Monday, January 01, 2007

...and in with the new

Beautiful weather greeted us this morning, making the first day of the new year bright and shiny, just as it should be.

New Year's Day is my favorite holiday. Remember how it felt to open a new tablet when you were in first grade? One that didn't have any writing in it, let alone any mistakes or erasures? That's what New Year's Day feels like to me. It's clean, it's fresh, and it's largely up to me to mark up the year like I want it.

Granted, sometimes I make mistakes in spite of my best intentions. Sometimes other people or circumstances beyond my control scribble on my pristine new year. Sometimes it seems as if whole pages get ripped out, wadded up and tossed away. But the next year? I get to start all over again.

I'm still trying to sort out which things I want to do better this year. It's a good thing I didn't make a resolution not to overeat, because I'd have already broken that one. We went to my younger daughter's house again, where we had ham, brisket, black-eyed peas, broccoli and cheese casserole, and a cabbage dish that I'd give up dessert for any day--except that I didn't have to. I ate dessert, too.

That was at lunchtime. When I left there late this afternoon, after one game of Battle of the Sexes (the women won again) and two games of Scrabble, I brought home a big plate of leftovers and did the whole lunch thing all over again for supper. If someone were to offer me an after-dinner mint right now, I'd have to just put it in my purse.

One thing I want to do this year is get more sleep, which means I need to stop reading half an hour earlier at bedtime. That'll be tough, but I can really see an improvement in my energy level when I get enough sleep. And if I could improve the quality of my sleep time, in addition to the quantity, I'd probably feel like a brand-new person.

It seems some of us are just naturally better sleepers than others:


I think I'll go to bed early tonight and give Butch a run for his money. Good night, all.

7 comments:

  1. I bet you don't look half as funny as Butch does when you're asleep!

    Good luck with the early-to-bed deal, especially when you're reading a good book. Maybe a wristwatch with a beeping alarm would tell you when to put the book down? Unless the beeping would upset the doggies. I know Spot would flip out looking for the source of the noise. He'd sleep through a firetruck coming down the street but the tiniest little noise and he's wide awake. *sigh*

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  2. Just wanted to say Hi for the first time and let you know how much I've enjoyed your blog for quite some time now and look forward to your adventures in the new year.

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  3. Butch and Ellie should have a creative sleep position competition! At least I don't see Butch's tongue hanging out. Good luck on the early sleep goal.

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  4. Good morning, Velvet. What a wonderful family you have, to feed you on New Year's Day and send you home with food for later on too.

    For you it's the first of the year that feels new and fresh. I get that feeling in early September. That's when I have the metaphorical clean and new tablet in my hands. I think I was thoroughly brainwashed over the years; it's been a long time since I was a student.

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  5. Butch and I would go good together. I am sleepy by early evening and await before the sun shows it's britches. Sometimes i wish I could be otherwise and sleep away the morning...but no, I can not. Now, an afternoon nap, I can handle that.

    I look forward to your postings in 2007.

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  6. Janet, I may look just as funny as Butch, but I'm pretty sure my limbs don't stick up in the air.

    Robbin, I'm glad to hear you've been with us for awhile and even happier you decided to comment. It's nice to meet you.

    Carmon, nope, Butch's tongue is tucked safely behind his pearly whites.

    Annie, do you think your being a teacher might be why your "new, clean tablet" arrives in September? That would be my guess.

    Sister-Three, my biggest problem seems to be one of inertia. If I'm reading, I want to keep on reading. And once I'm sleeping, it's the same deal.

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  7. Unfortunately, this particular post has become a target for spammers who flood it daily with comments that include links to products. As a result, I am going to close comments for now.

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