Welcome 2012!

Happy New Year to all my readers.  I hope your Christmas was beautiful and your New Years Eve was safe and fun.

My 10 days vacation is coming to an end.  Tomorrow it's back to getting up at 5:45; heading out while it's still dark; eating a bagged lunch; and using brain cells that have lain dormant for over a week.  Because we will be catching up on the last of 2011 billing and starting our year end proceedings, I am anticipating it will also be stressful.

While on one hand I might be telling myself that I'd rather laze around just a little longer - it all is as it should be.  Christmas is over, the New Year has started and now it's time to get back to the routine of daily living.

My house is almost de-Christmased.  I was going to leave the tree up until Epiphany - a custom my mother always observed, but once I started taking things down, I just wanted everything cleaned up and put away.

Our beautiful fresh tree was still fresh.  Hardly a needle had dropped in the 3 weeks we had it up.  It still was fragrant and soft, and already I miss it gracing my living room.  I am taking it to the recycle place where they grind it up and then give it back to you in wood chips - that way I can spread it in my garden and enjoy it some more.  It's the tree that just keeps on giving.... it's wonderful!

Now if I can just get rid of all the snacks, chocolate and junk food in the house without eating it, I will be a very happy woman.  I have indulged far to well this past week, and I am not very happy with myself at all.

So while there is still daylight left, I will return to my cleaning project.

Happy New Year - I wish everyone good health, prosperity and much happiness for 2012.