We have come to the end of another year, and as I signed in to see if there had been any 'updates', I find Nemiha has been the only one who has been keeping the screen active with photos and conversation. Where have all the rest of the family gone? Purhaps it is a good time to set down and make at least one worthwhile New Years Resolution - Blog! I know there are any number of things that have happened that make for interesting news for the family. Well, at least for this Olde Grandma anyway.
Nothing new happening here a the Paso Homestead. Been cold, frosty and a bit foggy, other than that, I faired through the Holiday hussle and bussle pretty darn well.
The Tree went up and came down in surprisingly good shape and I had the great good fortune to have the Home Teachers boys come and put the lights up outside for me again this year. Greg had been able to get the others boxes, etc. down from the attic while he was here working on the yard, so I was looking pretty festive right after Thanksgiving as I like to do.
When Christmas was over, I took down the trees, but left the lights up. Will get them down and stored for the year I believe tomorrow, which is New Years Eve. Time to return to the normal way of looking around here. I am pleased that most of the neighbors had lights up, and many even had those new inflatables or other yard decor. We were doing our best to show that Hogan Place is pretty spiffy during the Holiday Season.
I avoided the stores pretty much this year. Got my shopping done early, and then felt the 1/2 price sales wouldn't hold all that much interest. I did stop in yesterday to pick up some milk and bread at WalMart and was able to find a couple of year end things that I look for - like the ornaments that will adorn the trees next year for the Great Grand Children. Got a pretty mid-night blue this year. I don't think we have had that color before. So now I will have to get them printed with the year and ID for each of the kids. I always enjoy doing that. I hope they enjoy them as much as I do?
All in all I believe we faired pretty well this year. Not that I was able to do as much as I like. I have pretty well made up my mind that I will do some volunteer work this next year. I think I need to get out more and be with other people, so that I don't get 'rusty'. They tell me there are all kinds of needs in the area, and so I believe it would do me good to find out where I might spend some of the time I have on hand to do something a bit more useful than just setting around.
I have had a wonderful time learning more from reading. Something I have always enjoyed doing, but not getting too envolved beyond what I needed for my various teaching assignments. Since I am getting too old to do that kind of thing anymore, I discovered an Author who writes about English History in Romance Novels. Stumbled on them quite by accident, but have really learned a lot about the time when my Grand Parents and Great Grand Parents lived in England. Though the Author deals mostly with those who were Nobleman and Women, the color of the stories she tells are so full of History, and her characters are so well defined that I can read one of Her paperbacks in about 4 or 5 hours. Been through over 100 of them so far. Won't run out of stories soon. She wrote over 700 books. When she died in her ninties, she left over 160 unpublished. I have read one of those, and it was the most humourous of any so far. They say she wrote 4 books a month. Most are only 7 Chapters long, but so enjoyable. Greatful that they are available so cheap that I can afford them. Who is she you ask? Barbara Cartland by name. The Library in town did not have but one of her books, but fortunately it had 5 books in between its' hard covers. I have since bought a copy for .99 cents and added 3 more plus about 5 volumes that have 3 books between their soft covers. Same price. Oh, I believe some of the paper backs I have bought I paid a penny for. Cheap reading, and most enjoyable way to spend some time in the afternoon, or evening. Always loved history, and who can pass up a well written romance - especially when it is not sleezy.
Well that about tells it all for what has been happening here in my little domain. Lets hear about what the rest of you have been doing - and those of you who are so much more savey about this 'one eyed monster' could add a picture or two to let me know how you look when I am not around you. School, Church and of course Sports happenings are always of interest to this old Grandma.
Hope the next time I sign on, I can see some of your handy work and a few smiling faces to cheer and brighten my day. Love you and hope to see and hear from you soon!
Written this 30th day of December 2011
by: Eileen Rosenberg
