HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Yes, it is 1-1-11 and the start of a new year. May it be a Prosperous and Happy one for each of you. Do you realize the significance of the 1-1-11? The significance ito me is that if you use just one number for the month and date, and two for the year, they are all the same. Stop and think about it. How often does that happen? When will it happen again? Actually as I see it, the next time such a thing will happen will be on Veterans' Day, November 11, 2011 (11-11-11). Then such a number will not occur until 12-12-12. Then it won't happen for a very long time, as I see it. I can remember back in the '70s, thinking about how neat it would be to live to see the turn of the century (2000) and I thought "I will be 70 years old then - wow, that's old). Well, it has been 10 years since the turn of the century and I am now 80 years old. And, my great-grandchildren just born could very easily live to see the turn of the next century (2100) Wow!!

When I wote my Christmas blogs I mentioned the card I had received which said "this Christmas might feel different from some we have had---". Well, yes, this Christmas felt very different. It is the first time I can remember of having nothing special for pre Christmas. I didn't even get to go see the Christmas llights, something I really enjoy doing. When we were observing Christmas the Sunday before, I spent Christmas Eve alone several times, but this time it did seem different. My housemate went to her family for the evening, and I was left entirely alone - strange. Christmas morning, Kathy came and got me and took me to her home for the day. There was nothing too special about the day - she had lunch of a deli tray for sandwihes, a shrimp tray and non alcoholic beverages. Everyone had gone by about 2:30.

Oh, I missed the start. My granddaughter, Jenny, gave birth to her baby at 1:02 am Dec 24 (Christmas Eve Day). Keeley Nicole Boley was born at 1:02, Dec 24, 2010. She weighed 5#8 oz and was 18 1/2 inches long (I swear she can't be more than 15 1/2 inches. My smallest was 7#4 oz so Keeley seems so tiny. Anyway Christmas Day evening we went to Dave & Jenny's at about 4 pm and spent the evening with them. It was about 10:30 pm by the time I got back home, and then Kathy had to drive back to Marysville - another 45 minutes. So it was quite a busy day, and definitely different from any other.

We have had a very wet but uneventful week. I wanted to watch the New Years' fireworks from Old Sacramento last night, but it didn't work. Old Sac had two displays - one at 9 pm for the kids, and another at midnight - so parents did not have to keep their kids up so late. Anyway I thought maybe I could see them from our back patio, but the house right behind us makes that impossible. I did see one burst so I knew just where it was. That is such a beautiful house, and they must have the most fantastic views, but it sure screws up our being able to see things south of us. So, I watched the ll pm news and went to bed. I got up early enough this morning to watch the Rose Bowl Parade. I saw it on the Hallmark Channel (I didn't know it carried it) without commercial. Once in awhile they would run on the screen "The 122nd Rose Bowl Parade is being brought to you by *****" without making any interruption in the parade. It was really nice.

Well, I can't think of much else to write about right now, so I'll just repeat my wish - have a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.

1-1-11