Rain started last weekend and continues unabated, accompanied by winds that rattle the chimes out back and threaten to sail the hot tub cover and garden furniture all the way to the beach. Annie pokes her head through the doggie door and decides she doesn’t need to go potty yet. At church Sunday, the hail pounded on the roof so loudly that Father Brian had to pause in his sermon. He looked up at the ceiling and said, “Oh, great.” But that’s the Oregon coast in winter.
It was a good Christmas, although I have been sick the whole time, with lots of coughing and achiness. I’m feeling better today. I am grateful for the many friends who invited me into their homes for the holiday. I was blessed with wonderful presents, receiving far more than I gave. Now it’s my favorite time of year, when the pressures of Christmas are over, but we still have the lights and the leftovers and a little time off.
I have begun a list of things that happened in 2010. I thought I didn’t do much this year, but when you add it up, it was quite a full 12 months. For example, I played music for more than 100 church services, attended nearly 100 yoga classes, walked Annie nearly 300 times, filled two binders with new writing and finished two books that I hope to see in print next year, I gave up my sweet dog Chico, attended three writing conferences, made two trips to California, drank more than 700 cups of Red Zinger tea, ate more than 300 muffins, joined Oregon Coast Therapy Animals, got new tires on the car and a new garage door opener, drank over a thousand glasses of iced tea, drove to Albany to see Fred at least once a week all year, ate at least 25 turkey-avocado club sandwiches at the Red Door–and yet kept off the weight I lost in 2009.
What about you? I’ll bet if you start making a list, you’ll find this year was more eventful than you thought. You’ll also discover that even if the bad things stick out in your mind, there were good things, too. Try it.
Happy New Year!
Unleashed in Oregon 