Hello... 2009!!!

So, last year I kept saying 2008...it's gonna be great! This year, I am trying very hard not to do any obvious rhymes for 2009...2008 started out great & ended up being a pretty terrible, horrible no-good year for so many people & their families. My heart goes out to the folks who have lost jobs & homes & hope...also my prayers & my belief that things can & will get better. I ended off my old year by beginning my third attempt to quit smoking, in as many years. I'm not a stupid individual by any means, and I know how bad it is, but I also know how hard it is to stop. So, any of you who may read this, and have any good advice for making it stick this time, post it here! It's been 4 days of semi cold- turkey, and I'm feelin' okay....but then again the sky hasn't fallen yet, this week, which seems to happen quite often in my sometimes dysFUNctional family!! I'm saying semi cold-turkey because I'm only using the patch during work hours. I work in a very small, very busy sorority/fraternity shop, and my boss really frowns on my dragging customers into the back room or using my sometimes sarcastic, non-nicotined sense of humor on customers that may piss me off!!! I can't imagine why, but I guess I'll have to follow her rules... I've worked for the same great lady for 17 years, so I really don't want to piss her off!!! And she just happens to be one of those people you love to hate...she quit 10 years ago...no patch, no gum...no bitchin' & has never looked back! I am in awe!!! Okay...enough of the smokin' stuff. I'm ending this post with some favorite Christmas stuff that got put away today, and for some reason, I felt like I would really miss them until next year...so here are a couple of my faves...until next week, or the sky falls...Happy New Year!!! Bring on 2009....I think I'm ready!!! *elaine* PS The Father Christmas was made by moi...12 years ago. I made them for 5 or 6 years and sold all but this guy. He was still sitting in the shop on Christmas eve, and I brought him home...so glad I did as that was the last year of production! The tiny little nativity was found, for .25, @ a yard sale the day before Christmas...who has a yard sale the DAY before Christmas!!??? Even worse, who GOES to a yard sale on their way home from work on Christmas eve??!!! I do..I do, apparently! The nativity is the size if a deck of cards, made in Japan, and the tiny figures are so sweetly painted...I just love it! I had to re-moss the roof, and also added the star...the extent of my "crafting" for December 08...told ya it's been a rough year!! :o}

Farewell 2008

Only 2 hours to go for this old year. It's not been a good year for so many people and I know we're all hoping and praying for a much better year ahead. My family, personally, has had some major problems...and here we are, ready for a new year, and the problems haven't killed us yet, so I guess they're just going to make us stronger. I'm praying for more strength, patience, tolerance and understanding to survive in this world of ours that gets a little more confusing as time goes by. Walked outside tonight to find this beautiful sunset over "my" lake...seemed like the perfect image to end the year. I've heard that happiness is seeing a sunset, and knowing who to thank. So... Thank you for the beautiful sunset ,Lord... Happy New Year and may 2009 bring peace and blessings to you all ...*elaine*

Ch-chhh-cchhh-changes...

I know it's not 2009 just yet, but I'm thinking of changing the look of my blog for the up and coming New Year. There are not a whole lot of choices here on Blogger, but I think I'll try out this one and see if I like it. It still has the greens & orange that I like, with a little purple (from my old hippie days) thrown in! Actually, I kind of missed the hippie thing by a few years, but that didn't stop me from wearing a dress handmade from an Indian print bedspread, and water buffalo sandals to my Senior Prom..circa 1972! Gawd...what was I thinking? I'm sure my mother wanted me to wear something pink...and frilly...how we must have butted heads on that one! So I'm going to end the old year...and I have to say I'm not sad to see it go....with some odd, old stuff and a new look to my blog. Back soon! *elaine*