Another Year

Another year- getting ready to say goodbye, and the new one, on the door step, just waiting.

Funny thing about new years, the one just past is over, no changing what happened, no do over’s, sure you can savor it, but it’s history. The new one, that’s a different story. Its endless possibilities stretched out in front of you to do with what you choose. A chance to start over, to begin again, to do better, to make a difference. It’s all there in front of you within reach. You just have to grab it.

My New Years hat in the picture – if you look closely it’s filled with words. Life Happens – what you do with it is up to you. I’ll share some of the words on my hat with you, it’s how I plan to live my life this new year. You’ll see me; you’ll know, watch me and remind me if I slip. Life happens and sometimes things get in the way of our best intentions but I am putting this out there so you will see if I am doing my best

Live, Enjoy, Grow, Shine, Adventure, Journey, Wonder, Experience, Play. These are my words to live by this year. Bring it on 2010, I have my game hat on, I’m ready.

To all of you, if you are spending this night with your family, or with your special someone, or even if you are by yourself, think about what words you want to live by as you welcome in 2010. I wish you all good health, I wish you love, I wish you happiness, and most of all I wish you peace in your heart

Now It Looks Like Christmas

Because this is the first year my home and I are celebrating Christmas together, and more importantly, most of my family is travelling here to spend the holidays together, I decided to really decorate. I haven't done this for a few too many years now.

During the last two weeks I have spent countless hours unpacking ornaments and decorations, making bows, arranging and rearranging, trying to decide where to place what, and now I'm finished. I am so happy with the way everything fit in a new place.

I had fun pulling it all together, but the most fun was decorating the tree with my 5 year old grandson. He loved looking at the ornaments and deciding on the perfect spot to place them on the tree. I think we put about 150 ornament on the tree, and 100 of them are on the bottom three feet. In the beginning as he was placing the ornaments, I thought I will just rearrange them a bit when he goes home. When we finished, I knew I wouldn't touch a single ornament. Although it looks nothing like a tree I would normally decorate, it's my favorite tree ever. Everytime I look at it, I think about his excitement in decorating it. Makes me smile and feel are warm and fuzzy.

So here you go, here's a peek inside my Christmas Home.

It's Beginning to Look A Little Like Christmas

Just a few days ago, my sister said it was 45 days until Christmas. What?!? So much to do and now less than 45 days.... There is a stairway to be decorated, and a mantle to be dressed, and a village to display, and oh yes, the tree! The decorating has begun.

Coffee

Anyone who knows me knows I love coffee. I mean I really love coffee. I have my first cup as soon as I wakeup and it's my final drink before I go to sleep, with many inbetween. It's never decaf! It is my beverage of choice almost always. Maybe I'll have a glass of wine with dinner, or vodka & tonic with lots of limes on a weekend night, but dinner always ends with coffee, and most of the time those weekend nights do too. A shot of Bailey's may be added to the coffee on those weekend nights.

I have been a coffee drinker long before Starbucks was a destination, and way before tall, grande, and venti were words in our everyday vocabulary. I have not gone the way of Mochas, Lattes or Espressos with a pump here and foam there. No, not me. Bring me straight, dark roast, colombian coffee with a splash of cream and plenty of sugar. I began my coffee drinking career in New England, where when you said "I'll have a regular coffee", you got a medium sized cup of coffee with cream and sugar. That was nice.

Now to my reason for writing this detailed description of my coffee consumption history and habits. I was reading an article in a magezine titled "Six Surprising Antiagers", and coffee drinking was one of the surprises. A study suggests if you have high energy (which I do), and can tolerate 3-5 cups of coffee per day (which I can and do) you will have a reduced risk of dementia.

So Ha! to all of you who think I drink too much coffee. I will remember your names long after you forget mine.

Now off to find a study of the benefits of chocolate.....

Away From Home

I didn't mention that maybe I would share my travels. This is what I woke up to. I won't be going to that beautiful beach though, I'm headed to work.......

The Beginning

This is a beginning, a surprising beginning to me and all those who know me. See, I am a private person, I don't share, I don't tell details. My life, such as it is, is mine and all mine. So as I continue this chapter in my story of my life (not a new chapter, I've been stuck here for a while), I've decided to make some changes. I am going to share. My thoughts? My Ideas? My Feelings? No, not yet. I will start by sharing some of my decorating projects, or maybe some of my sewing projects, or maybe some recipes. We'll see. As I begin to change this chapter, please stay with me, encourage me, or even laugh at me. Just be with me to see if I can begin to share with you, some of me.