The end of another year - the start of a brand new blank, clean, fresh one. It is always fun to look back at our year - and look ahead to what might be coming. The hope and expectations of good times, family fun, friends, projects and unexpected joys.
We've had a different kind of year - starting in February we dealt mostly with Don's open heart surgery to repair a badly damaged mitral valve. Before the surgery in June they didn't know if it was a repair or replacement - but the surgeon worked miracles and repaired a vavle that he said was in such bad shape that no one could live with it - yet Don had, and without any symptoms of heart disease such as shortness of breath or chest pain. He spent 10 days in the hospital and was at home for 3 weeks before he was able to go back to work part time - much sooner than they had predicted. His recovery have been nothing short of miraculous and he is back to normal, or should I say, better than normal.
It has been a year of birthdays and anniversaries and fun holiday celebrations- making great memories.
A year of flowers . . .
And a year of travel - real and imagined . . .
A year of hard things to tackle . . .
And a year of things going smoothly . . .
A super year at the thrift shops . . .
A year of the simple joys of life - Grampy and Ben - enjoying a book and some nuts . . 
A year of angels watching over us . . .
And a year with much too much snow . . .
A year of birds . . .
A year of quilts - mine and my friends' quilts . . .
A year of just plain fun . . .
And a year of animals - large and small . . .
A year of old men in tree stumps . . .
Of fairies . . .
And ferries . . .
A year of cousins (Don, on the right, in the lower left photo with his cousin Bob (on the left), visiting from Wisconsin - a year ago - but just couldn't resist that cousin photo).
A year of old barns and old houses and old cars . . .
And a year of winning prizes and receiving gifts in the mail from friends far and near . .
A year of unexpected joy and unplanned fun . . .We look forward to new experiences and more fun in the coming year. We like to end our old year with some fun New Years Eve traditions. I hope you enjoy them as much as we have enjoyed doing them over the years.
On New Years Eve - place pennies in all your shoes. This is to bring good luck into your life for the coming year.
Throw a glass of water out the door at midnight - to signify being rid of tears for the new year.
Practice a random act of kindness, or two, to start the year off right.
May your year be blessed - and may you find many exciting adventures as you start your new year.
