Today is hazy. The sky is filled with white clouds. The sun is somewhere behind them. It is 40˚, just about the predicted high for the day. Yesterday I put away most of my Christmas presents. I also Swiffered the path Henry takes to the back door. It is always filled with tuffs of Henry hair. I count yesterday as industrious.

When I was a kid, I wanted to stay up until midnight so I could welcome the new year. Mostly I fell asleep before the ball fell. When I finally did make it to midnight, blowing horns and yelling, “Happy New Year!” just didn’t seem all that exciting.

This past year I lost Gracie and Maddie. I still miss those babies, but Henry is filling the void. He is a sweet, loving boy.

I don’t make resolutions. I’ve never kept any so I don’t figure to set myself up for failure so early in the new year. I don’t have any plans for this coming year. My life has settled down comfortably.

If you had asked me when I was twelve to picture myself as an adult, I think I would have come close to me now. Well-traveled would have been an easy one. I knew when I was eleven I’d travel the world. I have snapshots in my mind’s eye of wonders I have seen and amazing adventures I’ve had. I’m standing on the equator just outside Quito with a foot in each hemisphere. It is midnight sun time in Finnish Lapland and reindeer are being herded into a field. A camel is running away with me in the Sahara. I’m looking through a window an Inca looked through in Machu Picchu. I’m traveling through Russia in a train. I’m in a glider. I’m in a hot air balloon. I’m riding a mammy lorry. It’s taking me home to Bolga.

I am happy to welcome a new year. I am always hopeful it will be a better year than the old one. May it be the best year!

Happy New Year!