The Last Post for 2006

Today is the last day of 2006. It has been an amazing year. I've made new friends, both online and in my everyday world. My life has been enriched by each of you and I thank you for your friendship and encouragement.

Speaking only of the knitterly aspect for a moment, 2006 has seen my confidence in my own skills soar. I've become a much more passionate knitter than I ever thought I would become. Again, it has been your encouragement that has helped me to stretch my wings and reach new heights with my knitting.

None of us is truly alone in this world, unless we choose to be. I have discovered that when you open yourself up to others, whether it be face to face or, in this case, in the form of a blog, people respond. People care. When you share your joys, they are immensely multiplied; when you share your tough times, they become just that much easier to bear. That is what all of you have done for me this past year. At the risk of sounding sappy, you have no idea just how much I appreciate each and every one of you who read my blog.

I'm nothing special. I'm a middle aged woman who just happens to like writing and knitting. When I started Strings 'n Things, it was intended to be a way for me to track what I was actually finishing. Along the way, it has grown. There are now an average of approximately 100 readers per day. That is a thrill!

To each of you, I wish I could give you a thank you hug for the part you've played in making this blog what it has become. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Now, to change the direction a bit, we're back at the house now. We're actively hunting for a new place to live, but the pickings are slim right now. We're hoping that the first week of January will bring a few more listings. In the meantime, today will be spent relaxing in front of a fire. We will ring in 2007 tonight, and tomorrow we will face head on whatever comes. A couple of you have mentioned how calmly I seem to be taking all of this. Let's just say that as soon as I can sneak over to the doctor's, I'll be asking for another prescription for sleeping pills. *grin*

I do, on occasion, vent to John. Without him, I don't think I'd be holding up as well as I am. I have my moments. There have been a few occasions when I allow myself to cry, just to get it out. There's not much I can do right now to change the situation, so I do what I can. This coming week, that will include packing up everything that isn't necessary for daily survival. For the past week, it was knitting. Wine helps, too. I know that this is only temporary and that makes it all the more bearable.

I apologize for the rambling nature of this post. Today is all about writing out my thoughts. I'm looking forward to whatever 2007 may bring. I hope that, for all of you, 2007 will be a year of good things, of creating good memories, with the people you love and care about. From the beautiful, snowy, chilly Okanangan, I wish you all a Happy New Year.

See you all next year!