As my friends in the parts of the world that are east of Placerville are settled into their 2011 beds, I am here to say that I am grateful for so much that happened in this year, 2010. I can't begin to put it into a stack and look at it all but there is a lot to fathom.
I passed the anniversary of my mother's death with reflection and rough memories and passed the looming of Christmas with the ghosts of Childhood examined and put into their Jack-in-the-Box homes for yet another year and at this point, I just want to keep the lights and tree up forever, because it is so pretty in the dark of Winter. It will make me a little sad to see the colorful Christmas trees lining Highway 50 along the main part of Placerville go away because THOSE lights fill my heart with joy, every time I pass them. If I could, I would have twinkly lights on every house, all winter long, to cheer everyone along through the dark months. Seriously!
We had a year like no other, Rod and I. We traveled and traveled and traveled, for business and pleasure and found ourselves to be good companions in this fifth decade of our marriage. We are going to do it all again, minus the big vacation but will drive to Atlanta this year, to explore the South that we have flown over for the past couple of years, heading to Stitches South. This year we will fire up the Honda, hitch the trailer up and take off, knowing that my trusty assistant, Lorrie, will watch out for our world up here.
This year, we saw both of our adult children able to buy homes. They were in the right place at the right time and each found the perfect place, on opposite sides of the country; Erik and Vicki in Connecticut, Lauren and Brian about 30 minutes "down the hill" in Cameron Park.
Our daughter Lauren remarried this October, flying off to Kauai for a beautiful private ceremony with her wonderful new husband, Brian. We threw them a shindig when they came home and got to toast to their happiness at the terrific Sienna restaurant in El Dorado Hills with their friends. Our grandson, Jacob/AKA The Schnickle joined them in wearing the lei's that we had flown in and sported his Ukelele that Mama had brought from the islands. It was a grand party, culminated by the Giants winning the pennant and while the guys snuck out to watch the game, we finally relented and turned on the TV in the room for the winning inning. Whooping and hollering and ready for wedding cake. The party moved on to a Western Bar, complete with a mechanical bull and the old folks came back up the hill to relax. It was wonderful to share the evening with my friends Lorrie and Brenda and their beau's.
The happiness has worked and Jakey was given a BIG Christmas Present this year, the news that he is finally going to be a Big Brother. He patted and kissed his Mama's tummy, saying Hello Baby!
While Erik and Vicki were here for the Thanksgiving holidays, I got a Wild Hair and decided to go down to our local animal shelter after a Waffle Shop breakfast. Vicki was egging me on and so I went into the Cat Room with a purpose, the purpose of finding a kitten or cat to join Teddy, the Maine Coon picked out by my stepfather, who moved up here with my mother and was passed on to my care. I just had a feeling. Erik and then Vicki zeroed in on an adult cat while I was looking at the kitties and before I knew it, the beautiful and lovey Tortie Point Siamese with the name of Geisha was in my arms and drooling down the back of my jacket. She won my heart and has won the heart of Teddy, being his partner in wrestling matches and heavy footed races around the living room. They share me, in the room that I carved out for myself. They follow me into the room that was first Mom's sitting room and then Lauren's bedroom that has finally become my Woman Cave for reading, spinning, knitting and blogging.
It has been a good year and a healing year. I have worked through a lot of sorrow and reconnected with my estranged father, traveled to Ireland, helped Rod search for our high school classmates and begin the work to put together a big reunion with three classes, this coming October. I turned sixty and survived and now I am listening to redneck neighbors fire off god-knows-what kind of explosives in honor of another passing year. Yes, I love it up here.
Happy New Year. 2011. Here's hoping that my new son's home state Badgers win at the Rosebowl and then that the Ducks bring off a New Year's Miracle at the National Championship. You just never know but I think that The Schnickle is going to have a GREAT time at the Rosebowl with his Wisconsin Family.
Well, a year is no a year unless it is a full ride! Here is to a wonderful 2011!
Posted by: Danielle | December 31, 2010 at 10:54 PM
Happy New Year! I love your attitude (and your fiber). :) Here's to an even better 2011, and I hope to see you at Stitches West!
Posted by: (formerly) no-blog-rachel | January 01, 2011 at 07:38 AM
Happy New Year! I love hearing from you, and I'm so glad that it was such a healing time. Now - Time to enjoy yourselves. I hope to see you at Stitches West too. Go Ducks!
Posted by: kit | January 01, 2011 at 08:41 AM
Happy New Year! More of the moving targets of life (and I love the jack-in-the-box analogy). You've lived the months with style, passion, and full heart.
Posted by: Laurie | January 02, 2011 at 01:04 PM
I wanna see kitty pictures! These are two new kitties to me. Wasn't there another one who used to sit in your yarn? I forget her name.
Posted by: Caroline | January 03, 2011 at 05:12 AM
Thanks everybody! Caroline, I will have to bring my camera over to the house and take some portraits of all of the cats. Sugar Pie is the little retired hunter who used to nap in my baskets of cashmere. She lives in the gated off side of the house with the dogs and old Sadie. She is 14 and the only sign of that is the loss of her upper fangs, from all of the rodent kills. Her Suite-mate, Sadie is probably a little older and LOOKS elderly. Teddy was chosen from the shelter by my step-father, 11 years ago. He is still very young looking and Geisha with the hangy-down-tummy is keeping him exercised. They live in the biggest part of the house, away from The Dogs.
Posted by: Lisa Souza | January 03, 2011 at 07:16 AM
Beautiful. Light the lights and the colors brightly through any dark--and you do.
Happy New Year, and I'm so happy for you all that there's a new baby coming into your family: new life, new eyes, deep happiness.
Posted by: AlisonH | January 04, 2011 at 03:14 PM
Well, two weeks late to the blog post party, but better late than never! 2010 was such a great year and I love having you and Dad, Lauren, Jacob and Brian part of my life. Here's to a kick ass 2011!
Posted by: Erik Souza | January 18, 2011 at 01:18 PM