Years ending with the number three have always been ones of change and this year was no different.
Probably the biggest change was having to leave a local book group that I'd belonged to for 16 years, after the new manager continued to use a table set-up during meetings which made it near impossible for me to hear the other attendees. Written and verbal complaints, even pointing out that she was violating the American With Disabilities Act, were useless and her superiors supported her actions. And then other members of the group, some of whom I thought were friends, made nasty remarks about my handicap, which made me feel as if I had received a one-two punch. It was betrayal and discrimination together, which took awhile to deal with, long after leaving the group. I've since found another book group at a closer library, but it always takes me so long to get to know people, so I still feel rather awkward, though I'm trying to be friendly.
Other upsetting events was the death of a good friend, Joan, in June. She had been sick for several years and deteriorating, so it was merciful, but I still feel her absence keenly. She was one of those people who had a positive influence on everyone who knew her. And at the end of August I began having panic/anxiety attacks again, after an absence of years and they were worse than I've had in decades. In the less serious category, my favorite character on both "Downton Abbey" and "Boardwalk Empire" were killed off. I shall continue to watch those TV programs, but their absence will leave a gap in my enjoyment of them.
There was some good news. I sold more art than last year and finally had a solo show at Avon lake library, which has been a goal for years. It was a beautiful setting and I even sold a painting, (the fox at the top of this post). Two of my pictures were judged into the Westlake-Westshore Show in a nearby suburb and I did well at all of the craft shows I participated in. I read 161 books, 59 of them on my Nook ereader and reviewed many of them on Vulpes Libris . My sister and I were part of a group tour of the beautiful sanctuary of a local Byzantine church at a festival this summer and we also saw a terrific exhibit about architect Charles Sweinfurth, who designed many of Cleveland's most distinctive buildings and houses during the region's expansive Victorian era.
So while not an exciting year, there was enough good to balance the sadness. But as humans always do, I am hoping next year will be better.

Hoping everyone has a wonderful and happy Christmas filled with Love and Joy.

On Tuesday I went to my local Target store, because I needed my insulin before Sat. and did NOT want to be near a store or mall this weekend. I love holiday decorations & they were all over the store, so I was slowly making my way to the registers through the home section, which was filled with all kinds of Christmas stuff. After spending 15 minutes playing with snow globes, the next aisle had soft sisal squirrels, which had cute potential, but some of them looked as if they had eye infections. Another aisle had much nicer ones, white, with fluffy fake fur tails. Those came in sitting up pose and also with 4 legs on the ground. I didn't even look at the prices of any of them, because I was trying very hard to resist them(I did!). They also had some cute foxes and lots of deer in different styles.
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I joined a new book group a couple months ago after having to leave the one I'd attended for 16 years last summer. This one is closer actually, at a nearby library, but no one wears name tags and even though I'm recognizing faces, I don't know their names or they mine. This month's book was Barbara Delinsky's "Sweet Salt Air", which was an alright book taking place on a Maine island. The main character would go on walks after dark and a couple times the author had her seeing chipmunks in the woods at night. When the discussion turned to the author's accuracy about various things, I piped up & pointed out the chipmunk error. No one else noticed, so they were surprised & thought it amusing. It became a running joke in the meeting and one lady even told me I ought to email the author & tell her about it.
So, I know they are going to think of me as "chipmunk girl" from now on....
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My last craft show of the year is coming up next weekend, Dec. 7th and I can't seem to get things together. Part of that is because a lady who had seen my work online had been talking of buying one of my new pictures, but I haven't heard one way or another and I really need to know which ones to frame for the show. I'm also trying to prepare a demonstration piece and finish off a mini painting for the box of matted pictures. Both of those are almost ready, so I shouldn't be so concerned. My mother is scheduled to have cataract surgery on her eye on Wednesday and a friend is having another type of surgery on the same day. I know that's adding to the stress and feeling of disorganization. It's just going to be a bad week and I need to do what I can to get through it.