How I Dispassionately and Somewhat Capriciously Explained 2009 to an Old Friend Responding to my Christmas Card

1. After two months of dividing household goods and packing them, I sold a house in March; I moved a few items to my present rooms and put others in a storage facility.
2. Since March I have one of the cats living with me.
3. During the spring I flew to Paris for a sudden visit.
4. In April my niece had a baby boy, the first member of that generation of the family.
5. In April I attended my high school reunion, the 40th for the Class of 1969.
6. In May I took part in a weekend parish retreat; I gave one of the talks.
7. In June I became the owner of a photograph exhibited in a show in Portland, Maine.
8. In June I got a BlackBerry.
9. In July I visited with a friend in New York City.
10. In July I entered a gallery on Cape Cod and discovered and purchased the painting Two Warm Trees that I had featured on my Christmas card last year.
11. Over Labor Day weekend I visited my brother in New Orleans.
12. Since September I have been enrolled in an introductory German class.
13. I continue writing for my blog Writing Cabin; my favorite postings this year include one about washing dishes;
14. one about encountering a red fox on a snowy morning;
15. one about making the Stations of the Cross;
16. one about visiting my parents’ graves;
17. one about preparing a Friday evening meal;
18. one about not making plans;
19. one about expecting change;
20. and at least two about walking through a cemetery.

The highlighted numbers provide links to pertinent posts on Writing Cabin.