Happy New Year everyone!

Isn't it nice that it's January?  New month, new year.

We're finally wearing long pants down here.  It's been unseasonably warm (like all over the U.S.)since we arrived here in November.  The only time I wore long pants was in church.  So it's been an unusual Fall, early winter.  We're looking forward to the sweater, long pants time.  

We got the house undecorated on Saturday and Sunday.  It doesn't take much work.

We have a little tree which goes on left side the top of the white baby grand digital piano.  I have a little plastic four-tier box that all the tree decorations go. They snap together and have a handle on top.   One tier holds the lights.  Another tier -  the silver cloth for the bottom, The next one - the small decorations.  It was fun collecting them.  I didn't realize how many ornaments are made for small trees.

 The final one - my little crèche  One Christmas, several years ago, my friend, Ruth, gave me a tiny wooden crèche with all the animals and people included to have down here when I would just fly down for the holidays. I have treasured it ever since.   I put that on the piano, but realized that when I had the piano opened, you couldn't see it. So. . .  It's not the best place.  My job next Christmas is to find a better spot.  

We had a quiet Christmas at home, just the two of us.  I got a kick out of our packages.  We both shopped Amazon.com and wrapped  the presents in the boxes they came in, so we were both using knives to cut them open to see what was in there!  I can remember seeing something on-line and printing a picture of it and putting it on Paul's computer, and vice-versa.  It certainly is an easy way to shop! Lots of boxes to take apart for the garbage men, however.  Paul built me a step so it won't be so hard for me to get on the bed.  What a difference that makes.

We spent the afternoon at my cousin Alice's house.  She had all her neighbors that were here for the holidays, her sister, Carol, and Paul and me.  A total of 11.  We all brought something to eat, and something to add to the Funny Gift Exchange.  My cousin is always doing something nice for people.  She's a real blessing. 

We visited with Greg and Noi on Monday, coming home on Tuesday.   Even though we were there just over night, it was an enjoyable visit.

It was good to see them and the kids too.  Brenan is in his second year at Georgia Tech, in Atlanta, and Neenee is a freshman at Florida State.  It amazes me how Paul's grandkids are growing up.  They've almost all graduated from high school.  DJ and Alaina have graduated from college, several years ago now..But, I digress. . .  Noi cooked a delicious dinner.    We had cocktails outside while he grilled our marinated pork ribs.  She always puts on a feast.   We had time to talk and talk.

Alaina  arrived home mid-December, after a 2 1/2 year stint in the Peace Corp in Uganda.  It's so good to have her home. 

So now that the holidays are over, I guess that this month will be a time of adjustment for Alaina:

  From one extreme to another - From dirt floor huts, to her home in Rochester.   Friends left behind.  People whom she's gotten to know, people she said she won't ever see or hear from  again, .  I can't imagine how hard that must be - to know someone for over two years and know they have no phone, postal address, internet.  Things we can never understand. We've never been in that kind of a position.   How can you explain to someone who's never been in this situation how you feel?

iPhones and other smart phones are wonderful during the holidays.  (and all the time)  They enable us to keep in touch with family.  Sharon texted Paul a "stomp stomp flush flush" message at 6 AM.  The story goes that  when they were little, someone would stomp stomp on the hall way floor and flush flush the toilet to get Paul and Donna awake.  This Christmas morning, the five siblings were messaging all morning long.   With the iPhone, you're never alone.  Especially Christmas morning. 

Paul found a gluten free pancake mix and made pancakes for Christmas morning.  That plus sausages.  Delicious.  So, I did the same thing for him for New year's day.  Mine weren't as good as his.  I haven't cooked pancakes in years!

The family was glad that we'll be up North next Christmas.  They've missed the gathering.  And seeing everyone.

We have too, but there's a certain joy down here too.   We've enjoyed our neighbors, family here, church, decorating outside in the warmth, not having to worry about coats, boots, - you know - no icy roads.  Wintry times.

But we've also missed the wintry times. Our northern neighbors,  friends, family, our church there.  When you're Snowbirds, you always miss something because you're in the opposite place.  But there are lots of great things to being Snowbirds too - such as lots of friends from around the USA we never would have known.  Our neighbors are the best.  Couldn't ask for nicer people.  But it's the same up north.  Couldn't ask for nicer people.  I guess we just have to open up our hearts wider to include everyone.  We are so lucky in that respect.

We skyped with Bill, Flor and Samantha.  We do it every week.  It was especially nice for Christmas.  Of course they're twelve or thirteen hours ahead of us, so when we call it's in the morning of the next day.  Samantha is getting ready for her afternoon kindergarten and her Chinese language class beforehand.  With Facebook also, we get a chance to see what they're doing all the time.  Its amazing how close they seem. 

Nancy's family left for St. Louis a couple of days before she did, because she had to work.  She followed on the train, the day before Christmas Eve.  She had a wonderful time in Chicago shopping by herself.  She texted me pictures of what she'd bought for the kids.  And herself. 

Carol O will be on her way to Florida on the auto train with her friend Cindy next weekend.  Talked to her and she's so excited!  It'll be good to see her again. 

We have a new cleaning lady.  She's here for the first time today, and I can hear her bustling around getting things done.  We had to do a lot of searching.  Everyone was filled up with clients.  She seems nice and works fast. Really fast.  I'll see how things go.  She'll be here for three hours. 

Guess that's all the news for now.