I always review the year as it closes… list the books I’ve read, the places I’ve been, the things I’ve celebrated. I usually write it up in Christmas card letter style, but this year I haven’t gotten around to it! Here’s an attempt to recap 2022 before too much of 2023 is behind me as well!

ONE new job for me! In July our supervisor told us that she was leaving us and moving into another position. I applied and interviewed for the job of ED social work supervisor in August and started the job after Labor Day! It has been a huge learning curve but I think it will be good. One of the biggest perks is no more overnights for me. I was feeling those more and more the older I got. I’m grateful to still work in the ED and to support our team in a different way!

TWO new cars for us! In late September the new MINI Countryman I built and ordered arrived stateside and I took ownership! I love the car. She’s Sage Green Metallic and is named Elphaba. She has great winter tires (thanks, Chris!) and with All4 I have been tooling around in this weather easily. And at the end of the year (literally, 12/28/22), Chris bought a 4 door Jeep Rubicon – the car of his overlanding dreams.

THREE Broadway shows during a NYC trip with Marissa in February! We went to ONE cabaret, TWO piano bars and THREE Broadway shows in the FOUR nights we were there! We saw Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster in The Music Man; we saw Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick in Plaza Suite; and we almost saw Patti LuPone in Company (thanks, Covid!).

FOUR trips for us this year – 1) Me to NYC in February with Marissa 2) Chris to Wyoming for the BDR (Backroads Discovery Route) in June with Tyler, 3) Both of us on a road trip with Beth and Doug to Bourbon Country and Music City, and 4) Chris and I flew to see family in NH for his dad’s 70th birthday! A total of TWELVE states involved in those trips!

SIX movies in the theatre this year – that’s it! I saw Downton Abbey: A New Era (Fun to see old friends on a big screen!), Top Gun: Maverick (What a satisfying movie! Just so great!), Elvis (An amazing movie! The time flew…), Where the Crawdads Sing (with book club!) Bros (great fun!) and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (A cute movie I saw with Deadra so we could relive our Paris adventures!). Of course there were other movies that I streamed and loved – Coda (AMAZING! And award winning!) and Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. We watched The Offer about the making of the Godfather, which led us to watch The Godfather… lots of good options at home, which is why we didn’t make it to the theatre often!

SIX grandchildren getting older! We didn’t ever get them all together in the same room in 2022 but maybe that will be a goal for 2023! Kaydee turned 11, Emilee is soon to be 8, and Charlotte is soon to be 3; August is 7 and Juniper is 4; Myles just turned 3 on Christmas.

SEVEN Grimsrud cousins recreated a photo from the past at Thanksgiving!

EIGHT books were read for my book club, which has been meeting for … gosh, more than 20 years! In 2022 we read: The Second Life of Mirielle West, Lost and Found in Paris, The Personal Librarian, The Lincoln Highway, Shopaholic and Sister, Dear Edward, Lessons in Chemistry, and The Best Christams Pageant Ever. No matter what we’re talking about we always have a good time! And we have the best food!

We also celebrated EIGHT years of marriage in 2022!

NINE months of the year the Cosmo Girls continue to meet! Don’t know what I’d do without those girls!

TEN dollars we won playing trivia a few times… we started going to trivia nights at a few places in 2022 and I think we got in the top three four times and have racked up about $25 in gift cards to spend for the four of us. We usually end up “going big” and “going home” with nothing to show, except for a fun night with friends.

THIRTY FIVE years since I graduated from high school! It can’t be, right?

SEVENTY FIVE years is what Mom turned in 2022 and Dad will soon take his turn!

ONE HUNDRED percent complete, the year. Of course, these highlights only showcase the smiles and bright spots of the year, but 2022 had its share of ups and downs. Life is full of changes – some changes occur in the blink of an eye and others happen little by little. I’m grateful for my family and my friends who listen and support me and each other and hope that I can be a blessing in the New Year!

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice.” T.S. Eliot

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” Hal Borland

Enjoy a few more photos of some more good times from 2022. And Happy New Year to you!