Ringing Out the Old

I've been quiet here but I've been thinking about you. I've wanted to write but not had time or space to sit down and do so.

I find that with a deadline I get absolutely obsessed with finishing things. Sometimes the things I'm freaking out about finishing have nothing to do with the deadline. There's no need for me to finish the book on my bedside table by midnight but for two days I've been itchy about it. I'm not going to wear the hat I'm knitting to tonight's party so why do I feel like the last thread needs to be woven in by the time the ball drops? Sometime between the 2nd or 3rd glass of wine last night and the dog park this morning I was able to let those things go.

Fortunately posting something to the blog stayed with me. I want to be here. I want to say one more thing, anything, before we head into the new year and say the next things.

This Christmas season I was wildly grateful to have the friends that I have. We had opportunities to make people's lives better and we did it with speed, efficiency, and grace. We had members who needed help, a lot of help, and they've been needing a lot of help for a while and together we figured out how to keep giving it. We celebrated the season. We enjoyed our families. We didn't exert the pressure on ourselves or our loved ones that it's so easy to use. I am proud to know them all.

My apartment is a mess. My animals are insane. I haven't looked carefully over 2014 or decided what I think about 2015. But I have a party to go to tonight and a tradition to observe and some things I'd like to do before it's time to get gussied up. Tomorrow is another day. The first day of another year (something someone pointed out we can say about every day) and I'm ready to move forward into it.

Forward.

That might just be my word for 2015.

Photo Challenge: THANKS

Stay tuned for a very special announcement at the end of this post, please. Take your time, though, don't rush by the pretty pictures by me and Our Cindy.

There's so much to be thankful for in the only snap I took of a party at my house last week. The surprise guest on the left, the laughter of those two goofballs in the middle, my house all spiffed up by Queen Bee. My cup of good fortune runneth over.

If it were my job to title Our Cindy's photos (and it's totally not) I'd call this one Perspective. Or maybe Perspective On Clarity? No, what about Clear Perspective? I'd call it something, though, because I'd want to find it again because it's very cool. (I am terrible at this titling job.)

This dude is crying out for me to be grateful. Well, he's crying out for everything but that is, I suspect, because his thyroid is way out of whack again. He's a mystery. Should have died before he was 6 and he's chugging away into his 15th year now so I'm not making any predictions, I'm just enjoying him while I can.

Our Cindy claims this shot is from a camping trip but this does not look like camping to me. Regardless of the living conditions I really want to know what this young chef is saying. I expect she has wisdom to impart.


Here is the Very Special Announcement: There is no prompt. Also, it's not two weeks until our next display. I'm going to take off from the photo challenges for the holidays. I am including my birthday in the holidays so the next photo challenge will be posted on 1/14. I'll remind you before then, don't worry. In the mean time please keep taking pictures and noticing the world around you and being grateful for it as I am grateful for you.

Happy snapping!