Snowmen, Postcards, and Calendars...

I have a friend, Carol, who decorates with snowmen during January and February.  As soon as Christmas decor comes down, her snowman collection comes out. Read her Gathering Graces blog post at Silver Valley Stories from December 31st.

Snowmen are also a favorite of mine too. I usually have my little collection out during Christmas, but since there was no Christmas tree or decorating this year, most of them are still packed away somewhere in my garage. The exception are these three, which happened to be on my bookshelves. The tall one was my mother's, the one with the two little girls was a gift from my mother-in-law many years ago, and the one holding the snow baby was a gift from a friend.

Snowmen are so cheerful!

Fun story, my husband is a letter carrier, who has been delivering mail for 30 years. He has been on his current route for a very long time. People know him well and like him a lot. He receives stacks of Christmas cards and many small gifts of treats, etc. Some of the cards are family group photos, and he has watched many of the children grow up and move away. Today a post card came through for a couple on his route. As he glanced at the address, his eye caught sight of his name. Above "Dear mom and dad" was a small "Hello to you too, Paul!" It was from their daughter, all the way over in Italy, and she remembered to greet her former letter carrier. It made him smile. I told him he should have snapped a picture with his phone, which he hadn't, but it's probably against rules anyway. I thought it was funny and sweet that she thought to say hello to him.

Every year one of my dear friends, DeAnn, gives me the Mary Engelbreit daily calendar. I love calendars, and this one is a favorite of mine. There is colorful artwork and quotes for each day of the week. The theme for this year is love. There are hearts on each page, a constant reminder to look for love in the world and to be a more loving person. If we really try, we can change the world for the better.

Hello, 2018...

This is going to be a great year! I'm saying it and believing it! There will likely continue to be political upheavals and unrest in the world, but I feel a sense of optimism about how we'll all deal with it. People need to come together for the greater good. I'm believing they will.

On the home front, my knee is not as swollen, though it's got a way to go. My husband seems to be over his bout with the stomach bug, he had over the weekend. My oldest son is still not well, but getting there. Life is moving back toward normal.

Being laid up gives one lots of time for reflection. I've mentally rearranged and redecorated my home several times. I've imagined all the things I will do once I'm mobile again, like getting out of the house and spending time with family and friends, or refinishing a sideboard which has been sitting out on my back patio for over a year, even just driving the car, anywhere!

I know I said yesterday I was not making a list of resolutions, but I did double my Goodreads challenge for this year. My goal last year was 12 books. One a month. I didn't know if I'd even make that, considering my flaky eyesight, but I got 13 read! Yay! This year I'm going for 24, since I can include audible books on the list. It's just a matter of making time for books, which should be easier since I dropped my DVD subscription. Less movie viewing, more reading!

I've always loved books. There's something wonderful about losing yourself in a good story. I'm currently reading Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life, by Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush. So far, it's a great read, filled with laughter and emotion.

A few books on my "Want to Read" list are Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks, The Mistletoe Murder and Other Stories by P. D. James, Goodbye Christopher Robin by Ann Thwaite, Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship and Purpose by Joe Biden, The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford, as well as a long list of cozy msyteries. I'll also be revisiting some old Maeve Binchy favorites and checking out some "new to me" authors like Louise Penny and others.

So, on into the new year! Here's to 2018 being our best year yet!