HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Where did this year go???? Well, hell.....the year flew by as the 1st Lady and lived in frustration along with a horrific mess in our house during the remodeling process(es). Has it been worth it???? Hmmmmm......almost an entire year of our lives screwed up during this process.....you know, even though it is beautiful and such a wonderful change, I still look back over this past year and realize how torn up our lives were. Is it worth it? You know.....just not sure! Give me more time.....ok????

Left yesterday morning and drove up to the Lake of the Ozarks/Eldon to check on my aging mother. My sister moved my mother in with her this week after she fell and couldn't get up. I KNOW that Mom is soooo much better off now.......she doesn't have to cook for herself any more and she does have lots of hours of social time with my sister and her husband's families there at their house, rather than living alone at age 93+.

It was a good visit!! I believe she is more alert than she was 10 days ago when I was last there. Again....I believe it is because she is with other people....AND....eating much better!! I spent the night at her home in Eldon.....much work to be done there, but.....well, we will have to decide how to move on with this project.

I returned back to TheHowserHouse shortly after lunch......and began to make lists of what needs to be done prior to leaving this week for our winter "break". We have been away for several weeks prior to this trip, but I believe this may turn out to be the longest time we have been away from our stick and brick. Therefore......we do have much to think about and to either load or store in safe places. I do have a house alarm which, of course, will be turned on as we leave. And.....we have a good friend, my former student and, later, my assistant band director, who lives here in town and will be overseeing any problems that might develop.

I feel like I/we have been pushed and rushed to get things completed in the house, and for this trip, for the last few weeks......and it will be with a great sense of relief when we finally do lock the stick and brick and get on the road, once again. There are still several small details, and one large one, that need to be finished on the house......but it is time we took this break and drove TheHowserHouse down the road to sites unknown!!!!

I am finishing this this morning, Tuesday, as I watch the events of Pres. Ford's funeral. Oh how well I remember the day he took office and Nixon got into the helicopter and flew off to California as a private citizen. He was flying right over Jefferson City and our area as Ford became President.......a moment to remeber....and I have done so.

Soooo, I will get this posted now. Much to do......but,

Life is Great.....and I hope it is for all of you, also.