HAPPY 2012

I'm just sitting here--waiting for 2012 to arrive, listening for the neighbors' fireworks. And the shotguns. In recent years, the county seems to have revived its old German custom of shooting the New Year. It was really noisy last year. Maybe all that shooting is what made 2011 run by so fast. I don't know where the time went, do you?

I've remembered too late that I don't have the makings of the customary New Year's Good Luck Meal in the cupboard, and there won't be any real restaurants open on Sunday that will serve it. Can't get ham, black-eyed peas, and collard greens at Mickey D's or Burger King.

Even so, let me wish all of you a very Happy and Healthy 2012, and may all your dreams come true. (I should have one--possibly two--books out in 2012. That would definitely work for me in the "dream come true department." Having a book released never gets old.)

Take care. And if you happen to have a New Year's Good Luck Meal at your house tomorrow, take a couple of extra bites for me.

'Til next time...

Re-Remembering A Christmas Past...

What is this? It's a photo of one of the neighbor's Christmas lights, taken very early in the morning in a foggy rain. The "fog" part makes me "hark back," as the late Johnny Carson used to say, something I would do anyway because it's that time of year. Yes, once again, I'm thinking of our family's Almost Christmas Stranger.

It was damp and foggy the night she showed up--December 23rd, hence the "almost" Christmas Stranger tag. How many years ago now? Half a century? No, more than that, actually. I've posted about her before. This is the link if you'd like to read it (or reread it, as the case may be). My late sister-in-law's recipe for a wonderful Lemon Fruit Cake is also included in that post. She made one every Christmas, and I miss her and them. (Let's just say I am not a baker.)

I'm looking forward to Christmas with the family--or most of the family. My nephew, the world traveler, has made it home from Cairo for the holiday, but I don't think I'll be able to see him, at least not close enough to hug the stuffing out of him as I am wont to do. I've managed to catch a cold, one of the messy kinds with lots of coughing, hacking and sneezing, and the last thing I need to do is give it to him just in time for his long flight back. I may have already given it to two of the Grands. (The boys refused my precautionary "air hugs" in lieu of the real thing.)

Now I'm going to get busy with the presents-wrapping. I'm going to put the Christmas music on and go to town with the colorful paper and the ribbon. Might even drink some russian tea in the process (very good for colds, don't you know). Oh, and I'm probably going to "mind write" on the new book while I'm at it. Busy hands, in my case, will almost always lead to story plotting. It's just part of my creative process--or it's a survival technique. Like "Maynard G. Krebs" (who?), I never want to think about "Work!"

All of you take care. Merry Christmas and have a wonderful Holiday Season.

'Til next time...

Getting Christmas-y

The DH and Grand #3 decorated the Christmas tree one afternoon last week. I think they did a spectacular job. You can't tell it on this picture, but they outdid themselves with the "icicles." (Long, narrow, dangle-y silver strands.) I was beta reading with Grand #1 on a Big Important Grade Thesis Paper and didn't really look up when the DH asked, "How much of this do you want us to use?" In retrospect, "All of it" might not have been the best response.

In any event, they had a good time, and I love the generously icicle-ed tree. I need lots of color and shine, and I got it.

Merry Christmas, everyone!