...And before you turn around, a year is past

Let's just say that 2012 didn't exist. I did not publish one blog post during the entire year. So while I KNOW it happened, I can't exactly make up for an unrecorded year. So I'll start fresh at the beginning of 2013, and endeavor to do better. The highlights of 2012 would have to be graduating from Clemson, Ben's complete recovery, and finding a job at Furman. The lows? Um, my divorce finalized, and months of not having a job and the associated stresses. But on to 2013.

I have spent the last week at Isle of Palms, where Ben rented a house for our kids to meet and mingle and spend a little down time. Three of my children made it down here for a few days, and both of Ben's daughters were here, but sick during the week. Given the revolving door and the germs, we've had a relaxing break. It's been good for me to get to know his daughters better. He and I had visited the older daughter at college a few times, but I hadn't spent any time with his younger daughter. The whole post-divorce world is strange and uncharted, for the parents and for the kids. This was a good chance to try to allow things to happen in a laid back setting. Because both girls were sick on New Year's Eve, we watched Clemson win the Chik-Fil-A Bowl (why can't they just call it the Peach Bowl still?) and went to bed. So on New Year's Day we set out to make something happen. We started with doughnuts at Krispy Kreme, and moved on to the fireworks stand. Unfortunately, after we bought them, we returned home and learned that fireworks are illegal on the barrier islands. We drove over to Mt. Pleasant where they are legal. But not having a house there, and being too chicken to just be "explosives squatters" in a random parking lot, we abandoned the idea. But we have the photo. And when the girls come to the Upstate to visit their dad, we will put on an extravaganza.