It is the day after Christmas and Harold just left to head back to the coast. Patches started trembling like a leaf being blown on a driveway by a power washer the minute he saw Harold bring his jacket from the bedroom and hang it on my Tread Climber by the front door. I haven’t been able to sit down all morning without running the risk of having Patches immediately consider it an alarm signal to shelter in place and his safety place is the inside of my robe! I am wondering if I need to do as they sometimes do in institutions and put him on suicide watch. Guess it is a good thing none of his toys have sharp edges. Christmas was as quiet around our house as I said it would be. I managed to surprise Harold with a few items and only bought him one thing he had already purchased for himself. I fixed a small lunch and invited the young man from across the street to join us when I found out his mom was working and he was alone for the day. Jose restores my faith in our young people and gives me hope for the future of our world and he made the afternoon such a pleasure. It was most likely the most sane Christmas day I have had in my life and as I reflected last night, I wondered if it was a portend of my future or just a welcomed lull to prepare for the chaos of what is to come? Speaking of things to come, people are turning their thoughts to the New Year and what resolutions to make and break. I do not make New Year’s resolutions. I learned many years ago I have absolutely no talent for psychic ability. Nope guys, I have no skills when it comes to seeing in to my own future. I can have the best intentions, the most resolve to do a thing or not do a thing and then wouldn’t you just know it, life comes along with an entirely different plan for me and I am on a completely different path than the one I picked. Each day as thoughts come to mind I go to my Facebook page and I post them to share with my friends. I have been told many times what I say has helped them to get through the day or helped them to understand something with which they have to deal. I thought I would end this year with a few I posted over Christmas weekend. Merry Christmas my loves, in the rumpled paper of the morning remember the hands that smoothed the edges and taped each corner, think of the smile that lit the heart at the thought of you opening it. Whether or not the gift contained inside was grand or small, the person who loved you enough to give it was thoughtful in spirit. Look around the room and be your own video recorder...engrave the moments in your heart like a skilled jeweler. I love you all with all my heart and each of you have been brightly wrapped gifts delivered to me and I cherish you all. Hello loves, hope everyone smiled and laughed so much today their tummies had a workout and their faces are tired from smiling. I hope their Christmas dinners were so wonderful, the food great but not nearly as good as the company and conversations. My wish is not one person cared or thought about the big huge mess the house became, how loud the noise level was or how confusing things became at times because there are days when the more the merrier is a true statement. What you feel in your heart for one day, you can feel every day. I have always wondered why people reserve special occasions to say, give, express and acknowledge others. Be glad every second for the births, the lives, the gifts the world has given us. A present doesn’t have to cost money to be priceless or to be treasured. It is amazing what a smile, a helping hand, a kind word, a favor, a well placed truth, or just a calming silence can do for someone. Make every day in your heart like you feel today and you will be as bright as the lights on your tree all year round and this world would glow a lot brighter, trust me. Happy New Year San Saba….I love you all with all my heart!