A happy New Year! Grant that I

May bring no tear to any eye.

When this New Year in time shall end

Let it be said I've played the friend,

Have lived and loved and labored here,

And made of it a happy year.

                                                   Edgar A. Guest

 

The New Year is a time of both reflection and anticipation.  Reflection to recall the changes and events of the past year, planned and unplanned, that brought meaning and depth to my life.   Anticipation of the year to come, knowing that while much of life unfolds (known here as WILLY-NILLY), it's fun to start out with a framework of possibilities.  This year has the special cachet of being my first "retired" year, allowing for the possibilities to be greatly expanded.

Our New Year celebration plans are simple:  last night we toasted out 2012 at dinner (no midnight Pine Cone Drop for us!).  Today we'll talk about potential travel plans and projects around the house.  For several years we've made chili as our special New Year's meal; I think it's made the transition to a tradition.  Both of us make chili; this year I'm the cook.  The recipe I'm using today is loosely based on my Mom's chili recipe.  Here are the ingredients:

It's bubbling away in the crockpot now, making the house smell good.  We'll eat around 5:00.  Ron's watching NE get beat by GA in the Capitol One Bowl.  The dogs are snoozed out on the rug behind me.  I'll be making some personal plans (NOT resolutions, more like directions). 

We wish all of our family and friends a great New Year!