Good-bye to 2007. Hello to the Year of Choices

Christmas disassembled. The kitchen island is covered with ornaments and the rug in the living room is hidden beneath plastic storage bins waiting to be repacked with holiday decor. Taking the tree down is certainly less time-consuming than putting it up, but it is not without it's own drama.
One reluctant glass ornament couldn't be untangled from a branch and crashed to the ground leaving my favorite flamingo with a gaping hole in it's tail feathers. Fortunately, I found an online site that sells the one I broke so my flock of flamingo ornaments will be intact for next Christmas.

I wrote in September that the start of school was when I tended to make resolutions. This year I may make an exception. I have a strong desire to start 2008 with a clean slate. First, I want a house that is clean and back in order after the disruption of the holidays. My pottery collection will be unearthed from the cupboard in the laundry room and placed back on the mantel where it resides for 11 months of the year. Mom's old (maybe even antique, by now) linen napkins will be washed, ironed and wrapped in tissue until I need them next year. I've already washed and ironed them two times in the past few weeks, and I have to admit that I find the process very satisfying. Ironing out the wrinkles in the oversized squares, creasing them into rectangles and then smaller squares is an easily accomplished task. That's what I like about it. The edges of napkins match up, the crease is sharp and I can see the results. I find it comforting. Other parts of life are not so clearly defined.

I managed to write my very belated Christmas cards last night. Check that off the list. Actually, the cards were so late that I bought some new cards that send "Happy New Year" greetings. There is a slight possibility that these cards were intended for Chinese New Year, as opposed to the regular old New Year, because colorful paper lanterns are scattered across the front. I'm hoping that the recipients will be so delighted to hear from me that they won't be pondering such inanities. Next year I am only going to buy New Year's cards. That way I'll have several weeks after Christmas to get my act together and I'll avoid feeling guilty.

Now, I'm not exactly making a resolution. It's more like announcing a general theme for 2008...CHOICES. Glass half-full choices. Positive options. My goal is to make determined choices and act on them. Less whining and waffling, more action. We'll see how it goes. Stay tuned.