Still here!

For someone who claims to love writing, I sure don't act like it, do I? I just logged in for the first time since before I left for Ireland, and as per the usual, so much has changed, and the task of "catching up" feels daunting. I think for now I'll do a summary of the highlights, and maybe (no promises, given my history) I'll come back at some point and fill in the blanks with more info and photos. I would like to develop more of a consistent writing practice as well as post more photography on a different platform than Facebook or Instagram (although I do have a lot of fun putting photos to music on the Insta reels). So, here goes... *inhales deeply and pulls out camera to refresh memory* We celebrated Milo's 1st birthday at the kids' floating home at the other end of the moorage from my own float home. Victoria was so health-conscious about giving him any processed sweets she spent $20 in ingredients and made a really healthy and gross cake he wouldn't eat (hahaha, poor mama!). Later in December of 2022, Kathy came to visit and met Milo for the first time, the kids came over to my place to celebrate Christmas, and my dear friend, Kate, whom I met while working as a case manager for Impact NW in Portland and later attended PSU's MSW program with, invited me to a traveling live Golden Girls drag production from San Francisco that was amazing! The two of us also went to the MODA Center to see KT Tunstall and Brandi Carlile for New Year's Eve.

At some point, I got Invisalign and finally straightened out my bottom teeth which I've been self conscious about my whole life.

Grace played her first season of basketball and didn't seem to enjoy it very much although she did like the social aspect and now that it's been a while is talking about giving it another try. The grandkids love coming over to my place and spending time together, and Milo has shown a musicality from a really early age and continues to love music and dancing and drumming.

We have many a dance party, and I've taken them to the Saturday drum circle at the Portland waterfront as well as the all-ages Taco Tuesday Reggae Reggae event. He's a very sensitive little guy and easily overstimulated, but once he gets comfortable, he's the star of the show!

In January, I flew to San Diego to spend a long weekend with Sarah (as a bonus got to see Maya and Danielle, too). Kate invited me to join her to see Bjork in San Francisco in February 2023, and since all I had to pay for was my flight and meals, I accepted. We had a fabulous time trapsing through Haight Ashbury and being dorks and tourists together.

The show itself was stunning and spectacular, which is something I never thought I'd have said about a Bjork concert. What a unique and incredible experience! A few days after my return, Galela and I went to the Portland Light Festival with her brother, Louis. It was a really cool interactive art display downtown by the waterfront at night, and the city was aglow! February 16, I hopped on a plane to Vegas to meet up with my sister, Kathy, her husband, Randy, and my friends Krista and Dustin and Keri and Joe (yes, I was the seventh wheel). While we were there, we went to an adult circus called "Absinthe." It was raunchy and full of surprises including a sword swallower and unicycle acrobat team that was phenomenal. The emcee, Wanda, kept calling out our group as her biggest fans, and we all had so much fun. I insisted on making time for the Neon Museum and also went to Fremont Street for the first time. Talk about a sensory overload!

Victoria's mom moved here from Arkansas in March, and we all celebrated my 47th birthday together at a cute little Mexican cantina in Portland. Victoria has become quite skilled in her crocheting, and she gifted me a beautiful yellow/cream/beige beanie with a little sun on it. A few days later, I took her and the kids to Ashland (I didn't know her mom would be here when I scheduled the trip) to stay with my hairdresser friend at her Airbnb with a hot tub and horses. My brothers came over and we had a fire in the back yard and ordered pizza. Joey brought the kids over, so we had a glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt for the cousins. Later in April, Krista and Dustin came up with Joe and Keri, and we all saw Toto and Journey. June 1, Galela and I got to see Duran Duran (we love to harmonize on Hungry Like a Wolf), and Simon LeBon smiled and waved at me when he was resting during a song at the side of the stage! June 3, I took her with me to see Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (of Oasis) and Garbage in Ridgefield. June 10, 2023, my cousin Nissa took me to see Seal at the Roseland Theater in Portland, and the band who did "Video Killed the Radio Star" opened for him. In July, I got to see Buddy Guy perform at the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival from the sidewalk. I took Victoria's mom on a couple fun road trips to Multnomah Falls and to the coast to see th Goonies house and ride the carousel and play on the beach in Seaside.

I went to Central Oregon for a training along with three coworkers and had an interesting experience that left me feeling alienated and unwanted. An old friend and one-time flame reached out to inform me of his divorce and began to rekindle things until he decided I "deserve someone who can be present" for me, and he could not be this person. I was informed of this after I'd booked my flight to see him on the East Coast, but thankfully I'd shared my worries with my sister, Kathy, who was willing and able to meet me in New York for the trip we always wanted to take but I'd had to stay home with Tyson and complete finals the week she went with our other sisters. We had a wonderful time in July 2023 sightseeing at our own pace. We stayed near the World Trade Center and Battery Park, and while I was there, I wandered into an old-school boxing gym that capitvated me and met a huge, gruff man who changed my life with a 5-minute "boxing lesson" on learning when to stop fighting and learn to pivot. My heart broke wide open and spilled down my face in a flood of tears, and I knew it was time to leave my job.

When we got back, Kathy came to the every-other-year campout at Lobster Creek with me and Grace. It was a lovely time, and it was fun to include her with my other "family" whom she's come to know since Vegas. I also took her to see Neil Young (back at Ridgefield, courtesy of DoMoreStuff.com), but she wasn't a fan. Before she headed back home, I got her out to Reggae on the Patio, which has become my favorite thing to do on a Friday night during the summer in Portland. She had a fabulous time dancing, and of course everyone loved her.

After she left, I started spending time with someone I met at the patio a couple summers prior who works as a teacher in another country and visits the patio when he's home during the summer. It was completely unexpected and spontaneous and fun, and it turned out to be someone I'm still enamored with a year later. A lot has happened in that year between us, but I think I'll save that story for another time and place other than to say he decided to return to work in the US and will be here in 21 days! I finally got to see Rebelution along with Iration and Passafire for a second time with Krista and Dustin in Eugene, and I won tix to the show the following night in Bend, so I went to that show, too! On the way home, I stopped at a free alpaca farm called Crescent Moon Ranch. In September, Kate and I returned to Ridgefield to see Janelle Monae, another mindblowing performance! In September 2024 I also finally quit my job and decided to go into private practice online. This was a result of the aforementioned epihany in July as well as a series of other events leading to and following this, not least of all Tyson's breakup. When this happened, it made the most sense to let him take over the affordable rent on my place while I stayed with my sister and started my practice (I couldn't exactly work from home with a roomie and a couple of kids in a tiny home with no doors, either). So I waited until the end of the month and after my dear friends, Shua and Megan, came to visit from Colorado, and then I packed up my 2001 Chevy Tahoe, and Lulu and I headed for the Southwest. I think that should also be its own separate post, but in case I don't get back around to it, I'll just say that I made my way there via San Fran, San Diego, and Joshua Tree before landing at Kathy's in Prescott Valley, where I stayed until Christmas. During my stay, we danced and sang in a live performance of Rocky Horror, went to drag shows, and became regulars at one of the karaoke bars just off Whiskey Row as well as fans of a really talented Grateful Dead cover band in Prescott called JRAD. Before I left Arizona, I made sure to visit New Mexico as well as Slab City/Salvation Mountain, which was a total trip in more ways than one. Almost the instant I crossed the Oregon border, I began receiving calls about my oldest brother and his deteriorating mental health. During this time, I was feeling pretty down due to the status of my business and the fact that my sweetheart had asked for a "pause" and I was devastated. Although I've worked things out in my romantic life, I can't do much about the family situation, and that has been upsetting but par for the course. I've been focusing on building my client base, dancing and seeing live music and spending time with friends, and making memories with my grandkids. I recently learned that Milo, who is now 2 1/2, asks about me every few hours and looks for my picture to carry around and is always asking to come to my house. I can't even express how it feels to feel that important and loved and wanted by someone! Grace is about to finish 5th grade and is doing really well overall, especially considering she's been dealing with the breakup. She's such a good kid and a wonderful big sister. Well, I've been at this far too long and need to get some sleep in preparation for tomorrow morning's client meeting.