Reflections and Resolutions

This holiday weekend has allowed time to reflect on the past year and work on resolutions and goals for the new year.

Last year brought adventure and excitement with my participation in the WaterTribe Ultimate Florida Challenge in March, and then some great family time with a 2 week reunion visiting my parents and sister in Hawaii in July, and then change, our last child went off to college in August.

The family change was actually my biggest and hardest challenge of the year, I mourned the loss of our family life for months. Then as both our kids returned for the holidays (completely independent young adults), I found myself pleasantly surprised to realize and discover that during this transition and mourning, Paul and I had actually begun starting our new life as a couple, rather than as just Mom and Dad. Our family life is not the same as it was, and this is okay. Now instead of mourning my loss, I find myself looking forward to the changes, enjoying my children as the wonderful adults they have become, and the next phase of my life with Paul. As it should be, my biggest resolution will be to continue to work on this, my personal life as wife, mother, daughter and daughter-in-law.

Somethings of course will never change, my love of adventure, paddling and camping. As for races and challenges, as usual I have in mind more ideas than will actually be possible. In March, I'll race the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge again, this time my son and friends will also be in the race. I'm considering the Missouri 340 in July. Every year I consider the Yukon River Quest (this year they have added a division that would make the Kruger legal), but it's so far away. I'll also participate in the MS150 bike tour in New Bern in September, something I've done for the past 3 years.

There are now more shorter day kayaking races then ever before. This year I'd like to spend more time in my NDK Explorer sea kayak and get involved in some of these events. I still do not consider myself a racer, and my seakayak is certainly not a racing kayak, but these events are lots of fun for all paddlers, racer or cruiser alike.

Paul and I plan on finishing the skin-on-frame kayaks we started a few years ago, I'd really like to finally get that chest sculling down (Santa brought Dubside's rolling video). We're even talking about building a small sailboat for the two of us to enjoy together (I never could convince him a double kayak would be fun). And we're talking/planning a family back-packing trip in the mountains this summer.

I'm thinking (actually dreaming) about adding an OC1 to the fleet. This could begin a whole new area of single blade racing for me. Outrigger canoe racing seems to have become very popular these days, but hasn't quite made it to NC yet.

I will not resolve to try and loose those 20 lbs, again :)

And I plan to continue my blog, though it may become even more a personal journal, continuing to encouraging others to be active and seek adventure in their lives, particularly those of us in our middle and later years. Your never to old to live and love life in an active and healthy way.

Here's wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year, full of life, family, and adventure.