Happy New Year (and a look back at Christmas)

Only at Vashon does it seem perfectly reasonable to put up a Christmas "tree" made from recycled New Yorker magazines cut into tree shapes and sewn together with brown paper twine.

Moving on from there, Leah and Drew cut more magazines into paper chains, and strung them across the kitchen and living room. It was all done as a surprise, when they went to the cabin two nights before everyone else arrived.

Add presents, a couple of visiting cats, and an unexpected burst pipe that flooded out the bunkhouse. Thanks to Ian and Zanne's quick action, Drew's giant shop vac, and dry sunny weather, the damage was containable. After cleaning up as much as possible, we settled down to the fun of Christmas, followed by a festive dinner (complete with Christmas crackers.)


Tonight we celebrate an anniversary, take leave of the past year, and look forward to the one ahead. In spite of gloomy news from everywhere, I wish everyone a happy 2010, and hope for a good one for myself.

Almost the end of the year...

...and it's one I won't miss. Suddenly a lot of the blogs I read are offering "farewell to the 00's - what a ghastly decade" posts. Not sure I'm that down on the ten years we've almost lived through, though I definitely would not want to repeat any of them.

Especially this year, in which a broken wrist forced cancellation or rearrangement of far too many plans, and major surgery last month has so far left me almost inert for the run-up to Christmas.

Instead of the "5-7 days" in hospital optimistically predicted by the surgeon, I spent 19 days there, coming home the day before Thanksgiving. As I remind myself several times a day, things are going to be ALL RIGHT, but meantime, just moving around can be a challenge. When I finally went out for a walk, I moved carefully, like a very old person, swathed in layers of hats, jackets and scarves!

(Still, I was out. And walking. And enjoying it!)

I'm lucky to have family and friends close by, dropping in to keep my spirits up, and doing all manner of errands large and small. Thanks to everyone!