted by the friendship in the room and looking forward to the new year. Change is coming. Soon.

I read something this week that talked about when do you stop saying happy new year. I am going to say this year it is today – January 11th.

Happy new year to all of you who read along on my journey. I am grateful to you and wish you the best for your year.

Live your best life,

Lisa

December 31st, 2018 – 365 days have passed, 525, 600 minutes as the song I love goes. How do you measure a year in life. I summed up my year a few weeks ago with my Dear 2018 Post. If you didn’t read it and would like to,  you can read it here.

A few people have said this to me over the past five months and I think it holds true. “So far you have survived 100% of your worst days. You are doing great.”

The break from work was well needed, but also a struggle. A lot of memories from this time last year crept their way into my days. I spent a few days cooking and having people over and then I spent a few days of solitude. I even turned the radio and tv off and spent time in the silence of my apartment.

I wanted to take the last bit of this day to express deep gratitude. For the friends that brought food when I wasn’t eating. For the friends that called, emailed, texted, messaged. For the hours and hours on my couch just listening and shaking our heads and saying, how can this be.  For the family knew that sometimes there just isn’t anything you can say or do to make the pain stop. To the many other people in my life that lost people they loved this year. What a challenge for all of us.

Tomorrow is the start of a new 365 page book. What stories will fill the pages, no one knows. I hope it is filled with great new adventures, travel, friendship love and most of all great food.

Wishing all of you a happy new year. Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone so let’s make each day count.

Live your best life,

Lisa

To quote one of my all time favourite songs – A long, long time ago, I can still remember….

I am grateful for all of the amazing gifts I have had in my life due to my career in the travel industry. Grateful for all the amazing travel, but more so the amazing cast of characters that have entered stage right into my life. Some have exited stage left, but some have stayed, and we are into our second, third and maybe fourth acts in our play called life together. One such friend is celebrating a birthday today. My special friend and spiritual soul sister, Anita.

Picture it, working in the travel industry in the fall and winter of 2001. It was a not the best of times. Recovering from the events of 9/11 when travel just stopped. Anita was working as a business development manager for a supplier that made regular sales calls to our office and usually provided lunch. This particular visit was just that, sitting around the boardroom without lunch. When she was questioned about why there wasn’t lunch, she gave a very pointed answer. To this day, (and I have reminded her about this answer over the years) I will never forget the answer. The answer was – For every pizza lunch I don’t provide to you, is a day longer that I get to keep my job. It was harsh, but it was also life in the travel industry after 9/11. Thankfully the world of travel has recovered and also thankfully that show has closed for both of us.

The next acts of our amazing friendship have continued to grow and mature just like we have. I remember when Anita told me, “I am going to get my masters in Divinity”. I remember thinking (probably out loud) what will that allow you to do. Be a minister, she replied. Her next show was introduced.

To watch Anita become who she is today has been a gift to me.

She lives in Vineland, about 90 minutes from me along the QEW for those who know the area. Spending time in Vineland has really become something special in my life. I call it my spiritual soul visits and I love when I have them.

She has introduced me to a group of wonderful women who also help fill my soul with their friendship, laughter and well, who’s kidding, love of wine and bubbles. After all, when in Vineland, what else do you do. Drink wine.

When Heath passed away this summer, I knew that Anita was in Florida and off line and I didn’t know how I would reach her. I left her, what I am sure was a crazy out of my mind voicemail. I had no idea if she would get the message. She did.

I went out to Vineland on the Sunday after Heath passed. I went to her service and watched her with the kids of the Church. The message was so simple, what do we have an abundance of. I mentioned this in my blog this summer. A bunch of different answers came out and one child said, love. Anita didn’t look at me but said, and love never dies.

Lunch and wine tasting followed services as they usually do. Subdued lunch that day. Reflection. We do that a lot. Reflection on where we are, where we are going and belief that there is good in the world. This is my friend Anita.

My friend whose mission has many parts. She is bringing her ministry to the congregants of two churches, and her passion is bringing clean water to the people in the mountains of Dominican Republic. Clean water as we all should know changes lives. It allows girls to go to school, it allows families to eat healthier and it gives opportunity.

It is Anita’s birthday today. I want to send her the best wishes for today and always.

I am going to Vineland on Sunday. Services, lunch and wine. That will be on the playbill for the day.

Happy birthday Anita. Wishing you the best today and everyday.

Soul Sister