Seeing the Old Year Out

It's done. Christmas is packed and put away.

Every year I try to be organized when I put things away--and yes, I'm one of those people who checks every string of lights and replaces all the burned out bulbs. I've wrapped everything, put it away, and climbed into the attic, where it's definitely hot (unusual weather we're having this year, isn't it?)

This year hubby and I even went to Home Depot and bought flooring to toss in the attic we've never used. I broke down and ordered an artificial Christmas tree on after-Christmas clearance, so as soon as it shows up next week, we're hauling the last of our holiday decorations into the new attic space and leaving it for an entire year.

Every year I pull out strings of lights and stare at the front of my house. I usually lay the strings along the flower beds, along the edge of the porch, over the porch railing. But now the hedges have grown up so you can't even SEE the porch railing, so this afternoon I sat down with a sketch of our house and drew in what I'm going to do next year--it might even be pretty. And organized. (The drawing is the front of our house--minus our now-fully-grown plants, of course.) Sorry, but I didn't scan in my finished drawing. At this point, it's all a matter of faith, anyway.

Whenever I have "free time" (defined as time without a deadline breathing down my neck), I tend to go into hyper domestic mode.

As I rearranged the house yesterday, I took down all my artwork and mixed it all up--different paintings for different rooms. The Klimt is now at the end of the hall, while the Monet has moved into the bedroom. (I don't have to tell you that these aren't originals, right?)

I dusted all the ceiling fans and painted over all the marks on the walls. I caulked all the cracks in the bathroom tile and stuffed new grout into all the cracked places in the kitchen.

I went to my favorite gift shop, where they had all floral arrangements at fifty percent off. Got two new arrangements which, with a couple of changes in furniture arrangement, make the house look different--to me, anyway. Went to Dillards and found some doggie cookies at 75 percent off. Gave them to Charley and Babe in honor of Charley's birthday.

Yesterday afternoon Babe and I sat on the front porch and simply enjoyed the quiet. I had to laugh--at one point a breeze blew across the porch, and Babe and I simultaneously lifted our chins so we could feel the wind blowing across our faces. Guess we both had the same idea.

And so we're ready to say goodbye to 2006 and hello to 2007.

My new year's wish for all of us--

May 2007 hold . . .

Enough joy to keep us smiling,

Enough tears to keep us tender,

Enough work to keep us busy,

Enough praise to keep us encouraged,

Enough honesty to keep us humble,

Enough trials to keep us praying,

Enough rest to keep us dreaming,

And enough love to keep us loving others.

~~Angie