Suzy Says

It’s been quite a year:

January: First trip to Chicago ever. Fell madly in love despite the fact that it was -16&deg F and as famously windy as advertised. It was fun to visit the snow, which was really pretty and romantic. Finally got to visit the incredible collection at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Met the fabulous Kelly, live and in person!

My sister Beth’s first visit of the year.

March: The horror of the clock begins.

Trip to Boston to see the Impressionist Landscape exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts on Dad’s birthday. Saw the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet perform at Harvard.

My stepmother Margaret visits for the first time without Dad. While she’s here, her house burns down. House still being repaired as we go to press.

April: Beth’s second visit of the year, this time accompanied by her daughter Cat. Mom’s 71st birthday celebrated with all her kids. The ass grabbing incident seriously shakes my composure for weeks to come.

May: Trip to Toronto for Birthday Week. Clock saga finally ends. First check-up in {mumble} years (surprise: I’m perfectly fine!).

June: Birthday party with fabulous girlfriends (including Kelly, who couldn’t escape even after she left the country). Visited John’s parents for the first time in 9 years. Official Child Duty (receiving Dad’s friends & colleagues at a party). Mom’s stroke. Her cat comes to stay indefinitely.

July: First baseball game ever. Birth of Sporty Suzy. First mammogram in {mumble} years. Surprise, I’m fine (though almost fainted). Mom allegedly dying. Laid off after seven years in the same job.

August: A month in the country, attending allegedly dying mother. Second anniversary of Dad’s death. Mom amazes everyone by not dying. Beth’s third visit of the year, Cat’s second. Flu from hell which goes on into September.

September: Go back home. Watch the playoffs and don’t do much else (mini nervous breakdown?) for most of the month. Horrified by the Giants being thrown out in the first round (but have to admit the post-season was completely kickass). Start looking for a job.

October: Start job from hell, though unable to commit to it. May have to be committed after working 8 to 5 for the first time in years. Mom well enough to visit for 2 weeks. No injuries or police intervention necessary. Unable to resist watching the World Series despite hating both protagonists.

November: Sell my car. Mo Mom. Thanksgiving with Dad’s closest friend Colin. Quit the hell job. Still hoping for a job I can stand, but hope fading. The therapist fiasco.

December: We become trailer trash. Beth’s fourth visit of the year. The great Blackalicious adventure. Yet another Christmas without Dad. Acquire a black eye and almost certainly a scar, due to combination of gracelessness, disgracefulness, and gravity. Mom still in Intensive Care as of December 30.

I think I did pretty well with my resolutions for the year, which were to do things for myself (all those trips and art exhibits) and find some kind of peace in my relationship with my mother (all those visits, yet body count remains at zero, both from natural and unnatural causes).

2004 resolutions: Figure out that whole spiritual thing. Oh, and get a job. Not necessarily in that order.

Happy new year, everyone!