Happy New Year 1/1/11

We met up with Kevin, Michele and Bob at Dockside on Lake Tarpon for some cocktails and snacks on New Year's Eve. This was a new place for E and I and we really liked the outside deck. The condos across the canal are cute and look very inviting. When we got home, E fixed us a delectable (my new food word)dinner of bay scallops in a white wine lemon sauce and, by 9:30pm we were both sound asleep. If it had not been for two texts on my cell phone from friends in Ft. Myers, I would have slept through the ending of one year and the start of another. Thanks!




Looking back over my year in review I am stuck how blessed E and I are with our family close by and the friends we have both in our old town of St. Louis, Ft. Myers and now here in the Tampa area along with many who live in far away states and countries but close friends none the less. There was an editorial in today's St. Pete Times that really reinforced how blessed we are. The writer, Peter A Gorski, was writing in his essay entitled "Friends Make New Year Happy" how having friends can make all the difference in one's health, attitude and even life span. While this was not an earth shaking revelation, I did love how he explored his topic. A couple of quotes struck cords with me

(paraphrasing) the best way to ease stress and and tap into happiness is to have friends who are happy themselves and who are positive people. The more friends, the better. and this one "One sure way to help grow happier and healthier is to practice feeling grateful". I highly recommend that you read the entire essay which, I believe, can be found on line at the St. Pete' Times web site. I am cutting this one out and putting it on my cork board!

The author gave his sister a journal in which to record the things for which she is grateful. What a great idea. And I have just the notebook in which to do this very same thing. At the top of my list ...FRIENDS

To all you, the happiest of New Years and may this one be even better than the last.