Year Is Ending. At least it's not the world... but maybe.

With that 'at least it's not the world' comment I guess I'm dealing with a little seasonal depression. The day after Thanksgiving I got sick and I'm still coughing; it looks like bronchitis set in. It's gray and snowy outdoors. I went out to shovel and spent a half-hour trying to scrape the sidewalks, but I'll need to do more later. Oh, winter, how I love it.  I'm having trouble keeping the fire in the fireplace/heater going, don't know why. The snow was too heavy, and I'm more out of shape than I realized. I've started some bread, and stew sounds awfully good for supper.
 
Well, the year is nearing its close, and Christmas is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Once I have my classes' grades posted, I have until January 10th to work on projects. I have them lined up on a list, and I'm slowly crossing them off. This computer swallows way too much of my time, but I have managed to get a few things done.

This weekend is my last Christmas push. My granddaughter is coming over and we will be making (hopefully) six dozen pasties, and just as hopefully, as many dozen Christmas cookies.

Here's my list for completion before 1/10:
Finish the book I've been working on. It stands at 70K words and needs about 2K more.
Paint three pieces of furniture. One is a checkerboard on top of a coffee table, another is a plaid top on a chest and the third is to paint a large china cabinet black.
Prepare new PowerPoint presentations for next term's classes and prepare a list of vague wording examples.

That's probably enough for the next three weeks. I'll be lucky to get them all completed. I owe Patty a mural that is on the list but postponed until spring. There are no New Year's Resolutions. I have my to-do list and that is good enough. Among items on the list is to pick two more of the five partially completed books to work on writing, prepare my classes, plan my garden must-do's, paint a mural downstairs, try more bread recipes, draw more, and do more calligraphy practice. Things are added and deleted from my list as needed, so everything is flexible and in flux at all times.

Special events of 2010 to celebrate are time spent with granddaughters, family, new and old friends, and the birth of a new grandson. 

Henry C.

A partial list of 2010's accomplishments:

• Stone House Farm published with Champagne Books.
• 9th book, Crewkin, successfully placed with MuseItUp Publishing.
• Anthology nearing completion.
• 2 terms of college classes completed.
• Successful vegetable garden; canned and froze produce.
• Flower gardens looked great.
• House nearer to completion (10 years and counting).
• 42 books read and reviewed.
• Outlines for 50 books done.
• Participated in four calligraphy envelope exchanges.

I'm satisfied.