WHAT IS THERE

TO SAY?   APRIL 01 2014

Guess I could say APRIL FOOL!  But if I say that then I will have nothing to say.  This is probably a first. 

This is the season of BETWEEN.  Between winter and summer.  Between the Holidays and Spring break.  Between cold and hot. 

I did have a great day last week.  Left in the morning for Hartville Ohio to meet friends - who live there - for lunch at the Amish Kitchen.  Gave myself plenty of time to take pictures of Mail Pouch Barns.  I found all but 1 on my list and using two different sets of coordinates and two somewhat different street address, ended up at  the approx. same spot, so came to the conclusion that  -- the barn was either gone or -- the coordinates and street didn't know didly. 

Got to the Kitchen right on time, and wasn't there 2 minutes when Carol and Jim arrived.  It had been a year and a half since we had seen each other, but we keep in touch thru facebook.

The kitchen was really busy - guess it was spring break as there were lots of families there with school-age kids.  The line was long but moved rapidly and we got seated.  Had a great meal.  Also had a 3 plus hour meal.  I was afraid we would be asked to leave, but as time went along traffic died down.  After all by that time it was almost 4 p.m. - and we were seated about 1 p.m.

Had lots of catching up to do, and decided we would have to do this again.  I even made it home before dark.

A very bright spot in a gloomy day.  The rain held off until I was on my way home.

It is bright spots like this, or getting an unexpected one-liner from a friend on facebook that makes you smile.  I guess I smile a lot.

The odd thing is - that 35 plus years I started my business, thinking I would make a little bit of extra money.  That part has proven true.  But the best part - and I DO mean the best part - has been the friends I have made, both other vendors and customers, folks I would never have know otherwise, and my life has been so much fuller with them a part.

Little did I know all those many years ago that the friendships would be  worth more than all the extra money.

Again, this just proves that you think you know it all, have everything mapped out, but somewhere down the road you look back and  realize that you didn't know anything.  What your road map said and what the actual road was were two entirely different things.  The actual road has always proven to be the best.   

Even saying all this - I am still making plans, road-maps to follow, places to go and things to see.  You should never stop looking ahead, planning, making road-maps.  Just don't be surprised when your plans go a-rye, not what you expected, but when what is means so much more than what was planned - WOW.

My next big adventure, planned weeks in advance, is my trip to Phoenix to visit all the kids.  Will be interesting to see what goes on.  Am looking forward to it.  Got a new great-granddaughter to meet, and renew acquaintance with the other 3 great granddaughters.  I am sure there will be something to talk about, and pictures to share when I return.  Until then don't forget to dream and God Bless.

BLOG or

BLAH!!!

The calendar says spring.  The Robins are back, as well as the turkey buzzards. 

But ... where is the sun?  The blue sky?  The green buds?

It is another gray day - much like this background.  There were 'ice crystals' all over this morning.  Not rain.  Not snow.  Not really ice.  Just little teeny ice crystals, along with frost you could just barely see.  But enough to make it slippy-slidey.

So much outdoor stuff to be done, and no co-operation from the weather whatever. 

I started this month with a blank calendar.  The first two weeks are still blank.  But starting the third week the blank got broken thru. 

Had lunch with my sister on Tuesday.  First time since Christmas we have had time to get together.  Had appointments on Wednesday and Thursday.  Free today.  Going to some sort of banquet on Saturday with son Mike, D-I-L Tammie and 'adopted' son John.   Bossman supposed to go, but has gotten tied up with work.  Then the last week of March will be doing a photo-shoot in Ohio and having lunch with a couple of friends at an Amish restaurant in Hartville Ohio.   

It will be another story come April and May.  Will be flying to Phoenix to visit the kids, grand-kids and great-grandkids.  Then have a family Easter dinner here at the house.  Then leaving on the Route 66 odyssey, or what-ever. 

By the way - it has just started snowing.

Back to April and May.  It will be a fun-busy time.  Bossman arranging his schedule so he can work from home to keep the dogs under control.  Bet the dogs will really really really be happy when I return. 

Hopefully will start having lots of new pics to share as time progresses. 

Snowing harder.......I think we should ship the ground-hog and the weather-man off somewhere else.  They sure aren't doing us any favors.

Well, now that I have had a chance to vent I feel a lot better. 

I had better get on my broom and run all the necessary errands while I can still see the ground.  Have a safe, warm day, and God Bless.



 

COULD THIS BE----

THE LAST HURRAH! ??? MARCH 04 2014

Bit the bullet again, worst of the storm went around us.  The forecast for the next period of time is warming up, little by little.

I really don't have too much to say, except I am ready for spring!!!

BLACK ANGUS

CHOW TIME

GOOD STUFF

EVEN THE GEESE COME TO EAD

ONE OF OUR WINTER SUNSETS

THE PARTY IS GETTING LARGER

CAN'T YOU MOVE ANY FASTER???

SHALL WE DANCE?

MOST OF THE GANG IS HERE

DESERT

So that being the case thought I would share some more of my winter pictures with you. 

I hope you enjoyed them.  I will share with you more of my travel plans as they begin to materialize.  Should be an interesting spring and summer.  And fall.  In the meantime enjoy the sun and God Bless.

GETTING READY ...

AND LOOKING BACK....FEBRUARY 27 2014

First - the looking back.  Was going thru some of last year's miscellaneous pictures, decided to share a couple.  The only question is - which ones????

Guess I'll close my eyes and just click.  Should be interesting.

ON MARTHA'S VINEYARD

LOOKIE - THAT HORSIE HAS HIS OWN OUTHOUSE

ONE OF MY BURNING BUSHES

NANCY AND ARTIST RAY DAY AT THE BARNSTORMERS PICNIC

GOOD FRIENDS RUSS AND PEGGY AND PEGGY'S GREAT GRAND-DOG

 

Second - Getting Ready.   And boy is that a job, this getting ready bit.  And what am I getting ready for???

Well for one thing I have to take Coco to the vets today to get his toenails cut.  He fights bossman tooth and toenail when he tries, sits good as gold when the vet tries.  I think he just likes to have an outing without Sam.

Got my reservations made to fly to Arizona and visit the kids.  Don't know what we are going to do, I got lazy and - probably because of all the other itineraries I have been working on - and since Dave does such a good job planning, I am leaving it up to him.   I have never done anything with them yet that I have not enjoyed myself immensely and taken lots of pictures.  It will b e fun to have someone else make the plans for a change.

One good thing about Bossman's job is he can work at home when I am away.  Makes the dogs and the cat a lot happier.

Now what else have I been doing?  Been working on Nancy and my Route 66 driving trip.  Got the itinerary done.  Pages and pages of itinerary.  Of Course we will not do and see everything, but gives us lots of choices.  I told her since I no longer have the van she could not buy any trees this trip.  She thought a couple of bushes would do just fine.

Also been working on Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania photo-shoot trips.  Taking one county at a time to visit, taking pictures and stuff.  Got enough projects there to last the next 6 years. One good thing - all the planning is done - whenever we, or I, decide to take a day or 2 trip, everything is ready.  Am I good or what?

Well, better make sure I have all the necessary necessities in the house, getting ready for the new snow storm that is supposed to hit us over the weekend.  Just what we need.  Temp is only 18 right now, wind blowing like crazy,  wind chill must be at least zero. 

It is also cloudy and gloomy-looking out.  This has been just one big nasty winter.  Wonder what spring will bring?  Stay warm, stay safe, and God Bless.

READY OR NOT ---

I KEEP COMING AND COMING AND COMING ... FEBRUARY 18 2014

And just who am I???  I am winter of course of course.  And I am have a jolly good time being winter.  So far this has been one of my best performances for several years.  I have a huge basket of tricks.

I have rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, more snow, more snow, wind, more wind, and I am very good at starting over time after time after time after time.

I have watched the traffic jams, the frustration, the being late for work or not getting to work, schools closing, roads closed, rivers and lakes frozen, snow plows working overtime, shovels being sold by the dozens, and used by the dozensl  All in all I am having a jolly good winter.   

And just who gave you permission to use my computer.  I have enough problems with this computer and don't need any help from you.  Spring is just around the corner.  I am in count-down mode.  Can't come soon enough for me.

I only go out when ABSOLUTELY necessary.  Not that I can't, my all-wheel drive Journey works very well, it is just that I have no desire to go out in this stuff.  I used to like snow and stuff.  Then I grew up, and the like diminished  Then I grew old and the like turned to a GREAT BIG DIS-LIKE.

In a way staying in has been good.  I have been working on projects that keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list.  I get up in the morning deciding what I will work on today.  In the blink of an eye it is supper-time, relaxing TV time and bed-time.

I am a voracious reader, always reading at least one, sometimes two books at the same time.  (One in during the day in my 'spare' time, one at night beside the bed.  For some reason this year books have dropped out of first place.  Guess too many projects got in the way.

Double Edge Press has posted the covers for the first two books they are releasing this year.  As always Rebecca has done an awesome job.  I still haven't decided which cabbage leaf she was under, but it must have been a HUGE head of cabbage.  No, I am not talking about HER head, but the cabbage head.

Well, so much for non-sense.  Better get started on one of my projects.  Just think, only 10 days left in February.  With that thought in mind, have a good day and God Bless.

AND ON AND ON AND

ON AND ON ... FEBRUARY 10 2014

Someone needs to have a very serious talk with both the groundhog and the weather-man.  It is still snowing.  Where our driveway meets the township road (where our mail box and paper box are) there is a lake of ice.

Not just a patch of ice, a lake of ice.  Bossman and I were coming home from a neighborhood gathering on Saturday.  We got out o.k., lots of slipping and sliding.  Coming home was another story.  And we were in 4 wheel drive.  I'm glad he was doing the driving.

Needless to say I did not get out Sunday to go to Church.  Bossman had to go to work Sunday morning, when he got home in the afternoon he had quite a story to tell, trying to get up the hill.  Slipping, sliding, not able to turn on the curves, the  driveway, when you could see it thru the snow, which was on top of solid ice, was hit or miss.  On the one curve he tried to turn, just went straight ahead into the snow.  Backed up.  Luckily he was able to back up.  Tried again.  Backed up again.

Third time was a charm, he made it around the turn and did get home.  And that is they guy who keeps telling me I need to learn how to drive. 

Needless to say I ain't goin' no'where, I'm just'a stayin put.

Good thing we have a goodly supply of food and paper products.  Now if our electric just stays on we are in pretty good shape.  Good thing I can stand my own company, because we are having a lot of quality time this winter. 

And I can hear you guys in Arizona laughing all the way back here in Pennsylvania.  We will be laughing when you are sweltering in 110 plus degrees and we are sitting on the deck feeling a nice cool breeze.

Just look at the poor deer.  Yes - it was snowing that hard.

Everyone have a good day, stay safe, stay warm, and God Bless.

WINTER JUST GOES

ON AND ON AND ON...FEBRUARY 06 2014...

We had beautiful bright sunshine this morning.  Our  yard looked as if a thousand diamonds were sparkling in the sun.

My black outdoor kitty was up and about, quite a contrast - the black cat and the white snow.  He is here just about everyday for his breakfast, but will not let you get close to him. 

 

 

Bossman makes sure there is straw in the small barn, and he also has several other residences - under the machine shed, under the deck and in one of the deck chairs, depending on the weather.

He looks fat and fit, black hair shining in the sun.  I think he likes being an outdoor cat, but I do worry about him in this weather.

Watching the dogs today has been a blast.  When they went out  they looked so funny trying to put their paws in the spots they had made in the snow before it rained, then snowed then froze.  That is a sight to behold.  I really do get dirty looks when I laugh.

Been working on various projects here that need done.  Better than going outside.  Sure am glad I am retired and don't have to be anywhere at any certain time.  I just do as I please.

Well, better stop playing and do something serious.  Like fix supper for bossman.  Got to keep him happy. 

Have a great, safe day, and God Bless.

THERE ARE SNOWBALLS AND THEN

THERE ARE SNOWBALLS....JANUARY 30 2014...

Crazy winter. So many things happening that are not 'normal' not 'good' and not 'helpful'.  Don't have much to say today, as everything seems to be going down-hill.  And we still have weeks to go.

Funny I would say down hill.  So what is so funny about that?  Well, let's see.....

Anyone living in this area probably saw on the evening news the report on the big snowballs laying around here and there.  Not snowballs made by us but snowballs made by the wind.

Yep - the wind.  I like to think that It is God playing in the snow.

Anyhow according to the weatherman, the wind blowing the snow in a certain way, whatever that way is, rolls the snow up into a snow ball, almost looks like a snow log, and when you see the end of the snowball it is indented, and they can vary in size

I don't know of anyone who has seen this before.  But would you believe, the bossman was looking at all the deer in our field and said to me it looked like one of those snow-bally things laying there.  He grabbed the binoculars and sure enough it was a wind-snowball.  I looked also.  Yep.  Wind snowball.  It was late in the day and could not get a good pic.

Yesterday morning about this time the light was right, grabbed the camera and sure enough got a couple of pics.

It is things like that that makes you realize what an awesome world we live in.  It is a shame more don't appreciate our world. 

Well, got things to do.  I haven't left the house for over a week but am busy every minute and the days are flying by.  By the way, I heard our famous ground-hog, Punxy Phil, committed suicide.  Guess we will find out for sure on February 2nd.  Could it be that because the super-bowl is being played on groundhog day, he felt that he would be second, and that would never do.

While you try to figure this out, stay warm, be careful, and God Bless.

IT SNOWED ...

AND IT BLOWED...JANUARY 26 2014 ...

And the temps dropped and dropped.  This morning it is 9 degrees, and supposed to get colder - much much colder.  The sun was shining when I got up, now it is clouded over and we are supposed to get more snow today. 

Bossman is plowing out our 1/2 mile driveway so I can get to Church, which won't be happening as Church is cancelled because of frozen water lines.  No water, no restrooms, no Church.  Bossman said the driveway was pretty well covered with drifts when he got the mail and the paper yesterday.

I have alreay informed him that since I do not have to be anywhere at all this coming week, except for an appointment on Friday, that I AM NOT leaving the house.  It will be his job to pick up the paper and mail on his way home from work.  Of course he had to complain, but I have become an expert, and I do mean expert, in ignoring him.

Also it is not like I have nothing to do.  It is just figuring out what to do first.

Have taken a few pics from inside the house.  Not about to go out in the cold if I don't have to.  This maniac photographer has finally gotten a little bit of common sense, or some such thing.  Used to drive my husband out in any kind of weather in any kind of conditions to take pics.  Guess I finally grew up, or old, or something.

Well. better post these pics then see what else I can get in to.  Don't know whether I will watch the pro-bowl football game tonight or not.  Guess I'll play it by ear.

Stay warm, stay safe and God Bless.

ONCE UPON A TIME ---

THERE WAS A LAND CALLED ... JANUARY 24  2014 ...

Darned if I know.  Right now I only know one thing - it is cold  Really cold.  And it is supposed to only get colder, with more snow, which we really don't need, and minus degrees, which we really don't need either. And it is windy, which makes the cold colder, the snow snowier, the weather nastier.

Just said on the noon news that we are having the coldest January since 1977.

The only good ting I can say right now is that I FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY have a car that will get me back up the hill from the mail box.  And it still has enough cargo space to hold what it needs to hold the  few festivals I will continue to be doing.  

One thing though.  Am starting to work on Nancy and my road trip scheduled for May.  She will DEFINITELY have to realize that she ABSOLUTELY POSITIVLY cannot buy trees.  Maybe bushes, small ones, but NO TREES.

Bossman just shakes his head, and is glad he gets to stay home and mind the dogs, and the house while Nancy and I go on our adventures.  That is one of the up-sides of getting to work from home.

This morning I finished uploading the last pictures to my web-site.  Now I can start collecting new pictures this year to be added next January.  Now I can also start my inventory reduction for shows this year, decide what I will take and what I will not take. 

This is a year of major changes.  Since my EZ up tent sprang a  lot of leaks last September, I can no longer use it.  After much consideration, have decided NOT to buy a new tent and dis-continue all outdoor shows that require you to put up a tent.  That is about half of my show schedule.  So what ama I going to do with all this spare time?

Whatever I decide to do, whenever I decide to do it.  I do know most of the festivals I will be doing, the fall and winter ones.   I don't know what info will come along for summer shows where they supply the shelter, either their large tents or inside a building.

I am currently committed to the Stonewall Jackson festival, Oglebayfest, Washington County Fairgrounds and Morgantown West Virginia.  I am also committed to ART IN ACTION in June at Washington Park here in Pennsylvania.   I was going to pass, but was told there was an extra tent available which  they would put up for me.  You can't ask for any more than that.

I actually thought I would miss the outdoor shows that I have done forever, but feel very comfortable with my decision.  I guess it was the right time to make my changes. 

So am looking forward to the shows I will be doing, looking forward to the several bus trips I have tentatively planned, looking forward to visiting the kids in Arizona and Maine, and having friends and family visiting us here.

Getting old is a pain the butt, but I am kicking old's butt planning the things I can comfortably do, and looking forward, not back.

After all, age is just a number.  I am no longer number 1. I don't know what number I am, but am going to keep wracking up those numbers as long as I can.  Who knows what that final number will be?  And who knows what that final adventure will be?

Stay warm, be careful, count your blessings and God Bless.

THIS MAKES ABSOLUTELY

SENSE AT ALL...JANUARY 17 2014 ...

I have been working on my web-site.  Every day.  Most of the day.  Need a break.  So what am I doing? 

WHO CAN TELL ME WHAT THIS IS A PICTURE OF?

Writing a Blog.

And wondering if my @!%4*(@@@~ computer will let me post it.  I guess you could say this is a test.

Web site getting bigger.  Still have a lot to do, but also have gotten a lot done.  Sorta Kinda of.

The new computer module for my car was installed Wednesday morning.  Supposed to be good to go.  So I have been told.  So far we are having snow off and on, no accumulation.  Which suits me just fine.  I really don't want to have to test the car.

Not that I am leery or anything.  I just feel I have been tested above and beyond and would just as soon have everything run smoothly for a change.  

Want t go to Phoenix in April.  Plane fares have a different thought.  They are highest I have ever seen - and I have been flying to Phoenix once a year for quite a few years.  I may have to take out a loan this year.  Probably would be cheaper to drive.  Which I am not about to do.

Also have to start mapping out Nancy and My road trip this spring for picture-taking.  Going to stay far far awaaay from any nurseries this year.

One thing - I never run out of things to do.   

WHAT A DIFFERENCE

TIME CAN MAKE ... JANUARY 15 2014 ...

A few years ago son Mike began building his house for himself and wife Tammie.  It has been an on-going work in progress.

FINALLY, the house was finished, and at the beginning of December 2013 they began moving - from thier old old old trailer to a new new new house.

Everyone in the house had seen the house by Christmas except for me.  They also live on a dirt road in the country.  Their driveway from the maintained dirt/gravel road is not the greatest.  In fact it is a disaster.  If you have a tank your are in good shape.  

Bossman took me to their place this past Saturday night, we had been invited to dinner.  It is a good thing he has a really good 4-wheel drive truck.  Otherwise we would have been walking.

All I can say is WOW!!!  I  have seen in a few times while the construction was going on, and of course that doesn't tell youa whole lot.

Saturday night my breath was actually taken away.  I saw what I was seeing, but it wouldn't compute that the mess I had seen in the summer was the house I was in Saturday.

Enough for words.  I am sharing pictures here.  This is the finished product on the inside.  Will have to take outside pics in the daylight.

THE LIVING ROOM

 

MORE LIVING ROOM AND FRONT DOOR

KITCHEN FROM DINING ROOM

 





 

THE FIREPLACE

 

 

THE DOWN-STAIRS BATH ROOM

 

 

DOWN STAIRS GUEST ROOM

 

 

THE STAIRS TO THE LOFT BEHIND THE FIRE PLACE

 

 

MIKE, ME AND TAMMIE - AIN'T WE A GROUP?

 



MIKE AND ME

 





MIKE, ME AND BOSSMAN

 

  THE GRAND FINALE. 

Didn't get pics yet of the loft, weight room, master bedroom, and walk in closet the size of a small room.  There is also a laundry room and storage room, and second bath off master bedroom.  The house is small, just perfect for the two of them.

Hope you enjoyed the tour.  I know I enjoyed the tour and the dinner and the good time we had on Saturday night.

It is not snowing yet again.  Count your blessings and God Bless.

I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD

THE SAYING ... JANUARY 08 2014 ...

And just what saying am I referring to?  Let's see.  Should I or shouldn't I, that is the question.  Why not?

That's not going to happen until HELL freezes over.

You can go there when HELL freezes over.

or maybe just....

When HELL FREEZES OVER

Well, Hell HAS frozen over.  Hell is actually a town in the good old United States - I have forgotten which state - but the town did actually freeze over in this last arctic blast, or whatever they want to call it.

Let's just back up a few years.  Well, maybe more than a few.  When I was a kid - and that is many many many moons ago, it seemed that a lot of sermons preached in Church were all about Hell, and some of the descriptions were pretty scarey.  It fact they were down-right frightening.  You wanted to be really good so you would never have to go there.

I got to thinking last night - which is not a good thing for me to do - about the picture on TV about the town named Hell and how it was frozen over.

1.  How on earth did a town get that name to begin with?

2.  Wouldn't you feel embarrassed to say you lived in Hell?

Or maybe youwould just be frightened.

3.  How would you explain to children that "no our town is not the Hell  they talk about in Church".

3.  I wonder how cold it actually got in Hell.  I was up Monday night around 2:30 a.m. - the creaking and groaning of the house moaning in the cold had me up - and the thermometer read -11.7 degrees.  Right.  Almost 12 below zero.  Now that is cold!!!

4.  Are the people living in Hell going to be exempt - ie not going to Hell - as Hell is frozen over?  They are already there.

I probably could goon and on, but will spare you.  I have other projects to keep me busy today.

This has been a perfect time to continue up-dating my web-site.  And also cleaning up my picture files. 

If any one wants to check out my web-site - and keep in mind that it is a work in progress - the address is as follows:

marthadouheritage.weebly.com

So until next time, stay warm, stay safe, count your blessings, we could be hit a lot harder than we have been, and God Bless.

THE RABBIT HOLE

IS ALIVE AND WELL...JANUARY 06 2014...

Yep!  Down the Rabbit Hole again!  This is gettin' down-right old -- very very old!  Maybe I should say down-right ridiculous.

So what am I talking about this time?  Pretty well covered the appliances and the remodeling.  What is left?

THE CAR is what is left!

As you all know I traded my van for an all wheel drive AWD so I could get up and down my hill.  I have had it for 3 weeks.  Last week, on Friday, we had 2" of snow.  Not 2 feet, 2 inches.

I had to run errands.   I had had one visitor earlier in the day.  She had no trouble coming up our hill.  Piece of cake.  Yeah! Right!

I ran my errands and headed for home.  Groceries, that kind of stuff.  Got to my mail box, retrieved the mail and newspaper, then started up the hill.  And I couldn't help thinking "Boy, is this nice having a car that actually goes up the hill in the winter" when it all fell apart.  On the second turn, it was as if someone had flipped a switch, awd ceased to function, back wheels spinning, car going no-where.

Luckily Bossman was  coming up behind me as he was coming home from work.  He parked his truck behind me, and came to my rescue.  I became the passenger and he was the driver.  He also mentioned that I should learn how to drive!

Big as life he started the engine, put the car in gear, and - yep - started spinning the wheels and sliding around.  Tried all 3 ears, drive, 1 and 2.  Nothing worked.  Car just sat there.

So I stayed with my awd that was not awd and he went up to the shop to get a tow rope.   He came back down, attached the tow rope to my front end and to the back end of his truck.  He told me to start the engine, put it in 2nd, and when he started towing to give a little bit of gas to help it along.

Followed his directions.  He started towing, I gave a little bit of gas, the AWD kicked in and I was actually putting slack on the tow rope as the car had decided to go.  Had to slow down so I didn't run over his truck.

Needless to say I haven't left the house since.  I had an appointment today to have the car checked, but got up found a layer of ice on the ground and snow on top of it.  Cancelled the appointment.  Made a new one for Friday - hopefully the weather will co-operate a little bit.

Tis rabbit hole is definitely growing in size, what with all the appliances, the remodeling and now a car.  Pretty soon there won't be any room for me.  Don't know what I'll do then.

Hope you are having a better New Year than I am.  Count your blessing and God Bless.

A BRAND NEW YEAR --

A BRAND NEW DAY ... JANUARY 01 2014..

A new book to be written.  A new beginning, what is past is past and what is ahead - who knows.  Forget the mistakes and disappointments that last year seemed to be full of.  Look ahead, the future is what you make it - for yourself and you alone.

January 1 - the beginning of a NEW phase in your life.  Make the most of the next 365 days, for before you know it you will again be looking at a new book, a new year.  If you don't have optimism you don't have hope.  And without hope what do you have?

I know I have already decided on major changes for me for this new year.  Hopefully they will be good changes.  Only time will tell.  I do know I will be finalizing the "getting all my ducks in a row".  I do know I will be reducing my show schedule by about half. 

I do know I am planning and scheming - which I do best.  Sorting out which shows I will do.  Compiling travel information for, hopefully, trips I will make, bus, road, whatever.  This is what I do know.

Now - the remainder is completely out of my hands.  Even the "do knows" are completely out of my hands.   All I can do is plan and scheme (cause trouble as bossman calls it), and if all comes to pass, another year will be another fantastic period in my life.   If it does not come to pass, I will have no regrets, as I have had sooo much good in my life.  I have had bumps in the road.  Without the bumps you would not appreciate the smooth.

So I am looking ahead, the eternal optimist, planning and scheming.  Also am looking forward to my latest book THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS to be published in late 2014. 

Am looking forward to getting together with friends in Hartville and Pierpont Ohio.  Am looking forward to my annual trek to Phoenix to visit the kids and grandkids.  Am looking forward to one or two one day bus trips with D-I-L Tammie.   Hopefully get to Maine.  See  college graduation for grandson Coleman.    I could ramble on and on.  As you can see, I scheme big-time.

But - this is just day 1.  Have 364 more to go.  If the past is any indication, they will fly by.

So enough is enough.  My days are filled to overflowing.  Hope I am a good swimmer, at least a good floater.

Well, enough for now.  Make the most of this brand new year.  Don't dwell on the past, look to the future.  And enjoy the trip.  God Bless.