Happy New Year!

A new beginning...I love the new year...it's like all the mistakes you've made are all gone...and you can begin all over.

I love to make New Year's resolutions...but I try to make ones that I know can keep...and then I try really hard to keep them...so that I accomplish more of my dreams and wishes.

I resolve to be more creative every day...whether it's physically or mentally...whether I'm actually working on something...or whether I'm thinking of new ideas.

I resolve to be more organized...LOL! Everytime I organize...I can never find where I moved anything. And right now...my studio is in desperate need of organization...or merely getting it back in order from all the work I was rushing to finish before Christmas.

I resolve to do my income taxes earlier this year...well, I usually do them the week before April 15. I have been known to run to the post office right before midnight...but I have been better about this for the past couple of years...I did them the FIRST week of April. So...this year...being retired all of last year...I'm hoping to have them done earlier...maybe in March. I MUST quit procrastinating on the things I dislike doing.

Last year...I vowed to write in a journal every day. I bought a ten year journal and I DID write every day...so I resolve to continue doing this again this year.

And of course...as always...I resolve to lose 15 pounds...now that shouldn't be too hard...and I plan to keep eating healthy and be more active...that sounds better than exercising. Maybe I should buy a pedometer and see how much I walk each day...then I could strive to increase the number of steps I take...sounds good to me!

And lastly...I plan to continue stopping to "smell the roses each and every day" and to keep my priorities in order. We need to live each day as if it is our last day!

Sore fingers and achey shoulders...

Whew...I can really tell my age this morning. After playing my new dulcimer for the past four days...I'm getting sore fingers and achey shoulders...but I'm taking my naproxen...and coating my fingers with superglue...and "keeping on playing".

After we retire, we need to keep our minds and bodies very active...well, my body's not that active...I just can't seem to "enjoy" exercising. Now...it's hard for me to believe that people really enjoy "stressing their bodies" to the point of exhaustion and "pure downright sweat"...well, that's what it seems like to me...even when I do a little bit, I end up "huffing and puffing"...guess that tells how long it's been since I've done very much in the way of "exercising"...or "working out"...guess that's the proper name now. GOSH...how do people keep up the pace of all that working out???? ...better yet...how do they get their bodies to the point where they can actually STAND it for any length of time?

But anyhow...I do exercise a bit...and I do mean just "a bit"...and I have to call it exercise...'cause it sure ain't "working out"...LOL! But...learning the dulcimer will definitely keep those brain cells active. But learning to play the dulcimer is only "one" of the things I do for pleasure and enjoyment...and keeping my brain cells working!

I also like working those Sudoku puzzles...hmmm, anyone else enjoy them???? Every time anybody comes around while I'm working them...I just have to share my secrets of how to solve them easily...'cause at first, I was wearing out my pencils and especially...the erasers.

My Christmas gift to ME!

Back in October, I went to visit my sister who lives in the foothills of the North Carolina mountains. While I was there, I ordered a dulcimer to be made for me...for my own Christmas gift.

Well...it arrived this week...finally!

I've never played a stringed instrument before...and right off the bat, I could not figure out how to tune it...and all the people I know that could help me...are on vacation this week. I had purchased a digital electronic tuner...but couldn't hardly figure it out either. So...I kept reading...and playing around with it, until I figured it out enough to play.

I've joined a local dulcimer club that meets once a month...so I will get plenty of help...just not right now.

When I retired from teaching art a year and a half ago...one thing I said I wanted to do...was to learn to play an instrument.

Ben's Christmas Gift

My grandson, Ben, is only 9 months old...but I painted him a stool for Christmas...and plan to also paint a rocker and toy box to match. I chose to paint the stool with primary colors...hopefully, to help teach him the color wheel....got to start him out young learning about creating art.

Painted Boxes for Christmas

These are the boxes I painted for the girls and loaded them with things you always need in an emergency...but never can seem to find around your house. They loved the boxes...especially the dot designs. Painting these boxes really got me into the Christmas spirit this year...I enjoyed working on them. They were given with lots of love!

Schedules and TOO much to do!

Well...I now have five working days left before Christmas...with all the family coming...and I've got gifts waiting to be wrapped and I've got gifts waiting to be finished...meaning I still have to get them painted...darn! where has the time gone. And I don't work...I'm retired...gosh...do I plan too much or am I getting "s-l-o-w-e-r"...or do I play too much or procrastinate too much?

Come to think of it...I only have FOUR days left before they get here because some are coming Christmas eve...see how the time just flies away...

Maybe...I'm not doing good at scheduling my days...although I am a "list maker"...and I find that keeps me "on task" better than NO list. In fact, I've always been a list maker. While reading some blogs this morning...I found one that's interesting. Violette's Folk Art She shows an example of her schedule and how she "color codes" it. I think I'll try it and see how it works for me.

Sisters are Forever!

While sitting here this morning, reading the paper and drinking my coffee, I got to thinking about Christmases gone by...and remembering the good times when my sisters and I brought our families and gathered at our parent's home for the holidays.

While growing up, I often dreamed of moving away and traveling to faraway places...and settling down somewhere other than the town where we lived. Well...it ended up that my two sisters were the ones to move away and I was the one who stayed close to home. My Mom was my best friend...I called her every day and we shopped together...it was so much fun doing things with my Mom.

My Mom loved Christmas and loved to decorate her house. Most years she had a small tree in our den where they spent most of their time...and a larger tree in the living room where we all gathered when we went there for the holidays.

Both of my sisters would come for Christmas with their families. It was a great time for our children to spend time together. We have always been a close knit family...and we've always had lots of fun together. I love my sisters! Sisters are forever and I'm so glad they're mine!