Happy New Year 2024 is Here!

[Bethers]

[Colliemom]

Well, we made it to the beginning of another year. Another chapter in the book f life beginning, full of blank pages to fill. I didn’t stay up till midnight, but Piper woke me up as somebody must have shot off something, she doesn’t like fireworks or guns.

Gaylord has a few things to look forward to this year. Hobby Lobby will be opening in a couple months after rebuilding from tornado and Goodwill will be moving back into their rebuilt store next month as well. Menards is opening a brand new store as is 5 Below. And this year marks the beginning of two major road construction projects that will stretch out over the next 3 years. That will require some route changes for those of us who know how to get around them. The biggest will be in 2025 when they replace the bridges and do a total reconfiguration of I-75 Exit 282 here. That is expected to take about two years. This year will be total removal and replacing of the I-75 business route from Exit 279 into town and installation of a roundabout at one intersection.

Had a bit of light snow yesterday. Barely enough to even measure. Rest of week not looking too bad. Maybe some snow showers around. Temps in low 30’s.

Liz, thanks for posting the update about your surgery etc. Sounds like your family has everything covered for you. Judy, they don’t do the car thing anymore on Houghton Lake, but Tip Up Town still happens every year, the last two weekends of January. And some snowmobilers usually go through the ice. Most of it due to people being unfamiliar with the lake. There are streams and creeks running into and out of it not to mention the Muskegon River. Always thin ice in those areas. Barbie, anybody here, who tries to run a snowmobile across a patch of open water and doesn’t make it, gets slapped with a fine and the costs to have the sled removed from the water. I haven’t seen vehicles on the ice up here, other than snowmobiles or side by sides parked by ice shanties and hardly any of them either. Most people just walk out. Ice fishing season is getting off to a slow start this year with the mild weather we have been having. If it’s a good cold winter and the ice is good, then snowmobilers will ride on the lakes. Otherwise they’re pretty much stay off.

I’m off to get dressed for the day and get back to doing some cosmetic changes on my Diamond painting. It’s done, but the deers ears need some changes. The pattern calls for different colors of course, but some of the blue grayish diamonds in the ears, show blue in the light. Deer do not have blue in their ears, so I am making a few minor changes here and there. Breakfast is over, Bacon and eggs. Dogs have had their egg, supplements and Molly’s eye drops and are now taking their morning nap, so all’s quiet here.

[IrishIroamed]

Happy New Year ladies~~~
I remembered Rabbits. Said it 3 times. Once for Puerto Rico, Once for New York and again when I got up this morning.

I moved up to Apache Junction from Tucson on Saturday. The place I'm staying offered 2 free nights since the office is closed for the holidays if I came early.

Already had a visit with Alice and her little cutie Patrick. And went to the river yesterday to see the Salt River wild horses.

Best friend from grade and high school will be here mid- month. They finally retired and their daughter who lives in Mesa is getting married in February. They'll be looking for a house. Hopefully I'll get a visit with my cousin also, but she has her hands full with her boyfriend early dementia.

That's it from me and the desert southwest. Have a happy healthy New Year. Prayers for a quick recovery Liz.

[OregonLuvr]

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024 has arrived. Emma didnt do too bad last night but we didnt have alot of fireworks or gun fire so that was good. She was definitely unnerved but she stayed on my bed....I think LOL She is still wary and wouldnt eat her breakfast but went out and pottied okay. Wanted right back in tho. Of course when we were coming back in there was 1 big boom at 5 am.......good grief. She is somewhere in the house keeping a low profile. Normally she is on my lap while I catch up on the news and computer.
Not sure what today will bring but I know I wont be going anywhere. Will probably watch the parade or at least part of it. I have been to the Rose Parade a few times when we lived down there in the area but I was a teenager then. Now I have zero desire to go see it. I really dont like crowds anymore.....not necessarily because of Covid and all the other stuff out there, I just prefer smaller groups.
Cheryl so glad you could get together with Alice, she is good people. I have always enjoyed my visits with her.
I am mulling over what I will fix for breakfast later. Bacon and eggs sound good but will probably have an omelet with hashbrowns. Decisions decisions.

[Pooker]

Happy New Year everyone! Let's hope it's a less stressful year for all of us.

[SoCalGalcas]

Happy New Year to all. I am watching the Rose Parade. I have been to it several times. The last time I attended, was the year it poured down rain. We were soaked and so cold. I love seeing the bands, and the TV passes over them much to rapidly as far as I’m concerned.
This year I get to see the Michigan Band. The best band in the country. Very disciplined.
Last night very quiet around here. I was still awake reading and didn’t hear a thing outside.
Lyn and

[asirimarco]

Happy New Year to all. And I second the wish this will be a less stressful year. I remembered it was a new year but not a new month. No rabbits for me. Bill had what we both hope was his last extreme exhaustion episode yesterday afternoon. It had been quite a while since he'd had one and we dared to hope they were over. Guess not. But they are getting longer and longer apart. Been 10 months since he had Covid. And his eyesight seems to be improving some. We are both looking forward to our trip, only 10 more days. Will seem like a long 10 days I bet. Today is also our 59th anniversary. Was long time. Makes me feel old.
Have a great new year.

[monik7]

Happy New Year to all!
Sandi

[chalet05]

Happy New Year!!

[Bethers]

Happy Anniversary Carol and Bill.

I rarely skip the meals here but at the moment think I'm going to skip today's. I'll text the managers if so otherwise I know they'll come checking on me.

[Shirlv]

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone. I said rabbits and sure need it. My personal and health information was hack from one visit to The Retina Group of Washington. Didn’t like them and never went back. Maybe their security is as shabby as their practice. Never had to deal with something like this so very upset. Finally out of apartment and still dealing with stuff. I’m going to wear THE sweatshirt and deal with it all. Be safe

Is there a way to enlarge text on this site. Doesn’t work from settings on this iPad Air 5

[Irmi]

Happy New Year everyone!

Our low temperature this morning was 41, so that was a plus. And right now it is 71, but tomorrow will be cooler again.

[Redetotry]

Happy New Year to all! We stayed home as usual and I went to bed at 9:30! I actually never liked to go out at New Years, restaurants were always so crowded the food was never really that good and people in general were drinking and driving. Fortunately the dogs don't pay attention to fireworks or other loud noises. When I got Pippa I wanted work with her to not be afraid either so every time it thundered or there was loud noises I would clap my hands, act all excited and give everyone treats. Seemed to work or maybe I was just lucky. It is still cold and gloomy here and it will be another week of not knowing what day it is.

Shirl sorry to hear your information was hacked. That's always a hassle. Cheryl you should be good for the month after saying Rabbits 3 times!

[BarbaraRose]

I forgot to say Rabbits I started falling asleep in my chair around 9:30 so I just went to bed. Nothing much to watch on TV. I started watching Anderson and Andy. That wasn't too exciting. I remember several years ago, they both got hammered and it was really funny to watch! I think they were told to cut down the alcohol since then and they aren't as entertaining anymore. I had a little bit of my new Baileys and even brought some over for Gloria, next door. Very good! Martha, how do you like the SMores flavor? I really like that one but I love the Salted Caramel!

I never did much as a kid for New Years, probably just went out to the bars when I was old enough, and years later my dad and I would go out for an early dinner and then a movie on New Years. We were usually home by 10pm. He always said it was "amateur" night so he stayed home and drank like a good professional, most times after we came back from the movie.

Got up this morning to watch the Rose Parade. I used to watch it on HGTV and they never had commercials but would use the slow times, to explain how the floats were made and decorated, which I found very interesting. They don't show the Rose Parade on that station anymore. The only two channels that do now, have a ton of commercials and I feel like I am missing a lot of the parade because of it. I did go see it in person about 14 years ago and you see a lot more stuff, including people passed out or sleeping on the sidewalks after partying all night in the streets. And all the trash on the streets and sidewalks afterward. Looks like a homeless convention! And tortillas everywhere! They must throw tortillas in the air at midnight or something because there were hundreds of them all over the streets and sidewalks! I was up too high on bleachers to get a good look at the floats so I just went down and watched from the sidewalk. Afterward, they park the floats in a nearby neighborhood and you can go there and see them all up close and smell them and see all the little details of the way they were decorated. That was really cool!! I would someday like to volunteer to help decorate a float.

Our lake used to have a contest in the spring when an old car placed out there would go thru the ice. They stopped doing that because it wasn't environmentally friendly. The ice on the bays get really thick on a good year, up to several feet thick! Snowmobiles are legal to cross thru channels but if they go thru (and report it) they pay a lot to get them removed.

There is a big, popular bar/restaurant on our lake that has lots of boat parking and an outdoor bar and eating area. In the winter, they plow a big rink for broomball and have several teams that play in a league. In January there is a large fund-raising golf tournament on the ice. They cut holes in the ice and use tennis balls and hockey sticks to play. It is a ton of fun and a lot of drinking going on, as well as a chili contest. Minnesotan's know how to take advantage of the winter cold and snow!

Here is a photo of Lake Minnetonka (I marked my bay with a little red dot on the far right side):


And a close-up of my bay (called Libbs Lake, which originally was not connected until they dredged a long channel to it in the early 1900's.) I marked where my house was with an orange dot in the lower right corner...


Sue, you will love Menards! They have a lot more stuff there besides home improvement and building supplies.

Liz, good that you have so much family around to help you recover! Hope it all goes very well for you!

Karen, sorry to hear about your friend in Hospice. (((hugs))).

I accidentally got scheduled to work tomorrow (supposed to have Tuesdays off) and putters golf starts back up tomorrow. So I am trying to find someone to switch shifts with but it isn't looking good. I hate to miss another one.

I am hoping this year to finally sell my house and get on the road!

[snowball]

Happy New Year everyone ....
it was just a very quite day made BLT's for supper... picked up some Campani not sure if that is the spelling tomatoes they are sure good bit more expensive but oh they were good... these are in a clamshell and smaller than a normal tomato but larger than the cherry type tomato's but at least these had a good flavor..
we are back to almost the normal shows Murder She Wrote came on at 10 not 9 like she usually does...
been working on the fingerless gloves so far so good!!!
you all have a good day
sheila