Welcome to our Word of the Year monthly catchup
It’s the last Friday in the month so that means it’s time for our monthly linkup, all about our Word of the Year (WOTY). I can’t believe it’s so close to the end of the year already!
I hope you’ll join my co-hosts Jo, Sue and Donna and share your WOTY progress with us all.
My WOTY for 2022 is GIFT and this month it’s all about sisters, as I’ve had the pleasure of my sister and sister-in-law visiting for a few days. They didn’t overlap but it was two sister visits in one week. We didn’t do anything major but relaxed, caught up on news, tried to stay warm and enjoyed the time together.
Sisters are different flowers from the same garden.
Unknown
I am fortunate to have two sisters, although technically speaking, one sister is really a sister-in-law.
Sharon – my younger sister
It was because of my sister that I started blogging many years ago. Sharon and I are only 15 months apart in age (I’m the eldest) and we are close in many other ways too. We often buy the same things when we’re miles apart, we often dress the same for no apparent reason and we have a similar sense of humour. She is much cleverer than I am and more insightful whereas my perceived shallowness and need for people and approval stands us apart. I’m far more social. We can both be quite blunt and have opinions we don’t always keep to ourselves (or is that just me?).
She is clever, capable and competent. She’s been through a lot in the past few years with losing our dad, having breast cancer, her husband being unwell, Covid, lockdowns in Melbourne, being made redundant from her university job and much more. She’s resilient and just keeps going.
She is many things including being an accomplished blogger, a very talented photographer, an academic, a fun person to be around, a mother, a grandmother and an all round interesting person with strong thoughts on various topics.
You can read more about Sharon in my People of Interest series – she answered 10 questions and you learn a lot about her from her responses. I can’t believe that post was written in October 2017! Time flies 🙂
I love these old photos when we were little.
Carol – my sister-in-law
I first met Carol when she was about 7 or 8. I was going out with her eldest brother (the Mathematician) and we clicked right from the moment we met. I’d babysit her, play games and she’d tag along with us when we went out. She was the youngest in the family and as her two brothers were much older than her, she was sometimes like an only child. We’ve stayed close ever since those early days.
Like Sharon, Carol is very clever and has managed to cope with a lot of things especially over the last few years, losing her brother, both her parents and over the past year preparing to sell the family property while living miles away and working full-time in a stressful high-powered role. With bushfires, covid lockdowns, her mother being ill and hospitalised and the long distance travel back and forth it’s been amazing to see her resilience.
We worked out it’s been almost six years since she’s been at our place due to all of the above, so it was good to have her stay for a few days of R & R, even though the weather turned very cold while she was here!
And my daughters are sisters too…
Sister is probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once the sisters are grown it becomes the strongest relationship.
Margaret Mead
Some of my other GIFTS this month
- A weekend visit from one of my daughters, SIL, and two grandchildren
- Spring Garden Festival
- Celebrating our Rotary Club’s 60th birthday
- Bike rides on the rail trail when it was fine enough (aka not raining)
- Massages
- Workouts with friends
My Gifts so far this year
It’s been a great way to look for the GIFTS in the everyday with my WOTY this year:
- In October I laughed about the Gift of being easily amused with Mrs Harris Goes to Paris
- September had me looking at the Gift of Unconditional Love
- I was away travelling in August and took a blogging break
- In July I shared the Gift of Health before heading off for a month overseas
- June saw me enjoy the Gift of Sunshine
- May was all about the Gift of daughters and birthdays
- April had me enjoying Gifts that keep on giving
- March had me asking the question ‘Is it even a Gift if you buy it yourself?’
- In February I celebrated Gifts in all shapes and sizes
- January I was just getting started with the Gift of GivingI
- In early January I announced my WOTY GIFT for 2022
Hope you can join us for the linkup
Do you have a sister or sister-in-law? I’m fortunate to have these two in my life.
I smile because you’re my sister, I laugh because you can’t do anything about it!
Is it time to start thinking about a Word of the Year for 2023?? I’m exploring my options, are you planning on a WOTY?
Thanks for stopping by and I always enjoy hearing from you 🙂
Deb xx
UPDATE: For 2023, Donna, Jo, Sue and I will continue to share a monthly wrap-up post but with a new twist! Stay tuned for more.
You’re invited to our link party! So what’s it all about?
This year I’m joining my lovely friends and co-hosts, Donna, Jo and Sue, to provide a link party for anyone who also wants to write a monthly update to help keep the focus on their WOTY. We’re hoping you can join us.
What: 2022 Word of the Year Link Party #2022wotylinkparty
When: Last Thursday of the month PM (Northern Hemisphere)/ Last Friday of the month AM (Southern Hemisphere). The link will be open for 3 days so you’ve got plenty of time to join. The last linkup for 2022 will be Friday December 30 2022 – mark your diary now! We will be back in 2023 but with a twist! Stay tuned.
Why: To encourage us all to keep the focus on our chosen WOTY.
Where: Link Party, Blog, Blog Comments, Instagram or other Social Media.
Who: This linkup is open to everyone.
How: You can share in the comments, with a blog post, or on other social media of your choice. Include the hashtag #2022wotylinkparty so that we can find you and include your link in our posts. Whichever way you choose to share, don’t forget to leave a note in the comments so we can find you.
You can also find Deb’s World in lots of other places – stay in touch by clicking any of the buttons below.
Everyone has a story to tell! Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. She never imagined being Granny Debs would bring so much joy to her life! You can read more of Deb’s story here
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Deb's World 
Just as with last year’s word, I’ve loved tuning in to see how you’ll approach your WOTY each month. So lovely you’ve been able to spend time with both your sisters this month and I loved the pics you posted of the falls. Can’t wait to see which direction you take in 2023.
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Oh thanks Jo, I love having a WOTY to keep my focus and I really think it improves my mood as I approach each month. I’ve settled on a word for 2023 and can’t wait to share!
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Hi, Debbie – Your deep love for your sisters and your daughters (and their deep love for you) shines through brilliantly in this post. I especially love your old black-and-white family photos – such wonderful gifts to treasure!
As with Jo, I am eager to discover which direction your WOTY will take you for 2023!
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Thanks so much Donna. I love those old black and white photos of our younger years too, we were so darn cute!!! What a gift they’ve been over the years.
I’ve been mulling over my thoughts for 2023 and may just have chosen a word to focus on!
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Awesome. Your WOTYs are always incredible and very creative. I can’t wait for the reveal!
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You are too kind….
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How lovely Debbie, so many women in your family and all sound wonderful. I’ve only got sister-in-law’s who live in different countries. I’m only close to one though.
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Thanks Ali, life has been interesting over the years with all these sisters in my life but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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So much camaraderie 🥰
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Beautiful family!
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Thanks Cindy, I’m very fortunate!
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I’m the oldest of three sisters. One is in heaven. So much of my identity is being one of the “Anderson Girls.” 💖💖💖
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I totally get that Carol, we spent so much of our lives part of a ‘group’ (sIsters) that it’s hard not to have it form part of our identity isn’t it?
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As far as big sisters go, you are the best. One thing I am particularly grateful for is that you don’t ever feel the need to ‘clock me’!!
Thanks for being so generous in your description of me – it means a lot to know that this is how you see me.
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Your reference to being ‘clocked’ made me laugh out loud 🙂
We’re definitely different (obviously) but we come from the same garden – I like that description of sisters and it’s a nice way to think of my daughters as sisters and yours too!
Thanks for your comment, I’ll remind you I’m the only big sister you’ve got so I have to be the best 🙂
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Thanks Jo, it’s been a great year with my WOTY and I sometimes don’t know which way I’m going to go or what I’m going to write about until a day before the linkup! I’ll be on my yoga mat stretching and something will just come to me. I’m not even joking!! I’m glad to hear you enjoy seeing what direction I’m taking 🙂
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Ahh shucks thanks for the lovely words. I am sure I was a pain in your courting days, thanks for putting up with then & now. Your a pretty good sister yourself x
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Thanks Carol!
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This is a beautiful post Deb. You are fortunate to have such a loving relationship with your sisters. The love you have for each other shines through your words. I love the photos of young Deb and her sisters. I will probably choose a word for next year as it tends to cause me to focus on what is important. A few words are bubbling around in my brain, but nothing has landed yet.
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I’m glad you enjoyed my post Jen, I love those old photos too, so much joy 🙂 I am ready for my WOTY for 2023 as I too find that it helps me focus. Your word has been a lovely one this year and you’ve rocked it!
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Sisters truly are gifts!! I have a sister who is fantastic, we chat online almost every day. She’s also been through a lot of stress and recently got a changed role at her company and now is doing much better. We both have a quite raw sense of humour and she’s one I know I can always talk to about the weird things in life. I’m so happy to have her in my life!
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That’s a lovely comment about your relationship with your sister Susanne, when it comes down to it they’ve known us longer than most people!
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Hi Deb – I don’t have a sister, my mum doesn’t either, and neither does my daughter…..so it’s a real unknown for me. It’s been interesting watching the relationship develop between my 2 grandgirls and I think there’s definitely something special that I missed out on. Fortunately (like you) I have a fantastic S-I-L who has filled the sister role well over the last 30+ years. So glad you got to spend some quality time with both your ‘sisters’ and that covid has taken a backseat for a while so we can mingle again.
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Thanks Leanne, it was great to have both sisters visit recently and perfect for my month’s WOTy post 🙂 You’re right sisters do have a special bond and it’s lovely for you to watch it develop in your grandgirls. Glad to hear you also have a fabulous SIL to fill some of that role.
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Great post, Debbie. I have three sisters and we are all relatively close. I cherish them and the times we get together.
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Thanks Carla, good to know you and your sisters have a lovely bond, as many others on similar situations have horror stories! We are both fortunate and that makes me happy.
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Yes, we are truly blessed.
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Hi Debbie, how lovely to have so many beautiful females in your life. Whilst I’m very happy with my male dominated world of four sons, husband and brother I often wonder what life would be like if I’d had daughters or a sister. I’m really looking forward to having my mum visit Australia for the first time in years for the Christmas celebrations. You always look so happy and radiant – you certainly have the gift of a beautiful smile.
Thanks for sharing
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Yes so many wonderful females in my life Janine, I am very lucky! I hope you have a great time with your mum visiting, how exciting for you! Thanks for your lovely compliment about me looking happy and radiant – I am smiling at you as I write 🙂
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And now your comment has sent a smile to my face! Smiles are contagious in the best possible way
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Such a lovely and loving post to read. I really enjoyed your words and the photos. Gosh, everyone grows up so quickly it’s good to look back too. Thank you for the link up. Denyse
PS I am ‘glad’ to have been the only girl in the two kid family that is mine. I am too competitive I think…sadly.
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Thanks Denyse, it was good to write and very fitting for my WOTY. I smiled at your comment that you would have been too competitive to have had another girl in the family – love your honesty 🙂
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How wonderful for you Deb that you have such special relationships with your sister and sister-in-law. I’ve struck out on both counts unfortunately but that’s life isn’t it? The photos of you and your sister as kids are so lovely – great memories. Thanks for being such a fab sister and sister-in-law yourself and also a wonderful friend. xx
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Thanks Sue, I’m sorry to hear you’ve ‘struck out’ but you have lovely friends around to call on I’m sure! I love the old photos of my sister and I as kids and the ones of my girls always make me smile and take me back to those early days of motherhood. Things change so much as they grow up, I want to go back and bottle some of that cuteness!
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You are blessed to have the gift of sisters, Debbie. I had none, so I cherish my sis-in-laws. I am also glad my daughters have each other. I love Meads’ quote–so very true! Thank you for helping host WOTY–I almost didn’t get mine in this week, but it worked out in the context of my post.
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Glad you got your post done Terri, we always enjoy seeing what others are sharing. I am blessed to have sister/sister-in-law and understand you cherishing your sisters-in-law. Thanks for your comment and yes that quote was perfect!
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I don’t have a sister but have a good friend who fills the role. Both of us only had brothers. I envy people who have sisters.
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I’m fortunate to have a brother and a sister both younger than me. I’m glad you have good friends who fill the role of sister for you – it’s an important role!
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