Happy 4th of July!

So I found a thing...

I can't copy and paste here, but it was this post that I found, all about the 4th. I am on the far side of the planet from the USA, so 4th of July is ... just another Sunday.

I am American, however, so it's an odd position for me. I know other American expats in my small city, but it seems strange to ask "Hey, anyone have any 4th of July specials?" on a facebook forum in Vietnam. Not that there's animosity towards America, but we are a minority among expats here, so it seems presumptuous. 

South African ... Day, sure. Plenty of South Africans around!

ANZAC... You got it. (That's an Australia/New Zealand thing.) Aussies are a dime a dozen in this tourist town!

Anyway. I was reading the 9 Independence Day related questions on the above-linked post and thought how crazy my answers would sound in the US. (I'm only doing some of them. Hit the link for the full selection.)

2. Where's the nearest US flag to me right now?  

Possibly at the embassy in Hanoi? I don't know. Maybe there's one in a tourist shop in town or something, but most of those are closed these days - thanks Covid - so I have absolutely no clue. 

3. When was the last time I sang the Star-Spangled Banner?

Wow. I have probably hummed or softly sung along with it when watching some event on TV within the past five years, but actually stood and sung it at an event? I've been out of the US for five years apart from visits. Probably it's been more than five years ago.

6. I will not be toasting the US with an adult beverage today. Sundays are my longest day working online, and I do not work for an American company, so I don't have the day off. I'll drink, sure, but nothing special, and I won't be out with fellow Americans.

7. This question was about how easy/hard it is to go without access to a bank or the mail during long holiday weekends. 

To that I say, "BWAHahahahaha!" My home is in a small city in a developing country. I live on the outskirts of town, in an area that hasn't even been designated with street names. Mail. HAH! Nothing can be delivered here except food, when we provide a map-link.

8. Food-wise, my 4th will include a pizza - flat, weak, barely a pizza really. I've gotten used to the Vietnamese version of pizza. There are places that do decent American-style pizza, but they are expensive, and I'll only be grabbing a slice as I can between work, so not worth it for today.

9. The Fourth might be a summer highlight in the US, but here, we've been coping with heat and humidity for two months already. No, I have not gotten sunburned. The sun is almost directly overhead, so I stay inside the house most of the day. Bugs aren't much of a problem either. The climate keeps them docile in the summer! (plus... geckos.)

So what about you? Make me jealous! Tell me your Independence Day plans! I'd love to hang out for a cookout, sitting on the deck drinking beer, watching fireworks over the trees. 

(Last year, we were supposed to travel back to the US for an extended trip in June-July, but Covid happened, so we missed all that.)

Happy Independence Day!

New Year Preparations

That's right. A new year is coming soon! The Lunar one!

Year of the Ox will begin on February 12. I love lunar new year. Many people worldwide call it Chinese New Year, but more people celebrate it than just the Chinese, and since moving to Vietnam, I call it Tết, like the locals.

I've hung decorations on the door, and under the garden umbrella. We're slowly putting money into red envelopes (when we get appropriate-sized bills) to hand to the kids we know. And the cleaning has started.

In China I had heard of the tradition to clean house before the holiday. Everything at the start of the new year should be clean and bright, new if needed. One student told me about spending an afternoon shortly before the new year cleaning light fixtures: dusting the lamp or shade, but also removing the bulbs and dusting them. The light in your house should be bright to illuminate... something. 

So after 2021 began, I decided to deep clean one thing a day until Tết. If it's already a day to do laundry or bathrooms or mop, I don't add an extra task, but on days with no chore, I find one. 

So far I've cleaned the lights that I can (most of our ceiling lights are recessed so can't be removed); I've been dusting more regularly and thoroughly; I've done the windows and the glass doors within the house, I've orange-cleaned the kitchen surfaces (this gets done regularly, but not as often). The big chore was the fans.

We live in the tropics, and our house has no ceiling fan. So we have six floor fans spread throughout the rooms. They are in use most of the year. Even when it's cold, you need to keep the air moving so mold spores don't settle, so the fans get filthy. I dust off the tops periodically, but a couple times a year we take them apart, soap down the blades, and take a brush to the inside and outside of the grills. We did that yesterday.

What a difference! If cleaning the lights makes the light brighter, cleaning the fans gives the lights something bright to shine on. Plus, the air is cleaner without blowing dust back into the room.

Nanowrimo and Christmas

Whew! Hi there, if I'm still on anyone's radar.

Nanowrimo is over (see my new badge over there on the left?) and now I'm thinking about writing a Christmas letter.

Truthfully NaNoWriMo was a struggle this year. The goal, to be counted a "winner" is 50,000 words. I did 50,277. It's not a real story, although I managed to find the roots of a possible story within my dark subject matter. Mostly I was just writing to get out of my own head.

It was a unique process for me: ramble, ramble, stream-of-consciousness, then suddenly come upon a character, then rework the character with a different personality, then find that the secondary character is where the real story is, then find that I'm on a totally different tack than I'd started!

I deleted nothing, for the sake of the word count, so a lot of it is garbage, and this is not a story that will ever see the light of day. But I did it!

And now I want to write a Christmas letter. When I lived in the US, I did cards every year, with a letter inside. I no longer send them, but I would like to compose an appropriate Christmas letter to share. I'm just stumped for what to write.

"Nothing new. Traveled nowhere. Did nothing." Boom. 

I don't do newsy letters. In the past, I tried to focus on some element of the original Christmas story and compare it to the modern world. But what? This year, my friends and family are divided between political beliefs and Covid perspectives, and I can't think of a single, universal message that won't piss off one side or the other. Or myself, as I write it.

Actually, I started this blog post hoping that an idea would come to me as I write about wanting to write. No dice.

Are you writing a holiday letter this year? Do you have a theme? Or do you have any ideas for me? 

Kicking Myself #AtoZChallenge

I'm Kicking myself today.

It's Easter Sunday in Vietnam as I write this, and I'm completely unprepared. I knew today would be Easter. I even tried a new "mandarin orange" flavored Kit-kat earlier in the week, thinking that if I liked it, I 'd go back and get the box. (They seem to be a special release thing: minis sold in a pretty gold box.)

But these days, staying in is the norm, and going out just to get one thing seems superfluous. So I waited.

And now it's Easter, and there's no chocolate in the house.

I found that there was still some nutella in the bottom of the jar, so for breakfast I spread nutella on a couple "Digestive biscuits" (I think Digestives are a British thing?). They will have to suffice for Easter chocolate. 

I could have bought not just chocolate, but all kinds of goodies! Had I thought about it, I might have splurged on apples at the market when we went on Friday. Kicking myself.

I mean, I have a mango, pineapple, passion fruit. All good sweet treats, but nothing special.

Kicking myself for forgotten items when out shopping on Friday.

How are you handling shopping these days? Do you keep a continual list so that nothing is forgotten? Or do you just go out anytime you need to regardless of how much or little you are buying? Why do I feel guilty to go out for one or two things? Do you get that, too?

The Dragons are Coming! The Dragons are Coming!

This weekend is Dragon Boat Festival here in China.

Not a Dragon Boat. This was a beached party boat up north from our vacation.

I knew about Dragon Boat races because when I was in high school we lived in Taiwan, and the races are VERY BIG there. I usually got home for summer vacation just in time to watch the races on TV. I have to say, a Dragon Boat race is more interesting to watch than the Indy 500, which is also this weekend!

Mind you, Dragon Boat Festival doesn't always coincide with Memorial Day weekend in the States. Something new that I learned now that I live in China: It's the 5th day of the 5th Lunar month in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese are very big on double digits. 5-5. It's auspicious!
... which is why the patriot-poet Qu Yuan chose it as the day to kill himself by jumping in a river. 

That's right. There was political craziness going on, and he had been exiled from his home, and rather than watch "the wrong people" take over, he offed himself. 
LET'S CELEBRATE!

People celebrate by eating Zongzi - a kind of sweet sticky rice ball - and watching the Dragon Boat races. 
Why sticky rice? Because Qu Yuan was so beloved that after he jumped in the river, his mourning fans threw in rice so the fish would eat the rice and leave his body alone. (so says the legend) 

I'm kind of vague on the history behind the races, but it has something to do with keeping the River Dragon away from him. I know there are 20 oarsmen, a "sweep" and a "caller". The sweep steers from the bow, and the caller beats out the rhythm on a drum in the stern. Nowadays, it's a symbol of getting rid of the bad. This is considered a day to take care of health and hygiene, to chase away disease and evil spirits. With Dragons. Or something.

Confused yet? 
I think, like so many traditions based in history, this is only one of several reasons for the holiday, but of the few I've heard, this is the only story that incorporates all the elements. I know there are different statesmen celebrated in different regions, who also died on the same day, but I don't think dragons are tied to those stories. I could research it, but really? I like this story!

The Labors of Labor Day

This App - to learn a language

A language partner of mine in China seemed befuddled that we celebrated Labor Day this past weekend. "We celebrate Labor Day in the spring. And that's International Labor Day, so why the US does it now?"

I had no response, but I like the idea that the US just does things differently. 

I also had to define "cookout" as compared to what he basically was describing as a picnic.
"We actually cook the meat - outside!" ...I never did send a picture of the grill. Mind you, our downstairs neighbors are Chinese, and they cookout a lot. Maybe it was just a new idea for this particular dude.

Our weekend was delightful. Everyone got along, everyone had fun, the only screaming was of the occasional "don't touch that - it's hot!" variety.

Siblings and their offspring/spouses arrived between Friday evening and Saturday night, and departures began that Saturday night, but there was a reasonable overlap. It was just fun. On Saturday, some adults went out to a local winery, did some tastings, bought some wine, listened to music. That evening we cooked out, and the cousins played basketball, soccer, and made up games (courtesy of the 6yo). 

It was so retro, I used a retro filter. This was my generation of cousins, decades back.

On Sunday, church, then pizza, some general chillaxing, and then after a few group pictures, most of us parted our separate ways. It was a good weekend, and the missing brother was hardly noticed. Or at least, I'm sure we each noticed but there was no cloud hanging over the day because he was gone.

On Monday, we got rid of a bunch of stuff - small things had been distributed earlier in the weekend - Monday was larger furniture - bookcase, desk, etc. which my eldest sister took with her.

 

I really thought the apartment would look more empty. I guess all the furniture that's left will either be sold, donated, or stored, but only the fewest, most important items will be stored.

Just to Keep me Grounded

We take a break from the regular bulletins on how the move to China is going, to tell you about my douche-twat little brother.

I am once again borrowing portions of this prompt from Paula Kaye at Smidgens, Snippets and Bits for some thought-starters. I decided it would be better than the rant I started. It’s just a concise way for me to NOT rant. I hope.

AS I PONDER....

I’m overwhelmed with thoughts about family dynamics, as we prepare for the whole family to get together this holiday weekend. I’m the 4^th of 5 children, and for the first time in over 10 years, we are all on the same continent. For a while.

WHAT I AM LEARNING...

My baby brother has opted to take his two sweet fairy princesses to visit their maternal great-grandmother, which would be understandable if this cookout weekend hadn’t been planned for months, and if said Great-grandmother had made any contact in the past four years while my parents took care of the littles! (The mother barely makes contact near-ish to Christmas and the birthdays.)

WHAT I'M READING....

My mother’s facebook message to myself and my other siblings this morning. This will be the first – and possibly last – opportunity to get pictures of the full family, since I’m moving to China soon.

WHAT I'M WATCHING...

I see red. That is all.

WHAT'S ON MY CAMERA...

Well, I tell you what WON’T be on it – pictures of the whole family! That’s what! Typical.

WHAT I'M DRINKING....

There isn’t enough alcohol in the world to drown my annoyance at this situation. HOWEVER, I found some DogfishHead Punkin Ale at Target on my lunch, so I intend to avail myself of that when I get home.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE KITCHEN...

We are trying to get rid of food we have on hand. My grocery lists are almost entirely perishables. I cook rice on the regular.

A QUOTE I WANT TO SHARE...

I'm so glad we were able to elevate my mom's mood:

 

 Also on a positive note, I was not able to get a professional photographer for this weekend. So - Money Saved!

LOOKING FORWARD....

This weekend may not be what we expected, but my other brother and I responded quickly to Mom’s annoyed message, and seem to have her back in good spirits. I would hate for one person’s absence (well, 3, counting his kids) to deflate the day for the rest of us.

We will take many pictures, play some pinochle, cookout, drink some, and some of the teens are staying with Brett and myself. So that will be fun and full of video games and pizza.

I’m talking with the eldest of us later today, and want to suggest we all bring flowers or something for Mom, who really is upset by this.

NOTE: I do realize that perhaps this great-grandma is in ill health and it may be a last chance, but if she hasn't even inquired about the girls in FOUR YEARS... Why should she get preferential treatment?

Happy New Year...flashback

When I started this blog two years ago, I completed this New Years Meme that I found on the blog Mommy Wants Vodka. Two years later, and nearly Year of the Horse, Happy New Year!

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
I went to the circus! The Univer-Soul Circus, to be precise!

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't think I made one for 2013. For this "Year of the Horse", I've decided I will do/see something new each month to learn about my new city.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
It seems that all my new coworkers had given birth the year before. No lie, 6 babies in one year at my firm!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
A couple of people at my former church. There was a scare with my Aunt, this year, but no deaths.

5. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Local girlfriends

6. What countries did you visit?
None, but a few states.

7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why:
12.17. It's the date that Brett moved to Indy - just 15 minutes away!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Overcoming my fear and successfully hosting a major company dinner.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Making new friends. I still have no "hang-out" friends.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Whiplash when I fell on the ice - no wait, that was already this January. Umm...Nothing major.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My electric kettle. Every morning I use it, and because it doesn't sit on the stove-top, it doesn't get grease-splattered!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Give me some ideas. In this country, we've been lamenting our poor political leadership for so long, I can't think of anything positive.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
My EX-sister-in-law.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel across state lines to see Brett. That's over now, though!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Planning our trip to Delaware so I can do the Polar Bear Plunge again! The trip is coming up in a few weeks, but the planning has been exciting.

16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
"Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus, which I've never heard in it's entirety, but it had so much press. Holy Cow.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same
iii. richer or poorer? Richer. Having a job will do that!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Blogging

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Vegging in front of the TV.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
At my parents, at my parents, at Brett's brother's, at church. Oy vey.

21. There was no #21. I don’t know why there was no 21.
I’ll make up my own question like everyone else.
What do you feel you missed out on in 2013?
My family reunion.

22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
I fell even more in love with Brett than I did in 2012.

23. How many one-night stands?
Many. All with the same guy. :)

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Big Bang Theory is still the winner, but I've also become hooked on Grimm.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nah.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Weird Sisters. At least it was the most memorable.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No discoveries this year.

28. What did you want and get?
A fantastic apartment!

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I can't even think of what I saw...

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I don’t do my birthday. I  might do something this year, because it's a significant one.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If the fitness center at my development had working machines.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
business-casual, with a heavy dose of sweats and flannel at home!

34. What kept you sane?
Prayer ...and alcohol. (I like this answer. I'm keeping it.)


35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I've always secretly doted on Drew Carey.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The impasse about the budget. Americans have all become giant, inflexible, sticks-in-the-mud. If nobody is every willing to compromise, nothing will ever be accomplished. BOTH need to give a little.

37. Who did you miss?
All my friends in Delaware. A lot.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
My 5yo niece Titania! She's a doll. She sparkles and smacks; she's full of spunk... and reminds me at times of ...me. haha.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
Family is the most important.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Waking up too early
Maybe we can sleep in
Make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now"
(Banana Pancakes, by Jack Johnson)

Love and February

For the first time ever, I am in love, in February. No matter how many times a day Brett and I say "I love you", I still think Valentine's Day is a crock.I'm reposting what I wrote last year on the subject, because aside from the "being single" part, I still feel the same way.

Some of you may not have seen this post from last year anyway, so I don't feel bad about a re-post.

I give you: February 13, 2012...

I’m not a fan of Valentine’s Day and it has nothing to do with being “alone” which is my choice, or being “reminded that I don’t have anyone” or anything like that. I don’t wear black in protest, or mourning, or whatever that’s supposed to signify.

Here’s my deal: It’s NOT ROMANTIC, homies! St. Valentine was a martyr! While incarcerated he wrote notes to the jail-keeper’s daughter and signed them “your” – as was common even in Jane Austen’s day – which gave us the phrase “your Valentine”. …at least that’s the popular one of many saints Valentine. February 14 celebrates the date of his burial. Happy Valentine’s Day, ya’ll!

Besides, if you love someone, do you really need a special day to tell them? Haven’t you already told them? Don’t you show them in myriad ways? If not, shame on you. Doing something special on Valentine’s Day is a cop-out. How much nicer when it’s a surprise for no reason!

So okay, a lot of people might appreciate a “gimme” holiday that basically tells you what to do and how to celebrate. Fine. But really? Named after - and celebrated on -  the day a MARTYR was BURIED? Let’s call it what it is: Happy “Hallmark Totally Made This Up” Day. Or, my personal favorite: Happy “Anniversary of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” Day. Heehee. Did I mention I used to live in Chicago?

I’m wracking my brain, and I don’t think I’ve actually been in a relationship on the fake holiday. But then, if I was involved with someone who decided to “do something special” on that day, I would probably get up and walk out of the restaurant, or otherwise ruin all the careful planning. Because really, if we’re together, you KNOW this about me. You KNOW I find this holiday trite and phony and a waste of time and money. So if you have made the colossal mistake of attempting “romance” (key point: I’m not romantic, either - at least not in a traditional way) then you MUST be hinting that it’s time for our relationship to end.

I actually have a commitment – not romantic, and not one-on-one – tomorrow night, so it’s a non-issue for me. But when I get home? Sweats and the movie “Some Like It Hot” which opens in Chicago and includes reference to the massacre in question.

And maybe pizza.

And a beer.

Ah, romance!

To all those who also are not celebrating this martyr: You're welcome for the logical excuse.

Happy New Year! (wait, did I already say that?)

Last year around New Years, I posted this meme, just on a whim, and looking for things to write. I thought it would be interesting to do it again, and see how things have changed.

 

~~~~~

1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Well... took my niece horse-back riding in a State Park; heard Beethoven's Fifth Symphony performed live; um... Lots of the same stuff in new locations.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
According to this, last year I resolved to organize my house - HA! I organized it all right into storage! This year I resolve to post more, starting with at least once a week. ...so far, so good.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Apparently 6 employees at my new job had babies in the past year. I didn't know them at the time, though.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
I recently heard about two deaths from among my Delaware acquaintances. One former employee, and one friend from the theatre. Both getting on in years, neither one terribly shocking.

5. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Last year I said, "A new job, please." BONUS! For this year? My own residence!

6. What countries did you visit?
No countries this year.

7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why:Brett and I have several dates to choose from. May 2 is when we met in person, March 21 is the fateful flowers, February 14 he "proposed". I pick any of those. (I was going to list the date I moved, but I can't remember if it was April 28 or 29.)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Fitting into that bridesmaid dress!   >>>

9. What was your biggest failure?
I really had hoped to get back to Delaware for the Polar Bear Plunge this February, but I just can't afford it yet. Pretty bummed about that.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not significantly.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My hot new car! Not fancy, but it suits me. (Pontiac G5...yellow.)

(Not unlike this...)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
No one. Everyone was an idiot in 2012.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Shooters. Sandyhook, most recently. But EVEN MORESO...the debates that followed. Everyone is so deadlocked on their own side that I am beginning to believe that this country has completely lost all ability to compromise. It's very sad.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Gas to go visit Brett!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Most trips to see Brett, but I think Thanksgiving was most anticipated. And well worth it!

16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
None, really. Different songs had significance, but I don't think any will make me think - "Oh! That was 2012!"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, overall.
ii. thinner or fatter? about the same.
iii. richer or poorer? Poorer. After moving, it took 5 months to find the job I have, and another month+ before the hours picked up.


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Exercise

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
sitting

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With BRETT! Dinner and church on Christmas Eve, and then a big meal/games at his brothers on the 25th.

21. What do you feel you missed out on in 2012?When Brett and I were in Indy in July, we saw that there was a display at one of the major museums that looked interesting. It was going to be there through September, so we decided not to visit yet, since we could always come back. We never got back.

22. Did you fall in love in 2012?
TOTALLY! (But not with the guy I was considering when I did this last year.)

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Being in my parents' house, I didn't get to watch "my" programs much. Hm... Probably The Price Is Right, based on how much I posted about it on FB. (I wasn't working - what do you expect?)

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Not at all.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Help.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
No discoveries this year.

28. What did you want and get?
Brett! ...my dream man come to life. (AAAAWWwww...)

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
My impulse is to say "Moonrise Kingdom". Although I love "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" too. My movie watching fell off near the end of 2012.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My parents had cake. I don't like doing things for my birthday. Brett very sweetly had no gift for me, and even asked to verify that was what I prefer. Yes. It is.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting this job early enough that I could be in my own place by now.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
unemployed.

34. What kept you sane?
My parents have been very supportive and deserve a lot of credit for not stifling me as they could have. ...and my nightly talks with Brett.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
They're all idiots.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Having just survived another election year, I am now totally turned off to all things political. This nation is so polarized now that I want to scream. Seriously, it makes me look at the virtues of a dictatorship: No Arguing!37. Who did you miss?
My friends in Delaware.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Ha! BRETT. (again. Yes, I know I'm a broken record.)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012:
With the right people around you, any problem isn't a problem.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
“Blue canary in the outlet by the light-switch, who watches over you?” Doesn’t exactly “sum up” the year, but food for thought, no?
—————-
The rest of the meme says I should tag some people but isn't the point of a meme that anyone who likes it copies it? Yeah. That.

New Years Resolutions

I'm pretty against New Years Resolutions, mostly because time is a man-made construct and blah-blah-blah...

But just for you, for my readers who still read this little blog even though I've barely posted at all this fall, I shall make a resolution for 2013.
Here goes:

IN 2013, I RESOLVE TO WRITE MORE IN MY BLOG. I WILL START WITH AT LEAST ONCE WEEKLY. PROBABLY ON THE WEEKENDS, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT A BIG TIME FOR BLOG-READING, SO PLEASE COME BY AND READ!

I LOVE YOU, MY BLOG COMMUNITY.

HAPPY NEW YEAR. MAY IT BE JOYOUS, SAFE, AND FULL OF LOVE.