Monday, December 31, 2012

My New Year's Wish For All...


It’s New Year’s Eve in the year of our Lord, 2012.  Not only can I not believe it’s going to be 2013 but I can’t believe this year is almost over.  It has gone by so very quickly.

I came out to Fort Worth on December 9th of 2011.  I was supposed to stay about 30 days, return to Florida for a couple of weeks and then come back to Fort Worth with my belongings, planning to stay permanently.  As it turned out things happened that caused those plans to change…  for the better.  The property manager for the home I was renting called in the first week of January and said they had found new renters for the house.  These renters wanted to move in on January 16th.  That meant I had to head back early to clean out the house.

Arden took a few days off and went with me and with the exception of three days this year when she attended beading retreat with her friends (to which I wasn’t invited), we have been together continuously since that December 9th.  I couldn’t be happier.  Being with Arden has been a blessing for which I waited a long, long time.

The time has flown by.  Even though I’m still not working, I find plenty of things to do and the days disappear far too quickly.  Arden and I have traveled to San Antonio a couple of times this year.  We’ve been to Ohio twice, Oklahoma once and Arkansas once.   We would have travelled to Harlingen, Texas, for Christmas except this year her parents decided to come North.  But we’re supposed to go there in April.

I had to say good-by to my father this year.  After nearly 12 years of slow, continuous physical deterioration, he finally succumbed to his weakened condition and went to be with the God he served for so long during his life.  I believe he is now whole and enjoying time with my mother and my son and for that I’m happy.  I miss you, Pop, very much.  But I’m glad you’re not suffering any more.

I finally found a publisher for my book and its projected release date is April.  It’s been interesting working with the editors and just the other day I communicated with the graphic designer about the front and back covers and submitted my ideas.  There are a lot of details in getting a book published.  One of them is tracking down and obtaining copyright permission(s) to use quotes from poems or song lyrics – something I didn’t really think of when I was writing.  But I don’t want to take them out because they became an integral part of the book.

2013 will be a fun and exciting year for us.  Not only with the publication of my book but our first wedding anniversary will be in August and I plan to make it special.  When you’re in your mid 50s and newlywed you’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity.  Regardless of where we go it will be wonderful to just get away together alone for a few days.  We got to do that for our honeymoon and we had such a good time we didn’t want to come back.  Anyone have any suggestions?

I want to thank all of you who read my ramblings for your support and loyalty.  In November I had over 800 page views and as of this writing my total for December is 939.  So thank you to all.  I appreciate you taking the time to read what I post, particularly since you don’t have to.

Arden and I would like to extend our wishes to each and every one of you for a prosperous and fun-filled new year.  Things are rather uncertain right now in this country and the world and 2013 may not start out to be the best year ever.  All we can do is keep working toward positive and reasonable solutions to our problems and try to find common ground as best we can.  But common ground means no extremes in either direction.

May God bless you all in these trying times.  He and He alone controls the future and it’s up to us to follow His will rather than trying to dictate our own.  As the old saying goes….  “If you want to hear God laugh – tell Him your plans.” 

Happy New Year everyone.

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