Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I can't believe that 2008 has come and gone already. Looking back over the year, it's been a pretty good one, and a pretty challenging one at the same time. I had struggles with my health at the beginning, going to therapy for upper back and neck problems. Then the gout attacks and the big gout attack before Jeff and Whitney's wedding. But I managed to recover from that enough to dance at their wedding.

The wedding was the highlight of the year in May. And now they've been married for 7 months. They are still living with us, downstairs in the apartment we have made for them (well, it's nearly completed and taking much longer to get that basement kitchen finished than hubby first anticipated.) Hopefully, all of their plans for the new year will materialize and things will work out so they can get their own place before too long. Maybe a year or two. I think once the downstairs kitchen is done it will be better for all of us. That's the only thing they need to come upstairs for is cooking. And we like to watch movies and certain tv shows together on the big screen once in awhile. One thing with having a daughter-in-law living under your roof, you get to know each other a whole lot better than with occasional visits.

The last four months of this year are pretty much a blur for me with having the ankle and back surgeries. The in-between with the pain from the back was probably the low point of the year. That was so awful I don't even remember those weeks.

But now on the road to recovery and hope to get fit enough to do some light hiking and stuff this summer. I go to therapy three days a week now for the back and ankle. About 2 hours each time. Then home exercises every day. I hope I lose another 20 pounds from all this and then that will be where I should be for my age, height and weight.

So, hope 2009 is a better year, medically. And hope it's full of good things for everyone I know.