January 5. Five days into a brand new year. I meant to write a year-end review before the end of the year, but now is as good a time as any to reflect over the past year and remind myself that it wasn’t all bad.

It started with designing and laying out my husbands book. Back in October 2022 we did a 5 day fast together. That catapulted him to take extreme care over what he ate, drank and be serious about exercise. He also did a lot of mindful journaling and it resulted in this book that he wrote, imagined and I put to life. He successfully completed his 4th Ironman, and ran a sub 3 marathon, as well as a host of other accomplishments alongside working a full time job. His book is about setting goals and being reflective on your health, mentally and physically.

One of his goals was to publish a bikepacking book. A book to help anyone feel as though it was possible, and the best way to travel. We both firmly believe that and this was also a fun book to see through to completion. I took a lot on myself to draw as much as I could for the book. That left my husband, who is all ones and zeros to consistently ask me -”So how many more drawings?” and I could see the wheels turn as he calculated the drawing-to-time ratio. We often have these minor clashes as his view on things can be more calculated, defined, and my view is layered in emotions, or needs scultping and time to grow, to work things out. But in the end, we got through it together and we both love the book.

Then that brings me to my third book of the year. Cleaning out my awesome little office one wintery day, I think it was even in late 2022, I realized how much different art I have done of Dexter over the years and I really thought it would be quite simple to gather it up in a book. Didn’t prove that simple but in the end, I think I made it feel simple, it flows well, as a book. Anyway, I did a lot of book layout this past year and it is nice to see that I still have a skill. Not trying to put myself down here but rather “reflect”. Once upon a time, long ago, in the prehistoric days of pre motherhood, I worked for a print shop. I was the graphic design department. I also hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree specializing in Illustration, and studied the childrens picture book industry under Dennis Nolan. So to be able to still be able to bring all that back, after years of concentrating heavily on motherhood is well, good.

As a year goes, it was not the greatest. Highlights, besides the 3 books, was a lovely visit to the US with 2 of my 3 kids to celebrate my mother turning 80. Wow right!! Visited Berlin as I cheered on my husband running the Marathon. Found a lump in my breast but it turned out to be benign. The wars that erupted and the wars that persist can not be overlooked though. There was also a lot of loss on my homefront too, family members and our beloved Dexter.

I don’t really have any big goals for 2024. BUT do not tell my husband or he will “throw the book at me”. geesh. My goal, really my main goal right now is find fulfillment, personal peace. To create art that brings me joy when I do it. I want to create things that have meaning to me. Behind the scenes of the other things I was doing last year I was also working on a book about my family summer island. I will write more about this in time, but this book is for me, and my future generations. A visual tool that I can use or my children can use to explain a place that I went to as a child. This is what I mean by creating things that have meaning to me.

Well, I am signing off now because I have to get to the gym. I HATE resolutions, and this is not a resolution but I suffered from severe back pain back in November and boy oh boy, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I am finally feeling like I can get on a bike, so off I go, I need to get the bike legs back for some spring time bikepacking(hopefully).