Happy New Year

I can't believe it's New Years Eve again. In some ways it seems like a few months since last year's party, and in other ways it seems like it's been forever.

It's been a good year. The builder broke ground on our new home in January, and we moved in June. Since then we've had a veritable flood of friends and family come to visit, and we've welcomed them with a minimum of fuss and almost no room swapping, thanks to the guest room and loft. Only once has Alex been displaced from his room, and although he's always been gracious and willing to bunk with his sister on a temporary basis, I'm sure he's relieved not to have to.

Eric retired from the military and got his first civilian job since high school. I will admit to being a little jealous; he got a high paying job, and he intereviewed over the phone, in a partial state of dress, I might add. And we bought him an interview suit that he didn't need! Not for that job, anyway! We're all much happier not to have deployments and militaryisms to deal with, although he still has a little trouble getting dressed for work now that he has to put outfits together!

Alex started high school this year, which has been exciting and traumatic for all of us. The work load was heavier than he anticipated, and the adjustment has not been easy, but I'm hoping that the worst is behind us.

Vicky joined the ranks of teendom, which means I'll be even more stoopid this year than I have for the last. It's a downhill slide I'll be making for the next, oh, 6 or 7 years. I'll hit bottom when Vicky is 17 or 18, but by then Alex will have been in college for a while and maybe I'll be a little smarter. I'm assured by my co-workers that college does make some parents smarter. :-)

I found as near to a perfect job as I've had yet. It doesn't pay a lot, and we work like dogs a lot of the time, but I never knew food service could be so much fun. It helps that it's a teeny little bistro, and that the women I'm working with are older than me and free from the drama of those younger than me. Whether I'm prepping plates, refilling coffee cups, or up do my elbows in dishwater, we have a lot of fun, and tips are my friend! I find I'm tipping better since I started this job. Since I started in September I haven't had one day when I've woken up and thought, "Man, I wish I didn't have to work today."

Goals for 2006:
Have fun
Develop more discipline to write every day
Focus on my health (exercise, diet, etc)
Pay stuff off

Are you doing resolutions or goals for the new year?