december 31, 2006
it's new year's eve ! i love this day. i take down my kitchen calander and review all the notations i made,then i write in my diary, the highlights of the year.
this has been a year of loss. i've lost some good friends , not much older than me. and many of my friends have lost their parents. a brother in law. a friends lost their beloved pets, "flip" , "jimmy" amd "luke". losing a pet can be such a big loss. we live with our pets and they are such a part of our everyday life. we miss them when they are no longer there to greet us with such enthusiasm.
i have felt such helplessness for the people of iraq and lebanon. i some times feel so enraged at the irresponsibility of the politicians who have wrought such terrible suffering. if the world were a fair place, those who make war would be in the front line of fire. perhaps then they would think soberly about starting a war.
my new year's resolution last year was "loving kindness" especially towards myself. it was such a good one that i'm thinking of extending it for a year. there wasn't a day that i didn't reflect on ways to demonstate loving kindness.
i traveled a bit. a trip to florida and little rock and chicago in february. i had a wonderful time , but came home exhausted and was sick for all of march.
in june my sister and i went to bar harbor for her birthday. ( i daren't tell her age). the weather wasn't great , but we had fun. the highlight of the trip was a boat ride to the cranberry islands. i love the coast of maine and could easily live there. even though there is nowhere as beautiful as newfoundland. so rugged and wild. although the brits have found us.............
i spent many wonderful days at mackerel point, my summer home . we found a new swimming hole and had some wonderful picnics there.
my grandchildren bring me the most happiness. i can't believe how fortunate i am to have 6 wonderful grandchildren. two started kindergarten this year. no problems adjusting. one of them told me this morning he couldn't wait to go back to school. i volunteer in his class. i used to teach school and being in the classroon is so wonderful. i'm plotting a mutiny and over throw the regular teacher and take over the class. the problem is it's a french immersion class. my french is very very limited. of course they are so gullible, i could just make up words, they wouldn't know the difference.
two weddings this summer were great fun. one at a cottage in july. and the other in st john's in september. it was great to reconnect with that side of the family again.
and i gardened. i was so proud of my garden . i built a new one from scratch. it was so beautiful. my old garden outgrew the plot so i had to move things around. my roses did so well , except for a new rugosa"persion yellow" i bought it from a reputable nursery. it was infested with "black spot". i tried everything to get rid of it. i'm leaving it until spring and will try again to eradicate the infestation.
my plans for this year are another trip to little rock and to florida. and i'm thinking of going on a mindfulness retreat near boston in august. i will stop in new brunswick and maine on my way.
my niece is planning on a family reunion in august, so i will tie that in to the trip.
i'm looking forward to 2007. hope i make as many wonderful memories as i have had this year.
happy new year!

here are my beautiful grandsons.the eldest i call
"the professor" he is in love with learning. he also
loves to teach. he has a kind and generous heart. he
looks after his younger brothers.
the middle child is mystical. he is in awe of nature.
he can spend hours watching a tiny insect.he is self-
possessed. his body is music.he doesn't walk, he dances.
the baby is full of glee and mischief. he knows his
place in the universe , dead center! he is the golden boy
and if the football scouts are smart ,they'd sign him
up as a quarter back.
 

this is my front door. come in . i'm almost ready for christmas. you can help me trim the tree. i'll put the kettle on and we'll sample the fruit cake.
the fire will be lit, the cat and the dog will be stretched out before it.
we will listen to lloyd bartlett's new christmas cd.
he plays classical guitar.i will tell you a story of each precious ornament. the oldest one a clear amber glass ball is from the tree of childhood,the red faux metallic bell was from my husband's childhood tree.
the one eyed snowman with the lopsided smile was my daughter's first homemade ornament.
the santa's workshop is from the children's aunt. she started a tradition of giving them each an ornament as a christmas gift each year.
the chreche is the last gift my mother gave to me before she died at 93.
each and every ornament has a special memory.
that's what makes christmas so wonderful.