Late New Year’s Post – Highlights of 2025

As always, my New Year’s post is… not punctual. I got a bit stuck this February, having way too much packed awkwardly into my mind to pry any of it out. Also, between the now-usual heartbreaking state of the world, reminders of how broken and broke the education system I work in is, some extra focus on megalomaniac pedophiles, some scary learning about AI, and a school shooting in Canada – the worst since L’École Polytechnique – followed by a shooting threat at my son’s high school that shut them down for a day… I have found myself less able to compartmentalize than usual, less able to bounce into optimism. Wanting to talk about stuff, but not wanting to give you lovelies nothing but sad-sack depressing blog posts.

So I think it’s time to talk about stuff that did happen that was fun and/or beautiful – because there was plenty of that. And rather than none of it mattering at a disheartening time, I tend to think that it’s really all that matters.

Sean has excused himself this year, but I’ve put in a few highlights for him – and he was involved in a lot of this stuff anyway.

1. What did you do in 2025 that you’d never done before?

D: Visited Arrowhead Provincial Park and skated on the outdoor forest-skating path. It was a simply gorgeous weekend with multiple feet of snow, wonderful clan folk, and even sauna + hot-tub time. Also: made Hummingbird Cake for Sean’s birthday, went to a Women In Action training/conference, made a speech at our provincial union’s Annual Meeting to second our local’s motion to have women’s programs be open to non-binary members (it passed!).

S: Helped build a giant porch/balcony for a friend in close-to-freezing, sometimes drizzling weather. But we triumphed and it’s a damn solid structure.

E: SHAVED. A few times! Overtook my dad in height. And took a parent-free trip to Toronto with my friends.

A: Attended Emerging Leadership for 2SLGBTQ+ youth and allies, made cake pops with Aunt Emi, met a snake who’s my name-buddy, got to be a flower girl (much belated, see #8)!

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions?

D: Yes, I stayed the course with calisthenics… and maybe got a teeny bit better at responsible bedtime. Right at the beginning and end of the year.

E: Yep, I made a solid amount of random stuff on my music software.

A: I mean, maybe I was a little better…

3. What is your resolution this year?

D: I think the more-sleep one deserves another go. It really does make a positive difference to almost everything in life when I sleep more.

E: Make one actual song, in any form, with my band or solo.

A: To be SO MUCH better.

4. Did anyone important to you die?

The grandpa of our Quaker Meeting, probably the wisest Elder I’ve ever known and a beloved person in general. Then later, another of my Quaker moms from my childhood – one of the sweetest people in the world, with a smile we will always remember. And then, on the Winter Solstice, my closest childhood uncle, who used to teach Grade 3 with gentle humour and took me (a homeschooling kid) on many an excellent field trip.

Also Violetta and Rowan, my friend’s sweet twins who, like Sebastian, never got to gaze into their Mama’s eyes, but who also, like him, are loved and missed by a wide circle of us.

5. What was your biggest improvement or achievement of the year?

D: I can now do a bridge! With my body. I have been working for a couple of years on it, after I realized I was incapable of doing this thing that was so easy in my younger days. I am laying the groundwork for staying spry right up to the apocalypse, so I worked up to the bridge with desk pose and handstands. And IT WORKED!

S + D: 20 years of marriage, baby!

E: Beat AKIRA (236 on the list of hardest Geometry Dash levels); improved my guitar and piano skills through sheer will (/practice).

A: Sang a solo for Talent Night at Family Camp, rode the big roller coasters at Canada’s Wonderland (first trip there since I was little).

6. What has been a struggle or adjustment this year?

D: My mom developed Myasthenia Gravis, a neuromuscular disease that presented as a possible stroke at first and scared us all quite a bit. It is incurable but treatable, and since her diagnosis she has, thank goodness (and thanks to medication), been able to live a pretty normal life. We’re very grateful to all the medical professionals who have helped and are still helping her.

E: My love life; adjusting to Tween Camp after Family Camp (the best week of my life).

A: Grade 8 is definitely harder work than Grade 7.

7. Did you suffer illness or injury?

D: Nothing memorable, other than the “wandering inflammation” that finally made sense after I went to a High Tea and Perimenopause talk organized by our union local’s Status of Women committee. (The tea was at least as good as the insights. Raspberry cream pie rooibos? YES PLEASE.)

E, A: Stomach bug for the first time in several years.

8. What did you get really excited about?

D + all: My sister Emily’s wedding! Long-awaited, since the civil ceremony happened right before Covid shut everything down, but worth the wait. An absolutely glorious occasion with faraway family and friends coming to town, beautiful Labour Day weekend weather, and all the lovely words, music, dancing, and decorations you could wish for. (We even hosted the pre-wedding dinner at our house! Thus, finally our raggedy hole-in-the-wall doorway is a legit-looking doorway. That was exciting too.)

Also, barred owls at Family Camp! At least five, including some fluffy juveniles who were up at all hours and who made so much sibling racket and cuddled so cutely that we would just gather under trees and stare at them. It was magical.

E: Camp in general; Find the Chomiks; Hollow Knight Silk Song release.

A: Being a flower-girl at the above-mentioned wedding; performing in dance recitals with the Young Company.

9. What brought contentment?

D: Family, friends, cats. Circles of trusted women. Slow weekend mornings. Trees, birds, frogs, crickets. Snow throughout December. Delicious meals low on the food chain.

E: Good music, my friends, games with family.

A: Cats, Camp, hanging out with my friends, white Christmas.

10. What events from 2025 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

D: Watching my first three whole Jays games at Skye’s, while she patiently answered my (real basic) questions about baseball.

E: The Great Crossing II at Family Camp; also see #20.

A: Flower girl, Halloween (I was Theodore of the Chipmunks).

11. What political issue stirred you the most?

D: NOPE. I can’t even right now.

E: Amethyst vs. TS2.

A: Mm.

12. What do you regret or wish you’d done less of?

D: I had to cut back on some word games – quit Squareword and mostly quit Spelling Bee. Too much daily time commitment.

E: Certain choices.

A: Wasting time in general.

13. What decision are you glad you made? 

D: Visiting Skye and the kids at Wasaga Beach with AB. It was so fun and beautiful (and we learned about Nancy Island and piping plovers). We’re excited to go back this summer!

E: Sticking it out as staff at Tween Camp.

A: Becoming friends with Rhaina.

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?

D: I wish we could have visited more with our American relatives – but we have sworn off crossing the US border for the time being.

E: Extravagant adventures with my friends.

A: Practicing dance outside of class, and stretching for flexibility.

15. What song will always remind you of 2025?

D: Sad and Beautiful World, by Danny Michel

E: 26 is Dancier Than 4 by TTNG.

A: The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift.

16. What was your favourite TV show?

D: Bad Monkey, Schitt’s Creek re-watch, Andor.

E: Full House, Schitt’s Creek.

A: Schitt’s Creek.

17. What was the best book you read?

D: Know My Name by Chanel Miller, Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby.

E: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

A: I can’t remember the books I read… Lots of re-reads.

18. What was your favourite film you saw this year?

D: A Complete Unknown, Flow.

E: Saving Private Ryan, Wake Up Dead Man

A: I don’t know if I can pick a favourite, but Wicked: For Good was good.

19. What was your favourite game this year?

All: Tokaido, Wingspan, Pandemic.

E: Cards; Dih Dah Paddywah, Silk Song. Least favourite: Canada-opoly.

A: Cheat (yes, the card game); Stardew Valley; Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

20. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

D: 47 – I went to the Royal Botanical Gardens with just my kids and we had a beautiful day. Tea at the tea house, and all my favourite blooming things.

E: 16 – Took an epic open-ended hike in the woods with my friends

A: 13 – Went to the Kitty Café and had a sleepover (including choreography) with 5 of my friends

21. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2025:

Value your time with your elders.

22. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

“I believe in love, I really, really do/ And it’s very, very hard to know what to do.” (Rose Cousins)