Happy 2015!

It's official, the ball just dropped, people are shooting off guns or fireworks outside.  People on TV are cheering.  I prefer to thinks all the booms outside are fireworks but I suspect there are a few guns being fired into the air in response to the frequent mentions on the local news that firing guns into the air is dangerous and illegal within the city limits.  Since I live about 1 mile outside the city limits I suspect some celebrators are thumbing their noses at authority - or maybe they just don't listen to the news, but it does seem like it's going on much longer than usual this evening. I shall be satisfied with a quiet Happy New Year! I did my toasting and celebrating earlier this evening.

The count down has begun...

No, not that count down, that's tomorrow night.  I mean the countdown to my retirement. I finally counted the days today and I have 32 working days left until I am officially retired.  Next week we have three interviews scheduled with potential replacements and a few more applications/resumes have come in so I am confident that we will find someone very competent as my replacement.  I'm excited and curious to see what might be coming next.  There are some volunteer things I want to do, but not too much, I want to travel some each year and I definitely want to sleep in in the mornings, at least until daylight, and, oh yeah, within two years I want to down size which means I have a whole new full time job waiting for me cleaning out closets, rooms and garages.
What I will resist doing with every fiber of my being is critiquing my replacement.  I'd better make that a New Year's resolution.

Well, here's a new idea.

I was just watching a discussion on the local news about the virtues of recycling, and I totally agree.  It's an excellent habit to get into.  I started to seriously recycle with the big bin and everything a couple of years ago and I've been amazed at how much stuff can be recycled.  My recycle bin fills up much faster than my garbage bin.  I also know that real Christmas trees can be recycled (ground up and used for mulch) but one man being interviewed said he has friends who keep their Christmas tree, and when the ice melts on their lake, put a weight on the tree and throw it in the lake where it becomes habitat for fish.  Who knew?
Of course I practice the ultimate recycling.  On New Year's Day I will take apart my not-so-natural Christmas tree and pack it away until next December. No fuss, no bother, and I don't have to haul it away anywhere so I guess I'm saving gas too.  Wow, it just gets better and better.

Keeping things in perspective.

I found myself complaining internally (a private little pity party) about taking yet another trip from laundry room to the other end of the house where the bedrooms are located to remake some recently used guests beds with fresh clean sheets still warm from the dryer.  Oh, poor me, all those steps from one end of a fairly modest house to the other.  Then I remembered National Geographic type scenes of women beating clothes on rocks to wash them, and even my own mother-in-law using a "mangle" to wring out sheets, then hanging them to dry in her basement when it was too cold outside. We did offer, several times to buy her a modern washer and dryer but she wasn't convinced they could possibly clean as well as her system. Well, so much for the pity party,  I've given myself a metaphorical smack up the side of the head, and decided to get on with things.

I think I need to get some of these.

Have you ever heard of "My Happy Feet" socks?  They are billed as the original feet alignment socks. I hadn't heard of them either but my daughter-in-law got a pair for Christmas and I must admit I'm intrigued. They are socks without toes but with thick coils of yarn (fabric) between spaces for your toes.  The idea is that, as your feet adapt to them gradually, they spread your toes, relaxing your feet and making them feel happy.  I think it sounds like a fine idea.  Mind you, I'm not aware that my feet are particularly unhappy but you never know.  If you're curious you can check out these super socks at www.My-HappyFeet.com.

Snow far, snow good!

I was reminded today, by some pictures on a local news show, how very different last December was form this one.  This year, no snow and today it got up to 46 degrees.  Last year most kids ended up with three weeks off from school instead of the usual two, mountains of snow and sub-zero temperatures.  I'm sure there are kids out there right now praying for snow like last year, but as for me, I will remain grateful for every day that I drive on dry pavement.  It's one of life's quiet pleasures.

Merry Christmas to All

It's been a wonderful Christmas.  Beautiful worship services on Christmas Eve (I ended up attending three - each one beautiful in it's own way) and today good time spent with family and in-laws with too much delicious food and some excellent gifts given and received.  Among the fun ones I received were a spa treatment, a new Vera Bradley purse, and an ornament that says "You should read my Blog."  Favorite gifts given - my annual shopping sprees with my grandchildren.  The first one is already scheduled.  Extra joys - I connected unexpectedly with two friends at the 10pm service last night and had two phone calls from friends and family far away this evening.  All in all a very satisfying Christmas.  And to all a good night.