2015 - a really bad year

January:  Margaret's Bobby hospitalized with Stage 4 heart and liver disease. 

February: Bobby sent home with Hospice care. John diagnosed with lung cancer. 

March: John started chemo and radiation. 

April:  Stated getting work done on house - rebuild part of deck, painting, etc. Cancelled our trip to Ireland. 

May: Nothing special on the calendar, except doctors' appointments. 

June:  John got to row a couple of times. Beach week started at the end of the month. 

July:  Beach week.  Bobby fell and broke his hip. John was told his lung cancer in remission. A lone shooter kills five service men in Chattanooga at a recruiting center and Naval/Marine Center. Jean found out she was going to be laid off the end of September. 

August: We traveled to spend two weeks in the Canadian Rockies with Ann and Al.  John's lungs basically shut down.  My dear one died 30 August, with me, Ann, Al, and Sue with him. 

September: Alison came home with me.  She and Margaret got me started on the new journey of my life. 

October: I moved to The Terrace, an independent-living apartment. The girls and grandchildren continued to move things out of the house. 

November:  Bobby continued to worsen and died on 6 November.  Thanksgiving wasn't much fun this year. 

December:  I somehow wound up with a broken bone in my foot.  Fortunately I only had to wear a boot for about three weeks.  The house was listed for sale, and we are actually working on contract negotiations with a potential buyer.  Margaret took me to Sue and Randy's for Christmas and then to Jesse's for a few days.

2015 was characterized by awful health issues and deaths.  The weather was terrible all year long, all over the country.  Disturbed people with guns destroyed lives - their own and many others - all over the world.  Too many crazy people ran for the Republican nomination for President. 

But there were spectacularly good things - mostly the love and caring of our family and friends.  None of us could have made it through without them.  Sue, Margaret, Kate, and Jean are my rocks, and they continue to keep me going. 

We managed to get through this damnable year.  And we can only hope for better things in 2016.