Coasting and Rolling Through 2015

How was 2015 for y'all? For me 2015 brought some welcome ups and an unexpected down.

UP ~ 2015 began as I was, at last, comfortable wearing regular shoes after dealing with a slow-healing flesh wound on my left foot through much of 2014.

UP~ I'd had indication, over Christmas 2014, that I was one of several beneficiaries of an aged aunt's estate in England. My initial reaction was that my share would probably cover a nice meal out - if we were lucky. I was wrong. When I eventually received the money it was enough to go a long way towards replacing our 10-year-old car with an almost new one, which we did during the summer.

DOWN~In March I accidentally stumbled and fell when out and about in New Mexico, on a trip celebrating husband's birthday. I'd been taking photographs at a solar observatory in the mountains, not looking where I was putting my feet. No bones broken, but falling with throat coming down very heavily on the rounded edge of my 35mm camera left me unable to speak. A visit to the emergency clinic in Alamogordo resulted in CT scan, which resulted in further investigations by regular doctor, ENT specialist and hospital back in Oklahoma.

UP ~ All was well that ended well.

UP ~ Sometime in June I heard that I was to be one of many beneficiaries of yet another estate of a relative in England, this time that of a cousin who had died suddenly, unexpectedly in late October 2014.

DOWN-ish ~ This second windfall-to-be is still to come owing to a series of "complexities", according to lawyers dealing with it. The situation has now begun to feel quite unreal.

So, I've experienced several positive personal outcomes for which to be truly thankful.

Husband Anyjazz has been generally well, thank goodness. We attended his High School class 60th Reunion in Kansas in September, met many others who are also weathering their senior years with aplomb and optimism.

Husband became great-grandfather for a third time in May when a grandson and wife welcomed a baby boy, Milo, born during one of Oklahoma's famous hail storms with tornado attached.

Son-in-law Jeff, though, has had a very nasty, worrying year - a real "annus horribilis"! The latest of several health issues he has experienced, including two surgeries, has been due to a fall, from a table, while cleaning a light-fitting. He fell heavily onto their hard-tiled kitchen floor, shattering one heel bone to smithereens. After months of wearing an horrendous contraption on his foot and leg, screwed into his bones, he's at last in a slightly less horrible cast-like support, hoping that in early in 2016 he'll be rid of that too, and learning to walk again free and clear of any contraption but, perhaps, a cane...and walking, we trust, into a much happier, calmer year than this has been for him, and for his wife.

And so...how was your 2015?


UPDATE~ Should've included these - new arrivals during 2015:

 Baby Milo (great-grandson)

 Thanks to Auntie Mary great-grand-car!