Happy 2010..!!

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Doesn't it seem like just the other day everyone was all in a flap about Y2K?  How could that possibly be ten years ago?  A whole decade, gone in a snap, though all things considered, maybe it was a decade we should be glad is over.

It was a decade of being Bushwhacked; a global economy in tatters; endless war; terrorism escalating and rife with hatred; our beautiful planet pillaged and plundered in the name of Greed.  It's enough to make a person despair, and to wonder:  where will it all end?  Where will we all end?

Then, just when I think we're doomed as a species, there are reminders of goodness, of greatness, of miracles even, and I can't help feeling positive again, and hopeful that maybe, just maybe, things might get better.

Negativity is a black hole that sucks life-affirming joy out of the world.  The only counter is to fight for all you're worth to deflect it with a positive attitude.  Stay away from negative people, sift through the dire warnings from the media and don't succumb to the temptation to believe everything you see or hear.  For every bad thing, look for the good, no matter how small.  Hold your spirit tight and don't allow it to be pulled into the depths of that soul-destroying black hole.

Here are some positive things I've thought about today, the last day of 2009:

• The hushed silence of a new snowfall
• Ozzy's unconditional love for his Mom (that would be me)
  
• My husband's unending support while I type away on The Novel, encouraging me even when I'm convinced my book is total crap
• A man who risks his life leaping over 4 seats to stop a lunatic from blowing up a plane
• A mother and newborn who die on Christmas Eve, then miraculously come back to life
• A belly laugh, complete with streaming tears and a runny nose, from something my BFF has told me over the phone
  
• Pizza, hot from the oven, with a cold Corona
• Lemon meringue pie
• The love of a good man
  
• Chocolate chip cookies, warm and gooey
• Winning the NaNo challenge in November
  
• People, all over the world, who help others less fortunate
• Babies, both human and animal, who know each and every day is a wonder of discovery and adventure
• The Summer sun sparkling on the Bay of Naples
• The Scottish Highlands, green and ageless and breath-taking
• My new, beautiful and yummy dining table and chairs
• A pair of Blackbirds (partners for life), and a family of tiny, cheerful Robins who live in our garden

There's no doubt, being human, that I will have my joy-sucking moments in the year to come, but I will also try to find, and savor, more of the positive ones.  Being a firm believer in 'what you cast out returns to you three-fold', I'm going to work hard to smile often, listen more, try to find the good in Life, and resist that black hole for all I'm worth.

"Although we cannot choose what happens to us, we can choose how we respond"

Epictetus  

Happy Holidays..!!

Snow Day...

We had a great snowstorm last night--the first snowy December in Edinburgh in over 20 years..!! Though it's been lightly snowing off and on all week, this was finally the real thing. We got about 4-5 inches, which isn't much in other parts of the world in the Winter, but for here, it was lots. It was so deep in places that Ozzy had to snowplow his way through the drifts.

Is there anything better than that beautiful hushed silence of a heavy snowfall..?? We bundled up and were out walking just after 8:00am. It was still a bit dark (Scotland in the Winter, don't you know), so the combination of too early and lots of snow meant we were just about the only ones out. We had to blaze a trail in several places...though it was easier for us than wee Ozzy. He wasn't complaining though, and just frolicked like the kid he is.

I took my camera since this was an Event, and below are the photos.

Across the street from the house is the road that leads down to the River Almond. The drop-off along the road is pretty steep, though I was able to walk pretty close to the brink and take this shot straight down the embankment.

Made it down the road to the bottom of the hill, and here we are just beginning our walk along the river.

After walking a ways along the path, I turned back and took this shot. It's the view looking back of the photo above. If that makes any sense..??!!

This is about the halfway point on the river walk. Alan and Ozzy are standing under a canopy of snow-laden tree boughs.

At the end of the river now, and walking toward the Forth and along the waterfront. My sister will remember these steps that cut through Cramond Village, from the upper level to the water. She took a great photo from the top looking down these same steps.

Finished with the waterfront and are climbing up a different hill to head home. It was just such a cool early morning walk, with no people, and other than the crunch of snow under our boots, blissfully quiet.

The Cramond Tower looms over the scene. A private home, with a view you would not believe. This part of the walk leads us past the Tower, up a trail through the woods, then through the church/cemetery (where we stop to give Oz some treats and feed the crows), then it's another 15 minutes or so to home.

It was a great adventure, and a really fun day.  Though, it was an entirely different story when we got home and had to disrobe 87 layers of clothing, get out of snow-filled boots, strip off jeans soaked to the knees, drip snow all over the kitchen, and try to melt the snowballs off Ozzy's chest, legs and undercarriage.  That was less fun.  Still, it's a rare treat to have the snow, so yeah, I guess all things considered, it was a perfect Snow Day.

Contrasts

We had our first snowfall yesterday.  I was hoping for a real deluge, but alas, though it snowed all day and into the night, it melted almost as fast as it fell.  This morning, on the Ozzy walk, I was expecting a Winter Wonderland effect in the mountains, but it was so dark and dreary, the mountains just blended into the gloom.  Figures.  It never fails that if I don't have my camera I've missed the shot of a lifetime, and if I do, nothing.

In any case, I was thinking, as we got home from the walk, what a contrast the rose garden was today, compared to July.  So, for a hit of lush Summer vs the bleakness of Winter, see below.  I suppose we really need Winter to remind us of how wonderful Summer is...right?  Sigh...

Beautiful July

Bleak December

My only other news is the book is now at 84K, Chapter 35, 418 pages...and I don't have a clue how I'm going to finish it..!!  I know where I'm going, but it's taking me a really long time to get there.  Course, once I finish, it will be revision and rewrite, meaning I will no doubt end up with a short story once I cut out all the crap.  Still.  It's been an amazing thing to do.  Now, if I could just get to the bloody end..!!

So, since today is a "work" day, I'd best get to writing, rather than blogging.  Before I go, let's all bow our heads, cross our fingers and with real feeling, begin to chant:  

Come On Spring..!!

Just a note...