Auld Lang Syne - Best wishes for 2014!

I'm not sure what that phrase means (I could google it, since it's 2014, but I'm not going to do that now).  I believe it's Gaelic and I know Robert Burns (whose birthday we will celebrate later this month with my recitation of "To A Mouse") wrote it and we sing it on New Year's Eve.  We had a relatively quiet New Year's Eve.  I used to long to go out to some big fancy dress affair with a swing band and a kind of Rosemary Clooney supper club atmosphere, but then Mike and I did that a few times and I realized that the old saying is true -- that only the amateurs are out on New Year's Eve.  I think now my ideal New Year's Eve would be to spend the evening hiking in a snowy forest and celebrate the rolling in of the New Year under the stars in a frosty place where you could see your breath and not hear anything but the crunch of your boots in the snow.

We all stayed up till midnight and planned to bang pans at the turn of the clock, but the fireworks started earlier and Daisy worked herself up into a complete panic and just before 12, she managed to wedge herself between the washing machine, the wall and the hot water heater and so at the striking of the clock, Mike and I were trying to figure out how to get her out.  It was like one of those puzzles except with a living thing and both of us thought we might have to call the vet or something.  Luckily, we finally got her out with a great deal of pulling and pushing and struggling and no real injuries (although she seems a little stiff this morning) and then I put her on the leash for the rest of the evening.

Did you make any New Year's resolutions?  I made one -- I'm going to ask more questions.  Sometimes, I'm afraid of asking a question because I think it might sound silly, but if I don't know, I need to ask.  I remember the resolution a character in The Golden Road (by L.M. Montgomery, one of my favourite authors) made -- she resolved to have all the good times she could.  It wasn't as easy as it seemed and she wasn't able to keep it.  I think that's a good resolution to make, if you can keep it in mind throughout the year and use it to inspire you when you feel shy or nervous about putting yourself forward.  I wish you all the happiest and most beautiful New Year's Day.  Our bird feeder is crowded with little grey bushtits, and it makes me happy to think we can give them a little treat on a dreary day when it might be hard for them to find a nice meal.