The New Year (for the time being)

I am a guest of the local public library at this point as my modem and my laptop are not on speaking terms at home.

So I have 11 minutes and 45 seconds left on this free terminal to "howdy" with my BlogPals.

Happy New Year, all.  I am easing into the 187th version of a Really Workable Daily Schedule for my semi-retired self ("semi-retired; and the rest, Just Plain Tired).  Trying to juggle my commitments to: the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola, his own self; Italian grammar and conversation practice at the "Advanced" level; the steady improvement and rehabilitation of the decor at Tether's End; a reasonable set of blood pressure readings; a marked decrease in personal avoirdupois; 10,000 steps a day; 1/2 hour's actual exercise a day; and of course the nurture and entertainment of Things #1 through #4 (granddaughters under the age of 4, for those who've just tuned in).  Also a journal; also the reading of a great many journals of the other sort...and one way or another the poor old threadbare blog tends to get shunted down to the bottom of the list, somewhere around cleaning the cat-box and/or purging my precious hoard of Useful Jars to Put Things In.

Also happening at the moment: re-reading all of Jane Austen (just finished Mansfield Park); catching up via DVD's on a number of movies, recent and other (tonight, Hope Springs); knitting a large woolly blanket for Things #4 who was 3 months old on Christmas Eve; answering the Christmas mail; doing a little aimless sketching from time to time...and no doubt other delights which do not come to mind at the moment.

Oh yes -- a degree of responsibility for the care and management of two parishes approximately 60 miles apart -- Sunday services in one (plus the occasional meeting), and a vaguely pastoral presence in the other (while the Rector is on leave).  So there is about 150-180 miles of driving at a minimum, per week.  Most of it is out in the hinterland, lightly snow-covered, and, given the restrained palette currently operative, breathtakingly beautiful.

We are well.  The Things thrive and prosper and increase in wisdom and stature daily.  

And, for the moment, That Is All.