Really?

I simply cannot grasp the fact that 2012 is here. Christmas, come and gone. The Season sure did pass quickly this year.

I'm feeling very optimistic about the New Year, kinda scary actually. It's been a tough couple of years. Honestly, when autumn rolled in, I was half scared that something bad would happen, again. I had a health scare (which turned out to be nothing) that put me into a tail spin in November. It sure did make me think of my absence in this life for a couple of weeks there. I don't normally get all riled up. Just a hard time of year, I suppose. Anyhoo, all is well; and I am quite happy to be moving on.

Christmas turned out to be absolutely perfect. We put up our first tree in two years. I decorated the house quite a bit, bringing out special pieces that meant a lot to me and the boys. Making a trip to NYC to visit family turned out to be our best visit ever, having almost every member there (sans our Cali bro, SIL and niece). If they had been able to make it, it would have been perfect in every way. Family is so important.

Still trying to get cards out. Hey, I did get out some Christmas cards this year. The first in many, many years. Now, I'm moving on to New Year's cards. Ha. That is my usual correspondence.

Wow, 2012. Alrighty then, let's do this thang!

Labels: Family, Health, New Year's

Happy 2012

 Let's all make it a healthy, happy and rewarding year.

 Share the love and be silly.

And be thankful.

I am.

Happy 2011

Sending very Happy New Year wishes to all.  There is certainly something to be said about waters being therapeutic.  I feel so much better after being at Riverside for five days.  

Today I cleaned.  More therapy for me.  Sent the boys to the beach; and I puttered about cleaning the place.   It lets me think.  We leave tomorrow heading back to Nashville.  Definitely do not want to think about that drive! Ugh.

I am still taking pictures; so perhaps one day, I can catch up!  Probably wishful thinking on my part.

Ring in the New

With black eyed peas!

I changed my recipe a little and tried a new one.

It's from Garden & Gun and can be found HERE. Well kinda. I didn't make the "Hoppin' John." I kinda made a soup. I doubled the beans, added a Honey Baked Ham bone (rinse the sugar off) and put the tomatoes (canned/diced) with the soup and did not cook the rice with the peas.

I didn't make the "Hoppin' John." I kinda made more of a soup. I doubled the beans, added the tomatoes with the soup and did not cook the rice with the peas.

And, dinner is served.

We had flurries this morning which delighted the kid and I. I think this is the first for us this season. We've always been out of town when we did get some of the white stuff.

But with the snow comes the cold. Burr doggy. We're not quite used to this temperature down in these parts. I had to actually wear a coat while driving the kid to his orthodontist appointment. Whattup wit dat? (He--the kid--DID get his braces off this morning!!! Yay! Photos later, perhaps.)

Dave has the right idea lying by the heat register. He doesn't even want to go out! Now, that cold.

Ok, I don't know why I can't sit down and try to get up to date with everything I need to post about--like Thanksgiving! I have the photos in a file ready to go. This week, I'm truly going to try and get up-to-date. New Year's reso? Hmmmmm.

xo
ro

A Year in the Life--2009

Rewind.

January began with some changes around the house. I had to install a gate going up the stairs for mom after her fall on the third level of the house Christmas eve at 3 a.m.. She didn't like it too much.

But there was new hope for the country.

On February 16, mom turned 85. She was happy, as always.

And I started a very strict, all organic diet. It works. (But I now have the ten pounds I gained this summer to LOSE!)

March brought a trip to Riverside where I may have just eaten a family member of this little feller. Our neighbor gave me some fresh lettuce from her garden, which I ate eagerly. But then I found this guy, who obviously had hopped out of the bunch before I ate him! I so solly.

The end of March brought another mini stroke which put mom in the emergency room.

After sleeping for several days, she was wide awake with her wonderful smile, so happy to see us.

April brought many changes in my life. Mom was admitted into rehab, close to home, after losing her mobility and some more of her thought process. While she wasn't too happy with the physical therapy, she loved all the attention the nurses gave her and became quite able in her wheel chair. Unfortunately, mom was unable to come home and live independently and therefore moved into the nursing facility.

The hub and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary, a little late.

May brought a visit from my sister-in-law, Mary Jane, and my niece Kelly. Mom was so happy to see them!

We took a cooking class at The Viking Cooking School while they were here.

June brought the cuz down from DC to visit and we began our road trip.

Which started at the W in Atlanta, on to Savannah, then to Tallahassee, and on to Riverside and then back to Nashville.

Mom settled in nicely and was quite content in her new space.

July brought hot days full of love.

And the teenager's 20th birthday.

August came and went quickly with the kid beginning driving school.

And a visit from my brother Jim.

In September, the kid and I jumped on board a business trip with the hub to San Diego. We were able to meet up with family and enjoyed it oh-so-much.

I met up with Beth and her mom Lottie for a little day of art.

Mom continued her adjustment and was loving everyone (except me on some days!).

October brought my girlfriends together at Riverside. But I was called back when mom developed pneumonia a couple of days after I arrived.

She passed three days later. Mom never suffered and my brother Jim was here when she left us.

November brought mom's celebration of life at my brother Jim's in Maryland. We were all surrounded by family and friends and I know she was there with us. We cooked all her wonderful foods including friend chicken and bbq. It was a precious day for a most precious woman.

We celebrated the kid's 16th birthday a little late, but that's ok.

Then my brother and his family came down for Thanksgiving (which I have yet to post about!). So good to have them with me, always.

A VIP Miley concert for my nieces ended the trip with a bang.

December is quite the blurr. I do know that we spent Christmas at Lake Louise in Canada.

And New Year's in San Francisco.

A year in a flash. I'm still numb from the ending of it all.

Happy 2010

Almost.

We are enjoying Northern California soooo much!

Happy New Year!

xo
ro

Lickety Split

The hub and kid are coming home tonight, so I've been trying to get the place tidied up. Bella and I have taken over then entire bed with our miscellaneous clutter.

This was earlier in the week before I really spread out. I went out one night and found a little lap desk great for reading and using my laptop on. I even bought one of those little book lights which helps tremendously. Now, the excitement of it all has worn off and things are strewn here and there. Didn't even make the bed this morning before I left! But, just like lickety split, it's all straightened for the hub's arrival.

Bella and Dave didn't stay far from my side, sometimes literally on top of my reading. Strike a pose guys.

I even got the poster hung by the hub's side of the bed last night. I love it!

Last night, I had a small bowl of hoppin' John to start the new year off right with a little goat cheese on some toast. Yum.

And today, I went and had my hair cut and colored. It was way over due and as they say "your roots are showing." My gray was showing, that's for sure! I went to the same salon that did the teenager's cut yesterday. I was ready for a little change. I have been using the same stylist for over six years and I still don't feel any connection with her. She did a great job, but like I said, I was ready for a change. And boy did I come out with one. My new stylist asked if I wanted my hair blow dried straight. Well, sure. I've never had it done before. Wow! It sure does look different. Don't think I would like it like this all of the time, but for fun, it's good. I was glad that she touched up the gray perfectly with my color. What a relief that was! You just never know, do you?

So, what's happening in your neck of the woods this third day of January? Have you tried anything new yet this year?