2011.

You wouldn't know it, judging by this sad little blog, but this year was packed to the gills. I'll pretend that's my reason for abandoning my self-indulgent posting -- just too too busy. But let's review, shall we?

Deaths. Births. Letting go. New apartments. Finally seeing the Pacific Ocean. Eloping in Omaha. New job and delightful co-workers. Unbelievable holiday parties.  Wistful pie shop planning. A friend and I deciding what we should do with our lives. Good-bye to old friends. Hello to new ones. Cold beaches. Lengthening hem lines. Upping shoe heights. Symphony orchestras. False eyelashes and back-seamed stockings. New phones. New projects. Making travel plans. Road trips. An absolutely ridiculous amount of British television. Falling in love with Freddie Lyon. French food. Learning backgammon. Figuring out how to make an omelette. Managing to embrace newly acquired curves. Pierogi festivals. Learning to tap dance. Learning to Charleston. Getting on a bike. Amtrak trains. Late-night pretend baseball games. Missing far-away friends. Visiting far-away friends [but not nearly enough of them].

I'm ready for whatever comes next.

picture by jeff bowen