Grateful

Pausing a minute to remember the highlights of last year:

The visit of Sara and Chris, (thanks so much for coming!);

Nearly everything about Scotland;

Finding goodreads.com and establishing informal bookclubs (M and S and the Ha Ha!);

Thanks to Anne, for helping me discover Caroline Knapp and her The Merry Recluse, reading more Barbara Kingsolver, Rebecca Solnit and Terry Tempest Williams;

Finding Smitten Kitchen.com and the miraculous no-knead NYT bread recipe;

Making Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream and Pear-Caramel-Ginger Ice Cream in my new ice cream maker and having to exercise the art of portion control to lose my few extra Scottish dessert pounds!

Logging 700 miles of running and gaining physical strength;

Learning our program will probably continue (final word on funding due in a couple of months), and watching it gain momentum;

Trying my hand at travel writing, and seeing my words and photos in print;

Finding more like-minded people here and strengthening friendships;

The women's hiking group's excursion (and also M and C's visit) to Hueco Tanks to see rock art, and the tour there, which has to be the "Best Two Hours in Texas;"

Grateful that many aspects of life are finally moving forward;

All your emails and calls!