Happy New Year

2014 was a good year, a regular year. At the end, my father died. That wasn't regular. We weren't close. That wasn't regular either. Oh well. I hadn't seen him in 8 years, and not for many years before that. But it's still hard to know that he isn't just distant, but forever gone.

Last January a third cat adopted me. I wasn't looking for another cat. I was very happy with two older cats. But the kitten was gong to die out there in the frozen cold, so...He's inside now and very loving and sweet. Murray. He only jumps on Luke's head sometimes.

Otherwise, it was a year that clicked along normally, albeit on the school calendar and not the calendar calendar. I love the school calendar year. (As an expatriate New Englander, an Aug to May school year just wrong. The school year should be September to June. But I digress). I love my job. In 2014 I went to work, went to church, went out a (very) few times with friends. I read books and wrote my 3,026th blog essay and adjusted to the changing seasons, and all the normal things. It's a normal life. A quiet life.

A few weeks ago I slipped in a large puddle inside a classroom, from a heretofore unknown roof leak. I was be-bopping pretty fast, and went down like a cartoon character, feet in the air and hit hard with stars rotating around my head. I was sent to the doctor, and he took an X-ray. Thankfully no bones were broken, just severely bruised, but he said, "You have quite a bit of arthritis in your knees. You probably knew that."

No. No I didn't know that. I didn't WANT to know that. See? This is why I don't like going to the doctor. Now I'll just fixate on my hurting knees, where before they felt fine.

Today was the first time Murray the new kitten sought cuddling. He'd cuddle before, but only for a few moments. Today he asked several times, persistently like cats do, and snuggled deep and purred. Welcome home Murray! You're finally a house cat.

This evening a friend stopped over and dropped off a gift basket, containing a new mug with tea, biscotti, and hot chocolate. Best of all we chatted in the driveway (her kids were in the car so she couldn't come in) and we laughed. It felt good to laugh. It is so nice to have friends. I am very, VERY blessed.

I learned how to do that HDR kind of color splash thing. See?

EPrata photo

That's my New Year's Resolution.

Happy New Year everyone.