January 1, 2008 

This bright new year is given me
     To live each day with zest …
To daily grow and try to be
     My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
     Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
     And sing more joyful songs!

~   William Arthur Ward

appy New Year everyone! I have a few resolutions for myself. One is to get my raised beds into the greenhouse by April 30th. If I can shovel out the path to the greenhouse, that is something I can work on well before growing season. I also want to get a potting bench done. Another is to get back into my yoga routine each day to help my back out. I am also doing another fun thing which helps my dexterity. When I am better at it, I will reveal to you what it is. I also resolve to finish those three socks which do not have mates yet. And finally tackle the spare room to get it in order again, so my guests do not have to sleep in the livingroom anymore. That one has to be done before the end of the month when I have guests again (and so I can get to my knitting stuff).

In my new job, I want to be able to use the position to help as many people as possible. Bring wrongs to right. Single out those who are perpetrators and should clean up their act. Showcase those who go out of their way to make life better for others. I am really enjoying my job and even though I feel like I am floundering at it from time to time, they reassure me that I am doing great and it will come with time.

The root cellar got all done yesterday. Good enough until summer/fall to finally get that false wall in. Normally I have a 'guesstimation' of time to finish a project and I tend to be overly optimistic. Amazingly enough this one took half the time I thought it would. There is a sense of relief to get that puppy done I tell you, it was a worry. 

I am repairing my dog sled tonight (to take a break here and there from writing on the magazine) after I haul it into the livingroom to dry and warm up. Two days ago I found a critical bolt which was missing from my brake system which could have been highly dangerous. I am glad I saw it sooner than later. Yikes! There are also a couple little things to fix on it which are not critical but need to be done. And then go over everything to make sure it is all sound. The sled has very few bolts or screws on it. Most of it is drilled and hand tied. That gives it the flexibility for going around corners or moving the sled from one side of the trail to another. I cannot run my dogs or use it for chores until it passes my inspection and repairs. From now on, I can only train them at night. I do not mind running with the dogs at night, as it is rather surreal, but doing 20 milers on unfamiliar trails at night by myself does not excite me overmuch. I have three weeks to get my dogs (and me) conditioned.

I also got a few little annoying home repairs done last night. One of which was the 2 facades on the face of the counter under the sink which have been held on marginally by duct tape for the last 3 years. I finally got tired of that cheesy duct tape system. I bought four 60 cent angle brackets and some screws and it was fixed in about 8 minutes. Now that is one thing I do not have to worry about. They even look straight!!

I think 2008 is going to be a lovely year.