Hello and happy 2014. I hope these first few days of the new year find you healthy and well. My thoughts go out to everyone in the Midwest and east coast battling that beyond crazy cold weather. I have no right to complain about weather here in the west. It's warmer and drier than usual and there's fear of a possible drought later but we're lucky compared to our friends on the other end so please be safe.
But if I may, I'm going to whine just a smidge about this annoying cold/flu I picked up last week. I don't get sick often and when I do I'm usually on the mend after a day and a half or two. Well this one isn't going without a fight so lots of soup and tea and tissues for me.
The weirdest thing is that I've completely lost my taste for sweets.
I know. Me, the chick whose middle name is frosting. Now I crave salt all day long and the thought of anything sweet does nothing for me.
I found this picture and honestly, if I could lick the monitor I would. I'm actually salivating as I type this. It's the most bizarre thing. Now I have craved more salt when I've had a cold before but I never completely lose a craving for sweets. I haven't even wanted my morning hot coco. Has this ever happened to any of you?
Do you choose a word for the year?
My word for 2014 is SPROUT.
A part of me has been hibernating in darkness the last 2 or 3 years. It's not a gloomy darkness although what got me there was certainly gloom worthy.
I tried to embrace forgiveness. Tried to learn to let go. Let go of the past. Learn gratitude. Be grateful for second chances. All the things my brain thought were the logical steps to healing.
But you know what? They just didn't work for me. For whatever reason forgiveness never came from an honest place and I found myself thriving in the dark. Finding my strength. Embracing my frailties and all my flaws.
I learned that what I needed to let go of wasn't the darkness. I just needed to grow a new me. In new soil. Breathing new air. There might be some darkness in that soil but it keeps things real for me so we shall see.
I also have faith in karma and it is the year of the Snake after all.
Good time to shed my old skin
When I started blogging in January 2010 the last winter games were about to start. I can't believe it's been 4 years already. I'm looking forward to watching them in Sochi. Just like my fondness for all things New Orleans, I also have a thing for Russia. I think it started with figure skating and the Russian pair Gordeeva and Grinkov. Plus I'm really more of a snowy forest than a sun and surf kinda girl.
So here's to a brand new year again.
May yours be filled with more blessings,
more joy, more hugs and more art.
A friend who is dear to me recently lost her poppa. I know most of you know her too and probably already know. She can use a hug if you have one or a hundred and one to share.
