2010-2019

The end of the year is a reflective time for me. I’ve seen other people summarize their decade succinctly – that’s not me. One word? Uff. But thanks to this very blog, it wasn’t hard to see what the last decade has been like for me.

2010

• I started this blog! Walkietalkiebookclub.com was started in February of 2010 as a place to plan book club and discuss books. It started very bookish.
• I started my yearly Ferragosto Vacation!
• I started Cosmo Girls (conceived at the initial Ferragosto!)
• What a creative year!

2011

• I was released from my job as a school social worker after 18 years.
• The last Harry Potter movie was released.
• I began with readalongs and book blogging in earnest.
• I read “Anna Karenina”
• I saw Bruce Springsteen for the first time.
• Our family traveled to Denver together

2012

• I started working at Mayo Clinic on 1/30/12 – my reading game suffered greatly due to the increased need for brainpower!
• I traveled to NYC – twice! In June and October! Broadway was calling!
• I saw “Once” for the first and second times.
• I started driving a 2-door Honda Civic – not my favorite
• I saw Bruce Springsteen for the second time.

2013

• Marissa got her bachelor’s degree and started her master’s degree, moving to Minneapolis!
• I read “Gone with the Wind”!
• I met Chris on 7/1/13 and we had many epic dates.
• I traveled to NYC for my birthday again! Jimmy Fallon show!

2014

• I went to NYC in January with Koni – walking tours and Broadway shows!
• I got engaged on 7/7/14 and married on 10/1/14 – in NYC! #woohoowedo2014!
• Marriage brought three stepchildren and our first grandgirl!

2015

• Emma – our second grandgirl is born!
• I became a MINI Cooper owner in March and we drove it all over Colorado in July – including up Pike’s Peak!
• August is born in September!
• Our birthdayversary is spent in the metro area and includes staying on a boat (Covington Inn) in St. Paul.
• We saw “Once” – my THIRD time!

2016

• We got passports – the world is open to us!
• We went to Canada – twice! Once for an hour and once for a few days.
• Marissa got engaged and Chris had jury duty
• We took a road trip to New England (through Canada) and saw fall foliage and spent a few nights in NYC!
• Mom and dad are both retired and move to Rochester

2017

• We traveled to NH in a blizzard – our flight is cancelled so we rent a car and drive – so that we can honor Granny at her funeral.
• Marissa and Adam are married in Cancun on Cinco de Mayo! Much celebration ahead of the wedding with a great week of family togetherness after!
• Dad is diagnosed with cancer and receives treatments
• Our birthdayversary is a train trip to Chicago to see Hamilton!
• We bought our house together in June! Become landlords of the townhouse.

2018

• We have a MILESTONE vacation with the family to celebrate 50th anniversary, 50th birthday, teenagers, 30 year old, and general awesomeness.
• Marissa celebrates her 30th birthday in Disney! They announce that grandbaby #4 is on the way!
• Juniper is born in October!
• Mini Takes the States 2018 takes us on a 5900 mile road trip! We visit some family along the way and enjoy most of the minutes we are together in the car.
• I turned 50 and threw a fiesta! We saw Hamilton in Minneapolis!
• Deadra and I celebrated our birthdays and friendship with a Pack Up and Go trip to Seattle!

2019

• I had cataract surgery
• Chris changed jobs – twice!
• We took two road trips – up-north in Wisconsin and up-north in Minnesota.
• Cosmo Girls celebrated 10 years with a trip to Las Vegas! Very epic!
• The townhouse is sold and we made our home cozy and welcoming for guests –
• We hosted Chris’s dad and his friend Carol for a week in June! So fun…
• We bought a Jeep! Snow tires or Topless – I love to drive it!

Some Things Change…

• I’m married!
• I have grandchildren!
• I moved from a townhouse to a house!
• I changed my job!
• I rarely blog anymore!

Some Things are the Same…

• I still love books and reading and book club!
• I keep track of my books (you can see previous lists on the blog!)
• I still love movies and keep track of what I see and love.
• I still love theatre and musicals – It is a constant in every year!
• I still love to travel – NYC is a favorite but seeing all parts of the country is wonderful. Looking forward to putting my passport to use!
• I still love music and seeing live music – Every year brings great music into my life!
• I still love being with my family and can’t get enough!
• Ferragosto and Cosmo Girls are still going strong! To think that they started at the beginning of this decade…

Live music I saw in the 2010s…

Bruce Springsteen (x2) * Jeremy Messersmith (x2 or 3?) * Taylor Swift * Billy Joel * Paul McCartney * Glen Hanserd (x3) * Barenaked Ladies * Dwight Yokum * Sheryl Crow * Dan Chouinard * The Skivvies * The Swell Season * Needtobreathe * Trans Siberian Orchestra * Bon Jovi * Rick Springfield * I’m sure I forgot some… remind me!

The Stage – Broadway and beyond in the 2010s…

Once (x3) * Priscilla Queen of the Desert * Nice Work If you Can Get It * Peter and the Starcatcher (x2) * Newsies * Avenue Q * Forbidden Broadway * Cinderella (x2) * Matilda (x2) * A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder * Beautiful * It’s Only a Play * Fiddler on the Roof * If/Then * The Band’s Visit * Phantom of the Opera (x2) * Hamilton (x2) * Waitress * Almost Maine * Blood Brothers * Philadelphia Story * Don’t Hug Me * Bring It On * Our Town * The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee * Billy Elliot * On the Town * Book of Mormon! * I’m sure I forgot some… remind me!

Authors I’ve Met…

I love to meet an author and listen to them talk about writing. Here are a few authors I met in the last decade… Ann Bancroft * Lian Dolan * Jenna Blum * Paula McLain * Lorna Landvik * Liz Dolan and Sheila Dolan * Julie Kramer * Elizabeth Berg

What will the next 10 years bring???