Goodbye 2012 You Were A Great Year

We just finished our traditional New year's Eve dinner of lobster and steak.  Dinner with family and friends is a great way to finish a year, especially the dinner we just finished.  I decided this morning, after my shower, that I was going to spend the last day of the year in my comfy housecoat; just watching TV, reading a book and playing on my computer.  It is somewhat of a hedonistic feeling just lounging all day.  December 31st, 2012 will be a happy memory.

This year has had its share of winning and losing, although I think the winning has been bigger than the losing; at least it feels that way.  There have no deaths in my immediate family and strangely no births.  We did lose our beloved Poppy and we gained a little, blond Labradoddle puppy named Luna.  I call her Tic, which makes her name Lunatic.  That name seems to suit her right now.  I feel a little strange as I start loving her, kind of like I am disloyal to Poppy.  Then I think that Poppy would love her.  She would have played with her and enjoyed her.  I miss you Poppy and sometimes think I see you outside or in the house.  Six, our German Shepherd, was not at all thrilled by a new puppy.  Six is a really serious dog and definitely has the pack mentality.  We, the family, are Six's pack and she takes her job of looking after us very seriously.  I think she is beginning to accept Tic as part of the family or her pack, she's not liking it much yet but the process has started.

There are 3 babies expected in 2013 in my immediate family.  Two will be greatgrandchildren of mine and the other will a great niece.  One of the really good things that happened this year was that I reconnected with one my sister's children.  She was here in August with her husband and 3 children.  The week before they arrived for the visit my niece found out she is pregnant with 4th child.  Her visit was one of the highlights of my year.  I was fairly busy, at least as busy as I want to be with my little business.  I am a pet/house sitter.  What a great job that is.  Spending my time with people's adored pets in their homes.

All in all 2012 has been a good, happy year, spent in a loving warm home, with my warm and loving family.  Does it get any better than this??  I don't think so.

Monday, December 31st, 2012...........10:57p.m.
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"The Bad News Is Time Flies. The Good News Is You're The Pilot" Michael Altshuler

My friend Karen sent me this quote.  She finds the most interesting quotes and the apropos to me.  In an earlier post I mentioned that as we age it may seem that days are long but years go so quickly.

The encouraging part of this quote for me is that I am the pilot of this flying machine we call life.  This is something that I believe most of forget a lot of the time.  I belong to an organization where we acknowledge we are powerless over many things in our lives.  However, we are not helpless.  I can choose how I spend my time.  I can choose what I read, what I watch on TV and who I spend time with.

I can't seem to choose how much pain my knees are giving me, but I can choose to see a Dr, which I did.  Now I have to choose whether I want to pursue surgery or whether I wish to avoid the risks that go with that.  I can choose to give into the "Poor Me's" or be grateful that I still have reasonable mobility and that I have access to medication that eases the pain when I really need it.

When I am living the life that I am living it is hard not be grateful for all the things I have.  If I could give the world a gift for Christmas; it would be a family as loving as mine, friends as caring and a past that has taught me to value the present and appreciate it.

Thank you Karen for the quote, as usual you sent it right time.

Thursday, December 13th, 2012......12:24p.m.