Happy New Year 2026

It has been a while since my last post but I figure this is a better time than most to try and get back to it. I do have good reason for not being dilligent with it recently. Bob, my husband, had a stroke and life, as we know it, has changed drastically. Bob is doing much better now. However, it wasn't without a huge scare and a few trips to the hospital in St. John, about a 2-hour ambulance ride away, ending in major surgery to clean out his arteries. We are finally back in a good place, and he has a new lease on life. However, it has taken its toll on both of us. It takes something like this to truly understand how fragile life is. All was well in our world, and with a blink of an eye, things were turned upside down with no warning at all.

If it weren't for the amazing work of the doctors, nurses, paramedics, technicians and all the other professionals who we encountered on this journey, I could very well be greeting this new year and all others to come by myself. I can't tell you what a bleak thought that is for me.

This experience has completely changed how I view the medical community. It was even scarier because I initially had a poor opinion of doctors. Even nurses started falling out of grace for me. Now I not only have a new appreciation for them all, I also have a great trust in them.... Well, most of them. I still can't shake the anger at the various levels of government for putting us all in this position and there is no excuse for the nurses and doctors who have brushed us aside in recent years. I imagine the first has made it difficult for the latter to have any sort of compassion but that is really no excuse except that maybe some people should not be in the jobs they have. After all, it is a high stress possition to be handling the public in life and death instances. It certainly isn't for the faint of heart or those who are easily taken to indifference or a sense of superiority over others. The doctors and nurses in the hospital in St. John were so wonderful, they never once let on the troubles they are facing themselves. They worked nonstop to save lives while reassuring loved ones. I was ubber impressed with every one of them and will not let past experiences take away from how quickly and compassionately they handled my husband and myself. They are the reason I still have a husband and I will thank my blessings for that every day for as long as we have left on this earth. Onto the business side of things...... I have had time on my hands while Bob was in the hospital and then at home mending. I also have had a need to keep my mind occupied so I decided early on, before his surgery, that this was a good time to get serious with my Ipad and Procreate. I have been quietly learning to draw and also teaching myself a few things needed to work comfortably with Procreate. This was made possible by the many free tutorials out there on the program. I truly appreciate the time and talent it takes to make these videos. Although they are created to bring attention to the instructors own stores, they serve a greater purpose to educate the masses, so who is going to begrudge them a sale or two along the way? Certainly not me! Although there is much more to learn, I think I can comfortably tackle that as I go. What an amazing program! Since that is a whole other story I will end this post for now. Just know that I am back and ready to make a few changes in my business too. Maybe actually get more serious over it all. I will tackle that in my next post but will leave this one by stating that I am very excited about my new skills and plans. 2026 will be a great year. I can feel it in my bones. At least I know for sure it can only go upwards after the way we left 2025 in our rearview mirrors. Stay tuned for some exciting news. All my best

Leslie :)