2020 in Review: January Through March

 I almost did not do a year in review series - 2020 has not been a good year in so many ways. But as I skimmed back through the blog, I saw that, despite the grimness of the pandemic, there were many bright spots. Maybe looking back on the year would be a reminder of the good things that happened as well.

January, 2020

I started the year off on a sad note. My absolute dearest friend, Pam, passed away the day after Christmas. She'd been battling cancer for a decade and finally lost.Our last visit together, just before her death.

Her husband asked me to come back to Illinois and speak at her funeral. That was very difficult for me, but I wanted to honor her and so I did it. 

January is my least favorite month - it's so cold and dreary. Visits with Abby always make me happy, even when it's through the fence.

It was in January that I also decided to finally take the plunge and join NaMoPaiMo. That was one of the best decisions I made in 2020.

February, 2020

February began with another loss - a former student was killed in a horrific accident.

The car split into three pieces after hitting a tree, and my former student and another teenager were killed, while a third boy survived but is still healing from his injuries nearly a year later.

On a brighter note, after 50 years of looking for that perfect Beswick Appaloosa (first version), Simone Smiljanic sold me hers. I named it Worth the Wait and he is doubly special because he came from one of our hobby's earliest founding members.

With several days to spare, I finished my portrait of Sultanna for NaMoPaiMo. I am so proud of her and instead of displaying her with my other Stablemates in the other room, I keep her in my office with my Traditionals.

March, 2020

I attended what ended up being my only live show of the year. It was Great Lakes Congress, my absolute favorite live show of all.

Knowing that I always come to Chicago on the night before the show, Liz Cory invited me to stay at her home - that's always fun as we catch up on models and family and hobby news.

Chris Wallbruch, Nancy Falzone, and Liz Cory.

In March, I discovered a large and growing lump under the incision from my pancreatic surgery.

It was so large and noticeable that I felt very self conscious. I had to go back to Indy to visit my surgeon who scheduled me for surgery later that month.

Two days before the surgery, the surgery was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were shortages of protective clothing as well as fears of exposure for those having non-emergency surgeries. 

I was told by my doctor to absolutely not go out in public - since he'd also removed my spleen in addition to half of my pancreas, I have a very compromised immune system. I made one last run to the grocery, not realizing at the time that it would be the last time I would be in a grocery store for months. (As of this writing, I still have not gone inside one.)

Stay 'tooned tomorrow for a look back at April through June!