I've been trying to pop in on some of my favorite bloggers here just to find untouched blogs for the past few months on too many of them. I know some are blogging in different waters these days and I've had an invite to follow, but what can I say? No matter where else I roam and write online, this is home. I may step out here and there to catch a blog elsewhere, particularly on blogger where I'm also comfortable (and a wordpress or two), but none of them touch me like WDC. I may or may not get out to them in other parts of cyperspace, just as I may or may not be able to force myself out of the house to roam on any given day (more often than not, I don't and won't without really good cause). I'm a homebody & a creature of habit. I need stability when I can get it, especially in the midst of my rather erratic life.

Not that it matters to anyone in particular if I follow them elsewhere. Those I follow are good writers with interesting things to say and they will always have an audience. I'm the one missing out; I do realize this.

However, 2009 has been a crazy year full of loss and near loss and struggle and floundering and separation from too many people I miss keeping up with. I need to pull back the reigns and return to the humble beginnings of this blog.

By 'this' blog, I mean the one I currently keep on the site. With space expanded to hold 750 entries instead only 500, I could keep going right here for some time yet. But I feel a need for change. This one has been holding my entries for 3 years now! Unbelievable that I haven't filled it in that time. And it's lost its course.

For the New Year, I'll be starting a new blog. That means a new name, which I don't know yet, and a new direction which means returning to the original direction.

When I have the new blog link, I'll post it here.

I feel by this time I have found Elora. The next step is to find where to go from there.

I'm wishing everyone who pops in on a regular basis and everyone who just happens onto this entry a very beautiful, graceful, creative, and reconciling 2010. I think many of us need just that about now.

 

Four days ago we lost you and I just find out today. Such a beautiful soul to be lost so soon. One of the best writers on the site, and maybe off, too. I cherish our minor, but meaningful, too-short acquaintance and shared thoughts.

Rest well and enjoy Heaven.

For those who haven't read his words: Carolina Blue
 

I have a new story project! Last night while the family was watching TV, I started taking notes on a thought I had the day before for -- not a novel this time, but a short story collection. I won't talk about the idea here because, as someone said, talking about a story quenches the story fire, so get it down first. When I went to bed, more thoughts for it came to mind so I turned the light back on and scribbled ideas on paper (I always keep paper and pen by my bedside). The notes filled it out even more and I want to get started. I may do that tonight, starting with a Christmas story that will be part of it. This one may be a free read, or maybe part of it will be.

I'm battling a cold & fever again, more minor this time, fortunately. Still, I'm enjoying Christmas season more this year than I have for several years. I don't know why. But today I took photos of ornaments hubby hung from our porch and have been turning them into C-notes this afternoon. Five are up. Here's the link if you want to peak, but the photos are at the top of my blog rotating: "Ornament Greetings" 

Mainly, I've only been jumping online real quick this month, focusing instead on Christmas planning and family things. And I need to get back to that, but I wanted to jump in here and yell a soft hello (you have to yell soft when your head is iffy).

What's everyone been doing to celebrate the season?

 

Looks like we may have to shovel the drive for the first time this winter. Wish other things were so easy to shovel away..

So 5 "American" men have been arrested in Pakistan for the intent of going over to help with the jihad. This one's easy enough. Revoke their US citizenship and leave them there. They can try fighting against the US military and see what that's like. Same with all those still over here defending the terrorists and training to help the jihad right here on our soils. Ship them over.Take away their citizenships. It's treason to side against the US. Easy. If we no longer have the guts to do what we're supposed to do with traitors (eg. Jane Fonda), at least kick them out.

A 100 year old man was released from prison and sent to a halfway house in a NY neighborhood. The man is a pedophile, arrested for the rape of two very young girls in 1999. Why is he out? He should die in prison if we won't make it simpler and help that along. His crime was only 10 years ago. If he could manage it at 90, who says he can't manage it at 100? Would you want him living beside your children? Maybe whoever let him out should have to take him in to his own house. Bet he'd changed his mind.

A woman wrote on the front of her house that she'd as soon have Hitler as a neighbor than the neighbors she has. Why? They keep badgering her about the cars in her yard and too many plants on her porch. She says she's living in a communist nation where they can pick at her and her family incessantly and never be stopped. This is why I wouldn't live in an HOA area. I have a hard time arguing with the woman, even if I understand about wanting the neighborhood to look nice. The woman paid for her property just like her neighbors. She owns it. And we're much too good at sticking our noses into everyone else's business while looking out for ourselves above our neighbors. I don't know, I see both sides of this, but seriously: writing nasty notes to the family on a daily basis? Are they seventh graders? I'd say they deserved that slap in the face.

ACORN cookies served at the White House? Talk about a slap in the face to the American people. Isn't that lovely?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/09/white-houses-acorn-cookies-surprises-...

And WHY is the White House (again) neglecting to follow established laws and withholding information from the Fort Hood review from Congress? What are they hiding? How long will it take to ditch the info they don't want Congress to know before they hand over what's left? Transparency? Right. They can apparently do whatever the heck they want, regardless of establish laws and the Constitution.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/09/republicans-accuse-white-house-sittin...

Of course Obama blames the GOP for our economy. Never mind he was instrumental in pushing the idiotic ARMs so "everyone" could have a house in the first place. Did that bit of information slip out of his head? You know they're doing the same with credit cards now? Our set rate cards had to be changed to adjustable rates because of new government policies. Wonderful. We pay the things off anyway, but how many will end up in a worse fix because of this just like with the houses? Why did this seem like a good idea?

I've never in my 43 years seen as much uproar against the job a president was doing as I see now. As many of us kept saying before the election: change isn't always good. I'm watching his approval rating slide down week by week. Surprised? I'm not.

And if the moronic Mr. Reid wants to accuse me of being a "would be" slavery supporter since I don't support the moronic health care bill, have at it. I can do what any good American would do these days and sue for liable. Maybe we should. [Hey, big surprise here: the middle class is gonna get socked with the bill for it.]

Oh, and NOW they're saying maybe the swine flu isn't as bad as they thought. Really? Fine and dandy now that Obama pushed everyone to get the "mandatory" shot. I'm sure the pharmaceutical companies are happy with him.

By the way, that lower unemployment rate they were citing recently? Read the facts. It's because so many unemployed have stopped bothering to even look for a job, which skews the results. And guess what? It's up again even with so many who have stopped looking.

Hey, Litchfield CT ... if your town hall won't allow the yellow ribbons around the trees, put them in all of your yards and fill up the town with them!