Buh bye 2009.....

Well, this is it, 2009! Its been……interesting. However, I would not like to have to do it over again. There have been some good times, times that made me laugh; and there have been some bad times, times that made me cry with frustration and anger. But we have weathered them all. As a family, we have pulled together and forged through the bad times and come out the other side stronger for the experience. We have learned many things…..friendships have been tested, as well as family ties. We have grown.
My daughter has been through an awful lot this year but in the end she won her disability case which had been pending for nearly three years. That, in itself, is a giant hurdle and hopefully both our lives will now be a lot easier. I’ve made some new friends online this year and hope that they will be lasting friendships. I’ve gotten closer to older online friends and truly cherish being part of their cyber family as much as they are continuing in mine.
I've seen some good movies this year (Taken, Curious Case of Benjamin Button, UP) and some stinkers (Sideways, Identity) and some in between (Twilight, New in Town, Four Christmases). UP we watched on Christmas Day and it was so good I watched it again the next day. Its a great movie.....I just love the bird! I've made a purchase that I'm in love with and proclaim it on a daily basis.....my Keurig one-cup coffeemaker. If you are a coffee lover, you simply have to own one of these. I figured out that it costs approximately 34 cents a 16 oz. mug, so its not an expensive brew. There are a couple places that sell the K-cups (used to brew the coffee) online and the shipping is free. Look into it if you love coffee!

The first day of the new year is really just another day but we all look at it as either a new chapter in a big book or else a new book entirely. I tend to view it as a new chapter. We all hope that this chapter or book will be better than the last one…..that’s human nature. But the unforeseen bad things that happen as well as the good things are all part of what makes up our lives and our personal recipe for what makes us tick.
I know the economy has hurt so many people and their lives have deteriorated noticeably from the way things were a couple years ago. The rest of us feel like we are teetering on a cliff, just hanging on by our fingertips. Maybe we haven’t lost our homes but we don’t have anything extra…we just have enough to pay our debts and guy groceries. We are at the mercy of the credit card companies and their penchant for raising interest rates. Hopefully that will end in a couple months. For people like me who feel joy and a deep sense of …..completeness when I can do for others, be it two-legged or four-legged….it hurts when I don’t have enough to share. So my prayers are not so much for me personally…..they are for things to improve so that I may have extra so I'm able to help others as well as myself and my family. For the time being my little part-time job has survived the budget cut-backs at work….my position is needed there; it is not frivolous. A review will be done quarterly and more cuts will be made then if need be. They also removed the hiring freeze, so the 4 police officers who retired can be replaced. Much to the relief of the township residents.
So, my wish for all of you, my dear friends and readers….is that you may have health, happiness and inner peace…..peace that comes with being comfortable in your own skin….that comes with following your heart and being able to fulfill some of your wishes. And because I believe in God….I will say God Bless you all. If you believe in a different higher power, then please realize that I mean for you to be blessed by how your beliefs may encompass you. Thank you for visiting me and stay safe out there. Hugs and love.