bogeyandruby

Phew, made it!

I completed the year without serious mishap and managed to reach my monthlong goal of blog entries. It has been a trip. Writing doesn’t come easily to me. For example, yesterday’s meagre post took me about two hours to complete. Still, I am pleased with the exercise and very grateful to all who stopped by to read and comment.

I decided to be predictable at year’s end and take stock. Nothing too extensive or organized. (I don’t do excel sheets or regularly journal wins/intentions/goals).

Goodbyes:

Hellos:

Favourite Books:

Favourite Photos:

Bucket List:

1. Photography Exhibition, October 2025

2. Vancouver Writer’s Festival with my BFF, October 2025

Favourite Music:

1. Ema Jean : listen here.
2. Sylvana Estrada : listen here.
3. Maro : listen here.
4. Michael McGovern: listen here.
5. Hudson Freeman : listen here.
6. Emma Swift : listen here.

A Small Life:

A Small Life

It’s been a small life

Caught somewhere between
Monumental and mundane

Between the roaring,
boastful beacon bonfire

Lucky lux

And the Kind Candle.
Feeble flame flickering

Trying to make
a difference to the indifferent
A dent in the surface
To give meaning to absurdity

Fighting the current,
The reasons,
the blames,
False titles,
Wrong names

Finally accepting
The ebbing tide.
Not to drive, but
To finally ride

Who will be
my eyes?
My ears?
my heart?

Who will remember
Ten years hence?
If not gone, going

But for today…..
Rejoice

— Ian Hanchet

What did I actually do this year? This is a hard one. My husband wrote this poem in response to me observing that I live a very small life.

• Read 109 books and reviewed them.
• Administered a community book club.
• Rejoined my local library.
• Joined my work book club and local library book club.
• Cut down on sugar, ate steel cut oats every morning for breakfast and drank a lot of water.
• Took care of my mum.
• Updated my will and my power of attorney.
• Organized a payment plan for my instant cremation.
• Supported independent journalism via donations and subscriptions.
• Took online guitar lessons.
• Participated in a photography workshop with my mentor Linda Rutenberg.
• Joined a local camera club.
• Wrote daily blog posts during the month of December.
• Tried to be more social.
• Did strength training twice a week in the mornings.
• Grew out the last of my colour and embraced my grey.
• Completed major, energy-saving home renovations.
• Updated my powder room.
• Worked my 40th year in public health (part-time).

Gratitude For:

• My son Sean and husband Ian.
• Fur kids and fids.
• Family, friends, colleagues and community.
• Attached retinas.
• Walking pain free.
• Courageous journalists.
• My mother’s resilience.
• Dark chocolate.
• Coffee.
• My readers.

Intentions For 2026:

• Keep on keeping on.
• Read 104 books (maybe).
• Walk more (or less).

Happy New Year!

With love and best wishes ❤️