Early risers, good news and I wish you enough

- The rapid transit train rail runs beside I-85 South for a bit and then curves away. This morning a train full of early risers is right beside me for a moment before disappearing down a hill.

- My young friend who was in a terrible accident last week has been slow to recover, remaining semi-conscious and not speaking, but good news from an email: "...he washed his hands, crushed up the paper towel, and tossed it into the garbage like a basketball."

- My parent's next door neighbor, probably the kindest woman who ever lived, emails "forwards" and I do not have the heart to tell her I usually do not read them. But the subject line made me read one today, "I wish you enough." It is long, about a woman telling about the tradition in her family of saying "I wish you enough" to each other. The essential message is: 'When we said , 'I wish you enough', we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.'

Parade, swish and crazy weather

- The large brown dog in the back of a pick-up truck celebrating life by parading his rope bone to cars around him. He turns around and around in circles with it in his mouth and finally settles down when cars move forward.

- A wee girl in a long swishy pink skirt walking with her mother down the sidewalk.

- Finally connecting with a former colleague and hearing that he is visiting Grand Rapids, Michigan today where it is 22 degrees and 12+ inches of snow expected. He is off to polish the sled runners. It is downright balmy here - 100% humidity and highs in the 60s. No coat needed today, just an umbrella.

Orange scent, good news and breaking resolutions

- The scent of Indian River oranges that lingers in the air long after they are eaten.

- Hearing that a laid-off co-worker has opened his own photography business and is doing very well.

- From Mr. C's sign:

Come in
and see
how many
resolutions
u
can
break!

Caring, cooking and citizens of the sky

- Pulling up email and finding that a teenager from my church has been seriously injured in a single car accident and knowing that church family will be all over that. And they were. He is going to be OK, despite many broken bones, and his family was surrounded by friends all day.

- Spending the afternoon in the kitchen making food for all week. While I did not resolve to do anything better for the New Year, I do plan to cook more and do less take out food.

- The bird feeder is back in place after being moved to accomodate holiday stuff. It is getting a lot of action and the wrens are happily chirping. Next year - no moving the bird feeder. We will accomodate citizens of the sky instead.

Gift, closed and legends

- A cold drizzly day spent mostly in front of the fireplace with movies and mahjong on the laptop and considering it a gift.

- The German Bakery is closed until January 6. I resist the urge to lean my forehead on the door and scream, nooooo!!!!!!!!! But this probably turned out for the best - I have done without those calories for five years, after all.

- The beautiful scenery (British Columbia and Brad Pitt with long hair) of the 1994 film, "Legends of the fall." Recommended if you have not seen it.

No kiss, good eating and yum

- Calling my parents to give them good wishes for 2009, only to find my mother is feverish with a germy cold. They laugh and say they stayed up until midnight to see the new year in, shook hands and went to bed.

- Making healthy Hoppin' John (turkey sausage instead of pork) - it is so delicious that I vow to make it all year long.

- But hearing from a neighbor that The German Bakery I used to frequent is still open. (My response, "Uh oh.") I went there about five years ago and it looked closed for good. Apparently that was only temporary. So I don't start my diet until Monday...hmmm...

Daydreaming, stories and Happy New Year

Directional sign to anywhere (Asheville, NC, Paris, France, etc.) just beside Tommy's Store in Hayesville, NC. May you follow your dreams in 2009...

- Learning to do something new. Since they were behind in the bindery at work, I offered to help out. (No one wants to talk to print reps on New Year's Eve anyway.) So they taught me to use the shrinkwrapper and I liked that the repetitiveness of the work allowed time to daydream. And the guys blast music back there, also fun.

- Listening to country music while shrinkwrapping and reflecting on how the songs always tell a story.

- Almost staying awake to see in the New Year; fireworks sounds at midnight alerted the passing of 2008.