1-52-2013 – Fresh Starts

January 1, 2013 – No 365 this year, at least not starting now anyway. But I am going to do a 52 Weeks Challenge instead. A bit more manageable, a bit less of a daily burden, but still a reason to keep on with the photography.

And yes, I took this photo today, in Vancouver, on January 1st. I love this tree, it never lets me down. Kirk and I went downtown to see The Hobbit, but both shows at the theatre were already sold out for the afternoon screening. So we came back to the North Shore and bought tickets for the 4pm show. We stopped at the pub for a bite to eat and on the way in noticed that the early bloomer is already starting to bloom. Or, as Kirk and I always like to say, as of January 1st, it’s officially Spring in Vancouver.

But it makes me hopeful for a better year ahead. I don’t miss 2012 passing away, it brought a lot of heartache and body ache. Auntie Clara died early in the year, then Kirk had his crash. We did go to France, and that was definitely the high point. But then Kirk’s Dad passed away. The boat gave us enough grief that we finally decided that it is time to let it go and start getting serious about a new boat sometime in 2013. We consoled ourselves with some great rides, until the rainy fall settled in. And the year was pretty much catapulted into the realm of horrific when we lost Mom. There were some good moments, but to say that I am sad to see 2012 disappear into the past would be a lie.

There are new potential plans forming for 2013.

We are letting go of the plan to go on a boating vacation overseas this year, but the reason is that we are hopeful that we will unload our old boat and find the perfect new one to carry us about our own waters again. While we are waiting for those things to come to fruition, we figure we’ll do some good rides and mooch some boating time off friends.

And on that note, there are plans to find a new owner for my, very much loved, motorcycle and get one that won’t hurt my back, quite so much.

And the third, and biggest, plan for 2013 is a new home. Several things have to fall into place before that one happens too, but we are heading in that direction.

So this little cherry blossom gave me a lift today.