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Sarah Simpson Column: Looking back while moving ahead

I’m going to start the new year out by not lying to you
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Well hello to you in 2019! I’m still here. Are you?

I’m going to start the new year out by not lying to you and let you know that I worked really hard in December to make sure I had decent columns for you to read every week despite the irregular Christmastime press deadlines.

I was actually proud of myself at my foresight but it was pretty much just me being kinda selfish. I wanted to have a relatively stress-free holiday, well as stress free as possible given we were travelling with two kids under five, on BC Ferries, during one of the busiest times of the year.

And… I didn’t want to have to think too much about you. Isn’t that awful? I’m sorry. That’s why I don’t feel too terrible in telling you the honest truth. The truth is I completely forgot about my Jan. 4 column and so this one is a bit of a last-minute rush job. Serves me right, right? Anyway, that’s not to say it’s not going to be excellent. OK, maybe that’s a bit too much hype….it’ll be readable and hopefully we can all just move on together. Upward and onward into the new year!

As long as I’m being honest, it always bugs me when we start a new year by looking back. I’m splitting hairs a bit because I like to reflect…just at the end of the year not the start of the next one. So know that I’m cranky about doing it, but I’m breaking my own rule here and looking back for this column. It’s not that I don’t have cool stuff to look back on, it’s just that I should have done it last week is all.

Let’s start by looking way back to Jan. 1, 2018. That was the day I decided I wasn’t starting the new year off by skipping a workout and dragged my butt out of bed at 6 a.m. to run in subzero temperatures despite hating to run outdoors. I had been proud to tell you I continued the tradition this year and did a lovely but chilly, mostly uphill (and I’m not even exaggerating!) 5k run this New Year’s morning but then I looked back and learned I ran 7 km on the same morning last year and that’s kind of taken the wind out of my sails. Moving on.

I got to write some pretty cool stories about some pretty cool people for you in 2018. Remember back in February when I wrote about David Armstrong and his aspirations to have a dad band in his garage? I wonder if he ever got a group together.

I also wrote about my toothfairygodmother and how every time I went to see my dental hygienist I seemed to have a new major life milestone to share with her. Roxanne Nunweiler has since retired and is taking turns travelling the world and enjoying her grandbabies.

I still can’t spell hygienist without help.

SEE RELATED: Fairy godmothers come in unexpected places

READ MORE: My toothfairy godmother has flown away

I got to write several stories about my friend George Brewster who always lifts my spirits. I took my daughter to his big 95th birthday party and we had a blast with a whole hall full of his friends. I wonder how he’s doing. Actually, I’m going to phone him. I miss him. I’ll report back.

SEE RELATED: A kind word can change your day

READ MORE: An invitation I can’t refuse

I wrote about Walmart Joe Barton and his kindness and Elaine and Peter Pederson who are flipping their lives upside down to help children in Suswa, Kenya. Bradaigh Bridger-Taft also comes to mind. You people are all way cooler than I’ll ever be.

SEE RELATED: The heartwarming tale of Thai and Wal-Mart Joe

READ MORE: Ditching the kids for a good cause this Christmas

READ MORE: Got it, got it, need it, got it

This year I also told you quite a bit about myself too; about my relationship with bees, about my worn out green bag, about my obsession with my Instant Pot and my fictional cooking show.

Let’s hope I find more cool people in the community to write about this year so I don’t have to write another controversial column about my underpants.

Happy New Year!



sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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