Adios 2019

Following the creaky tradition I had while writing PBW , I thought I'd take a look back at 2019.

Okay, so all the bad stuff first. I had surgery to repair a jaw I didn't realize was broken, lost eight teeth, slipped three discs in my neck and had to give up sewing and quilting for a month while working on straightening out my spine. My guy got (treatable) skin cancer. All that was the personal worst.

I had not planned to move my blogging back to Blogger, but Tumblr started censoring my G-rated posts about quilting as inappropriate/adult content. Meanwhile, every pornographer taking X-rated shots kept showing up, and some of them followed me. Euw. Then people on Tumblr figured out who I was and started asking me for money. I finally decided I'd better move. Best decision I made all year.

I decided to keep this version of Valerean secret, so it could be just for trusted friends. I don't want to be a public figure anymore. So far that's worked, and I'll keep blogging here until it doesn't. I might have to password the blog if outsiders stumble across it, but I'm trying to avoid that. Hopefully everyone has forgotten about me. :)

My health wasn't great this year, but I managed to keep my diabetes under control by diet alone, transitioned to being vegan to help my poor clogged arteries, and discovered lots of ways to enjoy vegan cuisine. Maria sent me a vegan cookbook that has been a real blessing. My partner, who is also vegan, has shared product recs and tips on how to manage a plant-based diet. My guy has been 100% supportive, and since this man is a true meat and potatoes lover that's amazing.

I wrote without a vacation in 2019. The only novel I can tell you about is Twenty-One, the project that helped me win NaNoWriMo this year, which you can watch me finish writing by clicking the link up there (I haven't gotten much done this month, so work on it will continue on into 2020.) Suffice to say this year was great for my productivity.

Good things now: while Mr. Oliver decided to show up in the middle of a hurricane, I'm really happy he came into the world. Having a grandson has changed a lot for me. I've got new reasons to maintain a healthier lifestyle and (finally) a baby to make quilts for in the years ahead. Also, he's freaking adorable.

Becoming a father has also changed a lot for my son Mike, too, and I'm proud of how hard he's working to take care of his new family. Over the last year I've grown close to Oliver's mom, who is a wonderful mother and a genuinely sweet, caring woman.

Nothing can really describe what it's like to hold this little boy in my arms. I'm so grateful to be part of his life.

Our daughter Katherine will be graduating college soon with her bachelor's degree, and then she's probably going to head off to grad school.

Kat has been completely focused on college for years now, and it's paid off. She's become an accomplished scholar and scientist, winning lots of awards and recognition for her work. This girl spends her spare time doing things like resequencing DNA in a lab, and finding ways to protect the aquatic environment by identifying invasive species through water samples (don't ask me to explain. We'll need slides and a microscope.) She's grown into an amazing woman, and I know she will succeed at whatever she decides to do with that brilliant brain of hers.

Some people think it's bittersweet to see your child achieve what you never could, but this is what I wanted for her: a great education, and a chance at a better life than her father and I had. She's headed that way. It will be tough to see her relocate to begin a new chapter in her life, possibly on the other side of the country, but I couldn't be prouder. Plus I'll be sending her plane tickets to come home whenever possible, so the separation won't be permanent.

With quilting I think I was fairly productive for most of the year. In August I finally finished the recycled linen quilt up there at the top of the post, my first spontaneous/improvisational slow-stitched big project. After a year of trying that felt like a major accomplishment. Back in January on my Tumblr blog I also mentioned that I was doing a secret art project. Here are pics of the two quilts I made for that:

Katherine's quilt, which I finished in March.

Oliver's quilt, which I finished the day before he was born in September.

I think you all know the secret, but just in case I didn't mention it: Both quilts are in patterns I have never tried to make, and the fabrics for both quilts were picked out by other people. Also, they're entirely hand quilted. My daughter chose the fabrics for hers, and Jenn at Quilted Thimble Cottage selected the fabrics for Oliver's. I did let myself pick out two complimentary fabrics for each one for the backing and some of the patchwork, but only after they made their choices.

My goal with the project was to step outside my comfort zone, which I definitely did. It was nerve-wracking, especially with the pattern for Oliver's quilt. More than once I questioned my sanity. But it was a chance to stop being such a control freak and do something very different with my quilting, and I loved the results. I also learned that allowing other people to be part of my creative process will not kill me. :)

I had planned to make one or two more for the project, but the doctor said no more quilting in October, and then I decided to do NaNoWriMo in November. So we'll call it a small secret art project.

I need more work on my mouth and jaw in 2020, which will likely happen after we finish getting my guy's skin cancer treated. I'm feeling my age, and the ongoing health issues are daily problems, but I'm not letting that stop me from doing what I want. I look for reasons and chances to be happy and creative every day; that's what 2019 taught me.

That's it for this year's look back. What do you want to remember about 2019? Let me know in comments.