2011 - A Whole New Year (excuse the obvious statement)

The first momentous occasion was that we managed to stay up until midnight!  We haven't done that for I don't know how many years, but this year we did it, thanks in part to the Canucks game that we listened to online and a call from my sister.  (She thought she would have to leave us a message.)

This time last year the Olympics were still ramping up, the Olympic Superstore (at the Bay Vancouver) was selling product like crazy and Ron was run ragged from keeping up with the demands of keeping the whole works running smoothly.  What a difference a year makes.  (One really can't help reflecting on the past year when a new one starts...)

Last night we stood at our kitchen window watching a bevy of quail (at least we believe them to be so) foraging around the tree line.  They were plump little birds, intent on their task and we debated how good they might be for dinner, but decided all the cleaning etc wouldn't be worth the trouble, (they were only five of them.) not to mention the fact that we didn't have the first clue as to how to catch them.  (Oh stop gasping in horror, a lot of you would have been thinking the same thing!)

Quail mid-picture near the treeline.  Click to enlarge ;0)

It wasn't the most auspicious start to the new year, as the satellite signal was down and something caused the house to shake like a freight train had gone past.  (On further investigation we discovered a fair load of snow had slid down off the peak onto the back porch roof.  Ron had to go up and shovel a good chunk of it off.)  I rebooted the satellite, so that's now fixed as well.

Ron and I have never been in the habit of making New Years resolutions (a trend we plan to continue), but we do find ourselves wondering what the new year will bring.  Most of you know that I'm writing a book (or should I say WAS writing a book?).  The progress has pretty well stopped completely, but I'm hoping that by mentioning the fact that this will inspire me to take to the keys again and get my poor characters out of the freeze frame they're trapped in.  (Really, that's how I see them...frozen in a literary limbo, just waiting for me to write their next moves.  If I'm really in the flow, the characters start getting ideas of their own and taking me to places I had never intended, which is surprising to me, but now they've taken me to somewhere that I'm having problems getting them out of - yes, I just blamed fictional characters for my writers block.)  Anyhow, enough about me. 

How are all of you?  What are you hoping for in the new year?  My wish for all of you is that you dream the craziest, biggest dreams and find that they come true; that you have at least one moment of knowing how truly wonderful you are and that you experience a profound moment of gratitude that keeps the fire in your heart going.  We are what we expect ourselves to be (that even gave ME pause for thought) so expect good things of and for yourselves and relish the results.  We miss you all.

Happy New Year!