Top Three of '17

This is the Eighth year that I have been doing this tradition, which Larry brought to the relationship on our first New Year's Eve together, 2010. I had a fun party that night full of food, friends, wine, and sharing stories, poems, and "The Best Of" in a spare room that would later become The Beat Lounge.

Here are my Top 3 and some contenders

3. Christmas Eve Eve
2. Camping trip to Hocking Hills
1. Camping trip to America, the Beautiful/Weird!
     a. Driving into Two Medicine our first night in Montana, scoping out a campsite. That feeling that the area was magic.
     b. Night of the Indian Rodeo at the Blackfeet Indian Reservation--the breathtaking beautiful children collected on horses and ponies, riding bareback.
     c. Being shocked by the beauty of the Black Hills
     d. Yellowstone Lake
     e.  Our campsite on a cliff above Jackson Lake in Grand Tetons
     f.  Our stormy hike on Sand Cave trail at Teddy Roosevelt. The night of the rainbows and bison
     g.  Seeing a Grizzly bear in the Shoshone National Forest after not seeing any in three weeks
     h.  Staying at 70s lodge San-Suz-Ed outside of West Glacier


Contenders
--nature photography
--the owls at Eagle Creek-->intro to amateur birding
--Friday night sundowners at Eagle Creek with Larry
--Theater--saw many good shows this year, with Jersey Boys coming in at #1 favorite, followed by Motown and Kinky Boots. Locally, I liked Dance Kaleidoscope "Divas" and IRT "Boeing, Boeing" (a surprise as it really is a stupid play! ), Little Shop of Horrors starring our friend Tristan, and a local author show--
--Street Cat Named Bob and World According to Bob--two books on CD I had never heard of, just saw the first one sitting on a shelf in the library. I listened to each one twice, and they brought such joy to me that they stand out as positive things of the year
--Books--I stumbled upon great books this year. Round House, Broken (Wind River), You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, Kringle (! A book about Santa Claus!!!! ??? Yes, picked it up on a whim and loved it!)
--Women's March/Rally in January with Larry and Jodee!
--Started new career, permanent position with a company I've consulted for the previous 3.5 years. I was also offered a job with another firm at the same time and had to make my first "big girl" decision since graduation in 2000. It's not a dream job, but it's a good one. I enjoy going to the gym and to fitness classes on site. December, bad news, lay-offs. My boss and his boss both let go with 300 other people. More layoffs possible with another re-org.