December in pictures, and 2013 (briefly) in review

A little lighter on the pictures in December, but still focused on things that are me: food, dogs, jewellery, teal.

donkeys in the snow // milk chocolate pineapple and black pepper bar // the historic Distillery District // spicy Mayan hot chocolate // Sven the 120-lb 9-month-old Bernese Mountain puppy // jewellery cleanup // aqua Kitchenaid stand mixer, I want it but have no need for it // New York Times 36-hour cookie dough // Shake Shack frozen custard with chocolate toffee

Again in 2013, my blog and my Instagram continues to serve the purpose of keeping track of what I’ve done in the past year, because without it, I wouldn’t remember anything.

It’s a bit alarming that every year my memory becomes more and more like a sieve, I do keep the big bits (I haven’t forgotten that my sister had major surgery this year and that was a big deal), but some of the big bits I probably should have retained almost slipped through. Like the fact I spent a week’s vacation in BC in August. Will’s sister got married that week, that’s something I should be able to easily remember, from not that long ago. But apparently not. I fear early-onset Alzheimer’s.

According to my blog and my Instagram, this is what I did this year:

• Travelled a lot (by my standards). Boston, Boston again, Ottawa, Parksville and Vancouver, cottage in Muskoka, Iceland, London, Copenhagen, Ottawa again, and Boston again for Christmas (just back on Sunday night).
• Ate a lot. I even devoted an entire post to what I ate in Europe. What can I say, I love food.
• While eating a lot, managed to keep myself in my current clothes by walking and working out more. I bemoaned by fitness commitment issues (I really hate working out), but I found barre3 and realized that finding something I like is more than half the battle.
• Didn’t keep very good track of my shopping. I think I bought some knit dresses, more jewellery, easy basics, and multiples (of knit dresses and basics like sweaters and T-shirts).
• Took all of my outfit photos by iPhone. There might be one or two in there taken by someone else, but I relied on the iPhone all year to snap quick pics before running out the door.
• Took a lot of photos from my balcony. Here are some more!

This was after the great ice storm of 2013 that hit Toronto, when the drizzle cleared up and the sun came out. It was so beautiful, Will and I had to go out and take more pictures around the neighbourhood.

The sunset hitting the icy trees was beautiful, far better than my iPhone could capture.

I’m ending 2013 with a nasty chest cold/bronchitis, so there’s no partying for me tonight (not that I do a lot of that when I’m healthy anyway). I’m thinking dinner and a movie on the couch, after I get home from seeing the matinee show of Les Miserables this afternoon (I bought my ticket a few weeks ago, I’m dragging myself out to that).

Hope everyone has a great (and safe) New Year’s Eve, thanks for reading in 2013, and see you in 2014!