SUMMER IS BEAUTIFUL

BITTERSWEET

Well, hello there and welcome to another year. Whew, I am glad to see the backside of 2014 considering what has been happening around the world, nationally as well. So much violence and turmoil and sadness. Sometimes watching the news was not for the faint hearted. 

 Here at home I had to say goodbye to a couple of loving pets. Our Pookie, age 10 or so,  back in the Spring

Pookie came to us as a stray. She was living under our shed when we discovered her, half starved and pregnant. Only one of her babies lived, Tucker, who is a lovey. His picture is on the sidebar of this blog. 

and  my beloved Chihauhau, Chloe, age 15, and my little buddy. She went to doggy heaven the 5th of December. 

Chloe and Lucy, always together.

She was a great traveling companion as we made the trek from Pennsylvania to Maine many many times over the past 15 years. It has put me in a funk, big time, and I am trying to get to a place where I can move on without her in  my life. The fact that I can sit here writing about her proves that I have made some progress.

During the past few weeks I have spent an obscene amount of time lounging in my warm pajamas in front of the fireplace feeling sorry for myself and have had a flagrant disregard for my diabetic diet and good nutrition by eating all sorts of junky but delicious no-nos. I especially love Kiffles and Nut Tossies. Roger has been showing his sympathy and love by supplying me with all sorts of 'goodies'.

Thankfully the festivities and parties are pleasant memories and decorations have been put in hibernation until next December and I  think it's time... to throw out the old and in with the new. Let's turn the page and start anew.   I think it's true what they say about time speeding up as we grow older. I reflect back over the year and wonder how come I didn't accomplish more, go more places, meet up with friends more and do more crafting.  I do know that I have read hundreds of books, crocheted a bunch of doilies, a large blanket for my granddaughter, valentine buntings, flowers, owls, mandalas,  and a lot of scarves, cowls and fingerless gloves this past month. The rhythmic flow of crocheting is very soul soothing and I do love that sense of achievement after finishing a project.  However, it just doesn't add up in it's totality to give me that wonderful sense of feeling good about what I have done with my time. I'm bent on doing better this time around.

 One thing I did manage to do was spend 7 weeks in Maine with my parents on the Island and also some time with my brothers in Southern Maine- during the warmer months- not all at one time but spread out over the course of several months. Mom and Dad are definitely in their twilight years and I feel a desperate need to spend as much time as possible with them.

I have decided it is senseless to set goals for 2015.  The age old one of losing weight is of course always on the top of my list and has become a very mundane sort of goal, my attempts are not newsworthy though so we will pass on to my wish list.  Getting  a new computer is a wish right now but not likely to become a reality anytime soon. This big ole house eats up oil, always needs repairs and all our pets consume oodles of money in food and vet bills. However, I will  get one as soon as it is financially feasible. Did I mention that the monitor has streaks across it like contrails across the sky??? Maybe a new monitor should come first.  I do know this computer is virus free so please don't feel nervous that you are going to get sick reading this blog, lol. And I do have my Kindle Fire tablet which I love, so I am not really hurting too much. Let's face it, I am blessed! Big time.

 So, speaking of blessings, let me show you 4 of my biggest and dearest blessings. Josh, age 6, still believes in Santa Claus but I have a

feeling he won't for much longer. We had to bribe and threaten his older brother to keep his suspicions to himself. He was so cute getting so excited over all the gifts under the tree and when he opened up his gifts it was worth all the effort it took to sit down and order them from Amazon. (all that shopping was soooo tiring!) Just to see him jump up and down and express his excitement for what Santa had brought him was like electricity sparking off him and kept us laughing.  Oh, how I wish they could stay littlies for longer. I am so going to miss those moments of spontaneous joy.

SANTA LOOKED A LOT LIKE PAPPY THIS YEAR....Josh is waiting patiently for us to get around to opening the gifts. Here he sat on the edge of the sofa staring at the gifts under the tree and trying to figure out which ones were his.



Lucy is wondering if it might be something for her.

                            

Both boys became the proud owners of not one but 2 guns and they each got a bow and arrow set. And LOTS of nerf bullets that seemed to fly out of those guns faster than the speed of light! I was very relieved when the gift unwrapping was over and dessert was served and the boys headed out the door to get really serious with them.  Thankfully, we had a very mild Christmas week.

Logan, being the ripe old age of 10, was a lot more subdued but that is the way he is, trying very hard not to show too much enthusiasm over anything, it would be sooo uncool.

And, last but not least, my teenage granddaughters giving me a smile.

Lynsey, soon to be 13 and Alyssa just turned 16.

January, for me, is truly a month of new beginnings. I have a birthday today and I have hit another milestone. I am feeling old today. But Roger is spoiling me with a pretty bouquet of flowers and a lovely cake. Alas, no party today. Children and Grandchildren can't make the trip so soon again after the holidays. My son is stopping by to take me out to lunch tomorrow. Life goes on. I embrace the future and will start the first day by shopping for yarn. Yea! It helps that I was the happy recipient of Joann Gift Cards for Christmas and my birthday.

That's about it for me.

Changes are afoot in 2015. Ever hopeful that they are positive. Have a happy and positive Year.