I was up early this morning rummaging around in a book case looking for something and ran across a garden journal I started in 1989. I poured a cup of coffee,Ferrell jumped on my lap,I turned on the Christmas tree and started reading. Where on earth did that young woman go? She still gardens,she still has enthusiasm but somehow that spark just disappeared. I wish I could get it back. I've let so many other things creep into my life which has taken time away from doing what I love the most....digging. Volunteering,the computer,various interest groups to which I belong and my job all seem to compete with my main passion. It happened so slowly I wasn't even aware of it until I read my own words only a few hours ago. I hope maybe I can get a little closer to that woman again..I miss her.

KJ,it was a good year because no one in my family died or was even really sick. I traveled,have read some wonderful books,met new people,and am still physically and emotionally close to son and family. What more could anyone want? Looking at it globally...well,I don't want to go there. LOL

Happy New Year to you and I hope you get the job thing squared away.It was so nice coming up here and seeing you post.

Well, it is certainly ending better than it began. Overall, it was a stressful, depressing year. I neglected my garden, and myself, but not my DS : ) I still managed to count many blessings and smile, but it was TOUGH some days.
The new owners at job number two turned out to be a breath of fresh air, that was a blessing. DS adjusted to first grade well and I adjusted to UPS early morning hours and survived the Christmas season there. Egads, that was really something. I also made new acquaintances there and strengthened and grew some friendships with friends from church and rekindled a brief high school friendship from 18 years ago.

I brought some new interest into my life this year. I re-joined the Greater Baltimore Garden Club (used to be the Mens Garden Club). Then for years I had raised a few dahlias but in 2005 on a visit to my home town in Washington State a friend took me up to Colville and visited a dahlia garden. I was re-hooked and ordered dahlia tubers. What a boost in my morale and I really got serious and did my best to grow them properly. I didn't get it all right so am looking forward to next years growing season already. Kath you must live in mountainous area to be zone 6 or am I just guessing. Steve in Baltimore County.

So many changes in 2006! More people living on the property with their own way of doing things and thinking about things, sometimes it's stressful and often it is beneficial, it is good to have the applecart upset periodically.
With the people came more dogs, the all co-exist harmoniously and have not formed a pack, but are polite and respectful to all the people and, most of the time, to each other.
No resolutions here, although I shall continue to practice patience and keep my mind open.
Short term: I am making an Apple Strudel to start the New Year right.

I'm settling in to a newer lifestyle now, that of a caregiver. My mother is 91 in a few weeks and still healthy, but needing more assistance. I've done that for years, but not with "set hours". It's finally starting to integrate into my life and become part of the daily routine after eleven months.

This was a year of lacking passion, energy, and enthusiasm, something what has seen me through some really tough times. I felt like a vital part of what is "me" went missing. Then I awoke several days ago, and it had returned like the Phoenix. Just been latent as I gathered steam, I guess.

I'm excited about the page we'll be turning tonight and I'm excited about the beginning of a new year. My son shall be getting married this summer and I am excited about that as well. She is a lovely woman and I think they can make each other really happy.

This year was the magic turning sixty year. Definately a new chapter for me as I adjust to being that age where one cannot fudge youth. LOL. I hope to discover that the next decade in my life could be just as exciting as the last one. I am also counting all of the blessings bestowed on me, such as good health and vitality and being able to make my wages without leaving my home. Thankful for my parent, since a lot of people my age have already lost theirs. Thankful for my children and that they live near, thankful for my beautiful grandchildren.

I am ready 2007.

Ask me tomorrow.

High points, our 58 anniversary and grandson's wedding to a great young lady. Low point, my sisters death in October.. No plans for this evening, after you've seen this many years come in they all look the same.

The garden was a disaster this year. We took two vacations, plus a long weekend in the crucial springtime & things got away from me and I never caught up.

On a personal basis, however, this was a much better year than the past few. No sickness & no deaths of close friends to mar the year, and satisfying work with my volunteer activities.

I'm looking forward to 2007 & hoping for more of the same. Tonight will just be a quiet evening at home, and if we're lucky we'll actually be able to stay awake to see the new year in.

I'm wishing happiness & good gardening to all the partiers in the coming year.

For me 2006 was a year of hyper-focus. In February, I turned 40. In March I decided that something HAD to be done about the body I was inhabiting and that I wasn't going to try to do anything else but work on that. In April I started with a trainer and as of December 31st, 2006 I can now cross "Lose Weight" off my resolution list! 45 pounds. It amazes me still.

My usual pattern is to try to do too many things at once, with few completed and fewer still done well. Nearly a year of focusing on one thing was a totally new paradigm for me. I learned a lot about myself in the process, and I got a fantastic payoff.

The hyper-focus had its drawbacks. My garden is a weedy wilderness, no house projects were completed, and I'm sure there's many other things that were neglected, but hey, I had to save something for 2007!

Well, the way I'm feeling today is certainly not representitive of how the year has been. Our computer died last week (I've finally gotten a hold of Steve's work laptop, but he doesn't like to share it for understandable reasons), we just got back from an eventful week in ND, and our niece gave both Steve and I a nasty cold. We haven't even gotten dressed today since we're feeling too rotten to risk going out and infecting others.

2006 had a rocky start, with Steve having lost his job and the uncertainty it caused us, but when I look back, I feel only gratitude. Gratitude in the way we handled it, in being able to stay in Madison(-ish), for my job, for living debt-free and knowing that we can weather even a serious storm if need be. I'm grateful for our home, our neighbors, and our family. I got a new nephew this year, and have enjoyed getting to know my other niece and nephew better.

Both Steve and I were married once before to other people... for four years each. We've been together for nearly ten years now... and celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary in 2006. I think of that as both a joint accomplishment, and a good start on the rest of our lives.

We had a serious medical scare that resolved itself. I got to take up a new hobby (bird hunting). And while it wasn't perfect, my garden was very productive this year... and I learned TONS.

Even though I'll be raising a glass of Nyquil to toast the new year tonight, I'll be celebrating the past, present, and future with zeal. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my annual hiatus from my part time job (12/15 - 2/15) and I have some ideas up my sleeve for what to do with all my "free time."

My mother died this year at age 98. It was time but still, it's been hard. How lucky I was to have her for such a long time and so many years of good health for her until the last four. How lucky I was that she was such a kind and loving woman who loved me with all of her heart, showed that she did and I never doubted she did. My parents will always be the biggest blessing of my life.

My volunteer work was very rewarding and I feel that I was able to make a difference in the lives of people with mental illnes and of their families. Their bravery and humor humble me.

My photography skills got better and I continue to get enormous enjoyment out of it. I started teaching pre-schoolers once a month in RE at my church (Unitarian) and it is joyful!

I turned 70! I find that amazing and most days I pause to wonder how I got to this age, because if I never looked in the mirror I could swear I'm still 35:)

I feel good tonight about going forward into 2007 ~ the first major event being that Just Jude will be in town in a couple of weeks for her annual family reunion - first major unless, of course, the lottery ticket I bought just now turns out to be a winner.

Happy New Year, KJ!! And to all of my friends here. I can't believe I've been coming here for over a decade!

I raise my glass to 2007! And to all of you!

Sheila.

2006 was a good year...we're very lucky. DH's health has stabilized with medication and I'm in very good health except for poor eyesight. Our son and his family live nearby and visit often. They are always ready to climb a ladder or haul something around (usually big plant containers!) if needed. My housekeeper is a joy...for over 30 years now she has kept us neat and tidy but now that we no longer drive she chauffeurs and does almost all grocery and other shopping (the rest I order on the net). I've at last achieved my dream of being a "lady of leisure"...LOL

Hope to continue to stay mellow by balancing the news with other pursuits. I do have a tendency to get depressed if I watch cspan or read blogs too much but can't stay away. Here's hoping the news is better in 2007.

This place helps...thank you all for being here and sharing...josh

Thanks for the hellos, Marda and Sheila!----I still have the likenesses of Officer Bob Wire(?) and his Faithful Canine Deputy (Riley???) at my desk over at the car lot----all my 'cool' stuff is still there.
Jan, what's up? I think about you all the time----I worry about you. I remember seeing you in my rear view mirror as we were leaving Di's brother's house----I feel I should've stopped the car and hugged you one more time---that was a hard ride back to Va.
Oscar; yes, I'm in the mtns.-----I should change that to z7 now----we've barely had any snow in the past few years. We've had 50's and 60's for the past month. I've gotten used to it aand could call it winter, easily---my joints work better and I'm still getting up Oak leaves without freezing my butt off! I don't even miss X-C skiing anymore..

KJ don't worry about me, i'm just like an old TIMEX, i'll just keep on ticking.

I feel cheated out of the holidays, I caught a cold which blossomed into something bigger. After coughing and hacking my way back to feeling better, now i'm battling diverticulitis. I'm a walking, talking antibotic. I had to cancel plans all the way around. I want a re-play!

2007, I hope will bring less stress. I'm so ready to relax just a tad.

I'm turning into a book worm. I just finished The Queen's Fool and have started reading Elizabeth. I'll be starting my course A History of England from the Tudors to the Stuarts soon. It's interesting to say the least.

{{gwi:202308}}

2006 was a roller-coaster year: the highs were up in the sun-bright clouds and the lows were beneath a dungeon's basement. I never did like riding roller-coasters, so I am hoping 2007 will be somewhat more level. I'd like to put 2006 "in the past, with relief" but there are still somber issues carrying over into the new year.

Obviously, it's time to send off for a bunch of bulbs, seeds, tubers, baby plants... all I have to do is decide *which*.

This time last year, I was in tears every day. Ed hadn't worked steadily since the 4th of July and I was told that my boss was leaving to go to Harvard. But then Ed got hired, because of his degree (big issue with him), in a managerial position (big issue with him) and loved the job. Dan decided to stay and got promoted to the top of the heap and then later on in the year, because I keep up with him, I got promoted too (awesome raise)! It was the hardest three months of my life (the first three of 2006), but then my birthday came and I got the best presents ever.

Wish me luck to be 40 years old this year! Happy New Year!!! Good to see you Kathy.