Loose ends of 2005

Travellers crossing the dusk sky in greater than usual numbers

Tonight much of the world parties, pushing out the old year and pulling in the new. The birthing process for 2006 will have millions of midwives helping the process along.

Personally, I won't be going out, or watching the world's celebrations on television. With a little luck and some cooperation from a handicapped child who doesn't like to sleep, I plan to watch a good movie with Nick.


What I like best about December 31 is that it gives me a really short deadline to finally tie up all the loose ends of the year. Here is my list:

• write to the two people I missed when I sent out Christmas cards for the first time in several years
• shovel the drive
• throw away newspapers
• call one of my best buddies from high school who has become a cowgirl in western Nebraska
• think of some way to use the 12 lemons I bought in a moment of folly earlier this week
• water the Christmas tree

No resolutions, no buying sprees or big cooking projects or planning. Just find a bit of mental string for these loose ends.

The only exception is to let my mind start drifting (like the snow outside) towards tomorrow's Start of a New Year blog. The Seven White Wonders of the World? Where our Strange Meals Come From (we had toad in the hole last night)? The Best of 2005 in My Town? The Worst of 2005 at my House?

My neighbors will call out "Bonne année" tomorrow, but I like the fact that today in Switzerland everyone will call out cheerily "Bonne fin d'année"!

May your year end well, too.