Dear 2013,
A few nights ago I navigated myself to your outer deck and from there leaped onto another vessel named 2014. I hope she will be as hardy and productive as you were when I was with you. Having only been aboard for four days, I haven’t exactly gotten my bearings. I find myself looking out portholes, back to where I see your sturdy form chugging away in the opposite direction, growing smaller in my vision with each passing day. I know it’s too late to turn back now.
Things don’t seem the same without you. It’s not that I’m pessimistic about my trip aboard the 2014, but thus far we have no shared history. The sudden change has caused me to reflect on our time together, on moments of whimsy, creativity, tedium, frustration and exhilaration we shared. From my vantage point I would say we had a successful voyage together. To thank you for your loyal service I am sending you some remembrances to look over when you have the inclination. Here they are, in no particular order:
Istanbul:
A feast for the eyes and the spirit.
The mild winter of 2013:
A return to the meditative practice of knitting:
Luscious color ways.
Embracing my ongoing remedial skill level in painting:
Gardening – Some things came up; others didn’t.
Preserving – The famed laboratory kitchen. “Figging”, by the way, means something other than picking figs in the back yard. It has to do with punishing one’s female slaves. Who knew?
Writing – NaNoWriMo. I never dreamed you would navigate me through this, 2013. I would recommend the experience to anyone. And of course it is not over. So far I have had three people read my little book. Hopefully 2014 will bring more readers!
Daily Happiness:
The Condo – I will be posting more about this but in June of 2013 we were finally able to begin to use it.
Family: 2013 helped me see my children wherever I could: San Francisco, New York, St. Louis, Seattle, and in my own home.
Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge
Under the pergola
In St. Louis, opening up “Breaking Bad” Christmas presents.
In an enthusiastically decorated German restaurant in Manhattan, drinking mulled wine.
At the Space Needle
In St. Louis
Not So Good Ideas: Of course no voyage is without some pratfalls, like flooding your bedroom and having to pull up the whole floor,
Or an imaginary ice storm which uprooted two cypress trees and knocked over my fence.
I’m very grateful that the very nice fence man who came the next day was not also imaginary.
2013 darling, I could go on and on, but I just can’t include everything. You were a good companion for me; healthy but sassy, unpredictable but rarely actually harmful, full of surprises but also on a good path.We made some precious memories. I’ll miss you, but it’s always good to leave when you are still a little reluctant to do so. Wish me luck with my voyage on the 2014; she has some large shoes to fill. Speaking of shoes, I’ve got to go now. It’s time to find my sea legs on the good ole 2014.
Happy Sailing!
mindfulmagpie 
What a wonderful voyage it was and such a fitting pictorial tribute to the year it was! I am tickled to have taken this journey with you on the 2013 and I look forward to what our new cruise will bring on the 2014.
Me too! It was really hard to limit the pictures!
Having been on a cruise, I love, love, love this metaphor. You had quite a year. I look forward to hearing about your 2014.
Why thank you, Miss Andra! I’m wishing us all an adventurous voyage on the 2014!
Fig preserves are wonderful. Figging….well, not so much! I almost snorted tea out of my nose on reading that word 🙂 Bon Voyage! Lovely pictures, btw. I may borrow your idea for a review of my past year!
We found out the meaning of the word figging when my husband told my son over the phone that I was out in the yard figging, and our son snorted the tea out of HIS mouth! Please do borrow my idea; I’m sure I must have borrowed it from someone myself. Thanks for the comment!
A lovely retrospective! I had this idea that i needed to show this to you, but then i remembered: you wrote it!
Show it to me anyway! It’s just amazing to look back over the year in pictures, strung together as a narrative. I was there for all of it but when I see it all together it’s a whole new experience!
happy new year! I must say your painting skills are considerably more advanced than mine. It is said of me that I could not draw a crooked line. Even paint-by-numbers art was less than satisfactory…
Found you via Bottledworder and am now following your very engaging writing style.
Why thank you so much, last word! You have truly made my day. I looked at The Last Word, and am I correct in thinking there are four authors? If so that is a lovely concept. I will flowing you as well!
This blog is like a visual feast (: I’d like to nominate you as a Versatile Blogger!
http://nofriendasloyal.wordpress.com/awards-2/versatile-blogger-award/
Thank you very much, nofriendasloyal! I am thrilled to have found your blog, which by its very name proves it is right up my alley! Your nomination of me for the versatile blogger award made my day. I have another award I have not attended to so I cannot say when I can take care of this new one. If you need to submit someone else’s name I certainly understand. I look forward to reading more posts from a fellow book lover!
No worries! You do it in your own time (:
I enjoyed reading this and loved the pictures of your family.
Thank you so very much !