It's Almost the End of the Year - A Very Busy Time and A Time for Retrospection

I actually slept until my alarm went off - rather rare for me, especially at this time of the year. I glanced outdoors quickly, hoping I wouldn't have to build shoveling the driveway into the morning, but it looks clear. Hopefully we won't have icy roads, I don't know if we misted or rained overnight. If we did, it's damned COLD out this morning, so it could be an icy and slippery ride to the swimming pool. 

I graduated from George Washington High School in 
Denver, Colorado, more than 50 years ago. It's a large 
school. The section on the far left with the set-back 
windows is the olympic-sized swimming pool. The 
three-story section closest to the bottom are all 
classrooms. I remember having Geometry on the 
3rd floor here, and having to get down to the basement 
level in a different wing for my next class. Almost 
impossible in the time allocated and the crowded 
hallways. 

Thanks go out to Pamela La Vasseur and "Alex" for their holiday cards which I received yesterday. They're lovely, and look marvelous along my mantlepiece. Pamela is another old high school friend. We never talk, haven't even met since high school, but we exchange holiday cards every year. I doubt we'd recognize each other at all if we happened to meet, but I love the fact that we still have a connection, after more than 50 years. She still lives in the same house (just as Sharon does). With property values in Denver where they are, I can't blame either of them for staying put. 

While I check and double-check our Year-end Sale 
email, I'm also focused on finding some time to 
wrap DH's holiday and birthday gifts. I also need 
to get groceries. I'll let DH figure out the holiday 
stuff - I think he'll buy some shrimp for us to share. 
Always a treat. 

I've been working on finalizing our 4-day sale email. I want that out within 48 hours, and I still have to get DH to review it and see if I missed anything. (Since I've been sending the "same" email - just slight variations and date corrections - for several years. I suspect it'll be fine.) Next week will be a bit hellish, - we'll be off on Monday and Tuesday, and then I'm on for Wednesday through Saturday for the final sale of the year. We lock the doors on Saturday night, and have another three days off before starting our New Year. We have end of the year reports that have to be printed out, but except for that, we won't see the inside of the shop for a few days. I'm TOTALLY fine with that. But it does mean that the chat with Aearwen which would normally take place on the 27th, is cancelled. Tomorrow will be our final chat of the year! 

I love reaching out to my friends and acquaintances 
with my annual holiday cards. They're all on their 
way to the respective new homes now, and I'm getting 
some cards in return which is always a blessing. 

So, as I get ready to head out to the pool, I'm reflecting a bit over the past year - highs and lows. It was a serious disappointment on several levels, but I don't live in the past. I live for my future, and it's looking a bit brighter than it had even six months ago. I'll be doing some retrospecting over the next weeks, 2023 was a year of changes, and I expect 2024 will have even more changed in store for me and DH. So, have an excellent Tuesday, I'm off to the swimming pool. I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.