New Year’s Eve is the day that most of us have been dreading or waiting for. It all depends on how 2023 treated you.
This year was horrible to me on a personal level. Let me tell you a little about my year, in no particular order.
The Good
Business Ventures.
My entrepreneurial ventures are slowly bringing extra cash. I have an Etsy shop for apparel, mugs, and accessories. I like Etsy, but their fees are really high, leaving me with less profit than I’d like. I am about to open another Shop that will not be on Etsy, and I hope that will give me a better profit. That Shop will allow me to sell internationally, so we will see how it goes. Wish me luck!
T’Challa - A new family member.
I was given a kitten as an early birthday present. His name is T’Challa.
I am a Marvel fan, so I named him after King T’Challa from the Black Panther movies. T’Challa is a beautiful black cat. He is my mini panther, is fearless, and acts like a king. The name suits him perfectly!
I have not had a cat in several years. I was hesitant to adopt a new kitty.
I did not know how my dogs Bear and Max would react. Thankfully, T’Challa’s fearless nature made the transition easy. Despite being ten weeks old then, he did not let the big pups bully him. He stared them down to let them know he was the boss. They get along well.
The bad
The tree incident.
My neighbor’s tree fell on my tree, then my tree fell on my next-door neighbor’s tree. Thankfully, nobody was injured, but I had to cut down five trees. I love my trees, but safety was an issue. I miss them.
The health issues.
I am a very healthy person. It is rare for me to get sick, not even a cold. I had not been sick in six years!
I contracted bacterial bronchitis in May. I couldn’t even go to work for about a week. I never miss work. Had I not been sick, staying home would have been a pleasant experience.
As I write this, my eyes are really red. I have pink eye in both eyes. Yesterday, they were so swollen. I looked like I was part of a boxing match. Today, they are a little less swollen, but they are red. The antibiotic drops the doctor prescribed are helping.
Btw, the only good thing about this eye issue is that I got to see a very cute doctor!
I have a sore throat. I took a Covid test, and it was negative. I don’t have a cold, but allergies can cause this, too. All I want is to get better.
The Really Bad.
Suri crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
My sweet Chihuahua, Suri, crossed the Rainbow Bridge. She was 15.5 years old. She had been with me since she was born. I helped her doggy mom to bring her into the world. She was a cute and fat little puppy. I knew then she would stay with me. I had three dogs, and Suri was the queen of the three. She bossed the big pups, and they listened. She died from congestive heart failure. I will tell you about her in another post. It is still hard to talk about her. I miss my sweet girl.
She would be proud of T’Challa. Someone needs to keep the big pups in check. He keeps them in line.
The worst.
My Mom passed away.
On the first day of 2023, my mom’s heart condition got worse, and she had to go to the hospital. On January 6th, she was released from the hospital. I tried to convince her to stay longer, but she was determined to go home. I think she knew her time was coming to an end, and she did not want to be in the hospital when the time came. That evening, my beautiful mom passed away from congestive heart failure.
My mom was my best friend, my teacher, and the best mom I could have asked for. She was always supportive of my goals and dreams, regardless of how crazy or unachievable they seemed to be.
It has been hard to deal with her absence. Between getting sick, the tree incident, work, and dealing with my mom’s estate and affairs, I have not had the time to grieve the way I should. Part of me does it on purpose. I feel that if I let myself cry, I may never stop.
I have voice messages from my mom. I can’t listen to them yet. I still reach for my phone when something good or bad happens. She was the first person with whom I shared the good, the bad, and the ugly. I feel lost without my mom, but I am trying my best to keep myself calm and collected. I always miss her, but some days are unbearable, like today.
Once my mom’s estate and affairs are taken care of, I hope I will be able to take a break. I need a vacation. I need to grieve and feel the things I have not allowed myself to feel.
The New Year is almost here
I am not starting the year with my best foot forward because of my sore throat and eye issues, but despite that and the heartache, I am hopeful that 2024 will be better. I am not letting my guard down, but I have to hope for the best. I want to stay positive for my physical, mental, and emotional health.
Bear, Max, and T’Challa have kept me grounded. They help me to deal with everything that has happened. They listen when I need to talk. They comfort me when I need to cry. I am thankful that they are with me. People say that the best therapists are animals. I can tell you that it is 100% true!
I wish you a Happy New Year! May 2024 bring you love, health, happiness, and prosperity, and may all your dreams and goals become a reality. Thank you for being supportive of my work and endeavors.
https://beacons.ai/gabyalexander