Goodbye 2010

2010 is washing away and 2011 is upon us.  Looking back over the things I blogged in 2010, and remembering the things I didn't blog, it was a year of ups and downs, emotional and physical pain, and the loss and gain of companionship.  It was also a year of personal growth - 12 pounds to be exact (you didn't think I was going to be philosophical the whole time!).  Those goofy insurance charts show that I should be 190 for my height  - I haven't seen 190 since college...  But I can drop a few pounds (and more than a few pounds) if I put my mind to it.  And I will be putting my mind to it.

The number of blog entries dropped in half from 2008 to 2009 and in half again from 2009 to 2010.  Either I am running out of things to write, or I am not writing about all of the exciting things in my life.  Hmmm, history will show that it doesn't have to be exciting for me to blog about it so I need to make more time to write.

Of course no one knows what 2011 will bring.  Good and bad, happy and sad, and just life experiences.  But "life" is built around "if" so anything can happen.  I'm looking forward to it!

She's In!

Here are a couple of shots of Ashleigh opening her package from Stevenson University and her reading that she was accepted into their Nursing program!  That is the school she was really wanting to get into.  And she certainly should have - she has a 4.1 GPA, plays 2 varsity sports, and is active with church and stuff.  The school is about an hour and a half from where we live (so Lucie is happy!).  Very exciting day and a load off her mind.  Which translates into a load on our bank account...  But at least I will have a medical professional to take care of me when I get old...  er.

By the way, the condition of the family room in the background will be corrected today...

sNOw

After hearing dire predictions of a significant snowfall, we ended up with a grand total of 4.6 inches - and most of that drifted off the driveway.  What we got was light and fluffy.  Did a quick swipe of the end of the driveway and all was good.  Got in to work early actually!  Mocha must think she is back in her native homeland - she goes out in the wicked wind and chases leaves for a while, buries her nose in the snow, then just flops down and looks around.  The beagle is in and out as fast as possible.

Christmas was pretty low key this year.  Just us opening presents REALLY slowly...  Mocha jumped in and helped pull the wrapping paper off for us.  Funny how she knows not to touch stuff when she is out and about all day but tears into it when she gets the green light.  Ham for lunch.  Never got out of my jammies.  Got some good stuff - slippers, cologne, movie ("Inception" - good movie), shirt, and a bunch of books that I have bought throughout the year and haven't read yet.  We popped in the burning fireplace DVD which provided a nice backdrop.

This week is pretty quiet.  Nothing planned.  And there is nothing wrong with that.

Still Sad

This coming Thursday will be one year that our Jasmine died.  Since then big Mocha has helped fill the void and we have some great paintings and memories of Jasmine around the house.  But we still miss her and we are reminded of her whenever we see another Golden in our travels.  I was doing pretty well not thinking about her until my cousin-in-law posted the poem below on Facebook this morning.  Killed me.  I am sure others have had bigger human losses in their lives and I don't mean to be poopy at this happy time of the year. Might as well get it all out today and maybe I will be better on Thursday.  After the poem is another one another friend sent at the time.  Still gets me...

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be.

So he put his arms around you and whispered “Come with Me.”

With tearful eyes we watched and saw you pass away.

Although we love you dearly we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating, hard working paws at rest...

God broke our hearts to prove to us, he only takes the best.



I lost a treasured friend today

The little dog who used to lay

Her gentle head upon my knee

And shared her silent thoughts with me.

She’ll come no longer to my call

Retrieve no more her favorite ball

A voice far greater than my own

Has called her to his golden throne.

Although my eyes are filled with tears

I thank him for the happy years

He let her spend down here with me

And for her love and loyalty.

When it is time for me to go

And join her there, this much I know

I shall not fear the transient dark

For she will greet me with a bark.

GPS-ing Through The Snow...

Actually through the rain I guess.  So with Ashleigh driving more and more on her own, we thought it would be a good idea to get her her own GPS for her birthday.  I knew the one I wanted to get so we waited till it went on sale.  We found a super TomTom GPS on super sale at BJs on Black Friday.  Went in to get it and they had sold 35 of them that morning and were out of stock.  So we went home and ordered it online from BJs (afraid the deal would be gone and we wouldn't get one).  Cost an additional $7 but it was still a great deal.  Meanwhile, we went over to Staples to see if they had any in stock so Ashleigh could have her present in hand.  They did so we bought it and went home to cancel the BJs order.  Nope - in the couple of hours since we had ordered it online, they said we couldn't cancel the order as it was already being shipped.  We figured we would just mail it back when it came.  The next day I took the one we got from Staples outside to see how it would work on a drive with me.  Stepped in the driveway, opened the back suction cup thingy, and dropped it right in the driveway!  DOH!  Scratched the corner.  I felt SO bad.  Well Ashleigh was talking with her boyfriend's grandfather about her goofy father and the grandfather said he would buy the scratched one and we could keep the one coming in the mail!  He said he could use it for his drivers around the shop (and I am sure he was trying to be nice and help us out).  So we did that and all was good.

Until yesterday.  Ashleigh's wouldn't power on past the start up screen.  Dang!  So we took it to BJs and they said they cannot accept returns on items bought from BJs.com.  How dumb is that?  Lo and behold, Staples had it on sale for two days only.  First Staples was out of stock, but the second one had 7.  So we went over there.  Not only was it on sale, but there was an additional 15% off today!  Woo-hoo!  And with the money we saved on that, we bought the 2 year extended warranty for half off.  At the rate this story is going, we will need it!

Quick Christmas Lights Picture

Some reflections from the mailbox reflector but Mocha is in the window.