Resolutions?

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Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Today is the 2nd and while at work today I was asked over and over--'What are your New Year's Resolutions?'
Do people really make them? I think resolutions are dumb, I used to believe in them back in the 60's--
Like: I'm going to grow taller this year [yeah, I'm a short person]
Like: I'm going to get pretty [okay so I didn't know if I was or not...or I thought I should look like some sort of model haha]
My resolutions of many years ago never happened. I found out only one thing I can tell people is this:
Believe in yourself. Use self discipline. Never stop learning. But I try and live each day this way and not just repeat it for folks as a 'resolution'.

I do know that I'm going to achieve a goal that I was unable to complete last year. And that is ride a 50 mile endurance race with Badger. I don't doubt that I'll be able to.

Now here is a wish I had upon the first star I saw tonight.
Star light
Star bright
I wish I may
I wish I might
Have this wish
I wish tonight...

And that is?
To see more of my Grandchildren. That is the one thing in my life I cannot control, that I can only wish for.

Only the memory of a kiss...

Kisses...
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

I met Lily Ann last week on Wednesday, Jer and Lily stayed until Friday. I became entranced by this two year old child immediately. It struck me -- I mean
SLAMMED
me
right in the old heart. And here I am thinking I'm a tough old broad. But the smile, the giggles, the 'Nanma'!!!, the please, the thank you's, the eyes...the look
by Wednesday evening I was smitten.
By Thursday I was hooked.
When they left on Friday morning I cried like a baby.
Yes I really did.
I cried because I surely missed that little girl and now just have pictures,
and memories of kisses.

I'm not quite sure I did it right...

Here it is my first experiment in Letterpop. It is still limited in its uses and I find that if you want to upload pictures, it is much faster to downsize them first. I made a 2006, a year in pictures. It was a quicky. The people at Letterpop are trying to integrate with Flickr so that you can upoad directly from there... I think that is a great idea.
Letterpop.

It isn't perfect, but take a look. There are some fun things that can be done here.

Yesterday was one of those peaceful days. Christmas day without pressure!!
We bundled up and hubby went with me on a ride. My goal was to find the ice falls in PeeWees woods. It was very cold and very poor footing for the mules but we made it there and back. Morris went with and he was one tired pooch by the end of the travels. Pictures of all the adventure is on Flickr.

Coming soon ...

If you have Flickr, you need to try Letterpop...will send link as soon as I finish my first project.

I'm trying to do a family Christmas get together and creation just for fun...and of course Teslin's Vacation in Folsom, WI!!!

To light the way

To light the way
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

On Christmas Eve I wait for the magical man...some call him St. Nick, some call him Santa. I call him/her...a spirit. I'm not a religious person, not raised in a religous family.
But I was raised to believe in miracles and spiritual things, things of magic and imagination.

So I know I will glimpse the merry spirit of the magical night of nights. I always feel a special stirring in my blood as I sit in the dark with the tree lights to light the way.

The night is quiet as if it waits also.
In my heart, the child believes.

A magical time of year

I'm a huge fan of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I play and replay their albums that I own. I read and re-read their lyrics. It isn't just the music which gets you, it is the WORDS.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra link.

These words strike me so hard each time I hear them...I only quote a portion of the song:

THE NIGHT SEEMS TO CARE
THE DREAMS IN THE AIR
THE SNOW’S COMING DOWN
IT BECKONS ME DARE

IT WHISPERS, IT HOPES
IT HOLDS AND CONFIDES
AND OFFERS A BRIDGE
ACROSS THESE DIVIDES

THE PARTS OF MY LIFE
I’VE TRIED TO FORGET
IT’S GATHERED EACH PIECE
AND CAREFULLY KEPT

SOMEWHERE IN THE DARK
BEYOND ALL THE COLD
THERE IS A CHILD
THAT’S PART OF MY SOUL

Mother Mother oh what?

I talked with my cousin last nite and my aunt who is my mom's oldest sister. Myrtle and I talked for a long time as did Sharon and I.
I found out that my mom's place is up for sale. On the way to work today I really wanted to call and talk to her[my mom]. After all, 7 yrs is such a long time not to speak. I used to write letters, sent cards, and this year kept up with the Xmas card.
No reply. [None from sister either]

So I looked up mom's phone # on the internet to confirm that I had the right number from memory. Oh I did. But what a shock to find out that she changed her name? Is that for real? She dropped her last name of 50 some years and took her dead boyfriend's name? Can a person do that?
Wow, is that ever odd. Now I am even feeling more and more strange.

I'm not going into my family's closet here on the internet...nope keep THAT door closed. But gosh, makes one wonder eh?