A friend posted a spinner to choose a word for the New Year. Mine popped up 'delight'. I am lucky! It feels like the reflection of what I have been feeling the last day or two. And it has been a very long time since that feeling has lasted more than a moment. So many challenges over the last few years, not only world challenges, social challenges, environmental challenges, but personal ones as well. Challenges of aging, of a body that surprises me almost daily with a new reminder that I am no longer in possession of the energy and flexibility of someone thirty years younger, and self care needs to be at the very top of my to do list every single day.
But for the last two days I have found some renewed energy. No fewer aches and pains, but enough energy to cook a very belated Thanksgiving dinner for family. No matter that it was New Year's Day. We had the Rose Parade running on a loop, and people helped themselves to turkey, sweet potato casserole, green beans, stuffing, a lovely salad contributed by my daughter, and pumpkin pie. Covid had taken us all out of the running over the usual November event, but I determined we would move the feast. We toasted the day and each other with a little champagne, and laughed a bit, and just enjoyed each other's company. It was a casual feast, but it was fun, and pretty tasty. And I think my delight in the whole day was in large part due to the fact that I actually enjoyed doing most of the cooking myself. It's been a very long time since I felt capable of that.
Today my delight is in the lemon tree in my backyard that has overproduced this year. Our gardeners were here today and pointed out that fact, and volunteered to balance it out. Of course I sent the harvest home with them, because they left more than enough for us on the tree. And lemons last a very long time on the tree, so we should be well supplied for months. 
The sun is shining, the air is cool and crisp, and how delightful is that! I hope you have a wonderful beginning to your new year, and if you want to see what word the spinner gives to you, here is the link: Word of the Year Generator by Jen Fulwiler
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
