Happy New Year!

We are still dealing with a large amout of snow here.  At least 2 feet still on the ground and some huge piles around parking lots and roads.  Christmas was pretty bad, with lots of snow, subzero temperatures and high winds.  It was the first Christmas I can recall where we missed Mass.  We planned to go to midnight Mass, but the snow was so bad, we were afraid we would get stuck coming home.  No one wants to be in a snowdrift at 1:30 a.m., even if you do have two, strong healthy lads (Joe and Mike) with you to help push the car!  Christmas morning was even worse, so we watched Mass on television! 

It was a quiet Christmas for us, just the four of us.  I made a fantastic meal, though!  (Never happens when we have company!)  Prime rib, delicious oven baked potatoes, green beans, and three pies–pumpkin, pecan and Toll House, all made by me!  It was great.  I rarely have a meal turn out perfect, but this one did.  We spent the day watching the DVDs, playing the Wii games and listening to the CD’s we got for Christmas.  We missed having Dave and Carlota and the baby here, but we had a good time anyway.

New Years was also quiet.  It’s pathetic when I fall asleep in the recliner, then wake up to Dick Clark!  He stayed awake longer than we did!  (Of course, who knows how many naps he had during the day, right?) 

I usually bake Christmas cookies for the neighbors and some friends but I had a hard time getting them to people this year.  I ended up delivering cookies on New Year’s Eve.  I included this litle poem that I wrote (poorly paraphrasing Clement Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas”):

‘Twas a week after Christmas, and all through the ‘hood

A foot of new fallen snow in the driveways stood.

 

The shoveling and blowing and shoveling again

Had taken a toll on the boys and the men.

 

It turned out quite a month, our 09 December,

More snow than recent times could remember.

 

Sue had tried to bake cookies early in vain,

For the swine flu hit town and shots were a pain.

 

Sue worked extra hours to give the flu shots

To teenagers, school kids and reluctant tots.

 

The Christmas cookies were ever on her mind

And she wondered if the time she’d ever find!

 

Each day she started to make a new batch

But no matter how she tried, there was always a catch.

 

The first snowfall came when she had one day free

But homebound she stayed; couldn’t get out, you see.

 

The next week was cold with temps subzero

The cookies were eaten by her snow-shoveling hero(s).

 

Then the blizzard hit and she had time to bake

But when to deliver, for goodness sake?!

 

She would need Santa’s sleigh

To get out that day.

 

So, Christmas Eve came and Christmas Day went

And still no cookies for neighbors sent.

 

Now, at last, it just might work!

No other setbacks out there lurk.

 

So, please accept these cookies, a little late, I fear.

But you can enjoy them as you celebrate the New Year!

 I had thought about making them Valentine cookies instead, but they got a kick out of the poem and enjoyed the cookies at last!  (By the way, they were fresh…not month old cookies!)

We are all touched by the suffering going on in Haiti.  I received an email from Mike Goeden today.  He is heading that way to help out.  Here’s what he says: Grace Church in Fredericksburg is planning an emergency medical mission to Haiti. Michelle and I will be going. We are anticipating a departure on Jan. 26 for a week.  Please keep us in your prayers

I believe most of you heard that Robin’s dad died.  Please keep her and her family in your prayers. 

I hope this finds you in good health and employment/retirement.  We have much to be thankful for.  Keep in touch!  Happy New Year to you and yours.