Happy New Year!

Ciel came for the Holidays and stayed for her birthday. It was wonderful having her here.
We had a great Christmas, a quick but beautiful trip to Teasdale, and a luscious dinner on New Year's eve at Cucina Toscana.
Now that I am 60, I can say that I have learned a few things, and here they are in no special order:
1. If you have a party in the middle of no where and you provide a place for people to stay, they will come!
2. Children eventually grow up. Some are slower, some are harder, but they do turn into wonderful independent people eventually.
3. Sometimes you just have to say no. There is no point in trying to please everyone all of the time.
4. Cooking and food are pleasures that are experienced differently by everyone. There is no accounting for taste. If there are enough different flavors, textures and smells everyone will remember something different as their favorite.
5. Traditions must change with the times. There is no shame in making them your own, and forming new ones.
6. Sparkly things make people happy.
7. Pets teach you to love unconditionally.
8. You can't choose your family, but you can decide whom to spend time with.
9. Marrying your best friend is pure luck.
10. I don't believe in fate, but I do believe we are mostly responsible to what happens to us. Mostly is the key. The rest is happenstance and we should not fret about it.
11. Religious fervor is responsible for most of the evil in the world.
12. Doing random anonymous acts of kindness is rather fun.
13. There are no new stories. Just different ways of telling.
14. No matter what, just move on. It sometimes seems impossible, but just do it. Nothing is gained by holding a grudge, fretting about what might have been, or denying the truth.
15. Read. Both sides of everything.
16. Education is the key to success and the best way to conquer your fears.
17. No one will remember you in 100 years.
18. Eating your first garden tomato of the year is harder to do when you have a greenhouse. There are always tomatoes!
19. Spending time in the natural world is the cure for the blues.
20. Laughter is the best medicine, Love is the best action.