Lucy My New Year reslutions are few - but I have one very important one! I'm hoping to get back into the 'swing' of things. The last month (plus) have shown me some very bad days - as most of you know. Losing 'Arrant' was quite a 'blow' for me. But hey - I'm trying! Wanted to share something I got for Christmas from my other half & a little something I received from Joyce (luvmy3afhounds). They made my Christmas just a little easier & a little brighter! What would we do without the kindness, caring & love of others?? Let's all be thankful for the special friends we've made here on gardenweb!! I also want to take the time to thank everyone who sent cards, ecards, and their prayers & thoughts during that difficult time! I appreciated it very much! :) Now - on with the New Year!! Mike Silver framed pic is from my other half! 'Bow-Wow' framed pic is from Joyce! She did a wonderful job making that pic! From Joyce - which sits here on my desk! I enjoy it each & every day! The picture I took is a little blurry - but you get the picture! I love it!

Congratulations, Donnakay!! I resolve to stop waiting for stuff to arrive and to actually have a kitchen. I plan (but not so strong as resolve) to have bi-weekly dinners for family and friends ostensibly for conviviality and to nurture relationships, but also to experiment on them as I learn to do all kinds of things with my gonzo new appliances that were just not possible with the half dead old kitchen. Cat_Mom, I had the whole recipe problem until one day I decided I'd just had it with the multiple pages of notepad paper with family recipes, and the clipped outs, and dumped them all on my desk. Turned on the TV to interesting but not very visual entertainment, and didn't get my desk back until I'd typed my way through the lot. My recipes directory as all kinds of sub-directories like a cookbook but with my own kind of categories. It makes it SO easy. I do print out ones that need specific following, and keep the print-outs in a basket in the kitchen, where they're handy to give away to those who ask, or to reuse. But when I'm planning, making shopping lists, etc., or when one gets just too grotty, I can print out a new one. I highly recommend this!! In fact, I also resolve to type up recipes that I like that are in books, because I can't always find the right one. And since I use them as a starting point usually, remembering the outcome doesn't always help (as in the bread pudding recipe didn't call for poppy seeds...so which one was it now?)

I think its important as a single person to just get "out and about". I too enjoy my freedom yet would love a healthy, close relationship. My goal this year, for the first time in my 51 years of life, is to seek people out, to feed my need for belonging. I truly enjoy my own company, but we all need to get out and socialize... I agree that our New Year's resolutions should be processes...baby steps!

lynn2006, why don't you use a sniper program that does your last-minute bidding for you so you don't need to stay up too late? I use Auctionstealer.com, which gives you three free snipes per week, and just love the convenience. My #1 resolution is to finish unpacking! LOL We moved in September and still have two rooms crammed with boxes, although one of them (the library) will be dealt with tomorrow. I want to get the guest room at least functional and semi-presentable (minimal piles o' stuff) so my Mama can come down to visit in the spring and not have to sleep on the couch! Another priority is having the cushions made for the Morris chair - I have four different fabrics on the way from fabricguru to choose from! Get those rassenfrackin' curtain rods put up in the LR (we just keep putting it off, maybe I'll ask DH to do it for my birthday present) since I've been dying for those beautiful embroidered faux-silk curtains to be up for about two months! They need to be hemmed up but once I have them pinned to the right length the dry cleaner says they'll be done in a week. Also on the window treatment front I need to get blinds for the kitchen's sitting room (DH wants the same blinds as we have in the LR), hooks and rings for the lace curtains I got for the hallway, and perhaps think some about the soft stuff, curtains or just toppers, for the sitting room and kitchen windows. I also want to get a loveseat for the living room, as well as fill out the furniture in the kitchen's sitting room: coffee table, end tables, and couple of comfy chairs properly scaled for the room. Craigslist here I come!