2018

2018 began with minus three degree temperatures. Brrrr.

The City kids loaded up and left early. We took down Christmas decorations and rearranged furniture. I read (Gigi by Colette), took a nap, and talked the Mr. into going to a movie. 

Ended the day with Little Big Brother’s  Black-eyed Pea Soup and gazing at the Super Moon.

Here are pictures from our family Christmas, actually New Years Eve.

Party hats,

British crackers,

cookie decorating,

                        and a few games.                         

A few more pictures from New Year’s eve and a couple from New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Eve:

Brownie house decorating,

a game of Sorry,

and youngest and oldest napping.

New Year’s Day:

Blackeyed peas soup

Super Moon

It has been a quiet day on Easy Street after the hubbub of the weekend. Baxter is napping at my feet, as I write. He is glad to be an “only child” again.

One more day to play a bit, then back to school to start 2nd semester. Actually, I better do a little school work or I will not be ready for students on Thursday.

Happy New Year! Happy 2018.

Day 3 of 2014

Three days into this year and no resolutions.  What is with that?

OK.  Here goes:

Resolution #1-  More fun in 2014.  The water park, blowing bubbles, riding a bike down a big hill, laughing until pop comes out your nose kind of fun.

Resolution #2-  I'm going to adopt the attitude: "It will all get done" and not necessarily by me.


That's it.  The motto for the year:  Lighten up!

And there you have it.  Profound, I know.

2012 Already

We brought in the New Year with a gathering of friends.  A former student and her husband have a beautiful home on the edges of Tiny Town, and they host a card party for their friends of varying ages.  (In fact, I think the gathering included couples from 20-60.)  It is a lot of fun to see some people that we don't get to visit with very often.  It was such an eclectic group, that it was quite fun and such a nice evening. 

As I was dragging around this morning, the Mr.'s little brother called and said he and his wife were headed to U town.  They wanted to know if we wanted to join them for lunch.  I yanked the hair into a pony tail, and we met up with them.  It was a nice way to spend part of New Year's Day.

I spent the afternoon pulling down and storing the Christmas decorations.  The house isn't totally back to normal yet, but it is getting closer.

Tomorrow is the last day of break.  I can't believe it has gone so fast.

I don't know that I have resolutions in the New Year, but I am promising myself to slow down and take life at a more leisurely pace.  The years seem like they are going so fast-- and going at break-neck pace only adds to that.

"One must learn a different... sense of time--one that depends more on small amounts rather than big ones." 

And that is my plan for 2012.  Snail's pace.  (Soooo not my nature!  This is going to require work!)

Last Day of 2010

Auld Lang Syne
(Old Long Ago)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

If you're a long time reader of this blog, you already know that this is one of my favorite songs.  It has a wistful quality to it and at the same time celebrates friendship and the past.  I want it played at my funeral.    My favorite version is Mairi Campbell's.  She used the original melody of the song, instead of the one commonly known.  (Click here to hear it:  Auld Lang Syne)  OK.  And I have to share the Straight No Chaser version again.  It was on my blog last year. I love these guys.  Straight No Chaser

2010 has been a good year.  We've had so much to celebrate and enjoy in this last year:
*K's marriage to CT
*Several new babies joined our family and our friends
*Our church is finally finished
*Good classes at school--I've loved my sophs these past few years at Trailer High  (Never underestimate the importance of positive attitudes!)
*A vacation trip to South Dakota
*Running again
*Baxter joining our home and keeping things lively
*Watching the new school being finished

I'm looking forward to 2011, too.  I'm expecting a lot of good things, beginning with the move into my new classroom.  Finally, three years after the tornado--Tiny Town almost feels whole again!

Celebrating the past.  Toasting the future.  That's what New Year's Eve is all about.  And if you can do that in the company of people you love and good friends--it doesn't get much better.

Happy, Happy 2011!  Happy New Year!

The Dawn of 2010

Last night there was a blue moon. It was huge and beautiful. If it hadn't been 10 degrees, I might have decided to welcome the New Year outside. I wimped. I just enjoyed the moon on the way to and from dinner and a movie. This was about the only shot I could get, and it doesn't do it justice. If you didn't see it, you'll just have to take my word for it: gorgeous! And then--2010 arrived quite quietly. (OK. There might have been a little snoring and a lot of computer keys clicking. You'll have to guess who was doing what on Easy Street at midnight.) My cousin says she is going to call this year twenty ten. I like that.

I'm not sure what I am writing on 2010 yet. But this much I know:

-

I'm going to make sure time doesn't pass by without me noticing.

I can't afford to overlook the people in my life- the family, the friends, or the students.

I'm planning to enjoy everything more in 2010. Starting today. Starting now.

-

There's a turkey baking, Christmas decorations to stow, and a football fan who promised to go for a walk with me. Welcome 2010.

New Year's Eve 2009

I've shared this before, but everyone needs a little Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve. (And they are my favorite find of the last year!)

2009- A New Year of Endless Possibilities

We began 2009 somewhat differently. We actually went to bed shortly after 11:00, so today we are well rested. We skipped the apple drop (last year's pic) because of frigid temperatures. We have no decorations to take down (a New Year's Day tradition), as I got ambitious and took them down two days ago. However, we did take in our annual New Year's Eve movie: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. A great New Year's Eve movie, but more on that later.

The day began at a hiking trail not far from here with a killer hill and a beautiful view. My plan for this year is for more hiking and biking trail time. The girls joined me on this little adventure, wanting to exercise something other than their fingers after a night of Guitar Hero fun.

I liked the movie the Mr. and I saw. I haven't read the F. Scott Fitzgerald story it was based on, though I hear it doesn't resemble his work very closely. There were many lines in the movie that I liked, but none more than this speech:

"For what it’s worth, it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit... start whenever you want... you can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."-Benjamin Button

Good words to remember in the new year.

The End of 2008

Photo by L
If there is one image that sums up our year, I think this would be it. I am not sad to see 2008 go. There were good things that went on in '08, I just can't remember what they were sometimes. The tornado that hit in June turned our lives upside down. I can't imagine how the teachers who lost their homes, churches, and schools are coping. It has been extremely difficult getting used to church and school and the chaos of our poor small town. However, that Scrabble tile that ended up on our front steps is about the only "damage" we had to our home. Remember the movie "Its A Wonderful Life?" Clarence was an Angel-First Class. Scrabble tile A worth 1 point. I'm pretty sure some angel was looking out for us and this might have been her message.