
Blossom Tree with Spring run off into the Slocan Lake, New Denver, British Columbia.
It's been a while since I shared an update, and I wanted to let you all know that I'm doing much better now.
I'm so thankful for the things I'm able to do, and the blessing of being able to go out and about this spring. I don't walk as quickly as I used to, but at least I can do it without limping and have managed to walk over 10,000 steps in one day. Some days I'm a bit achy, but the good days are much more frequent. My grip isn't as tight as it used to be, and I drop things, but I believe exercise can help me with that. I've even managed short hikes!
Top Photo: looking down on the city of Penticton where I'm living.
Bottom left: Arrow Lake near Revelstoke, BC.
Bottom Right: Sunrise over Kalamalka Lake
When illness hits hard, it can make you evaluate what is essential in life, which is what I did. I also used meditation and visualization, and it was enlightening to decide what I really wanted in life. I love to share, and painting brings me joy and allows me to bring joy to someone else through the finished piece. As I was lying in bed in pain, I let my mind wander and dream, and created a mini bucket list that I'm slowly crossing off. Things like walking through blossom trees and walking on a beach barefoot were on my list, and I also wanted to get a camper, a dog and a cat. We ended up getting all three, with Hero the puppy and Angel the kitten born four days apart in January. They got along better than we expected, and this morning when I woke up in the camper, Hero was giving Angel kisses and she was purring - it melted my heart. I've also been teaching Hero to go up and down the stairs, and it's been entertaining learning together. I needed to go slow and he didn’t want to go fast so we were the perfect team. Camping and exploring more of BC has been great fun.
Photos of Angel, Hero and myself
I've been able to spend longer working on my website, which should be functioning well. I'm also doing commission paintings, and I don't have a waiting list at the moment, so now's a good time to order one!