Wine, I’m sorry you have had such a rough year, and the loss of your brother is, I’m certain, still to be dealt with - I have never recovered from losing mine at the age of 19 (so often now, I think about where we would “be” in our later years - ). I agree with the “living loves” concept, and know of quite a few families who have emigrated the past three years, with children! The important part of their determination is that they all report as common sense of “peace” since they moved. The only thing I planned and did not do, that I miss, was buying a boat house! Oh, there are other plans unfulfilled, and they’re sitting right in front of me on the original tablet I wrote all 22 pages of that plan on, but “my boat house” still lulls me to sleep when I think about it drifting off a nigh (no pun intended). Just me and my dog, and my boat house. Ah, lovely. I had assignments that I pushed to the deadline date the past few months, too, and far too often found myself taping away at 4:35 am, to edit one last time. Such is life. It was an effort I willingly undertook, which also taught me even more “distance.” Be well, sister.

Like others, I have let my reading for pleasure go by the wayside. It was hard to just say no to the political TV and go read, although I really wanted to. We also had a difficult summer, losing both our mothers and then our very old cat who was a great companion. Now, heading into the holiday season, we want it to be more serene and calm. That will be a challenge. But now we can take a deep breath that is not filled with screaming, talking heads and hibernate a little with a good book and a fire and we hope, here in Maine some beautiful snowstorms.

OTHER: I haven’t dropped anything (except housework and yard work) I’m retired, I do it all ☺

Celebrity doings felt so inane in the last few months that I hope others will finally back off those poor people some. We don’t need ten magazines all spewing the same inconsequential garbage. Not when the country is in such crisis.

My crafting, looming has fallen to the wayside. I would have thought I’d be doing more, since I am no longer working, but I’ve been following things on the internet.

What with Huff Post, fivethirtyeight.com, daily kos, and Reddit, I didn’t have time to check on WOWOWOW for weeks before the election. I am thrilled beyond measure with the outcome and am grateful to all of the above sites for keeping me sane during the build-up to the election.

My mending is really piling up. And I’ve been needing to roll up my sleeves and polish the hardwood floors since last Christmas. But I’ve never been so engaged in an election…or learned so much about economic dynamics in my life. So…as much as I’ve put off…this was a productive time for me.

I had to post this here, a BEAUTIFUL photo essay on our new President…. Enjoy !http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/11/the_next_president_of_the_unit.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed1