Friday, December 31, 2021

Goodbye 2021

 Good Morning All!

Happy New Year and Goodbye to 2021.  This year is ending on a heavy note for moi.  Vera and Kabir (my neice and her husband) and 3 children had to evacuate from their home in Broomfield, CO yesterday.  They went to her Mom's (my brother's ex wife) and are hopefully ok.  Not sure about their home.  Phil's other 2 children are further north and so far safe.  Phil & Lynnette had loaded up their camper last night and were ready to evacuate if needed.  I think they are ok - waiting to hear from Phil this a.m. as to how and where they are.  What a sad way for the year to end.

I woke up late today (almost 8 a.m.!!) (was awake during the night...worried about the CO fires), so am getting a bit of a late start to my day.  Yesterday I went back to the canal trail and walked.  It almost felt muggy out it was so mild (low 50's).  Here are some things I saw:


A decorated bench trail-side.  I was going to photograph it the other day, but a gentleman was resting on it and I didn't want to disburb him!


More shelf fungus.


Some pretty green moss (I love moss)


A tree trunk covered in burls - look at them all!

There were more people out and about with the milder temperature, but it still was not very crowded.  So far it is looking like another grey day here.  Hopefully I can get out and go for a walk somewhere.  Perhaps I will try the River Trail (in Valley Forge, along the Schuylkill River) this time.

Yesterday around 4:00 Mabel ran outside!  We are careful opening the door, and I had just opened it a bit to throw something into the recycling tub when whoosh she was out in a flash!  She explored a bit and I just let her be.  Fletch was watching and finally went out to be sure she didn't run into the street or anything.  She ended up circling the house a few times and then came in the front door!  

So who has plans for tonight?  We are having crab cakes, biscuits (home-made at F's request) and a salad for dinner.  And a bit of Prosecco.  I don't always stay up till midnight, but we will see how it goes tonight.  Tomorrow I will cook some black eyed peas for luck.  No real plans, but that is fine with me.

Thank you all for visiting and commenting here throughout the year.  I've enjoyed sharing a bit of my life with you and getting to know you all a bit better.  Cheers to 2022 and all the best wishes for a healthy and joyful year ahead!

17 comments:

  1. My husband learned last night that one of his coworkers had lost his home in the fires. I will keep your family members in my thoughts and hope that they all stay safe.

    We have very exciting plans this evening -- we're making dinner and watching a football game. Aren't you jealous? I'm happy to have a quiet evening, to be honest. Even before COVID, I was always happy to stay home.

    Wishing you health and happiness (and negative COVID tests) in 2022!

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  2. I will be thinking about your family in CO. Ryan and I talked about how awful it is that wildfires are burning in December and that they are so devastating. Our plans for tonight are fixing a leaking toilet at Ryan's, so I hope you're not too jealous! I bet your crab cakes will be delicious and hope that you enjoy much good health and happiness in 2022!

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  3. I wondered about your CO family’s safety. My great-nephew and his roommates had to evacuate from their apartment last night - all are safe. Happy New Year to you and yours.

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  4. I am so sorry to hear about your family having to evacuate. I can't imagine the anxiety of not knowing what is going on with your home.

    Tonight is pork and sauerkraut -- for luck in the new year.

    Wishing you a very happy 2022.

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  5. Hope your family is safe! My daughter and family live in Boulder and did not have to evacuate. In fact they are housing friends who did evacuate. Fortunately the friend’s house in Louisville was spared as well as my granddaughter’s school. I’m thinking of burning my 2021 calendar!

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  6. What sad news about your family. I cannot imagine their worry and fear.

    I haven't given a single thought to dinner tonight; yours sounds lovely. Happy New Year to you and your family. Let's hope 2022 brings everyone Health and Happiness.

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  7. Holding good thoughts for your family. We're trying to reach good friends in Louisville who I'm sure evacuated somewhere. What a disaster.

    Tonight is Mexican meatballs on homemade hoagie rolls (hopefully, Tim is doing all this) and watching "Don't Look Up" and putting Pilot in the basement when the fireworks start!

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  8. I'm so sorry about your family in CO. We were watching the news last night and it's just devastating. Such sadness and and awful way to ennd the year.
    We have no plans for today. It's bitterly cold and the roads are not driveable because of a freezing mist.
    We will definitely be inside and staing warm.
    I'm so glad that Mabel came back inside. She knows she has it good there.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  9. We have friends in CO who were affected by those terrible fires. Their mom had to be evacuated from a memory care facility. Let's hope 2022 is a better year for everyone! Have a nice New Year's Eve.

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  10. Those fires are horrific. I hope your family is safe.
    All of the benches on the boardwalk are memorials that you can purchase a plaque for. People decorate them all up for the holidays. I know it's a nice gesture but it always bums me out. Especially the children's benches. They are so heartbreaking. You can see folks sitting on them from time to time remembering their loved ones and it's so sad. There are so many now it's practically wall to wall benches. They even have some on the fishing end of the pier now.
    We're getting some Chinese takeout and that's about it for us tonight. There is a Thin Man marathon on TCM so I will be planted on the couch with Nick and Nora.

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  11. Oh dear. I wou1dbeen a wreck with fires and Mabe1. Better days ahead for everyone I hope

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  12. I heard 600 homes were destroyed but unsure if that's true. Devastating and especially for how quickly it happened. I am glad your family escaped.

    Happy new year Vera.

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  13. I am so sorry about your family in the path of the Colorado fires. I can't imagine having to evacuate or losing a home to a natural disaster. It has to be devastating. Happy New Year to you and yours.

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  14. It's rough on the people in the fire's path....praying for your family.
    The tree looks like I would love to play with it on the lathe! lol
    Happy New Year!

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  15. happy new year! I hope you have a wonderful 2022 and I hope your family in CO is okay!!

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  16. Brian and Lauren lived right on the border between Louisville and Superior when they lived in Colorado. While the townhouse they lived in ended up making it through the fire . . . others in their row of houses were completely burned to the ground, along with most of their complex. It's so devastating. I've been thanking my lucky stars that they didn't live there anymore . . . but also feeling heartbroken for everyone who has been touched by this tragedy. I'm sorry that your family members are having to go through this.

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  17. Oh gosh, I am late to reading this Vera and I hope that all is well for your loved ones!

    I have been reading the stories of those who lost everything and it is heartbreaking.

    What a way to start a New Year... xo

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