A New Year Is Underway

What will this year mean to you?

I hope it means a time of building for you, building your dreams, making them realities, learning new things, enjoying relationships with good people who care about you.

I hope every day brings you some opportunity, however big or small, to make something better in your life, your home, your work, or your environment.  I hope you take those opportunities.

I have been enjoying a good year so far -- opening to dreams, making productive changes in business and life, and learning -- always learning.

I have continued keeping my resolution that I made at the end of 2015, and it continues to benefit my life daily.  As a result, I deal with far less hassles and am able to be far more productive, more focused, and do better overall.  And I am just happier.  Yes.  I still have health concerns and will be seeing a new specialist soon, but even that is much less a burden now that I don't need to wade through other peoples' muck to take care of my own health and well being.

And I am in love -- Yup!  There was a time following the end of my marriage when I was sure I was done with the whole love thing, just did not want to go through the loss, the pain, and the rebuilding again.  Also, at my age, I pretty much thought love was not going to happen.  But the delightful surprise is that it has.  I have been seeing a wonderful man since October, and we get along very well.  I have been keeping things kind of low key in that I have not told very many people, and I am not sure if I will change that.  Unfortunately, a couple of people were so extremely rude and behaved in such a toxic way over my former marriage and the marriage ending that I know for sure I will never make the mistake of exposing myself to any repeat performance of that.  Their behavior over something that did not affect them and was not their business was frankly bizarre to say the least.

So yes, looks like 2018 will have some great times and some roller coaster times in store.  And I look forward to every day because it is my life and how it unfolds is interesting to me.

Hoping life provides you lots of joy and great learning experiences this year.  Peace.

Tasty Tuesday and Bidding Farewell to January

Tasty Tuesday is here again...

Today's recipe is for a super quick and easy side dish that will go well with almost any meal.

Seeded Bow Tie Noodles

Ingredients:

8 ounces bow tie noodles

3 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground pepper

Instructions:

1)  Cook noodles according to package instructions, al dente.

2)  Drain water from noodles.

3)  Toss noodles gently with remaining ingredients.  Serves 4.

Today is the last day of January.

It has been a whirlwind month -- a new year, a new President, a new outlook, a new opportunity for change, exploration, and building.  I have been working on inventory organization, improving business practices, setting new goals and doing my best to meet them.  Tomorrow a friend is coming to help me haul many items out for donation and for trash.  Some of the items are big (chairs) so the help is much appreciated.

I did not make any big New Year's resolutions this year.  Instead, I am doing weekly goals, which I am happy to sat I am keeping pretty well so far.  Last year I made one big resolution, and I am happy to say I kept it all year.  It was a major decision having to do with my freedom, well-being, and progress, and keeping it faithfully has certainly been paying off.

Do you make resolutions every year?  How is it going for you?  I have found that keeping the resolutions to a minimum helps me a lot.  Trying to accomplish too much at once is not something I do well.  For me, the small number of weekly goals tends to work better.

I hope you are all having a good week, and that your goals and efforts are yielding good results for you.  

As We Say Goodbye to 2016...

I want to wish you all...

May your year be full of joy, prosperity, and purpose!