Saturday, January 02, 2010

The New Year



A new year has dawned... a new decade, even. I hope it's one filled with happiness, health and contentment for all of us.

Every year, or decade, or sometimes even a day, has some good and bad mixed in. Rarely is anything all positive or all negative.

The decade just past saw the deaths of my mother, my brother, and two very dear friends. It included the end of a relationship with a man I deeply loved. It ended with a year that included two surgeries and much recovery.

But the decade also saw me buying my first home, building new relationships, and going into two different jobs at various times - both of which were perfect for me at the time. It also brought a deepening of some friendships and some defining moments I'll carry with me forever.

Friday night Greg, Sharon and I went to dinner, and then to Metropolitan Coffee to ring in the new year. It was nice to welcome a new era and bid goodbye to 2009. There were other folks there we knew, of course, including my friend, Jason, on the right in this photo.



I spent New Year's Day relaxing and taking care of some household chores. I'm expecting company in a few weeks and my house is barely livable for me - even downstairs - much less anyone else.

The upper floor of my home is off limits to anyone but me, but I try to keep the lower level functional. But, in the time I've not been able to climb upstairs I've migrated tons of things downstairs that I need - like clothes. Unfortunately, I still can't carry anything upstairs so I will have to ask Greg to haul things upstairs for me.

I'm trying to motivate myself to take the tree down, but thus far I haven't done more than put the boxes out beside it. I also need to pack away all the new ornaments. I bought some plastic tubs for those yesterday, and brought a couple in last night. I now need the others, but they're in the car and I'm not setting foot outside today. They said last night our high today would be 9. I don't do 9 unless I have to. Today I don't have to. I have no idea if that's what the temperature actually is. I can live with the mystery. I'm not sticking my toe out.

I spent a little time this afternoon making some lemon curd and scones.



I'm still hunting for the perfect recipe for each. Neither of these is it. Not that that stopped me from eating it nonetheless. Research, you see. These scones are more like bicuits, which is not what I want from a scone.

It was nice to use the beautiful Wedgewood teacup Jade brought me from her trip to England last year, and fix some of the tea Jami gave me this year. It's not as wonderful as having tea with either of them, but it's a very nice feeling anyway.

I'm thinking I may round out the afternoon with a long bubble bath. I know, it's hard to keep track of the exciting pace of my life.

I hope your new year is off to a good start.

------------

Check patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, cooking and more.
Friend me on Facebook facebook.com/patsy.
Follow me at Twitter twitter.com/patsyterrell.

All text and photos on this website are copyright Patsy Terrell, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. None are to be used without permission. Thank you.