one year

Saturday was one year since my father passed away.

What a thing grief is! Ever since January, which was the one year anniversary of when this all began with my father's fall and his breaking his hip and then his decline - I have been replaying and reliving, the sad, the traumatic, the painful events. As if it's on a loop in my brain.

SOB!

Not being a newcomer to this world of grief, I have been counting down and longing for the arrival of March 10th, knowing that somehow miraculously, things do weigh less heavily, less frequently, after the first year mark.

I made plans to do something that would bring me joy on the day and also something in remembrance of my dad.


The hubs and I went down south to Santa Ana and took in GLITTER FEST for the first time. So much fun to get to see lovely creations and artists I've seen online. Can't wait until it's time for the next one in the Fall.

Cards from a few of the wonderful artists in attendance.

I got some darling - as if I need more, geeeeeeezzzz - Easter ornaments for my feather tree.

(by Sue Smith of The Fox & The Hare)

(by Robin Kelso)

I apologize to the wonderful artisans who made these for the miserable photos - it's always easier to grab the stupid phone, rather than hunt down the camera and here are the results. WAH!

And we ran into my crafty friend Susan too! Hi Susan!

And then we drove over to Costa Mesa to have lunch at the Taco Asylum. We're vegetarian and I had seen online that they had a wild mushroom taco and a curried paneer taco - nom nom nom YUMMERS! Tasty! Now they weren't in tortilla's - they were on naan bread, like pita. Actually I'm not sure that anything on the menu is what you typically think of as a taco, but they sure are good if you're in Costa Mesa.

Then on Saturday evening, we met my sister-in-law and my two nieces for dinner, to share the one year anniversary and think of the father, father-in-law, grandfather, we all miss so much.

My oldest niece was newly engaged the previous weekend and her fiance came along too. So very nice to have some good news this year, after so much sad news, so many passings last year.


We lost my brother 16 years ago, so my darling oldest niece will walk up the aisle with her momma. The moments my brother missed and the moments his dear girls have missed with him, break our hearts, over and over. But life goes on and somehow new moments of joy are made.

Then on Sunday, we went out to breakfast and then took a trip out to the cemetery and sat with dad (and my mother and my uncle too, nearby) for awhile.

So, one year passed. Our hearts look both backward and forward ... we long for Spring and new beginnings.


Happy Monday to you all!