Good morning. Don’t know what it’s like in your neck of the woods, but our New Year’s Eve seems to be a little rainy and definitely cloudy. I woke up too early, yet again. I don’t know what my problem is lately, but I keep waking up well before I should. My mind starts its usual flitting from one subject to another and then I can’t get back to sleep.

I’m reading a book that I will review this coming week but I’m also reading these 2 books:

Design Sponge at Home is chock full of all things home. I’ve long been a fan of Design Sponge, and the book does not disappoint. The first section is called Sneak Peeks, after a regular feature on Design Sponge that gives readers a glimpse of someone’s home. (We all love that, don’t we?) Also included are sections on DIY Projects, DIY Basics, a Flower Workshop and Before & After.  It’s a little modern, a little edgy, but mostly full of lovingly decorated homes and apartments. Decorated by the homeowners, I might add. Just what I like.

Judy Collins. I’ve been a fan since high school.  Not only does she sing beautifully, she writes beautifully. And her eyes are really that blue. How do I know? I met her. Years ago, she gave a concert at Masonic Auditorium in Detroit that I attended. In those days, we were able to get backstage pretty easily. I can’t imagine it being so easy nowadays. Anyway, she wore a long, flowing dress and looked ethereal. As she stood in the center of the stage, her gorgeous voice filled the auditorium (and Masonic is huge) and we all fell in love with her. Somehow I managed to walk onstage after the concert where I found Judy standing with her guitar. We stood there chatting and Judy graciously autographed my program. (I did the same thing with Gordon Lightfoot. We walked into his dressing room, took photos, and got his autograph!) I had a lot of chutzpah in those days. On an interesting sidenote: Don also met her a few years ago in New York. A big thank you to Don for giving me this book for Christmas.

What else is going on? Well, (and we will sound like country bumpkins here) Thursday Don and I drove over an hour to New Jersey where we visited Ikea and Trader Joe’s. Whoo hoo! We were pretty gosh-darned excited about the whole thing. I bought a few little things for the kichen at Ikea but we got out of there pretty quickly. Since we’re in a holiday week, it was packed with families and kids running everywhere, including right in front of me. I had to think fast as I dodged innumerable out-of-control children. (Don’t parents keep their kids in check anymore? My parents would simply have not allowed us to run amok.) That kind of thing makes me very tired. Trader Joe’s was a more productive experience – we stocked up on lots of food and I bought these:

Frugal me. If I could, I would only buy flowers from Trader Joe’s because they are always healthy, as well as cheap. This bouquet was $3.99. If I bought the same bouquet up this way, it would have been at least twelve dollars. My favorite flower for vases? Alstromeria. They last a long time, so I really feel like I get my money’s worth.

On the docket today: taking down most of the Christmas decorations. The tree will stay up until tomorrow. New Year’s Eve is not that big a deal for me. I’m usually asleep before midnight. Since Don is working tonight, if I am awake, I’ll say Happy New Year to the dogs.

I will say that 2011 was not the best year for us: lots of worries about a greatly diminished income, worries about my parents, the loss of some trees during Hurricane Irene, and two surgeries for me. I’m happy to say goodbye to it. I’m both looking forward to and wary of 2012. I wish for a year that is full of new adventures and prosperity and good health for us. At the same time, my mom is getting frailer, my dad is exhausted and Riley is declining. I know there are sad times ahead.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year!  Enjoy your celebration, whatever form it takes. Here’s to a wonderful 2012 for everyone.