Processing 2014 Questions

What are your responses?  I hope you sit down and think about your year...
Thanks, Jen, for the questions!

And I don't know why the spacing jumps around... please look past it.

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1.  What did you do in 2014 that you'd never done before?
 Footloose travelling – three trips so far. 
 If that's all that can happen, that will be OK.  If more are possible, that will be lovely.

2.  Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
 Yes.  I formulate resolutions (goals) every year and work on them. 
 I always make progress although not necessarily accomplishing all of them.

3.  Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes.  My four children and their families 'gave birth' to new chapters in their lives.
My mother-in-law fell, broke her femur, and 'gave birth' to things new in her life.

4.  Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.  My husband 'died' as to earning a living – he retired.

5.  What countries did you visit?
In person – some parts of our country we haven’t visited before as well as
parts we re-visited  after a long interval.  

6.     What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?
 Our house divided. 

7.   What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
30th April 2014 - Glenn retired.
12^th July 2014 – My granddaughter Cheryn married Keiran Guest.

8.    What was your biggest achievement of the year?
 Surviving many changes personally and in my family with 
 a sufficient measure of dignity and sanity.

9.    What was your personal biggest failure?
Not completing the My Story booklets.

10.   Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes.  Injured my hip/back which had me laid low for several months.

11.   What was the best thing you bought?
A new little portable radio – my previous one died.

12.  Whose behavior (that you saw often) merited celebration?
Glenn’s.  He has mostly conducted himself with dignity and grace.

13.  Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

 My own – infrequently I forget I am a Daughter of God and behave in a way I regret.

14.   Where did most of your money go?
Spare money - Into investments, travelling, house-altering.

15.   What did you get really excited about?
Seeing the book “Quiet” on the bookshelf in Exclusive Books.

16.   What song(s) will always remind you of 2014?
"The Way We Were"

Mmm. Mmm.
  Memories, light the corners of my mind
  Misty watercolor memories of the way we were.
  Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
  smiles we gave to one another
  for the way we were.

 Can it be that it was all so simple then
  or has time rewritten every line?
  If we had the chance to do it all again
  tell me would we? Could we?

 Memories, may be beautiful and yet
  what's too painful to remember
  we simply choose to forget

(Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't -

I think it is important to both remember and forget.)
  So it's the laughter we remember
  whenever we remember
  the way we were.

(Interesting that I choose a Barbra Streisand song -

I don't particularly like her singing!) 

 17.   Compared to this time last year, are you:
               a) happier or sadder? Happier in some ways, sadder in others.

               b) thinner or fatter? About the same – I am a committed Weight Watcher.

               c) richer or poorer?  Richer in some ways and poorer in others.

 18.    What do you wish you'd done more of?
Being more diligent with weekly/monthly recording and reconciling our budget.
It’s a necessary pain to catch up!  Sometimes it’s impossible.

 19.   What do you wish you'd done less of?
Shopping.  I will do less this year.

 20.   How will you be spending (did I spend) Christmas?
Participating no more than I wanted to.  
We spent time with Doug, Nadia and family.

 21.   Where did you begin the year; and where did you end it?
In an aeroplane on the way back from the UK… In our own home.

 22.  Did you fall in love in 2014?
More deeply in love with the internet!  
I love that I have so much information at my disposal - so easily.

 23.  What was your favorite TV program?
“Issues of Faith” “Dr Phil”  “Dr Oz” “Turning Point” “Story Trek”
"50-50" and other glorious nature programmes.

 24.  What was the best book you read?
Studied the Old Testament this year in Sunday School. 
My favourite book of Scripture.
Re-read “Care of the Soul” by Thomas Moore.

 25.   What was your greatest musical discovery?
Temple Endowment – new musical accompaniment.

 26.  What did you want and get?
Footloose trips. 

The way they turned out was better than what I personally had planned.

 27.   What did you want and not get (yet)?
Our house divide.

 28.   What was your favorite film of this year?
“Plot for Peace” documentary.
"On Strike for Christmas” good fun!

 29.  What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I don’t remember.  I looked it up in my journal.  Not recorded. 

It was a Thursday. 

I am 69 - My big 70 in 2015!
I want to make a special memory as I enter this new decade!

30.  What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

To have finished the house divide.

31.  How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Comfortable, convenient, sufficiently stylish for me and those who look at me.

 32.  What kept you sane?
Going to the Botanic Gardens most weeks.  
Tai Chi. 
Morning routine.  It takes me a couple of hours in the early morning
to be able to be “nice enough” to people the rest of the day. 
Visits with my friends and family.
Weekly routines.  Oases in the rough and tumble...
My Writing Group. 
Kinesiology, homeopathy, aromatherapy, colour therapy, Reiki,
Addiction Recovery Programme, writing in my journal, blogging,
taking photographs, reading something I love every day.   

 33.  Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Our public protector Thuli Madonsela, and Penny (Coelen) Rey

 34.  What political issue stirred you the most?
I don’t know… I’m not stirred much by political issues – 
I consciously vote for the best I can find – in my opinion -   
then trust them, and leave them to it.
I trust they have integrity and will do their best in their field
of interest and training like I do my best in mine.
I trust there will be far more effective watch-dogs than I in their midst.
Together we can make a huge difference one day at a time.  

 35.  Who did you miss?
No hesitation – my family overseas and in the Cape.

 36.  Who was the best new person you met?
New Johannesburg Mission President and Wife – President and Sister Dunne.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014:
One day at a time, sweet Jesus…

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

"Top Of The World"

Such a feelin's comin' over me
There is wonder in most every thing I see
Not a cloud in the sky, got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream

Everything I want the world to be
Is now comin' true especially for me
And the reason is clear, it's because you (my friends and family) are here
You're the nearest thing to Heaven that I've seen

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your (friends and family) love's put me at the top of the world

Somethin' in the wind has learned my name
And it's tellin' me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasin' sense of happiness for me

There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here
(in mind and heart, and when possible in person)

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world